Jeff Couturier

new comic

Jeff — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:03:28 +0000

So I drew a new thing over at Horde of Neurons:

drawing a journal comic

Jeff — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:23:39 +0000

A few process shots from a journal comic I worked on last night.

new comic – Mmm, butter

Jeff — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:59:47 +0000

I couldn’t resist poking fun at Paula Deen since she just announced that she’s had diabetes for 3 years and just signed a contract with Novo Nordisk to be the spokesbeast for their diabetes drugs. The woman is disgusting on so many levels.

My art featured on LCS

Jeff — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:28:14 +0000

My holiday card is featured today on the Little Chimp Society illustration news portal.

Wise words on wireframing (or not)

Jeff — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:18 +0000

I just came across two great posts by Sacha Greif on wireframes, specifically on why you shouldn’t use them. Aside from the occasional special case, I’ve never been a fan of wireframes as they often do more to get in the way than they do to improve a project. That certainly bucks the common wisdom and sounds like total quackery, but it really isn’t. A few notable quotes from Sacha’s posts:

It’s easy to find a solution that “works” when most of the problems aren’t addressed at all.

HTML is a wireframe. Your prototype is your spec, and can be improved and iterated to become the final product. Spend that wireframe time iterating against analysis of real use of your prototype and you will build better stuff.

Check out Sacha’s posts here and here.

Happy Holidays

Jeff — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 08:50:49 +0000

On putting your money where your mouth is: GoDaddy, SOPA and consumer responsibilty

Jeff — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:16:10 +0000

I’m reading a lot of buzz today about GoDaddy and SOPA, specifically about GoDaddy’s support for the censorship bill. Someone on Reddit has proposed a mass-defect from GoDaddy on December 29th while others have suggested writing or calling GoDaddy to voice our opposition to the bill. Why is anyone using GoDaddy in the first place? Even without this SOPA issue, GoDaddy is easily the worst in the business. Their customer support is horrible beyond words with and endless stream of nightmares posted online for all to see. Their business practices and what seems to be a complete lack of ethics make them, as one commenter wrote, “the Scumbag Steve of web services” and yet developers, designers and other net-nerds that most certainly know better continue to give their business to GoDaddy. I often hear the excuses “I just needed a cheap domain” or “I don’t know who else to use.” Neither of these are a justification for throwing your money at a company you know to be the corporate embodiment of the word “asshole.” A 30 second search shows us a plethora of other domain registrars and web hosts, almost all of which have better customer reviews. Spend another 60 seconds and one can easily find 5-star rated companies with excellent service and support for the same price if not less than GoDaddy. So… why are people still using GoDaddy? If we know entity-X is a total bastard, and we know they will treat us like dirt while taking our money, and we know there are countless alternatives then what possible reason is there to give our business to that entity?

I know droves of people who think Amazon is shifty and dirty but continue to buy nearly everything there in order to save a measly dollar. I know even more that loudly proclaim that Comcast is the antichrist in corporate form but still have cable accounts with them. And there are multitudes who are fully aware of GoDaddy’s scumbag status but still go straight to them when buying a new domain. We can complain about dastardly deeds and shady business practices, we can cry foul and proclaim that “something must be done”, but those sentiments are nothing but bullshit and posturing if we don’t put our money where our mouth is. If saving a dollar is more important than things like SOPA that’s fine, I suppose. But if that’s the case, you need to understand that you are active participants and contributors, enabling these companies to behave this way, enabling them to screw you – and others – over while taking your money. You are not helpless. You are not without options or alternatives. If you don’t like how a company operates, stop giving them your business. Talking smack about them doesn’t mean a thing if you are simultaneously fellating them with your wallet.

I thought that what I’m saying here was obvious, but apparently it isn’t.

A Very Calvin & Hobbes Christmas

Jeff — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:40:16 +0000

Ben and the Fat Cat Banksters

Jeff — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:01:17 +0000

A fun acrylic painting by Billy Walsh

new term: Scrollsterbation

Jeff — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:04:59 +0000

I’m coining a new term:

scrollsterbation
verb
The practice of creating pages with numerous, gratuitous scroll effects. Most notably when a page uses excessive vertical scroll combined with various animated elements whose position, size or shape changes based on the scroll position of the page. It can be used well, but mostly isn’t. Very similar to “flashturbation” and just as likely to disappear as a design fad.

Example: This page is full of scrollsterbation.