Tools of Critical Thinking: Metathoughts for Psychology
A great introduction to basic critical thinking techniques. I recommend this book to students who don't have formal training in argument analysis.
Adaptive Web Design
A beautiful paradigm shift in web design. Designers are no longer stingy controlers of user experience. We are now creators of possibilities - the user is now empowered to decide how to experience content.
A Philosophical Guide to Conditionals
What do we mean and assume when we say "If A, then B"? This is a techinical book, but a great survey of philosophical positions on the topic, and has helped me a lot in analyzing argmentative conditionals.
Art as Experience
Dewey was a user experience theorist?! This book outlines a pragmatic argument about what "art" is, arguing that experience (not just the art-object) is a consitutive part of art.
Universal Principles of Design
It's troublingly circular to claim design has universal principles when, in fact, we design the world to make it more uniform and intelligble. I strongly believe visual designers can benefit from learning these principles, and articulating *why* we assume these principles are universal and valid..
Buy Ryman a Tennis Ball
An exercise in styling a website entirely in CSS3. I was curious to see how much I could scale back the use of Photoshop in the design process, and just convert the HTML/CSS prototype directly into a designed site. I also wanted to create a CSS3-only button for styling flexbility. Please click on the thumbnails to enlarge.
wireframe
html prototype
the build out
An exercise in styling a website entirely in CSS3. I was curious to see how much I could scale back the use of Photoshop in the design process, and just convert the HTML/CSS prototype directly into a designed site. I also wanted to create a CSS3-only button for styling flexbility. Please click on the thumbnails to enlarge.
wireframe
html prototype
the build out
CSS Text Play
A few goofy examples of text-effects in CSS3. These are not the prettiest text-effects, but it was a good exercise in thinking about how to layer CSS3 properties to create an effect without intruding on the HTML.
letter magnets
blind emboss
two variations
A few goofy examples of text-effects in CSS3. These are not the prettiest text-effects, but it was a good exercise in thinking about how to layer CSS3 properties to create an effect without intruding on the HTML.
- Blind Emboss - alpha transparency applied to text shadow
- Plastic Letter Magnets! - Stacked, shifted shadows with a large blurred shadow on the bottom layer.
- Two Variations - Two different text effects using the same idea. One makes you dizzy, the other makes you want to get a preprohibition era cocktail.
letter magnets
blind emboss
two variations