septiembre 30, 2009

La ICANN ya no estará bajo control del gobierno de Estados Unidos

ICANN La ICANN es una organización sin fines de lucro encargada de gestionar diversas tareas en la administración de Internet, y la principal encargada en decidir sobre el futuro de los nombres de dominio de primer nivel (TLD).

Desde su creación, hace 11 años, a un acuerdo con el Gobierno de Estados Unidos, concretamente con el Departamento de Comercio, con el cual podían ejercer cierto control sobre las decisiones de la ICANN. Dicho acuerdo generó muchos años de críticas sobre porque una organización como la ICANN (y a la larga, Internet) estaba ligada a un Gobierno en particular.

A partir del 1 de Octubre dicho acuerdo deja de estar vigente, y la ICANN pasa a ser una entidad global y privada sin fines de lucro. Esto tampoco significa que puedan hacer lo que quieran, pero sin duda quita un peso en las políticas internacionales del manejo y el futuro de Internet.

Para los que estamos en el «nivel más bajo de la cadena» esta noticia no debería representar cambios a corto plazo, si no más bien tener la esperanza que ahora la organización de Internet estará en «manos de todos».

Javier Aroche para Maestros del Web.
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Rundes

septiembre 30, 2009

Niveles de participación en las Redes Sociales

Actualmente, dentro de lo que compone la Web, existen innumerables sitios que ofrecen servicios en donde los usuarios interactúan teniendo como base intereses en común. Generando así una masiva participación de las personas y una enorme cantidad de contenido en la nube que en muchos de los casos está disponible para que cualquiera haga uso de ello de forma libre. Todo este proceso, de sumergirse en este fenómeno social, hace necesario conocer de alguna manera en qué medida los usuarios se involucran en estos medios.

Las redes sociales electrónicas se han ido apoderando del uso que se le da a la red; accediendo a mercados de forma selectiva, automática y eficaz; y haciendo obsoletos los mecanismos de publicidad tradicional. Los mismos mercados son los que se involucran en estos medios y a los analistas les puede interesar la forma, el momento y el lugar en que estos participan.

A continuación se describe una clasificación sobre el envolvimiento que los usuarios pueden tener en las redes sociales, teniendo en cuenta el nivel de participación y compromiso para mantenerse activo en éstas. Los ejemplos son aplicables a distintas categorías pero el uso que le das es lo que determina la forma en que te involucras, además no todos son propiamente redes sociales, pero el uso que le dan los usuarios es lo que permite definirlas como tal.

Imagen por fredcavazza

Involucrate

Conéctate a las redes sociales
Regístrate, se parte del proceso. El primer paso, evidentemente, es unirse a las redes sociales. Podrías comenzar con las más masivas, con las que más te idéntificas, las que pueden ser útiles. Aquellas que prefiera tu grupo de amigos, las que te dan visibilidad en la red y que pueden servir como ruta de referencia hacia ti.
Facebook, Orkut, Myspace, hi5, Friendster, Bebo, LinkedIn, Naymz.

SuscríbeteMantente pendiente de las notificaciones, de las noticias y de todo aquellos que te interesa. Suscríbete a los feeds de tus lugares favoritos, de los perfiles de tus conocidos o de las personas que admiras. Puede ser usando servicios web, aplicaciones y widgets.
Google Reader

Comparte

Comparte el contenido
Ahora distribuye por la red lo que has encontrado, los lugares que visitas, las noticias, da la oportunidad a los demás que conozcan lo que ya has conocido.
Delicious,Digg.

Comparte contenido de forma breve y rápida
Es muy común el contenido que se esparce por la red comportándose de manera viral. Si eres de los que todavía reenvía cadenas de correo, ya es la hora de que dejes de inundar las bandejas de entradas de otros y distribuyas ese contenido corto pero masivo en un servicio más efectivo a personas que de verdad le interesan.
Tumblr, Meme.

Comparte que te gusta, lo que haces y lo que usas
A veces quieres compartir tus gustos, por lo que los perfiles que registran tus actividades pueden ser útiles para encontrar personas con intereses en común, o simplemente compartir automáticamente estos gustos con aquellos a los no tiene tiempo para decircelo.
Last.fm, iLike, Hexagon, Wakoopa, Blip.fm, Grooveshark.

