Pre-Conference Workshops

JavaScript and Ajax for Designers
Dori Smith
Consultant and Author

JavaScript—particularly in its new and improved Ajax flavor—is hot again, and it's time for you to get up to speed. If you're a designer who has always meant to learn JavaScript, this workshop will cover what you need to know. You'll learn the concepts underlying JavaScript and Ajax, how to use them to make smarter Web sites, and what's on the horizon.

This workshop will take you from knowing nothing about scripting to knowing when and how to use JavaScript to its fullest capabilities.

You'll learn:

Building a Web Site with Photoshop and Dreamweaver
Corey Barker
Education and Curriculum Developer
National Association of Photoshop Professionals

If you've ever wanted to be able to build a beautiful Web site without getting lost in coding and scripting—or if you need to build a site quickly and inexpensively without getting tied up in codes and scripts—then this workshop is for you. Here, we'll take advantage of the smooth integration of Photoshop and Dreamweaver to conceptualize, build, and publish a complete Web site.

Beginning in Photoshop, we'll form the concept and create the Web design. From there, we'll process the design for composing in Dreamweaver, using Fireworks and Photoshop. Composing the site in Dreamweaver using table and CSS-based layouts, we'll still be able to make design changes in the original Photoshop file that will immediately update in Dreamweaver. We'll test the site's functionality and browser compatibility, and then publish the site to the Web.

This workshop is designed for the aspiring Web designer, graphic designer, production artist, or anyone who wants a clear understanding of how to quickly building a functional Web site.

Transcending CSS: Modern Techniques for Designing a Beautiful Web
Andy Clarke
Founder, Stuff and Nonsense Ltd.

Do you feel that we have reached our full potential for what is possible using currently practical CSS? Do you wish that there were ways to achieve the striking, the radical, the beautiful with CSS?

In this workshop, Andy Clarke, designer and author of the best-selling Transcending CSS: The Fine Art of Web Design, will challenge you to think differently about creating inspired design for the Web using meaningful markup and CSS. The session will be packed full of visual inspiration, backed up by practical techniques for creating amazing work for the Web.

This workshop is not intended for beginners or newcomers to CSS. It will not teach you the basics. To get the most from this workshop, you will need to be an intermediate to advanced user.

What are the learning outcomes?

If you are a visual designer looking to advance your CSS skills with new techniques and technologies, or a technically minded developer who wants to understand more about working visually, this workshop will take your knowledge of CSS to the limits of what is currently possible and beyond.

Interactive Content with Photoshop and Flash
Corey Barker
Education and Curriculum Developer
National Association of Photoshop Professionals

By taking advantage of the Flash functionality that is now built in to Photoshop (as well as Illustrator), you can generate and process Flash-based content without a lot of complicated ActionScripting. Which is a great thing, since Flash has become the standard for creating interactive online content.

In this workshop, we'll explore how to create a design in Photoshop and then transfer that layered file into Flash. All the while, we'll maintain complete control of the layer order without losing the integrity of the original design. We will also discuss importing other vector art by utilizing Illustrator's enhanced Flash features as well as importing video and motion graphics from programs such as After Effects. From there, we’ll wrap up the content, bringing the elements to life with some basic ActionScripting in Flash. Finally, we'll discuss the preparation of the Flash file for the Web as well as integration into your Dreamweaver workflow.

This workshop is designed for the aspiring Web designer, graphic designer, production artist, or anyone who needs to know the basics of Flash to simply and easily create interactive content using Flash and Photoshop.