Dublicator

Trendwise with Semiomantics XO2012

In a world of infinite choice, we all have our personal preferences when it comes to creating the Web Design for our personal websites and blogs – and this is exactly what many of our customers will tell us, especially if they have a business with set colors, fonts and logos. Of course, there are also those who haven’t thought about this issue, who may not want to be bothered with it (as this takes ample time and thought) and who expect us to suggest, advise and guide. This is where we should know and focus on current trends, put our personal priorities on the backseat, and design something fresh, modern and appealing where we are absolutely “Trendwise with Semiomantics XO2012″, which is currently going through a testing phase and will soon be released.

Most importantly, we need to think forward to adapt to the incredible developments and momentum on the mobile web: can people see our web design work on their iphones, smart phones and tablets? This is currently the driving power behind many decisions and as we want our customers to get the traffic and results they expect, this is what we need to focus on and ensure that they too see the advantages of certain essentials they might not initially agree with.

It’s all about functionality and thinking customerwise: let them see what your website is all about fast and in an attractive way, make navigation clear, quick and easy like a dynamic show. And let there be balance!

 

Trendwise with Semiomantics XO2012

With the new trends 2012 having been set, how can we at Web Design South Africa be trendwise with Semiomantics XO2012, the best WordPress based script to be released soon, and give our website or blog a New Look 2012?

 

How to give your Author Blog a Trend 2012 Look

Here are a few pointers as to how to give your Author Blog a Trend 2012 Look:

1. Color Trend 2012

I already wrote about the Color Trend 2012 HERE.

To repeat it quickly, the color of the year 2012 is a warm orangy red called “Tangerine Tango”.  It’s not too far off the color I am always using in my personal color scheme that marks “Web Design with Passion”. However, there are other trendy colors like ‘solar power’ and the ‘sodalite blue’ I used in my example above, in connection with ‘tangerine tango’.

Here you want to think of backgrounds, fonts, menu, graphics, links, hover effects etc. – however, don’t overdo it when setting it off against another shade or complementary color. What I learned in Typography many years ago with one of Europe’s two leading authorities in the field and a true friend, Professor Tuenn Konerding (Staatliche Kunstakademie Duesseldorf, Germany), still applies today: experiment massively… but then reduce, keep it simple, don’t use more than 2… maximum 3 colors.

I wish I had a better photo – but I am happy I can call at least this one up – for an extraordinary mind and spirit that left our planet far too early…

Interesting also the trend towards one-page websites and a comeback of the magazine theme (full layout Semiomantics XO). Of course, Apple-style layouts are still en vogue as they are a modern classic and simply good.

 

2.  Typography 2012

The focus is on bold letters and custom fonts that can easily be read on mobile phones. Interesting here the Google Font Library that can be added in form of a plugin and loads fast while making the look of the website more appealing.

Textures, shades and reflections are ‘in’ as well…

 

 3. Large High Quality Images

Less text but large, high quality images – meaning all forms of sophisticated Media Design – be it photos, graphics, videos… – especially for backgrounds but also for graphics, sliders (we will come to these) and whatever you integrate into your Website Design to attract and captivate.The use of light or shadow boxes – where pictures can be enlarged in an overlay-  is very much in the trend.

Actually, we have been ahead of this trend with Semiomantics XO 2011 already, and particularly with our comprehensive work on Evolution, my personal favorite… yet unfortunately on Flash which is currently not seen on mobile phones due to power plays between the ‘big boyz’ … but this too shall change one day once even they get it that ‘competition’ is out and ‘cooperation’ is in to save our planet – and this is NOT a trend but a Truth! Ask Steve on Cloud!

Meanwhile Evolution will… well, evolve!

4. Sliders are en vogue

And yet another feature where Semiomantics has been well ahead of the trend: sliders are en vogue! Besides that, in my view they are brilliant, practical, interactive, attractive, seen on the mobile web and add to the functionality of a website. At tleast the ones we use – they do come at a cost, but it’s well worth it – quality always had its price!

5. Connect to Social Networks

Finally, websites and blogs need to offer easy ways – meant are rather ‘loud’ icons (… I leave this to your personal taste…) – to interlink and connect to Social Networks like Twitter, Facebook, Google + etc. Today, people look out where they can connect, follow, share and register … and so the cybernet expands continuously and I sometimes wonder what all of this really means at the end of the day and for our environment! But that’s a topic for another day!

