We are web designer based in Philadelphia and Jakarta. We definitely love to create simple, effective and beautiful website.

July, 2008

The Survey 2008

If you make websites then you should take the A list Apart's annual industry survey. If you wondering what's the survey result looks like, here's the last year's (2007).

"I took it. And so should you."

2 Most Annoying Things in Mac OS X

I like Mac, great for work, and everyday use. But sadly, I found 2 things that annoys me a lot, especially while I'm working. Here goes ...

Finder is Application

Finder always treated as an ordinary application instead of OS shell. I often find myself jeopardized in  + tab situation, because it's still have the Finder icon (even though there is no Finder Window that running at the moment).

Quick Look window size

When you have a folder filled with the last night party photos (landscape and portrait), you'll notice when you're in Quick Look mode browsing the photos, the Quick Look's window size is always the same (depends on the 1st item invoked). It should be auto resized depends on each items, so that we don't have to have something like this:

Do you have other annoying things about the mac?

Website Design is not Graphic Design

"Damn, why it's so hard to design a website!" That's what my friend said two months ago, when he was trying to design his studio's website.

He's a logo guy, packaging guy and branding guru; he can imagine and sketch all the things in this world beautifully with great speed (from high detailed robots, monsters, flowers, super heroes, to Lord of the Rings guys). But! When it comes to website design, he is slow and the result is awkward and odd. Holy moly!

Why? Why on earth this could happened to him? Why it's so hard to do this 72 dpi thing with only couple of boxes, gradient and a bit of color scheme that is surely be a drop dead easy case to graphic designer degree guy like him?

QB Headlines Interview

Check out my interview for QB Headlines, the Indonesian local portal. I'm featured in the Creative Industry that the editor said something about "so it can help to inspire the entrepreneurship side of our creative readers". Wowzer, I'm very honored!

As for the interview, I was being asked for questions like: how it begins?, how to maintain?, who's your target market?, and a couple of our MoodMill project questions.

PS. Sorry the interview is not in english.

 

We're Invited in Almanac of Asia-Pacific Design IV

We just received an email from Mr. Rain Yang, the editorial in Department of Design 360 -- Concept & Design Magazine of Sandu Cultural Media Co., Ltd (Guangzhou / Hong Kong).

They have a new publication (the Almanac of Asia-Pacific Design IV), being an informative source for professional designers and amateurs alike, who have great interest in international design trends. It highlights originality, novelty and authority, aims at putting professional outstanding designs on display and providing good opportunities for excellent designers to stand out.

They have several categories, ex: visual identity design, packaging design, logo design, book & brochure, print advertising, poster design, illustration creative product design. And of course, we will be featured in the website category.

However, we urged to submit the works before July 15, 2008.

I'm very excited about it. This will be our first recognition in printed format, ever.
And I hope they write the almanac in English, so that we can read it conveniently (if we have the chance to grab a copy for this, since the almanac may not be available in Indonesia).

Project Area Integration

It's been a busy and hectic days lately. That surely doesn't stop us to take care of this "little guy". But hey, "simple and straightforward" means constantly improving, just like my pal Mr. T.J. of HiDef once said.

With the recent extensive use of our Project Area, I'm thinking that it deserves bigger exposure for that, linked only from the footer is not enough. It's harder to find and keeps our clients, partners confused at some point to access it.

After having some dead ends how to put the button (that act as trigger) on an existing design's header, I get inspired by one of the site that has been featured in my daily always-be-inspired feed. Lucky!

So for clients and partners, enjoy the "new" flavor of Project Area!
(Try to hard refresh your browser to force reload the style files if it displays differently from the screenshot below).

They said ...

  • "Stucel is very diligent and creative designers that will do what it takes to get the job done"

    - Gil Heiman, Collanos

  • "It has been good work with you guys!"

    - Mary Lou, Axes Systems AG

  • "Stucel was a pleasure to work with since day one. They did an excellent job and the overall design result far exceeded my expectations"

    - Ara Demirjian, SigSource

  • "They are so kind and attentive with people, that working with them is a pleasure. I felt I was treated like a friend, rather than just another client"

    - Mihai Adrian Pasca

  • "Consistently strives to provide high quality work, and always ready and willing to tackle any challenges that arise"

    - Meghan Smith, Whiteboard Media