Added tweeter feed to homepage @ http://www.thisherodesigns.com/

Something I've wanted for awhile, and now that it's slow, I've have the time to do the updates to the site that I've wanted to. My last post went over the updated UI, now I've added another testimonial to the flash movie and have FINALY added my twitter feed to the home page. I wanted to do this for two reason, one it shows potential clients my abilities and it help with SEO. Two birds, one stone.

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Updated UI on http://www.thisherodesigns.com/

Got tired of the text links on the site, wanted to do something different. The new buttons are modeled off of old cash register numbers, when each number was on its own metal plate, before any type of electrical readout. The same but different, check it out if you get a chance.

Steve

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Some Really Nice Mac Websites

Came across this site looking for some web inspiration. All the sites were designed Mac app sites. http://desizntech.info/2009/07/30-awesome-and-well-designed-mac-app-websites/

To Use Templates or Not To Use Templates

As a graphic artist selling my services of web design, is it right or wrong to use templates on a customers site? I guess I ask this question because there are many free web templates available for free, which can save me time when coding a job which in turn makes the job more profitable for me.

If the client still receives a product that meets their demands, and even saves them some money, that's good. If I can save time by not having to trouble shoot code, that's good. If I can learn from other's code, that's good.

I think my dilemma comes from the fact that as a graphic artist and web developer, am I cheating by using someone else's code? Not necessarily I think, as long as I don't sell the site as my own by throwing it in my portfolio or delete the creators link off of the site and try to claim it on my own, I see nothing wrong with it. I am still very capable of design sites, which I still do, and I am still very capable of coding them, which I still do.

Templates are just another tool in a large tool box we graphic designers have. It help me be more efficient, it allows me to learn a lot from other's work, and it helps out my fellow designer by linking back to their site.

Steve @ thisHero Designs

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Give Thanks

John, owner of Storage Auction Experts has me add quotes to his website every month, and one quote that has been sticking around my head is, "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed-Michael Jordan"

I've been thinking about this quote because I've been on quite a few new client meetings in the last few weeks and for one reason or another I did not get the job. And while I can easily let this get me down, I choose to be thankful for the jobs I do get, for the ongoing relationships with existing clients and for the great year thisHero Designs has had in spite of these stumbling blocks.

Let's be thankful for what we do have in these times, because it could always be a lot worse.

Steve

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Time with the 57 Ford F100

My brother and I went down to Turlock on Sunday to look at the pitman arm situation, and for fun I started putting the front clip together well know I'll need to take it back apart for paint, but I'm really interested in how she's going to sit. So after Rob was doing what he needed to do we put the clip on, the bed on and through one of the doors on so we could get a full visual. Looks pretty good. I'd like to see the front end come down some more, it's sitting a little too level for me. I know we have an option of moving the rear end up, but I'd rather see it lower in the front then anything. Right now the front tires are 225/75 15's so I think if I change them (just the front) to 215/65 15's that will definitely help. Not sure how much, but it's the cheapest, easiest way to do it, I have enough money in that front end, I don't really want to spend anymore.

So next weekend I'll go down and take it all apart again. The rolling chassis has an appointment with the guy that did the c-notch. I need to work out the motor mount at this time. As it is, with the lowering the motor mount is about a quarter an inch away from the straight axle, and that just won't fly. So I need to take care of that, maybe if I'm lucky have him construct a new transmission mount and then I'll be ready to putting body parts on for real.

Let's hope we can get the motor mounts taken care of rather quickly!

57 Ford f100 Illustration

Wanting to work on "Shop Truck" logo I decided the first thing I needed to do was create a illustration of the truck, so here it is. Turned out pretty good I think, there's some lines I'm not sure about, but there's still time. I don't remember the magazine, but there's a hot rod magazine out there that uses this type of illustration for vehicles throughout and I just really liked the style. Not that they have a corner on this style, I just thought it would be cool to get 'ole Mator in this style, plus I may be able to use it in the future, as in next years Cru-Zin in the Vineyards t-shirt.

