JT eDesigns

Norbert Weisser - Official Site

2010-09-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce the debut of the official site for actor Norbert Weisser. While this website is intended for use by industry professionals, there is still something for everyone -- fans and friends will love his new headshots, have fun discovering an extensive theater history and reading the glowing quotes from reviews, not to mention learning about some new features and projects Norbert has been associated with. There is a great demo reel, and some wonderful screencaps from his appearances in various films, television episodes and movies, and even a few mini-series here and there. A few more surprises are in the works and will be online soon. The title of this post is your link to his professional site.

As a designer, I can honestly say this is the most special project I have ever developed. Mr. Weisser was a joy to work with every step of the way. Not only is he an accomplished actor with over 90 credits to his name, he is a true professional and someone who has earned my utmost respect.

As the owner of a small, home-based design business, this has indeed been the project of a lifetime. Thank you, Mr. Weisser, for selecting me to do your professional website.

By the way, this wonderful headshot was taken by Armen Asadorian.

A New Page for My Business

2010-07-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

I just created a page on Squidoo -- sort of a blog, sort of a mini-website, and a fun place to visit. I have links to my websites, will post design tips and promotions, as well as just have a good time with it. I also have links to some of my favorite software on Amazon -- their prices are always the best for design software. You can save a lot of money by shopping with them. They didn't pay me to say this, either! Check out Squidoo today and create a "Lens" for yourself, too!

Updated and new websites

2010-04-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

I have been quite busy with several new projects -- most of them websites. I did a complete redesign for the Official Fansite website I do for Norbert Weisser, did an overhaul of the aviation website I do for Keoki Dahl, and have several more underway. You can see a full list of them on my JT eDesigns Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Olympia-WA/JT-eDesigns/147900460421?ref=ts . I have posted screengrabs of some of the first pages of these new sites here.

Thanks to all of my clients for making my business so successful! I want to welcome a new one to my ever-growing list. She is a friend first, and a client second. Liberty Hodgson has started a new business -- Eco Health Technologies. Her website will go live over the next couple of weeks.

Please think of me for all of your design needs such as websites, flash slideshow and video presentations, logo design, brochures and fliers and so much more.

The Radicals 20th Anniversary Tribute Book

2010-02-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

As an add on to the previous post, I am happy to announce that this special commemorative book is available for purchase through Blurb.com. There is no mark-up or profit being made from the sale of these books, so the cost is for printing, tax and shipping only.

The online versions are still available too! There is a complete book preview available with the Blurb version, and no special software is required to view the book.

This is without a doubt, my very favorite project of all times, thanks to the special people I was so lucky to have worked with on this.

If you would like to purchase this photojournal, here is the link. There is no mark-up or profit being made from these books. The book and the preview are available here:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1152998

Update

2010-01-20T19:31:00.001-08:00

I plan on being a lot more active on the blog during 2010. Look for announcements on new projects as well as special promotions on business and design services, and digital fine art. Be sure to visit some of the websites I am most proud of: http://www.norbert-weisser.com/ http://www.tombohon.com/ http://www.hawaiianpunahele.com/ Look for more to be announced in the near future. I even have a special project planned to carry on with the story of The Radicals movie, as well as a fiction book that is nearing completion. See! I've been too busy to blog!

I'm Back

2010-01-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

I just finished the commemorative retrospective scrapbook for the 20th anniversary of the movie The Radicals. This tribute can be found by clicking on this link: http://norbert-weisser.com/Norbert_Weisser_Web/The_Radicals_Tribute.html and following the instructions on how to view the flipbook. This is a 98 page digital scrapbook with contributions from the Producer, Robert A. Nowotny, and the actors and other crew. This tribute contains screencaps from the movie, behind the scenes photos, outtakes, personal photos from the actors and crew, stories and anecdotes and a special tribute to the late Mark Lenard who played Eberhard Hoffman.

