Trudi Nelson - custom artwork and web design

I like thinking of unique ways to convey ideas. The means I utilize to this end range from drawing and painting to graphic design and website development. I have a bachelor's degree in fine art, and have actively worked as a front end web developer for the last two years. I am currently available to do contract work, and am particularly keen on projects in or around Roseburg, Oregon.

I have an affinity for:

(x)html/CSS, php for front end purposes, some javascript (hand-coded)
Adobe CS3 - Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash, After Effects
Drawing - pencil, colored pencil, charcoal, chalk pastels, scratchboard
Painting - acrylic, oil

Offered services:

Website design and construction and/or integration of existing designs into e-commerce, content management, and forum/blog applications
Graphics for business branding and marketing materials
Custom artwork and illustration

Web design standards:

I separate website content from appearance/structure for the following reasons:

Even when browsers and other methods of accessing website content (such as those for the visually impaired) have trouble accurately interpreting the appearance of a site, the content is still fully accessible.
It improves search engine optimization by emphasizing important keywords and phrases, and providing a way to differentiate between images that provide informational content and those which are merely decorative.
It keeps website files small for quicker load times, and also ensures that website design and content are easy to update individually.

Staying current:

In addition to taking in as many books as I can get my hands on, I try to develop an informed approach to the ever-evolving design climate in the following ways:

I read each new set of articles posted at A List Apart, an online publication by and for members of the web development community.
For the hosting company perspective on what's new in web design and hosting I subscribe to SitePoint's Design View newsletter as well as Dreamhost's monthly newsletter.
I faithfully absorb the latest in graphic design as presented by a number of magazines, including HOW and Dynamic Graphics.