Discute

Opina y califica contenidos
Algunos sitios tienen la opción de calificar y comentar el contenido publicado. Otros se encargan de generar una discusiones para que los mismos usuarios resuelvan sus dudas, den recomendaciones o hagan cualquier comentario que sirva de retroalimentación a los mismos sitios y a los otros usuarios.
Marcasocial, Google Answers, Yahoo! Answers.

Crea y promueve

Elige las restricciones del contenido que generas, como licencias Creative Commons para que los demás se sientan libres de usar el contenido.

Genera contenido textual
Cuando tienes algo que escribir, los Blogs son la solución ideal para publicar ese articulo que quieres aportar.
Blogger, WordPress.

Genera contenido visual
Carga en la red fotografías, imágenes y presentaciones.
Flickr, Picasa, SlideShare

Genera contenido audiovisual
Crea cortos, animaciones y películas, postéalos en un tu propio canal en la red, ya sea en mismo sitio del servicio o en forma de videoblogs.
YouTube, Vimeo, Blip.tv, Dialymotion.

Genera contenido audiovisual en tiempo real
¡Ahora tu canal es en vivo!, tu público quiere ver tu show en tiempo real.
Ustream.tv, Justin.tv.

Genera contenido de manera colaborativa
Uno no es suficiente. El contenido generado en equipo brinda resultados de mayor calidad. Cuando las partes entran en acuerdo un proyecto o un artículo tiene una entrega más sólida.
Wikipedia, Google Code.

Integra

Integra sitios
Ahora unifica los sitios en los que participas y la novedades de lo que generas y compartes.
Hi.im, Vcardfile, Friendfeed.

Rundes

septiembre 29, 2009

40+ Desert Island Web Development Tools

What would you do if you were suddenly stranded on a desert island in the middle of nowhere, with only a USB drive, a dial-up internet connection, and a barebones computer with no software outside the operating system installed? Of course, you’d use the internet connection to call for help first, but what about after that? How would you keep your design business going?

Okay, maybe a scenario that’s a bit more likely would work better. What if your computer crashed, wiping out all of your data and programs, and you have a deadline in two days? Or maybe you want to be able to pick up and leave at a moment’s notice without taking anything more than a change of clothes and a USB drive. If you have the apps below, neither of those scenarios would be much of a problem.

The apps on this list can help you with everything from coding to graphics to running your business and managing your projects, all from a single USB drive. And while USB drives are getting bigger all the time (last I checked a 64GB one wasn’t too badly priced, and that’s 4GB more storage than my current MacBook has), you still need special programs in most instances to have true portability. The apps below are just that: truly portable and small enough to fit on a USB drive (often a very small USB drive).

Coding

Notepad++ Portable Edition

Notepad++ Portable Edition is a coding application that includes all the features you’d expect in a coding app. It’s written in C++ and runs on Windows. It’s open source and was released under the GPL license.

The portable edition includes all the features of the regular version. It has multi-view, supports a multi-language environment, a WYSIWYG editor, auto-complete, syntax highlighting and folding, and macro recording and playback, among its other features. It’s a great lightweight coding app.

Nvu Portable

Nvu Portable is the portable edition of Nvu Web Authoring Software. It includes a WYSIWYG editor and powerful file management. It’s aimed at users who might not be particularly technically savvy and only have a limited knowledge (or none at all) of HTML and CSS.

The portable edition has all the features and capabilities of the regular version. It works on Windows systems, and was released under the open source GPL license.

Oiko CSS Editor

Oiko CSS Editor is a full-featured CSS, (X)HTML and XML editor in a portable format. It works on Windows 98 through XP. It’s a fairly robust editor, with an easy-to-use interface, grouped view of properties and selectors, a tree view of your CSS’s structure, and includes active preview in both IE and Mozilla browsers.

Graphics and Multimedia

Blender Portable

Blender Portable is a portable version of the Blender 3D rendering program. It works with the PortableApps.com platform. The portable version includes all the features of the regular version of Blender.

Blender has a range of features for rigging, modeling, animating and rendering 3D images. It has a fully customizable window layout and a non-overlaping, non-blocking UI. And it includes a built-in text editor for annotations and editing Python scripts.

