Last year was a year of great projects, and we look forward to more this year. Russnino’s still got its best interest for individuals, startup companies, and corporations aspiring for a permanent home on the web. Because of this, we’d like to give you a rundown of the reasons it’s important to establish that online space now:

1. It’s the best way to get out there
There’s no denying that most of your present-day consumers will be Internet literate. In fact, it’s impossible to think today’s greatest consumer demographic will not resort Google when it comes to their needs. That said, it’s important that their Google searches turn up your business.

2. It’s the best way to gain clients & projects
There isn’t a greater market to showcase your services than the Internet. Again, it’s where everyone is, and it’s where everyone resorts to when they’re in need or in search of something. Simply put: greater visibility = greater awareness of your service = greater chance of scoring a client/being hired. Isn’t this what you want?

3. For you, it’s a great way to keep track of your projects
Nothing speaks progress and development like a portfolio with entries that get better with each post. Likewise, nothing shows your client just how capable you are like an online portfolio. And, hopefully, nothing will convince him better that you’re right for the job or service.

4. It’s likewise a great source of motivation
Seeing your works online and knowing that clients are knocking on your door because of what they know about you couldn’t be a better patter on the back and source of enthusiasm and motivation to work harder, be better, until you are the best in your field.

5. It’s the best way to prove you’re keeping up with the times
With a .com or a .org or a .net is, you’ll show clients that you mean business enough to market yourself and market yourself well. It shows them that you are well up-to-date with trends and technology, and that they can trust you to provide for their needs in the Internet generation.

Now, tell us, what are you waiting for? And should you have made your decision, you know how to contact us.

Have a happy new year everybody!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Our opportunity, as designers, is to learn how to handle the complexity, rather than shy away from it, and to realize that the big art of design is to make complicated things simple.
— Tim Parsey

We were browsing the Internet for design inspiration when we came across this page on designwashere.com (http://designwashere.com/80-inspiring-quotes-about-design/) with quotes on design. One of the quotes’ recurring theme is the importance of simplicity in design, and upon realizing that, we also realized that as important as it is, it is also an often-forgotten rule.

Truly elegant design incorporates top-notch functionality into a simple, uncluttered form.
— David Lewis

Simplicity doesn’t equate to plainness. It merely connotes a thorough understanding of the information at hand and its purpose, and indicates this through a clear visualization of it.

Simplicity is clarity. When something is stated simply, its manner of information is clearer, and when information is presented clearly, it is transmitted more quickly. And in this day and age of the Internet, anything that can be absorbed or devoured in a snap is of profitable value.

A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
— Antoine de Saint Exupéry

One must certainly incorporate it in their routine to double check whether their design is of the simplest form possible, without sacrificing exquisite aesthetic. Here are some ways to do that:

1. Revise, edit, and shorten your text. This refers to headlines, titles, and section names. This also applies to text, but remember not to sacrifice clarity for word count. The key is to be concise, and straight to the point.

2. Make use of shapes. Mickey Mouse—with his large circle of a face in the middle, and two smaller ones on the upper right and left for his ears—is iconic because he is designed in such a way that enables people to easily remember how he looks like by the shape of his head. When designing graphics, especially logos, focus on simple, basic shapes and their harmony together. This allows for easier recall, and perhaps increased recognition of the design itself.

3. You only have room for what is necessary. This is important to remember. Everything that does not add to your website’s aesthetic or to the site’s information, cut it out. It is unnecessary, and you only have room for what is necessary.

That said, it’s important to discern what is necessary. Aesthetic is necessary, and so are certain pieces of information, so do not cut those out. Instead, consider the most important aspects of your client’s website, and play those up. If something is generic, or doesn’t necessarily add or help achieve a certain purpose, or is assumed or part of public knowledge, then you may decide not to include those. It’s all a matter of being concise and direct to the point, while still being visually arresting.

Design is an opportunity to continue telling the story, not just to sum everything up.
— Tate Linden

Quotes source: http://designwashere.com/80-inspiring-quotes-about-design/

Apart from good and sensible elements of design, there is one crucial aspect to a website that will not only please your client, but get more potential clients knocking on your door as well: content. In a previous post, we discussed the robes of King Content that is design, and how it makes all the difference. This time, we’re switching focus to the reason for design in the first place.

“Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration.”— Jeffrey Zeldman

It couldn’t be truer of designer, writer, and publisher Jeffrey Zeldman in stating the importance of content. One of the reasons we put up websites for our clients is that they have information to share. They have content to present. And they are doing it with our help as designers.

Yet our efforts as designers will not be sufficient without the help of those who will manage for us what we will design, that is our writers and web copy editors. And still, to work with them efficiently, what we need all the more is something they can’t offer: our client’s information.
How do we then, as web designers together with our writers and copy editors, gather the information we need from clients?

1. Be clear about what you need. Ask your client what their business is all about, what their market is all about, and how they intend to reach out to their market through their website. These are basic, but so basic they are often overlooked. This will spare your team the excess energy required at guessing what both your clients and their clients will possibly be pleased with.

2. Communicate personally as much as possible. E-mail may be a good medium to communicate with a client, but set a personal meeting with them as much as possible, because there are things you learn, pick up on, and discover about them when you’re actually with them. This can help you in deciding how to visualize the feel of their company on their website.

3. Collaborate with your writers and copy editors. While both of you may be knowledgeable about your client, you may have diverging ideas as to how to execute the website itself. While you’re considering a layout with short blurbs for previews of an article, your writer may be conceptualizing just a short one that needs no opening blurb or introduction. Or while you’re cooking up ideas for infographics and photographs, your writer may be thinking of people to interview and narrative strategies for a riveting article about the client. Finally, your copy editor may have trouble interpreting the layout or the text, or their ultimate incompatibility together, and your final output may result in an inevitable need for a major change just the night before deadline.
Work closely with your team. It will spare you heartache, energy, and sleepless nights. Besides, you are called a team for a reason.

This highlights the importance of collaboration within your own team and between you and your client. Information often gets lost or is changed in transformation, so it’s important to be able to acquire and manage it well. Further, it is something that will render your unique, individual roles in the project more important and crucial.

Remember, without a clear idea of where your client is coming from and where they’re headed, it’s almost impossible to tailor-fit a website for their purpose, and one that will stand out at that—which is what you’re client’s with you for.

Quote source: http://designwashere.com/80-inspiring-quotes-about-design/

First of all, the Russnino Website is finally up and running completely. We’ve filled out the pages’ sections, so check them out right now and see if there are any services you’d like to avail of.

Now, a question to ponder: why design? Why prettify something whose substance is still more important? For those who claim that content is king, the question may ring loud: what is the point of design?

There is a history explaining how the art of design came about with the dawn of industrialization and capitalism. When products began to be mass produced, the need to sell them was born – the field of marketing, you could say. With this came design, and not only design in terms of two-dimensional artworks containing words and decor that conveyed a message, but that of products as well: containers, packaging, and the products themselves (quilts, cups, chairs, etc., just to name a few). Of course, in order to sell something or for a person to purchase a product, it has to look good, doesn’t it?

This partly explains what design is. Design is the meshing of form and function. It is the art of presenting information in a creative way, and also in a way that guides viewers to the point it wants to make. It is the art of creating products with a body that immediately (in most cases) informs viewers what it is for, and how it is used.

Take a restaurant menu, for example. Menus incorporate design in that it presents its information – the type of food (appetizers, main course, desserts, and drinks) and its corresponding price – in a way that allows its hungry customers to easily find what they are looking for, whether or not the restaurant has the dish, or even whether or not it – assuming it is available – falls within their budget. Without great design, it would be difficult for customers to find what they are looking for, and in worse cases it may force the really hungry ones out of the restaurant and in search of one where there are reader-friendly menus. In this case, then, reader-friendly menus refer to those with great design.

The point of design, first and foremost, is to get attention. But this is only because without claiming attention, those it is intended for will not get to its most important element: its content; its message. To those pondering then the purpose of design when content is king, well, without design the king will be missed – overlooked. Perhaps ignored, even. Now that we’re using this analogy, let’s put it another way: without his robes, his throne, and the posse of guards and advisers that trail him wherever he goes, the king could easily be mistaken for a commoner. Or worse, a pauper. Hence the need for great design. After all, if one’s content is as king as it is presumed to be, why not roll out the best red carpet and the most luxurious robes and present it the way it deserves? Such is the purpose of design.