For now… let’s be aware of current trends and advise customers accordingly… there’s lots to play with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cape Town Christmas on Google

Loyal to our regular monitoring of the SEO performance of our WordPress based Semiomantics websites and blogs – our own as well as those of our valued customers – , I am extremely pleased to see an excellent Google ranking of my article “Cape Town Christmas Gift Fair 2011″ right on the brand-new Monkey Valley Resort Website! The website was basically released today!

 

Click on the screenshot to see it bigger…

 

Cape Town Christmas on Google

You will see that “Cape Town Gift Fair 2011″ ranks on positions 4, 5 and 6 on Google Top 10 – the place everybody interested in that keyword area is competing for… here on 2,300,000 search returns!

Save Money with a Semiomantics Website

How does this demonstrate how you can save money with a Semiomantics Website?

Well, the fight on the Internet highway is for a Google Top 10 position – either on the left side (see screenshot above), where there are 10 positions for super sexy websites and blogs that make it to the top – or on top (yellow area) and to the right where people spend continuously increasing daily budgets for Google Ads… simply to be visible when someone types this keyword string into the Google search engine.

Marketing with Google Adsense means being dependent short-term, medium-term and long-term as prices increase all the time… and to be efficient – meaning to get the traffic and visitors that might lead to eventual sales – one has to be visible 24/7/365… and that has its price. Don’t think you can get away with $50… there are keywords that cost more than that per single click. And this without any guarantees in terms of sales. Ever.

Whereas with a Semiomantics Website you invest once in a good Script, setup and Design… and you see top performance. Sure, you need to do your bit and publish regular good content… but that’s part of your online marketing anyway if you are selling anything – be it a product, a service or ad space – but at least here you can count on results…

So do your maths and contact us anytime when you are ready to do a Semiomantics online – on Google Top 10 that is!

 

 

Experimenting with Photoshop Filters

While there’s nothing better than a good picture or photo to start out with, we should regularly be experimenting with Photoshop Filters and Tools to know what they do and to see the effects we can achieve. It’s just like playing the piano every day… so here’s my original lavender and acacia photo with just a little reflecting frame added as I like to do :)

 

Experimenting with Photoshop Filters

When experimenting with Photoshop Filters and observing sometimes astonishing results, we do this for the following objectives:

1. To understand what these filters can do.

2. To know which effects can be achieved how, meaning to learn Experimenting with Photoshop Filters.

3. To be able to apply the desired effects if and when we need them.

4. To possibly find a style we like and build our visual reputation and recognition value on.

 

We can either change a picture very clearly and openly into something different, abstract and possibly more interesting than what we started off with – or we apply a certain effect in a very reduced and subtle way to enhance our photo, giving it a touch that just makes it different and stand out from the rest.

A number of these effects remind me of some big Masters in Art History… it’s sometimes what they built their whole oeuvre on: a specific effect. What was unique and hard labour at the time, can now be achieved with our brilliant tools in Photoshop and/or other programs, some of them developed for imitating certain masters, think of Pissaro with all those little ‘dots’ or Andy Warhol – to name a more modern one.

Lavender and Acacia Photo

For today’s exercise, I selected a lavender and acacia photo I shot a few weeks ago when both were in full flower in my garden in Noordhoek, South Africa. As I was born in Namibia, I love acacias… and I love to combine them with palms, which always reminds me of ‘home’. The fragrance of lavender and acacia combined is incredible… no wonder all the bees of the area hang out in my garden and have a feast!

And here a very reduced and delicate one… one of my favorites…

 

Copyright © 2010 Bianca Gubalke. Visit the original article at http://biancagubalke.com/vision/shanghai-world-expo-2010-swiss-pavilon/.

Shanghai World Expo 2010 Swiss Pavilon

We recently reported on the Shanghai World Expo 2010 in a more general way  HERE.

Today, we focus on some interesting direct feedback from our friend Florence Gotil who was part of the privileged Philippine delegation whose trip to the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai was sponsored by Holcim, Switzerland, a major plantinum sponsor of the Swiss Pavilion.

“…The cocktail and dinner at the VIP Lounge of the Swiss Pavilion were definitely the highlight of our Shanghai World Expo 2010 trip,” she says.

Please click the picture to enlarge it and feel free to visit the official site of the impressive and future-oriented Swiss contribution to the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai – HERE.

In fact, it was Switzerland who took the lead in presenting its concept for the Swiss Pavilion to the Shanghai public – stretching over an area covering over 4,000 sqm – with the sub-theme “rurual-urban interaction”.

