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Blue Mouse Monkey HOME > |
Blue Mouse Monkey Design: Site Summary
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Web + InteractiveWho we work with
Our clients are creative and innovative. They want something different, they want to stand out, and they want to raise the bar in their field.
Come visit us in the historic Ford Building: ph: 503 233 4543 For full content in an interactive Flash format, visit Blue Mouse Monkey home > |
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WHAT YOU GETtop ^ |
We’re not the kind of web company that randomly puts together three designs and asks you to pick one. We collaborate closely with you in a rich visual and verbal dialogue that pinpoints the essence of what you do and what your goals are, and then successfully translates this to the interactive world of the web. We’ll help you articulate and refine your project or brand, and in the process you’ll gain a new perspective on what you do. Whatever you’re thinking for your site, we’ll take it further and make it more than you imagined. You'll get:
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HOW TO GET STARTEDtop ^ |
or give us a call (503 233 4543) to set up a no-obligation, one-hour Exploratory Session to discuss your website plans and to see if we’re a good fit for you. We can meet by phone, or you can visit us at our Portland location. We’ll make you an excellent cup of tea! If it's a match, we’ll continue the Design Inquiry process. We'll delve deeper your audience, your brand, your aesthetic, and your goals. We ask the right questions and leave no stone unturned. We then draw up a detailed proposal and timetable for the project. |
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HOW WE’RE DIFFERENT |
We’re creative, multi-disciplined, hybridizing folks who love the Internet and all its possibilities. We also love working in the analog world of printmaking, painting, and writing. We understand what our fellow creative professionals need, and we enjoy getting to know each client and working with them one-on-one . We’re also critical thinkers and problem-solvers, always considering the implications of what we do: for our clients, for their audiences, and for the greater cultural conversation. |
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TESTIMONIALStop ^ |
“The site has blown me away with great customer response in both purchases and comments.” "When I began talking to Julia about a website, I wasn't quite sure that I really needed one, but Julia created a site that went far beyond anything I imagined. In effect, she created a "site" in the true sense of the word, establishing a presence and an integrated identity." "The website is both beautiful and easy
for me to use and keep updated — the perfect combination!" "Simple, elegant and brilliantly accessible - My Blue Mouse Monkey site gives me a great way to showcase my work in film and installation." "Julia - your work was exceptional on my CD and postcard. You came up with creative clear ideas that have really helped sell it, with great reviews and pictures in Gramophone magazine, New Music Box and Music Matters magazine. Your training as an artist and educated eye helped me communicate easily with you. And yes, I really enjoyed collaborating with an ex-pat Kiwi!" "From the broad conceptual level to small technical details, the comments you gave us far exceeded our expections." |
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FAQs
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What do I need to get ready to begin working with you?Come as you are! The first part of the process is all about us learning about you. We begin by finding out about what you do, about your history and where you’re at now, why you want a website, and where you’d like it to land in the world. We also love it when you tell us about websites you like (or don’t like!) because that’s a great starting point for discussions about aesthetics, audience, and usability. What can I expect when working with you?We aim to make the creation of each website a fun, collaborative process for you -- and for us! It’s important for you to retain control of how your work or project is presented to the world, and we won’t overwhelm you with geek-speak or force your website dreams into some pre-packaged set of arbitrary constraints. We also aim to demystify. Julia’s years of experience teaching web technologies to creative adults comes in handy as we guide you through the entire process from initial consultation to final launch. We make sure you’re informed and feel comfortable about each decision along the way, and if you have questions or concerns afterwards, we’re always here to help! Do you ever use templates?Each Blue Mouse Monkey site is custom designed based on your needs, your audiences, your goals, and your vision. We are the anti-template design team! What are your rates?Because we build completely unique websites, we really need to talk to you first and learn about your needs and goals before providing an estimate. We are happy to set up a no-obligation, one-hour Exploratory Session to discuss your project, and then we can give you an idea of what that would cost. What technologies do you use?We build in both HTML and Flash, and we'll discuss with you which is best for your needs and your audience. We'll also discuss the pros and cons of incorporating video, animation, audio, shopping carts, forums, membership features, blogs, and other technologies into your site. Will my website look good on all computers?We’ll make sure your website looks good in any contemporary browser and on any platform. In fact, this is an excellent question to ask because some designers only design for one browser or platform, and we think that is a shortsighted approach. What is your turnaround time?Blue Mouse Monkey is always booked ahead, so contact us sooner rather than later! Also, the iterative nature of our custom design process requires time for us to collaboratively develop ideas and solutions. We don’t use templates and we don’t take short cuts. We work efficiently to a timetable that ensures your site is launched when you expect it to be. I already have the designs done for my site, can you put it together for me?Sorry, we do not offer programming services for designs created by other providers, nor do we complete websites started by other companies. |
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ABOUTtop ^ |
Julia StoopsIn a former life Julia taught courses such as philosophies of art & beauty, and media studies with an emphasis on subversive art. Julia is fascinated by the rhetorical power of images: how culture talks to us and how we can converse back. Julia will brainstorm ideas with you and come up with concepts and designs. A practicing artist for 20 years, Julia approaches each website with the same care and attention as a work of art. And her 15 years of teaching experience means she knows how to communicate, and most importantly, how to listen. CollaboratorsJimmy ThomasA talented and nimble programmer, Jimmy is also an artist, a musician, and owner of Acts of Good > He combines his skills in aesthetics and technology to make all that PHP CSS MySQL AJAX ActionScript stuff do exactly what you want.Meg PetersonPainter and animator, Meg does specialty Photoshop work for us, and is working on Blue Mouse Monkey’s soon to be released stop-motion animation video.Suzy VitelloAward-winning storyteller and ’prose therapist,’ Suzy of Words in a Hurry is available to expertly handle your copywriting and editing needs.…and what exactly is a Blue Mouse Monkey?Sometimes people ask if the Blue Mouse Monkey is real. Perhaps a rare marsupial from down under, they want to know. While the existence of the Blue Mouse Monkey in the wild has yet to be proven, there have been frequent sightings of a brown house monkey in and around Julia’s Portland home. |
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PORTFOLIO
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For case studies check out the selected work section of Blue Mouse Monkey, and for a complete client list see the client projects blogroll at the Blue Mouse Monkey Blog.
Portfolio: recently launched client projects (Spring 2009)
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Portfolio: Julia's personal sites
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For full content in an interactive Flash format, visit Blue Mouse Monkey home > Blue Mouse Monkey: artists' websites by Julia Stoops For more information |
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