To follow the topic on design of the previous post, here’s something from Paper magazine’s April 2010 issue that we’d like to share with you guys. An excerpt from The Style of Now, the title of the essay by Kim Hastreiter in her column Note of Kim, it’s something that should come in handy to us designers as we go about our work, whether as a form of reminder or inspiration. In the essay, Hastreiter talks about industrial designer Dieter Rams (the designer of the Braun calculator and the square-shaped alarm clock, to name a few)’s idea of design. She quotes Rams, “Good design avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashion design, it lasts many years—even in today’s throwaway society.”

Hastreiter expounds more on the topic of course; to read what she has to say, get a copy of Paper’s April 2010 issue, or check out their website to see if they have it online. But for now, the part we want to share, which is actually more of the sidebar they featured than an excerpt of the essay itself:

Dieter Rams’s Ten Principles of Design
(Russnino’s note: these refer mainly to product design, bearing in mind the Rams is an industrial designer. Nonetheless, it gives us insight as to what graphic designers too can do to put that iconic stamp on their work.)

1. Good design is innovative: The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.

2. Good design makes a product useful: A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it.

3. Good design is aesthetic: The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products we use every day affect our person and our well-being. But only well executed objects can be beautiful.

4. Good design makes a product understandable: It clarifies a product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it’s self-explanatory.

5. Good design is unobstrusive: Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression.

6. Good design is honest: It does not make a product more innovative, powerful, or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.

7. Good design is long lasting: It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years—even in today’s throwaway society.

8. Good design is thorough, down to the last detail: Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect toward the consumer.

9. Good design is environmentally friendly: Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.

10. Good design is as little design as possible: Less, but better—because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials.

Taken from Paper magazine, April 2010 issue, Note From Kim column by Kim Hastreiter, pp. 78-79.

This is a very important skill in Design and Graphics. You need to be able to communicate with pictures as well as words and to effectively do this you should be able to sketch. Straight lines are always a problem and should not be done with a ruler….sketches with immaculate straight lines look very clinical and unattractive.

Practicing to do straight lines is a necessary exercise.

Using an HB pencil (or softer) draw a block of about 20 horizontal lines, each one about 75mm long. Try to make sure they are as straight and as parallel as possible. Do several blocks until you have mastered that technique.

Now, without turning the page produce about the same number of blocks of VERTICAL lines. Make sure that these lines are all as equally spaced and perfect as the first blocks undoubtedly are!

When you are happy about pencil control then try drawing lines at ‘right-angles’ to each other. Start by drawing one vertical line and then draw a horizontal line that joins at the corner. Try to start with a horizontal line next and then add the vertical line….The final stage of these exercises is to continue the right angle drawing until you have made rectangles and squares.

Before you move on be sure that you are able to draw regular square and rectangles with ease.

Now finish off your design by using the skills you has developed to draw circles and ellipses. Start by adding marks half way along the edges of your small boxes already drawn. Link these marks with smooth curves. You should be able to draw even circles and ellipses.

Now try drawing a camera, a radio or a clock .… this shouldn’t be too difficult as it these shapes can simply be made up of boxes and circles.
Alternatively you could draw a radio. Remember to keep your pencil sharp and try to draw the lines as quickly and smoothly as you can.

Add speakers to the radio or a lens and a flash to the camera … get sketching . . . .

APPLICATIONS & TECHNIQUES

Mural covers a variety of techniques including fresco, encaustic, mosaic, stained glass and photography. The type of mural of most interest to contemporary artists is either painting on canvas, which is then attached to a wall or painting directly on the wall surface itself.

SELECTING A MURAL PAINT

The surface to be painted and the environmental exposure of that surface are important aspects to consider for selecting the right type of paint. The technique and painting style of the artist must also be included. No paint can withstand all environmental conditions such as sun, rain, cold, heat, acid rain and air pollution. Acrylic water emulsion paints however, have proven themselves to be one of the most durable paints available for exterior as well as interior mural painting.