Florence and Boboy Gotil on Shanghai World Expo 2010

Here are some feelings by Florence and Boboy Gotil on the Shanghai World Expo 2010:

“… The Pavilions are  all amazing, impressive, outstanding designs from the outside – there are simply no other words for it. However… in our view it’s not worth the waiting time, the long queues… I mean, we’re talking 8 hours of waiting for one pavilion! Or 6 hours… 4 hours… for some pavilions you need to get a reservation for the entrance, meaning another waiting time!
And what do you see then? You get to see the past, present and future video, photos, painting exhibits or 3D movies and a few futuristic cars!”

I start wondering if the whole EXPO is actually destined for the virtual space?

“You get to see 2-3 pavilions on average per day”, she continues,”…a lady was able to complete all pavilions in 180 days. The area is quite wide too.”

180 days! While I could image it’s all worth the time given my passion for Architecture and futuristic concepts and designs, I wonder about the cost that would mean for us South Africans – duhhh?

“There are millions of visitors going there for sight seeing” she says, “it’s crowded with children, teenagers & old people. That’s all fine, however,  for businessmen, there’s nothing to see because it’s not a trade fair it’s an exhibit… unlike Guangzhou Fair. I mean… you don’t expect business men to line up for hours!”

To end on a more positive note, she tells me that “… the Swiss Pavilion was top 5 popular. Saudi Arabia was the hottest… with 8 hours queueing. The Pavilion’s main attraction is the huge 1,600 sqm cinema screen and you are on a ride inside.”

Thank you very much Florence Gotil – definitely some valuable feedback … and perhaps one of the future expos will take place purely in the virtual world, allowing all of us to experience it without waiting for such long hours… this is totally against our fast-moving time of  ‘instant satisfaction’ and certainly an aspect future exhibition planners have to embrace in their minds and solve!

Magnetic Transport Surplus on Semiomantics XO

Time for Florence and Boboy Gotil to launch their new Internet presence for Magnetic Transport Surplus on Semiomantics XO with Semiomantics Web Design!

We will keep you informed about the exciting Website development… and we guarantee: no long waiting hours despite some queues :)

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

Read more...

• World Expo 2010 Shanghai
• Bianca Gubalke on Semiomantics Thesis
• Best Cape Town Event Venues
• Vegetable Garden Design Hosting
• Vegetable Garden Design Image

Copyright © 2010 Bianca Gubalke. Visit the original article at http://biancagubalke.com/semiomantics/bianca-gubalke-on-semiomantics-thesis/.

Bianca Gubalke on Semiomantics Thesis

Yesterday, I speculated that I might have taken the last screenshot of my ‘old’ yet spectacularly efficient Author Blog on Semiomantics XO, posting it HERE – today I am writing my first lines as Bianca Gubalke on Semiomantics Thesis!

May it climb to flaming heights! I just captured a wise fairy in my magic garden… leading the way to the top for the Semiomantics Team:

Bianca Gubalke on Semiomantics Thesis

What will change for my Author Blog “Bianca Gubalke” on Semiomantics Thesis?

It’s said that Thesis is powerful… that it has a ‘remarkably efficient HTML, CSS and PHP framework’, easy-to-use controls that allow us more fine-tuning and precision than ever before… and that our job as authors should be to “… just add killer content”.

That’s WordPress Thesis.

Add to this Semiomantics… and let’s see where this baby flies… I will check it right away after posting to see how efficient it is from its very beginning!

Ycademy Seminar October 2010

Congratulations to all authors and Ycademy Seminar October 2010 participants on Semiomantics XO who have opted to take off to new heights in their knowledge and skills in Website Development.

The brand-new Semiomantics Thesis Author Blog is currently being setup by hand by Internet wizzard Yorgo Nestoridis! Fasten seatbelts – this weekend will change your virtual reality!

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

Read more...

• Fun with Web Graphics
• How to Create Web Graphics 10
• Your biggest Capital Online
• Shanghai World Expo 2010 Swiss Pavilion
• Best Cape Town Event Venues

Fun with Communication Design

Creating Web Graphics

In our recent posts on “How to Create Web Graphics” I explained several Image Adjustment modes in Photoshop and I encouraged you to experiment with the filters as well.

You can use just any picture or photo and by carefully observing the changes you create by moving the indicators and tabs, you get a feeling for what results can be obtained. While they may not be what you particularly want right now, you develop experience that you can apply at a later stage.

Hanno Coetzee – Lalakoi

In today’s example I applied exactly what I showed you before… on a tiny and anything but sharp image from Hanno Coetzee, better known as “Lalakoi” in the South African Garden Route Tourism Industry!

Fun with Communication Design

Learn more about how to have more Fun with Web Graphics at tonight’s Webmaster Training where we help you create your own web graphics in preparation of this month’s Ycademy Seminar that will be focusing on Author Blogs based on Semiomantics XO Scripts.