I would have never been able to complete this tribute without the tireless efforts of Mr. Nowotny. Additionally, heartfelt thanks to Norbert Weisser for his time and valuable contributions. No less can be said for the other actors such as Leigh Lombardi, Chris Neame, Dan Perrett, Jerry Nelson and others who submitted countless photos and stories. Thank your for your enthusiastic help on this project. Special thanks to Max Wiedmer, Production Manager in France, who sent along photos of the volunteers that made the costumes and gave of their time so this movie could be made within the tight budget constraints, and to the brilliant and gifted Cinematographer, Michael Bucher for sending along photos and his kind words of support.

Thanks also to Joel Kauffmann the writer of the screenplay, and Executive Producer D. Michael Hostetler and Associate Producer Liza Vann for their placing their trust in me.

Please take a moment to check out this tribute to a wonderful movie and a special group of people.

Hawaiian Online Gallery

2009-08-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

This is just a little experiment using some nifty software I found online from a company called Smilebox. The images within this flip book are from my Hawaiian Online Gallery. Enjoy a trip to the islands as you enjoy images of aloha shirt fabrics, digital creations with plumeria and lei and photos of Maui.

Let's Hele On to Hawaii -- Music Recommendations

2009-07-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is for those of you that love the mele (music) from the beautiful islands of Hawaii. Let's take a holiday from design for a bit and talk about three new albums from some of Hawaii's most noteworthy artists. (By the way, hele on means let's go, albeit in a pidgin or relaxed form of usage.)

Most of you are probably familiar with the musical group Hapa that is still performing sold out concerts around the globe to this day. Hapa has been around for well over twenty years, and has been winning multiple serious music awards (Na Hoku Hanohano) since 1994. A couple years ago, Keli'i Kaneali'i decided he had spent enough cold winters in the mainland away from his family and decided to go solo, concentrating on small, more intimate venues on his home island of Kaua'i, with occasional stints on Oah'u or Maui. He is releasing a solo album, Kaua'i, on August 25, 2009. This is available from http://www.mele.com/. Five of the songs are his original creations.

Keli'i has one of the most pure voices this side of Robert Cazimero, so this album will surely be a delight. I still get "chicken skin" when I hear him sing Lei Pikake. He's an amazing man with an even more amazing talent. I know you can't go wrong with this choice.

Diana Aki, the songbird of Miloli'i, has a new CD coming out with many traditional Hawaiian mele as well as original compositions by her. Miloli'i is a fishing village on the Big Island, south of Kona. Miloli'i means "small shade" and it's true -- this village is in the middle of a lava flow with very few trees around. This was also the setting for one of Iz's last concerts, and Diana can been seen in the audience of the video of this concert. The mele on this CD is about as pure in Hawaiian heritage as you can get, and is guaranteed to please kama'aina's and malihini's alike.

Speaking of pure Hawaiian musical royalty, Amy Hanai'ali'i has a new CD coming out that is a collaboration with the best of the best of Hawaii's elite musical family. Friends and Family features songs with Palani Vaughan, Martin Pahinui, Keali'i Reichel, Robert Cazimero and many more. This CD features a great cross section of the best that Hawaiian mele has to offer -- different styles, interpretations, and actual Hawaiian Ali'i flowing in the blood of these magnificent performers.

Again, all of these are available from http://www.mele.com/. Whether you are a long time aficionado of true Hawaiian music, or just learning what the sounds of the islands are all about and mean, you are guaranteed to love these CDs.

A hui hou, Aloha Pumehana.

Creating a Standout Presentation

2009-06-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

Out of all of the search terms that bring visitors to my graphic design website, JT eDesigns, the top ones are how to make a presentation stand out or how to create a visually appealing presentation.