ADVANTAGES OF USING LIQUITEX ACRYLICS FOR MURAL PAINTING

Liquitex is the original artist’s acrylic emulsion paint. It offers the advantages of a wide range of unique permanent colors, great versatility in mediums, clear resin system, superior adhesion and detailed label information.
Refer to Part I Liquitex Professional Grade Acrylic Paint Section for additional information on advantages in mural painting.
Liquitex makes two types of acrylic paint suitable for murals:

1. Professional Grade Medium Viscosity Concentrated Artist Color
2. Professional Grade High Viscosity Artists Color.

Professional Grade Medium Viscosity Concentrated Artist Color
• Consistency similar to heavy cream. Can be spray applied.
• Dries to a smooth, even surface with good leveling that shows little brush marks.
• Pigment load is equal to High Viscosity Artist
• Colors and is ideal for large mural coverage.
• Flat paint film catches less dirt and requires less cleaning over time.
Professional Grade High Viscosity Acrylic Colors
• Heavy-bodied paints have a smooth thick buttery consistency and oil-like performance.
• Used in mural applications for a heavy build up of paint texture (impasto) and brush stroke.
Coverage
Medium Viscosity Concentrated Artist Color will cover approximately 400 sq.ft./gallon.
• Coverage is reduced on a rough surface. Coverage is extended when paint is spray applied.
• To double paint coverage of either Medium or High Viscosity Acrylic, mix 1 part Acrylic Color to 1 part Liquitex Opaque Extender or Gel Extender Medium.
• Use these mixtures during underpainting of murals to economically double the volume of paint. For best permanence, the top layers of the mural should be painted using Lightfastness I rated colors with no Opaque Extender added.

MURAL SURFACES

False and Separate Walls
The best support for mural painting is a false wall erected in front of an existing wall.
• This eliminates the dangers inherent in expansion and contraction of plaster and masonry. It also protects against cracking, peeling and water damage and allows for easy removal of the mural.
• The mural wall can also be a stretched canvas panel or canvas adhered to a rigid panel. A false wall for interior murals allows the artist to paint the mural in the studio rather than on location.

Existing Walls
Murals can also be painted on existing wall surfaces. Proper surface preparations must be observed to insure longevity of the mural.
• A surface that has been previously painted will not be as permanent as a surface that has never been painted or has been stripped of all existing paint.
• The surface must be free of any previous oils or silicones or paint may peel. Paints and oils can be removed with the proper solvents or by sand blasting before painting.

SURFACE PREPARATION

The longevity of a mural is directly related to the surface preparation.
Selecting a Surface
• It is important that the surface does not contain moisture. New concrete may not be free of moisture for 2 to 3 months after drying.
• Make sure the surface will not get wet from water seeping through existing outside walls. Moisture can be absorbed behind a substrate and cause the paint to peel from the surface.
Cleaning the Surface

There must be no grease, wax or oil on the surface and the surface needs to be structurally sound and free of loose particles.

1. Remove all existing loose particles or damaged painted surfaces. If the wall has been painted with oil paint or is peeling, strip all existing paint.
2. If the surface has been painted with acrylic paint, sand entire surface.
3. Clean surface with a degreaser, such as TSP mixed with warm water.
4. If mold or mildew is present, use a stiff brush and scrub with a mixture of 1 part bleach and 3-4 parts water. Rinse twice with warm water and allow to fully dry.

Applying the Ground (Priming the Surface)
After the surface has been cleaned, it must be prepared to accept the paint.
Fixing Cracks and Uneven Surfaces
• For smooth surfaces: Brush on one coat or spray two coats of Liquitex Matte Medium.
• For rough surfaces: Trowel on one-two coats of Liquitex Matte Gel Medium.
• Allow to fully dry. Mediums are clear/ translucent when dry and cloudy-milky when wet.
• Painting can proceed over these sealing coats
• Most artists prefer a white surface to use as a basis for the mural cartoon or sketch and to establish color relationships.
Priming The Surface
• Apply Liquitex Acrylic Gesso for a white ground; Colored Gesso for a colored ground.
• If necessary thin gesso with no more than 50% Matte Medium. Brush or spray apply.
• For spray application, thin gesso with a mixture of 50% Matte Medium and 50% water. This will reduce surface tooth and absorption.
• Over thinning with water alone can cause cracking or result in poor adhesion.
• Multiple coats of gesso can be applied and wet sanded to produce a smooth ground. Wet sanding will make the surface somewhat brittle. Protect the back of stretched canvas with cardboard.
Various Mural Surface Preparations

New Wood: Sand surface. Seal with 1 coat of Matte Medium. Apply 1-2 coats of Gesso. Paint with Medium or High Viscosity Artist Colors. Apply isolation coat of Gloss Medium & Varnish. Let dry 48 hours. Apply 1-2 coats of Matte or Gloss Soluvar.