. . .

Communication Fun

Portraits

If you’ve followed my series “How to Create Web Graphics”, studied the examples and applied the paths to get there, then you know that you can influence any landscape, picture or photo in the same way… and the Fun with Web Graphics really starts with Creative Portraits.

Variations with Gene Line

Allthough I had the tiniest, lousiest picture from our “Cars Daily Chronicle” partner Gene Line in the US… and I didn’t have tons of time on my hand, here’s a series of quick portraits where I applied what I taught you and some additional filters that I will show you later.

Please note I only used one mode per picture so you can check it out yourselves easily. Of course I could now combine and work with transparencies, add more colours and effects etc etc… the choices are endless!

Click the below picture to get a medium size… I did the original 33% bigger :)

Fun with Web Graphics

All I want is inspire and motivate you to exercise your creative muscles and also have Fun with Web Graphics!

What do you need for this?

Ideally, good photo material – which I didn’t have… this is the picture I started out with… yes, this is the original size… 118×119! LOL Gene…

I guess I have to work on my reputation; I’m sure Andy Warhol got the sexiest pictures from Marilyn Monroe to create his famous series of portraits. He was just ahead of time; today YOU can do your own… using the amazing graphic computer tools and programs we have at our fingertips!

Look forward to tonight’s YCADEMY Training Call!

Have Fun with Web Graphics !

. . .

Healing Sounds and Antiaging (Antiageing)

Boost your Immune System with Healing Sound

Protecting and enhancing our Immune System is the common denominator when it comes to what helps us to feel and look years younger and age gracefully. As there’s no escape and – like a coat wears off over time and needs to be replaced or a butterfly eventually leaves its tight cocoon – so do we once the time of transformation and transcendence approaches.

In my previous Antiaging Tips I went into various ways of how to Boost your Immune System like Exercise, Sleep, Healthy Eating – and there are many more ways to push back the hands of time ourselves.

By now you know that I am a firm believer of taking care of our Health and Wellbeing ourselves – and those who know me know I practise what I share.

Our Health is first of all our own responsibility. Dis-ease in whatever form or shape always indicates a “dis-balance” in either our emotional or our physical body – so we’ve got to re-balance, re-align, free up the flow of our Chi, our Life Energy.

One of the big advantages of living today is that we have so many options right at our fingertips to lead a healthy and fulfilled life without drugs and pharmaceuticals and their inherent side effects – if only we would believe in ourselves and take the time to search, learn, think, compare, understand, know… and then apply what appeals to us, what feels good deep inside.

You know it all when you listen inside.

One of the oldest and most efficient God-given ways to stay young, balanced and receptive as well as connected to “All-that-is” is Music. Sound. The human Voice.

And don’t we all have one? But are we really aware of its healing power for both listening to it… or chanting ourselves?

Let’s see how you can Boost your Immune System with Healing Sounds.

Healing Sounds

The Healing Sounds of Nature are one of my prime reasons for living far away from the constant noise and buzz of the big cities. I love thunder and storms roaring around me and the deafening concert of frogs or cicadas and even the occasional drums resounding through the valley don’t disturb my sleep or my train of thoughts when I write… but the sudden noise of cars, an earth-drilling machine, a chainsaw or a low-flying plane do.

Everybody is different; other people feel lost and isolated outside the sound waves of a pulsating city; I would have to plug my ears! The wrong noises simply destroy my vibrational balance – so I will take measures that prevent this situation. And even then… I still get the vibrations.

So discover what feels good and healing to YOU – listen inside and observe how you feel – and then find ways of getting into your ‘feel-good-space’.

The body is a wondrously complex yet delicately balanced pattern of vibrations and, as described above, our energy flows – the Yin and the Yang – can easily be disturbed and possibly lead to ‘dis-ease’ if not fine-tuned and re-adjusted in time to be and stay in top condition.

A wonderful way of getting into that ’space’ is to listen to Music and Healing Sounds.

Sacred Verses, Healing Sounds with Dr. Deepak Chopra

Last night, before sleeping, I listened to an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns, the Rig Veda.

Accompanied by subtle Indian sitar and tabla music, Dr. Deepak Chopra’s strong yet gently modulated voice guides through the ancient texts translated into absolutely beautiful language, filled with praise to the Gods, the Elements and the Abundance of the Earth – a magic journey into the true nature of the Universe – and in that sense, Ourselves.

