Maps are great visual, web design tools that help users get the information they need quickly. Advances in geocoding have made it easy to create beautiful, custom location and geographic specific data maps. Here are some of my favorite examples of websites using awesome map designs right now. Websites Using Custom Markers PM Environmental PM Environmental’s location page uses a custom Google…
About Photoshop Masks So, what are masks anyways? A mask is a technique that allows you to make very specific portions of an image invisible while showing another object in its place. However, you might be wondering when you would ever need to hide parts of an image. Masking is a powerful technique used by web designers, graphic designers, photographers or…
Today, we’re going to be looking at some of my favorite WordPress widgets. Many WordPress plugins provide widgets as a way to modify and extend the functionality of your site without having to touch a single line of PHP. Widgets are a great way to supercharge your website’s look and feel. Let’s take a look at 4 great widgets in…
This tutorial will show you how to select an element in a photo and remove the background while preserving fine details like hair and feathers. In this example we’ll use a free photo from freeimages.com. You can download the same image we’re using in the tutorial here. First, we’re going to use the Refine Edge tool to separate the hairs…
MailChimp is a great tool for creating email campaigns that engage consumers and drive traffic to your website. It also has a powerful template designer that allows you to create a custom design starting with a basic template. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to turn a simple layout into a great-looking design. Step 1: Creating a New Template Once…
It’s no longer necessary to create every feature that you want for your website. Now there are plenty of third party services to help you add some extra bells and whistles without spending much time at all. Third party companies, such as Olark, Boast, and Mailchimp, spend their time and money on offering a specific product and direct their focus…
There are millions of WordPress plugins for just about every function and need out there. But how do you know which ones are the best? I struggled with this question when I first started building WordPress websites. I wanted plugins that worked not only for me as a designer but were also easy for my clients to use in the…
There is nothing new about website image sliders but the way you interact with them has changed dramatically. A typical image slider usually includes a few basic controls, automatic slide transitions and the ability to cycle through slides via a pager. However, what happens when you try to interact with these sliders on a mobile phone? Or a tablet? There are…
Design trends on the web are constantly changing and evolving. Websites that were created just a few years ago quickly start to look dated compared to newer ones today. Making a few changes to the aesthetic of your site can make it feel modern and updated without involving a total website overhaul. We’ve collected a few tips to simply and…
At Web Ascender we strive to build websites that everyone can enjoy. I have outlined some of the key components to building a highly accessible website. By following these guidelines even website visitors with disabilities will be able to enjoy your content, products and services. When I talk about accessibility, I am talking about creating a website or application that…