GIMP Portable

GIMP Portable is a good alternative to Adobe Photoshop in a portable format. While GIMP’s user interface takes a bit of getting used to compared to other photo editing programs, it’s actually quite flexible.

The portable version of GIMP has all the features of the full version, including layers and filters. It can also be extended and expanded, just like the full version.

Lightscreen Portable

Lightscreen Portable is a portable app that runs on Windows and lets you take screenshots of the desktop of whatever computer you’re on. It will perform five configurable actions (to capture window, screen, etc.) and each has its own hotkey.

Lightscreen will save images in PNG, JPEG and common other image formats. It also has a delay function for taking screenshots. It runs as a hidden background process and is activated with one or more hotkeys.

Portable Audacity OS X

Portable Audacity is portable audio editing software for Mac OS X. Audacity has tons of features, including the ability to record live audio, edit (including the ability to edit and mix an unlimited number of tracks), add effects to audio files, and work with a variety of different file formats.

While the full version of Audacity is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux machines, the portable version is available for Mac OS X and Windows. Considering it’s open source, it makes sense that a portable version for Linux would be developed if there’s enough demand.

Portable Inkscape OS X

Portable Inkscape is a portable vector graphics editing program. Inkskape has features similar to other vector graphics programs, including Illustrator, CorelDraw, and Xara X. It saves graphics in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) format.

There is extensive documentation available for Inkscape on their website, a big plus if you’re new to using it. The portable version is only available for Mac OS X, though the full version is also available for Linux and Windows.

FastStone Capture

FastStone Capture is a portable screen capture utility. You can capture anything on your screen: windows, full screen, rectangular regions, objecs, freehand regions, and even scrolling windows (a big plus over many other screen-capture programs, portable or not).

Other features include the ability to add text annotations to captures, resize them, and use hotkeys for specific functions. FastStone Capture only works on Windows systems, but is compatible with Windows98 right up through Vista.

Fotografix

Fotografix is a portable graphics program that lets you both edit and create images. There are brush tools, support for custom brushes, layer and channel support (including adjustment layers and masking), and a variety of other tools included.

One of Fotografix’s biggest advantages, though, is it’s tiny file size: it’s only 367KB. If you want a really lightweight and easy to use graphics editor, Fotografix might be the right choice for you. However, it’s not as robust as a program like Photoshop, so keep that in mind.

Artweaver

Artweaver is a portable, freeware paint program. It lets you create sketches right from photos and includes a wide variety of brushes. It also lets you create new brushes and customize existing ones.

Artweaver also supports transparency and layers, and a variety of image formats (JPG, PNG, PSD, and more). It’s expandable via plugins, too. Artweaver works on Windows 2000, XP, or Vista.

VLC Media Player Portable

VLC Media Player Portable is a portable media player for using audio and video files. It will play MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, WMV, MP3, and a host of other file formats. And, in addition to playing your various media files, it can also act as a media server to stream in unicast or multicast in IPv4 or IPv6.

Winamp Lite

Winamp Lite is the portable version of Winamp MP3 player software. Skins and plugins are also portable, making this another great solution for listening to MP3s on the go. Portable setup is a bit involved but not particularly complicated.

File Management

FileZilla Portable

FileZilla Portable is another PortableApps.com application for FTP. It supports FTP, FTPS, and SFTP file transfers, as well as management for transferring large files (over 4GB). There are tons of configuration options. It also supports HTTP/1.1, SOCKS5 and FTP-proxy, and includes logging to file, synchronized directory browsing, and remote file search.

WinSCP Portable

WinSCP Portable is an FTP program for Windows that includes SFTP and SCP protocols and directory synchronization. It’s been around for awhile but performs all common file operations and has an integrated text editor. It also supports batch file scripting and a command-line interface in addition to a GUI.

7-Zip Portable

7-Zip Portable is a PortableApps.com program that lets you compress and uncompress a variety of archived file types, including 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, and RAR files. It also supports creating encrypted 7z and ZIP archives and includes a powerful file manager. There are localizations for 63 languages available with the portable edition.

Toucan

Toucan lets Windows users back up and sync data between two drives (like your hard drive and USB drive). It’s completely portable and free to download. There are a variety of advanced backup settings you can use, including incremental backups with compression and advanced rulesets.