Sound and Antiaging

It is a journey of Gratitude and Giving – and a way of receiving so much in return!
It reminds me of the fascinating overtone chanting of Monks when I spent some time in Asia back in the 80’s, especially Nepal and Thailand, and I just know that the more one opens up to these Healing Sounds and Sacred Verses, the more one resonates with the healing power contained within them. It’s very personal though. Each individual will have a personal way of responding to what can be called a true “Work of Love” from their own vibrational levels, experiencing results like…

~ emotional balance,
~ deep relaxation and letting go,
~ stronger mental focus,
~ enhanced vitality,
~ reduction if not freedom from stress,
~ a deeper connection and understanding of who we really are and
~ an expanded sense of our personal ‘inner space’.

These are all factors that strengthen our Immune System – from which we can deduct that Sound and Antiaging are closely related… And the good news are that we all have direct access to them!

Read more in our next post or go to Antiaging Tips HERE!

. . .

Exercise and Antiaging (Antiageing)

The Importance of Boosting your Immune System

Following our article on “Longevity with a Strong Immune System” and how to boost your Immune System with Nutritional Supplements, here are some additional thoughts on “Exercise and Antiageing” that you will find most beneficial if you have reached and surpassed the 50 years light barrier!

Time to do get active… starting with yourself!

Remember those incredible ladies in China, aged between 50 and 62 years, and all starting off learning to Dance Ballet at 50… starting off without any prior Knowledge!

What an inspiration, wouldn’t you agree?!

While ballet may not exactly be what you would like to do, it brings us to a most important chapter when it comes to staying young and flexible in body and mind – as both go together… and this is Exercise!

A Healthy Exercise Routine

A healthy exercise routine is so important!

Whether you follow an individual exercise program, like to jog, take the dog for a walk on the beach, hike in the mountains, join an aerobics class, workout at the gym, swim, sail or go wild in your garden doesn’t matter.

What matters is that you get active and that you truly enjoy what you do, you don’t overdo it and that you are aware of the Exercise Benefits as concerns your overall Health and Fitness.

In fact, once you are used to regular exercise workouts you get sort of addicted to them in a positive way, meaning your body tells you clearly what it needs and you will follow its demand as it just makes you feel so good afterwards!

Exercise Benefits

It’s a known fact that good regular exercise protects your Immune System, however, there are more Exercise Benefits for everybody and especially for babyboomers like you and me who want to keep feeling young, energetic and fit:

• More Physical Energy and Stamina;
• More fresh Air into the lungs and cells through better Breathing;
• Targeted Weight Loss and/or Weight Management;
• Stronger Bones and Muscles (especially important for us girls);
• Better Blood Circulation;
• A sexier, toned Body.
• More physical strength, better balance and posture.
• More mental Energy and Focus;
• Better Sleep patterns;
• Stress Reduction;
• Helps through difficult times and with Depression;
• Fun and Socializing:
• Fun with healthy competitions especially when meeting your goals;
• Reduces high blood pressure;
• Reduces the threat of coronary disease and a stroke…

and last but not least it gives you that absolutely great feeling after the physical exercise that makes you wanting to get more, stretch beyond limits, achieve more – without pressure and pain. It’s just natural, almost automatic.

I am not talking about Competitive Sports here, just normal healthy exercise workouts depending on your preferences, physical condition and other priorities.

Exercise and Antiaging (Antiageing)

Being active and having fun boosts your Immune System and definitely helps with today’s big buzz in terms of “Antiaging” (Antiageing).

More on this topic soon.

. . .

Weight Loss Fun at 50

Weightloss with Dance

Just as I was very disturbed the other day when a riding instructor told a sporty lady around 50 who wanted to take some lessons that she was ‘too old’ to get back onto a horse again … I was totally amazed when not only seeing this picture in the China News today… never mind after I had read the article that accompanied it… and just see what the headline says:

Ballet for Seniors

An amazing example. . . I just have to pass this on!

Starting from Zero: Senior Shenyang Citizens learn to Dance Ballet

“Members of a Xiyanghong Ballet Company practice at Liaoning Art University for Senior Citizens in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, August 5, 2009. The Xiyanghong Ballet Company with a total of 14 female members aging from 50 to 62 without any ballet dancing experience was established at Liaoning Art University for Senior Citizens. (Xinhua/Yang Xinyue)(Xinhua Photo)”

Weight Loss Fun

Definitely, you don’t start dancing Ballet in your later years unless you really have a Passion for it… and China has a reputation for incredible talents when it comes to many sports disciplines… and Discipline is key here!

And definitely, you don’t want to be too heavy when trying to twirl and fly and fight against gravity!!! The lighter you are the higher your performance… and as all that counts is the Dance, losing weight becomes Fun!

Chi

It inspired me to do my own exercises with more CHI this morning!

. . .