Painted Wood: Remove loose material. Sand or Strip. Seal with 1 coat of Matte Medium. Apply 1-2 coats of Gesso. Paint with Medium or High Viscosity Artist Colors. Apply coat of Gloss Medium & Varnish. Let dry 48 hours. Apply 1-2 coats of Matte or Gloss Soluvar.

New Masonry: Must be dry and cured. Apply Matte Medium for smooth surfaces, Matte Gel Medium for rough surfaces. Apply 1-2 coats of Gesso. Paint with Medium or High Viscosity Artist Colors. Apply isolation coat of Gloss Medium & Varnish. Let dry 48 hours. Apply 1-2 coats of Matte or Gloss Soluvar.

Painted Masonry: Remove loose material. Clean, Sand or Strip. Must be dry and cured. Apply Matte Medium for smooth surfaces, Matte Gel Medium for rough surfaces. Apply 1-2 coats of Gesso. Paint with Medium or High Viscosity Artist Colors. Apply isolation coat of Gloss Medium & Varnish. Let dry 48 hours. Apply 1-2 coats of Matte or Gloss Soluvar.
New Sheetrock: Apply an acrylic emulsion compatible industrial sealer such Aqualock.
Unprimed & Painted Metal: Remove grease, dirt and solvents. Sand surface. Wash with a prep solution for the painted metal being used. Apply an acrylic emulsion compatible primer. Apply Matte Medium for smooth surfaces and Matte Gel Medium for rough surfaces. Apply 1-2 coats of Gesso. Paint with Medium or High Viscosity Artist Colors. Varnish wit isolation coat of Gloss Medium & Varnish. Let dry 48 hours. Apply 1-2 coats of Matte or Gloss Soluvar.

CHOOSING COLORS

Since outside murals are subject to the harshest environmental conditions, color selection is very important. The Liquitex Hand Painted Color Chart and “How to Mix and Use Color” Book, list all colors along with their lighffastness rating, mass tone, tint, glaze and color intermixes.
All Liquitex Acrylic Colors list on their label, the permanency of pigments used according to the standards established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Refer to the Liquitex Technical Information Section for more information on Lightfastness Ratings. Only Category I pigments are recommended for outdoor mural painting.

PAINT APPLICATION

Painting can proceed after surface preparation. The drawing can be scaled up an using a grid system or transferred to the surface with a cartoon. The outline can then be “fixed” with a spray coating of 50% Matte Medium and water.
Thinning Colors during Painting
• If acrylic colors need to be thinned use a mixture of 50% water and Gloss Medium & Varnish or Matte Medium.
• Do not use water only for thinning. Outside murals exposed to weather need maximum film integrity. Too much water will weaken the paint film.
Temperature, Moisture and Humidity For Exterior Painting
• Ideal temperature for paint application: 65-75 F; Lowest temperature: 50F.
• Varnish application during rain may trap moisture, hinder adhesion and cause clouding.

ADHESION TEST

To ensure proper adhesion, a test should be done either on a surface similar to the actual mural surface.
Directions
1. Apply the paint or medium to prepared surface and let dry thoroughly. Wait 72 hours for acrylic paint to cure before continuing. (longer in more humid conditions).
2. When completely dry, score surface in a , crosshatch pattern using a sharp knife.
3. Apply masking tape firmly to scratched surface and firmly burnish.
4. Remove masking tape slowly.
5. If any paint comes off with the tape, good surface adhesion has not been achieved. Either a different surface preparation is necessary or the particular support is not suitable for the paint or medium tested.