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57 Ford F100 Illustration

Wanting to work on "Shop Truck" logo I decided the first thing I needed to do was create a illustration of the truck, so here it is. Turned out pretty good I think, there's some lines I'm not sure about, but there's still time. I don't remember the magazine, but there's a hot rod magazine out there that uses this type of illustration for vehicles throughout and I just really liked the style. Not that they have a corner on this style, I just thought it would be cool to get 'ole Mator in this style, plus I may be able to use it in the future, as in next years Cru-Zin in the Vineyards t-shirt.

thisHero Designs. To Help Small Business with their Marketing Needs

I was talking to a client the other day about an ad we were preparing. One of the things I noticed during this conversation, was his desire to really take it to the nationwide brands. His major competitors are Home Depot and Lowe's, which of course have a huge advantage because of their size. But is that really an advantage? My client does not need to compete nationwide against them, just locally, which of course means his message can be customized to the local audience. His message does not need to be generic appealing to the entire nation, but can connect with the local population.

Over the last year we have slowly been adjusting his message and style to be very effective, allowing him to take business from Home Depot and Lowe's. Sure he'll never put them out of business, but if he can steal some of their business, it's all the better for him.

How can I help you find your personal style and take business away from your nationwide competitor?

Steve Craig
thisherodesigns.com | graphic design for print and web
steve@thishero.com
209-988-8291

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thisHero Designs Fall Newsletter sent out Today

Lot's of good information on new and current projects plus services as well as contact information. See it know at: http://thisherodesigns.com/eMail/newsletter.html

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Shop Truck Update

Spent Sunday down at the shop again, working on the Shop Truck. Cleaned up the motor, found what looks to be a JB Weld fix job on one of the heads, that can prove to be significant in the future. I've heard the motor run, so for now I'm not going to worry about it. I painted the motor 'Ford Corporate Blue', all the Chevy fans out there should love that. I'm going to have the valve covers sand blasted and then I'll paint them the same blue, and have the Ford embossed logo painted in white so it sticks out really well. We then put the motor back into place and slid the cab to its correct position.

After looking at the way it sits, Frank and I decided to see if we could get a fender on, so we did, and it looked good, so next thing you know, we're throwing on the second fender and then propping the hood up with a baseball bat. It looks nice. I especially like the way it sits. I know it still has a ways to go, but it's days like this that make it all worth it. I can almost see her going down the road with thisHero Designs on the side right now.

Sorry about the quality of the picture, I took it with my iPhone, and you know, it just doesn't shoot pictures at night very well.

iPhone Desktop Pic - fighting thisHero! Get it Now

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thisHero Designs is on Posterous, starting now!

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Lowering Complete!

When I first bought the truck, my only requirement before driving her was that she had to be lowered. I was not going to drive it at stock height, or as I like to say, at "farmer" height. Well, the rear axle has been flipped, the frame c-notched, for the front I installed a 3" drop axle and 3" drop mono leaf springs. While she was apart I put in new king-pins, new bearings up front with the rear differential STILL scheduled to be gone through. I am now working on installing the Toyota power steering box, and get my brake lines all straightened out before I move on to cleaning up the motor. She's comin' along, slowly, but surely.

57 Ford Shop Truck Update

Frank and I went to the Turlock Auto Swap Meet Sunday morning, and met Tim with a nice 59 F100. Apparently he's been putting them together for years and he had some good advice and general information for us. It's interesting, most people say I'm crazy for leaving the straight axle, but whenever I talk to the old timers they all say that if the front end is rebuilt right, the truck can run as smooth and predictable as a newer truck. That always makes me feel better for sticking to the "old school" way.

The rest of the day I spent working on Mator. We threw the bed on the back to see how she sits, low. That makes me happy. We also threw the front springs and straight axle with the spindles on to see how the front looks. The front looked a little higher then the back, but considering there was no weight on the front and her wheel/tire combo aren't of the correct size I'm ok with it right now. It's actually looking like it's going to be just about perfect.

After we looked at that we took the bed back off and I finished painting the back half of the frame. It looks real good now. Next Sunday Joe, a friend of Franks is coming over to do a tune-up on the rear differential, so that'll be nice that I won't have to worry about it once Mator is going.

It was a very busy day working with not a lot of "real" progress since everything was just thrown on. The rear differential isn't even on the truck right now. I will be ordering some parts this week and hopefully by the end of next week the front axle, springs and spindles will be on permanently, as well as the rear differential will be on and painted.

I guess we'll see next week.

Welcome!

Here's my first blog in an effort to help drive traffic to my website, thisHeroDesigns.com. If you are looking for a graphic artist for print or web, be sure to check out my site and contact me with any questions.

Thanks,

Steve