The days of the boring, and I do mean boring, bullet lists are over. That doesn't mean that blocks of text have become acceptable -- the less reading anyone attending your presentation is tempted to do the better. We are drawn to color and images more than words. Instead of a list of talking points, arrange your thoughts by color blocks or circles or other design elements, and have them flow in a logical manner so your audience can follow along. Some examples are illustrated above in this post. No matter what your thoughts are on global warming, it has been said that Al Gore's presentation, An Inconvenient Truth, was one of the best presentations ever delivered. Throughout his entire presentation, he didn't use one bulleted chart. You can read Business Week’s in-depth review of his presentation here and why his technique was so effective. Above all, keep your words to a minimum on each slide, even to the point of using iullustrations only, instead of words. Images are powerful visual aids and can create interest and sudden impact of a key element in your presentation. Any words used should be kept to a minimum so you can use them as a guide only, not as something you read word for word as you deliver your talk. This way, your audience will focus on you instead of reading your charts while you are speaking. You can find many more ideas and suggestions for creating and delivering an effective presentation on my website, or feel free to ask for suggestions in your comments.

2009-06-06T09:35:00.001-07:00

June 6th is going to be just another day for most people. So many of the men and women that served during WWII and were part of the D-Day battles are no longer with us, and their memory is fading fast. Many people don’t even remember what D-Day is or why we talk about it.

But take just a moment to reflect and to thank those that served for what they believed in — those that lost their lives, those that survived but are haunted by the bloodied faces of their fallen comrades, and those that faced tremendous odds and uncommon hardships for the common good. If you aren’t familiar with D-Day, take some time to do a search for it online and read a little about one of the most significant and deadliest battles of WWII.

I designed this commemorative poster in honor of the U.S. soldiers that fought on Omaha Beach, but it is also a tribute to every man and woman from every country that was engaged in battle during the final push for victory, no matter what your beachhead was or what country you were from. Over 10,000 American service men lost their lives during this battle. Their average age was just 22. Some were much younger — just out of high school — and they showed an inner courage that helped bring forth the freedoms we enjoy today.

Please take a moment to think of those brave men on this day, and offer thanks to them.

2009-06-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to bring your friends over to enjoy your flowers while they are in full bloom and to top it off with a fun BBQ. Why not send out some fun invitations and make a great event out of it? You don’t need to wait for a special event to invite friends over. Sometimes the “just because” gatherings are the most special of all. Invitations don’t have to be formal — a simple 4×6 inch plain postcard will do. They are inexpensive to design, print and mail. Ask me about fun design tips if you want to do it yourself, or ask me to do it for you! I can either design and print the invitations, or send you a .jpeg file you can print on the cards right from your own computer. This is also a great way to add a personal touch or note on each invitation. In days past, society women would often throw formal, lavish parties when their prize winning rose gardens were in full bloom. Times have changed for a lot of us, and the pace has quickened in our every day lives as we rush from work to home to the gym or run the kids to after school events, but there is always time to slow down and catch your breath and to smell your own version of the roses. You may just have a nice bed of pansies or a pretty hanging basket that you received for Mother’s Day out on your terrace, but garden parties or BBQs are always fun and a good excuse to gather with friends.

2009-06-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

I’m completely new at this so bear with me as I learn how to do this! In the meantime, you can visit JT eDesigns on Facebook and check out my website at http://www.jtedesigns.com/! Eventually I will be featuring free design tips and techniques here and will offer assistance on any tricky projects you might be encountering as you do your own design work. The more we share ideas, the better our designs will be. I am sure I will learn a lot from all of you, too! I look forward to hearing from you. I just finished a major update to the tribute site I do for the wonderful actor Norbert Weisser. In addition to his many other movie roles and television appearances, he has been associated with Director, Producer and Writer Albert Pyun on 16 projects to date. I just finished adding screencaps and complete synopsis descriptions on each of these movies. Take a moment to check it out at http://www.norbert-weisser.com/. One of my great loves is for the Islands of Hawaii. I talk a great deal about all of my punahele (favorite) things the islands have to offer on my site Hawaiian Punalele (http://www.hawaiianpunahele.com/). You will find out about the best places to visit, things to do, music to listen to and of course — the most ono local kine kau kau (most delicious local kind food)! I will talk about a lot of Hawaiian things here such as the music and culture, and who knows, you may learn a few new Hawaiian phrases to add to your vocabulary! Even though I now live on the mainland, Hawaii holds a special place in my heart, and will for all time. There is nothing quite like the Aloha Spirit. Thanks for stopping by!