FINAL PROTECTIVE VARNISHES

After the mural is complete, a final protective varnish should be applied to extend the life of the mural, protect it from weathering, pollution and dirt. The varnish should be a removable type such as Liquitex Soluvar, to allow the removal of pollutants, dirt and graffiti.
Mural varnish application occurs in two steps:
1. An isolation varnish layer
2. A removable varnish layer.
Refer to Part I Liquitex Varnishes: for more information on varnishes and proper application.
Soluvar Gloss and Matte Final Picture Varnish Application
1. Apply 1-2 layers of Gloss Medium & Varnish as an isolation barrier. This barrier physically separates the painting from the Soluvar Varnish and seals the surface. This allows a more even application of Soluvar Varnish and protects the painting surface when the Soluvar Varnish needs to be removed.
2. To insure proper adhesion, clean Om surface with a lint free rag dampened with mineral spirits.
3. Apply 1-2 layers of Soluvar Varnish. Let dry 24 hours between coats.

Intermix Gloss and Matte Soluvar Varnish for a variety of sheens. Soluvar Matte Varnish contains matting agents that settle during storage. Gently stir with a wooden dowel or brush handle until completely re-dissolved. Do not shake.
Removing Soluvar Final Picture Varnish

If the mural becomes dirty or abused, removing the varnish can restore it. Cleaning will not affect the underlying painting if the varnish was properly applied.
• Remove varnish in clean, well-ventilated area.
• Wear a duel filter respirator (NIOSH approved) and neoprene gloves. Dampen a small piece of lint free, soft, white cloth with mineral spirits (not “odorless”) or turpentine nothing stronger. Do not use ketones or paint removers.
• Work horizontally. Apply mineral spirits generously and allow it to lay on surface for 15-30 minutes. Check periodically. Longer times may be necessary, depending upon age of artwork and strength of mineral spirits. If varnish is not dissolving or dissolving slowly, use a higher strength mineral spirits or turpentine. Cover surface with plastic to slow down evaporation of mineral spirits). Stronger mineral spirits are not labeled as such, but have a stronger odor.
• Rub cloth gently over a 1 square foot area until varnish starts to dissolve.
• Using a clean cloth and clean solvent, rub the area again to remove residue. Repeat this procedure for the entire area to be cleaned. If any paint color shows on the cloth, stop immediately and allow the surface to dry.
• Allow painting to dry before reapplying a fresh coat of Soluvar Final Picture Varnish.

There are many ways to build a profitable website. You can offer a service, sell a product directly, sell something indirectly, sell advertising space, sell affiliate products, and everything in-between.

There are a number of methods you can use to improve your site. Follow these steps and you too can have a moneymaking site that will practically run on autopilot. These sites make money in many different ways.

I don’t say this idly. I, and a thousand of other marketers do exactly this. It’s a guaranteed blueprint if everything is set up correctly. And it’s not difficult.
The type of site discussed here is the “free” site – one that offers a valuable product at no cost up front. These are powerful ways of generating income.
Here are the top 7 elements that make a website into a cash-cow…

1. The Copy
“Copy” is basically the text on your website. It will take up most of the page, apart from the graphics and interactive elements (e.g. forms or buttons). In fact, you shouldn’t use too many graphics. Focus on the wording instead. A header image, a cover image, and a screenshot are usually sufficient.
Copywriting is a skill that can be worked on, and the subject is far too big to go into detail here. However, one of the worst things you can do is to endlessly tweak the page. You should get *something* up as soon as you can and edit it over time. Copywriting is one of the two most important tasks for a website (the other is promotion) and it’s an ongoing process.
There are a number of factors to be taken into consideration.
• First and foremost, you need a strong headline. This should attract the visitors’ attention and get them to read more. A number of ‘tricks’ top copywriters use are “How To…” headlines, “x Ways To…” headlines, and question headlines. You can also have sub-headlines and even sub-sub-headlines. Establish the point of your site right here at the start.
• The body text can be thought of as a letter to your prospective customer. It’s best to write in a friendly way, focusing on their needs and wants, and providing the solution. Above all, remember that the point of this page is to get the visitor to take action, such as fill in a form, click a link, make a payment, etc. Anything else, such as “multimedia overload”, or links away from the page, can prove to be a distraction.
• You can jazz up the copy with judicious use of Bold, Italics, Underline, boxed areas, highlighted text and coloured text (usually red, but whatever you use, keep the colours to a minimum).
• Certain words and phrases can elicit an emotional response (e.g. “Free”, “Secret”, “Hot”, “Important”, etc.), and curiosity is always a good way to keep your prospect interested.
• Because some people tend to just scan a webpage, the use of sub-headlines throughout the text and bullets can help catch their attention. Here we use a tick-graphic as we list the content.
• Finally, testimonials can help provide proof on your website. You can get these easily by asking for them after a few sales, or by providing free pre-copies in exchange for a review/testimonial. You can also show proof in other ways, such as images of your income (Paypal account, Cheque scan, etc) if you are running an online business site.
(Tip: If all this seems a little confusing just view existing sales-letters on the web. You’ll soon get a feel for it. All top Marketers ‘copy’ and have a “swipe file” of great ads.)
Google AdSense is an easy way to a monetise a website and would be your first income stream. However, don’t just jump the gun and place ads everywhere, as they can take your visitor away from your site.
Everyone seems to use Google AdSense these days so it’s also important to know there ARE alternatives, which are reported to have varying degrees of success. AdSense provides context-targeted ads (they automatically relate to your site), and some of the others don’t. If you’re interested, look into Chitika MiniMalls, Yahoo Ads, or the clickbank-based Affiliate Power Ads.

