May 26, 2008
I’m curious to know if you all would be interested in (what I call) image sets. Sometimes I provide extra imagery with my themes - images you can drag and drop onto your pages that already match the theme’s colors and styles. Mailroom is a great example of that. It includes 180 themed images you can use on your pages.
However, I can create image sets that aren’t tied to any given theme. You could purchase them individually as you like and use the images in your pages however you want.
Here’s an example. I can create characters in any style you could dream up. Drag this image here off my site and into one of your dark Aerolite pages in iWeb. Add a drop shadow to it, say an angle of 315°, an off-set of 13, a radius of 13 and opacity of 100%. BLAMO! Instant cool. Of course you can drop this into any theme, but this particular style was designed to match Aerolite pretty closely.
Leave me some comments if you have thoughts on this. I really like the whole “scrapbook” approach to creating web sites and iWeb does a beautiful job of allowing that kind of creativity. The problem is, none of you have a collection of images to use when creating your pages. I can certainly create imagery for you and you can build a collection of images this way. Win/Win.
Please let me know what you think.
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Do you know if there’s any way to install artwork into iPhoto as an option (I mean, other than the “drag and drop a folder” method)? I think an excellent added benefit would be if the images could be placed into iPhoto with metatags and in their own album. Maybe that’s just me though :)
Holy smokes that’s an awesome idea :-O I actually don’t know if an installer could do that, but it’s likely. Maybe Hac will pop in here with his thoughts on that. Not sure if he reads all this stuff.
I don’t see why the user couldn’t insert them into iPhoto themselves and tag them, but yes, if an installer can do that automatically, that would be really slick. Course, the tags and organizational structure I set probably wouldn’t be pleasing to everyone.
Thanks for this thought… I’ll think more about that possibility.
I find your idea very interesting. There are times that an image that goes with the theme one is using would be great! I also love the idea of the ’scrapbooking’ approach.
Travler
Yeah I love the whole scrapbooking approach too - it’s highly creative and there’s no reason iWeb can’t be used in that way. My Mailroom theme was my first attempt at something like that.
Here’s a good example of how stylized characters are used in scrapbooking, but this could very well be your web page or any other document you create for that matter.
Here’s an example of some graphic characters used on a dark Aerolite page. With the right imagination, this could make an interesting visual. Click the thumb to enlarge it…
And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. I’m sure the Pages, Keynote, and even the Numbers people would be excited about getting their hands on scrapbooklike things such as these.
Doh! Why do these things not strike me? I need to pay you more…
I suggested someone buy a Keynote theme because of the extras that came with it. They used the extras in iWeb :) I’ve seen a lot LOL!
Suz, Definitely something I’d be interested in! That’s why I like Mailroom - would really like it to be more ’scrapbookie’ for my own site. Mailroom without the imagery would be less appealing to me, it’s the extra stuff that I like! BTW, I’ve added a ’sub-domain’ of sorts to my site using Mailroom - still a work in progress, but so far I like it!
Ron
http://www.randomdoorways.com
You and I are on the same page about this one. I hope you become more of an advisor for this topic because I know it’s something you really enjoy and would like to expand.
Whatever I can do to help!
Ron
http://www.randomdoorways.com
I do like the idea of image sets. There are so many wonderful artists out there and the temptation to just pick up the images and use them can be great. Having images that are created and licensed for use can keep us out of trouble when it comes to copyright issues. (Now I need to research whether I can use the images from Keynote themes I have purchased on my websites… or images from my iWeb themes in my presentations….)
I hadn’t thought of the idea to put the images into iPhoto, but that sounds like a wonderful way to organize the files and make them easily accessible.
Kari
This could be very cool. I find myself searching for images quite often.
Speaking of images, how do we get our own image here on the comments?
Brian, I just made mine this morning. Go to gravatar.com to create your avatar. Just make sure it is connected to the email address your account is linked to here.
Hi Kari, Thanks. I will try that.
w00t! All you guys are up rapping before I’m even moving ugh. So lovely to see your smiling face now Kari! You bring up a good point about how to license such images. I have to think about that because there are different uses such as screen or print. As a template maker, it’s really hard to get images I can use in a template. No one likes to do that.
I’m thinking about doing Keynote and Pages themes too, but I’m wondering exactly where I’m going to find the time :-/
Ok, I signed up for the Gravatar, but am still not seeing it.. Is there something else I need to do other than signing up? I read something about a MD5 hash, something or other, but it didn’t say what to do with it.
if Jumsoft is doing it as Pages clipart, why shouldn’t you be able to do it with iWeb imagery? Buying them is a totally different thing. I’m not gonna buy images, wether their from you or any other guy, simply because it’s not my thing! :-D I rather create my imagery myself but for those who seek images and don’t have the ability to create them themselves, then it sounds like a good idea.
