I started at a new company over 6 months ago and from day one my primary job description was to create a new website for our company. It is finally done.

It took about 6 months to wait on content, and then when I finally got permission to write it myself, it took about two more weeks for it to launch. Such is life. (This is also my disclaimer for the quality of copy writing).

Orchid Event Solutions

Being a company that focuses on excellent technology, reporting, and other pretty cold elements, I chose to highlight our more friendly side – our full service solutions. The main point here was to connect with the site users and convey a message of simplicity, competence, and confidence. I did this with images of nature that were meant to convey a much more casual environment- one where our clients are free to talk to us about any need they have.

The copy is also very casual and conversational. I really wanted to stay away from any type of dry corporate language or technological verbiage that could be distracting. The whole site was designed to be forward thinking but light and simple – not bogged down with any extra baggage.

There is still some work to be done, and the site will constantly be evolving, but I think the initial goals of upgrading our site to something more modern has been accomplished. Here’s the previous version – as you can tell- outdated, cold, corporate, and overall disgusting.

Orchid Event Solutions (before)

The keen reader may have noticed that the new site also includes a new brand. Good eye Magellan. There will be more about that an upcoming post.

I’ve used Photoshop a fair amount, and I’ve edited plenty of photos, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually sat down and fully re-touched a destroyed photo. This was time.

This man is a refugee from Iraq. He fled his country after intense persecution and torture to both him and his family. Part of that torture was destroying this traditional photograph as psychological torture. The original, tattered and really quite meaningless, was sent to me in a small file from a scan of the 5×7. I reproduced it as an 8×10 and was surprised and the quality when I upsized it.

I could have kept going for a long time to keep trying to get it right, but this served its purpose. When I presented this to Alaa, he pointed to his chest where his heart might be, and said in broken english, “this feels good”.

It felt good for me too. Just for a little bit of fun and a few giggles, I kept going and made the following stylized version. Probably not what he was looking for, so I presented him the simple re-touched version. I kinda like this though. (and yes, that IS his real name).

Stylized version

Probably my favorite blog these days is a simple post of illustrations by Cristiana Couceiro over at Sete Dias. It’s really simple work actually- but really well done, and that’s what I like. She really knows how to pick great subjects for the pieces and then the use of color and geometric shapes is impeccable. I’m always a sucker for geometric shapes and simple colors.

Cristina Couceiro