2. The Form
Some sites are not interested in selling up front. The point of these pages is to capture the visitor’s name and e-mail address.
After we do this we provide the download. It’s a quick and easy process and most interested prospects are happy to do this. It’s a win/win situation. The webmaster gets the new subscriber, and they get a quality ebook bundle.
You create a form easily, as most autoresponders (whether you use a third-party or a script on your site) will build one for you.
Getting new subscribers is very important, as they could be customers for a long time to come. Just don’t abuse the relationship.

3. The One Time Offer
This is the first income stream on a “free” site. It’s an ‘upsell’, even though there is no real sale on the first page (just a subscribe action).
Income Streams are simply the various ways you can make money. For example, if you are an online business person you could be selling software, using Ebay, consulting, designing websites, copywriting, promoting sites and more. Each of these would be an income stream. If you also work in a regular job that too would be an income stream, possibly your primary one. It’s far easier to ‘get rich’ if you have a number of options working for you.
The One Time Offer here will show another related product, in this case a premium bundle of marketing-related software and books. For a One Time Offer to work you should price it low and over-deliver on the contents.

4. The Product
Your main product should provide whatever you promise. That is a given. It could also be working for you in many more ways and act as your ambassador on the Web.
• First, provide giveaway, resell, master-resell rights or all three. This means the product can be passed on and provide a viral effect. It’s up to you whether you charge for your product or not. If you do, then these sales are your second income stream.
• Sometimes the product will spread further if it’s a sold item as the prospect of making sales will encourage other marketers to promote it. You can provide a website and sales materials, such as pre-written ads, to make the task easier for them.
• Within the product include links to your main site(s). If you have many sites then there should be a web of links connecting them all to each other. You can also provide ads to affiliate programs or other products you sell / giveaway but don’t overdo it, and don’t do it at the expense of the product itself. Always deliver what you promised!

5. The E-Course
Since you’ve captured the prospect’s e-mail address, it’s worth your time setting up an e-course to be delivered over a period of days, and it can both provide valuable information to them and keep on plugging your product (or an upsell).
Make sure you tell the customer that they will receive this information.
Each e-mail in the course can also promote another product, so even after the free software is downloaded the e-mails will continue to make sales.
It’s usually considered OK to keep subscribers past the course as long as they are aware of this fact and can unsubscribe at any time (a legal requirement). Automated un-subscribe links are usually available from your Autoresponder, or you can allow them to contact you manually – the usual way is by replying to the message with ‘Remove’ or something similar. I prefer the latter as I have had many, many subscribers who report clicking the automatic link by mistake.

6. The Upgrade
This is the third and main income stream at the “free” site. There are many ways a visitor could get here, from clicking directly, from the links in the free ebook, from the links in the e-course, or from links from affiliates.
The entire website could have easily been more traditional and just offered a sales page for this package (as most do). However, the techniques described above provide far more scope for sales, as I hope you can see.This premium package is again priced realistically and over-delivers on its content. There are also other benefits included that can help promote the site, and as above, they are a win/win situation.
First, the package comes with a 50% Affiliate Program, paid instantly. This turns all your customers into a potential affiliate. It’s a fair system used across countless sites on the internet, since any profits are split equally.
Secondly, there is a brandable version of the giveaway and a copy of the website. This gives the customer the power to be a copy of your “free” site themselves. It allows them to give away the product, as before, but now with potential of making an income from it.
Sometimes branding rights are given with the product as an incentive to purchase. In our case, the main product is free, so the upgrade provides those rights. However you do it branding can create a massive viral effect.