@Brian - THe email with which you signed up with gravatar needs to be the same one you are using here with your blog account. If they are the same, your image will show up.
Oh, as far as your images and licensing go, I would recommend making the licensing as easy as possible.. If I were to buy images, I would expect to be able to use them for any purpose, other than copying and giving to someone else.. But, whether I wanted to put them in Keynote, iWeb, or *retch* Word document, that’s what I would want..
Max how long have I known you? Like two years… and you write a phrase that reads, “…like any other guy…” I know a lot of guys have long hair and smile pretty like girls and even use girly names like Suzanne, but I’m not one of them. I love it when I visit forums and people are talking about me as “he” and “him” ;-) UGH. Course Max calls me Dude as well.
Brian, I agree with you here - I want a license that grants me freedom to use the images in many ways and that’s what I would do. I think the stock image sites are inappropriately gouging customers in certain situations, charging significantly more, for example, if you want the image to be used in a presentation that’s uploaded to the web versus just shown off your computer. That to me is ridiculous.
One of my goals with this site is to assist people with their self-expression. Allowing them to build a collection of “tools” they can use to do that should include some pretty broad rules for use.
For Gravatar Brian, make sure that the email address you used for Gravatar is the same email address you’re using here for your account. The other thing, which is more likely, is that I have a rating set for Gravatars. If your image is not “G” rated, it won’t appear.
I have a number of children that visit my site, one as young as 10 years old so I need to keep this as neutral as possible.
LOL “any other guys” … so funny. i never noticed that. i think I just say that in general to define “other people” :-D
Ugh. A world full of just men… while that doesn’t sound so bad to ME, perhaps that would not be very fun for YOU. Language is important.
Love the idea of image sets! I generally use a lot of pngs on my webpages, download many for free as icons and convert to pngs, but it’s not always easy to find something suitable for the page. Would be nice to have imagery made by the Queen of iWeb Templates to use on my sites. (yawns and slinks back to her corner)
Oooo another smiling face - love it. Special images just for you my dear. I have to run and get a spark plug for my lawn mower now cuz it won’t start and my grass is like 9″ tall!
Oh don’t buy a spark plug… will be right over on my John Deere to take care of mowing that hay for you.
Dude, One woman buying her own spark plugs… The other with her own John Deere.. What is the world coming to? Next they’ll be managing their own computers! I’m feeling pretty useless now.. ;-)
Hey! It works!. I guess I have to select it too..
Sigh… another man feeling useless….. Wanna borrow my JD… would that make things better? haha Sorry for going a bit off subject here Suz. Will mow the grass for you all summer to make up for it…. I’ll let Brian drive the JD from Virginia to Minnesota though so I can get the job done. Vrrroooom….
LOL Brian you can come and install my spark plug for me - I’d love that. Well actually I already did that, but I realized I drained the battery so now I’m charging it. If that mower doesn’t start in two hours - please come help me. Blasted machines. This is why I like non-tangible things… ideas, creativity. There’s no spark plug required and no maintenance contract and no changing oil.
Hum… okay let’s not drag that whole thing into a place it shouldn’t go :)
Diane niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice tractor honey. You won’t be seeing me post mine. I should post my hand-made, totally custom Les Paul I’m building. Now there’s a chic project ha ha.
Back to work.
Ugh. A world full of just men… while that doesn’t sound so bad to ME, perhaps that would not be very fun for YOU. Language is important.
LOL - itll be REAL bad for me. but alright, ill just change my language and speak like all the other “guys” here :-P
I can’t wait until you get your first real job out of college and your boss is a woman mu ha ha ha haaaaa. Better yet, you’ll fall madly in love with a woman that can ski faster than you and design better architecture. I’ll hold out hope for either.
Oh Dear. Are you talking to me, or Max. If me, you flatter me.. Out of college.. I’m laughing. I used my ‘good’ picture, but didn’t think it was that good.. I’ve been out of school for 20 years! And fall madly in love with a woman? Hmm.. Much bigger story there, but not likely, though I could probably do her hair.
I was talking to Max… he’s like the little (snotty) brother I never had. You and I on the other hand must be close in age. Class of ‘87 rock on. Although I was a new wave fan really. And is there no end to your talents? First spark plugs and now hair. Now that’s a man.
Oh. Getting my hopes up there.. haha.. Dashed once again. Class of 83.. new romantic and new wave for me - back then.. gone country now..
Uh, I think we were talking about numbers or images or something. :-)
Another cool idea would be to also release a few textures for those that want to use the scrapbooky look combined with a shape.
I would say it’s all relative - many of the RW themes come with image packs included, but there is a price for the theme, so it’s all one price, I’d gather. Curious question!