7. The Future
To summarise the action of a visitor so far:
• He/she arrives at the website,
• fills in the form,
• is offered a one-time-offer,
• downloads the ebook,
• starts receiving the e-course.
The book and course link back to the upgrade page. That is the “visitor path.”.
The income streams are:
• Sales of the one time offer,
• affiliate program links in branded books,
• sales of the upgrade.
So, what now?
• Even though you could have made money in three or more ways by this point an actual e-mail address of a happy customer is perhaps the most lucrative. If they stay with you, you could keep in contact with carefully chosen and relevant content for years to come.
• You could provide an e-zine, periodical free downloads (perhaps branded to earn you commissions), articles, and affiliate offers. This is technically an income stream in itself, for a well-built subscriber list will literally allow you generate cash on demand – all you do is press a ‘send’ button.
• After you’ve built your site and it’s working correctly all you need to do is promote it. This is a subject unto itself but remember: a well designed site with interested visitors is almost guaranteed to succeed…

Reference post from : http://blog.philhosting.net/articles/the-7-secrets-of-a-profitable-website.html

One thing that has been always bothering me and I am sure many of you will relate to it…attaining perfection in everything. I’m certain that many graphic designers face the same dilemma of constantly striving for perfection. Although at the same time, we all know that perfection is something that can be never achieved. Then why is it so that we go crazy trying to make our things “perfect”. This thought of being perfect and never able to reach it makes us really upset and pessimistic. Therefore, today I felt like discussing it here with all my readers to know if you all are caught in the same tight spot. Let me also clarify that I certainly don’t intend to demoralize you guys, on the contrary, I wish to help you find perfection within yourself. The thing about human ambition is that it’s so powerful and passionate, that no matter how high we reach we are never satisfied. Here, I would like to quote a saying that I also featured in my design quotes post:

Satisfaction is the key to Perfection?

Although, graphic designers claim to be always striving for perfection because they are not satisfied with what they create. But in reality, it is the clients that they try to satisfy and not their ownselves. There are countless occasions when you are confident that you’ve made a perfect design, but then your client comes up saying it’s not what he had in mind. So, finally you slaughter your creativity and start making something which could satisfy your client so you get your committed bucks.

Here arises the question…What perfection means for you? Is it being famous? Is it being rich? Is it what others want you to be? Or is it just trying to be a man of value?

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”

Albert Einstein

In short, everything that satisfies your soul and makes you feel happy is a “perfect artwork” Always remember “Perfect is who you are, not who someone else says you should be.” So your work should also reflect your personality and creative skills, not only the instructions you have been following.

Satisfied people are better Graphic Designers – Learn to be happy!!
Research and stats have proved that satisfied people are better graphic designers. Here are a few suggestions and encouraging thoughts that you can ponder on. I hope they will help you achieve more self-satisfaction and contentment:

• The first thing you need to learn is to stop running after perfection. Try to satisfy yourself first and perfection will follow you.

• Never feel dissatisfied with yourself or what you do in life. Remember, no one governs your life better than you.

• Stop wasting your time and energy wanting to change and trying to change. You are great the way you are.

• Stop idolizing others, trying to be like them. The way you are is what makes you distinct and unique.

• Stop focusing on competing with others, trying to beat them. Make your competition irrelevant and you will always win.

• It takes 37 muscles to frown and 22 muscles to smile…so Smile and play your part in conserving energy.

• Instead of trying to improve yourself, you can spend your time helping others.

• No matter how many projects/orders you work on , you’re incomplete without self-realization. Always satisfy yourself before satisfying others.

• Stop being a workaholic and start being a smug
In the end my message to all the hard-working graphic designers is…Be happy with whatever you do and don’t worry about what the world thinks about you or your work. And for now also, remove this frown from your face and seek satisfaction in yourself, to be a perfect designer.

Reference: http://www.graphicdesignblog.org/graphic-designers-perfection/#more-6934