Testing

XAMPP

XAMPP is a complete, portable web server package of Apache, MySQL, PHP and Perl. It’s preconfigured, so all you need to do is unzip and install it. It includes phpMyAdmin, FileZilla FTP Server, SQLite, the Zend Optimizer, and MiniPerl, among other features. It’s a complete web, FTP and database server in a single package. There’s also a lite version that includes Apache, MySQL, phpMyAdmin, SQLite, and their related packages.

Portable Firefox

Portable Firefox is the portable edition of Mozilla Firefox. It’s a great app to take with you for working on other people’s computers, as you can store and access your own bookmarks, passwords, and preferences. The portable edition doesn’t leave anything behind on the computer you’re using, so you can be secure in saving your passwords and other information. It even appears to work with any extensions you install. It’s a PortableApps.com app, so it’s only available for Windows machines.

Don’t forget if you’re using Portable Firefox to also make sure you’ve downloaded some of the useful web development add-ons available.

Firebug – For viewing and on-page editing of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
CSS Viewer – A basic CSS property viewer.
HTML Validator – An HTML validator toolbar for Firefox.
Web Developer – Adds a menu and toolbar with various tools for web developers.
CodeBurner – An HTML and CSS reference guide built into Firefox.

Instant Rails

Instant Rails is a Ruby runtime solution with Ruby on Rails, Apache and MySQL, all ready to run. All you have to do is put it in the directory you choose and run it; there are no installation files.

Server2Go

Server2Go is a server package available with a variety of different configurations. There are packages that include Apache, PHP and SQLite; Apache, PHP, SQLite, and MySQL; Apache, PHP, SQLite, MySQL, and Perl; as well as mini packages (with only the needed files) and a “plain vanilla” package that doesn’t include PHP, Perl, or MySQL).

Portable Chrome

Portable Chrome is the portable vesion of Google’s Chrome browser. It includes all the features of the regular Chrome browser, including better stability and speed, tabbed browsing, and search right from the address bar.

Opera@USB

Opera@USB is a portable version of the Opera web browser. It’s very similar to the desktop version, though the differences aren’t expounded upon in the documentation for the app. The full version (and presumably the portable version) includes tabbed browsing, a password manager, an inline spell checker, and support for savable browsing sessions.

MoWeS Portable

MoWeS Portable is a portable web server for Windows. It’s been tested on Windows 98 through Vista. It’s free and released under the GNU/GPL license. The server is based on Apache, MySQL, and PHP. The biggest difference between MoWeS and many other portable server packages is that you can download MoWeS preconfigured with a variety of software options, including TYPO3, WordPress, PHPMyAdmin, OS Commerce, Drupal, Mambo, Joomla!, and others.

Planning and Productivity

Dia Portable

Dia Portable is a diagramming app similar to Microsoft Visio. It’s more focused on informal diagrams than Visio, though, and is great for casual use. It works with XML files, and also includes the ability to export files to EPS, SVG, PNG, WMF, and XFIG files. Dia also lets you print diagrams (including multi-page ones).

It’s compatible with Linux, Unix, and Windows systems. It can be used to draw UML diagrams, flowcharts, and other types of diagrams.

Mozilla Sunbird, Portable Edition

Mozilla Sunbird, Portable Edition is a Windows and Linux compatible calendar application. It’s a full-featured, stand-alone calendar application, perfect for scheduling and simple project management.

ToDoList

ToDoList is a portable project management and task list manager. It lets you subdivide tasks an unlimited number of times to make them more manageable. And it saves your task lists in XML format so that you can format them with stylesheets.

ToDoList is under constant development and is suitable for IT project management as well as more general task management (like the GTD method). There are French and Spanish versions available in addition to English.

Task Coach Portable

Task Coach Portable is another task manager that lets you manage your to-do list and tasks on the go. Features include an easy-to-use UI that makes it easy to create, organize, and manage tasks, as well as the ability to set a budget for particular tasks, set start dates and deadlines for each task, and more.

Business

GnuCash Portable

GnuCash Portable is another PortableApps.com application. It’s an open source financial management app with most of the features of commercial finance programs. It works with double-entry accounting, stock/bond/mutual fund accounts, and can handle invoices and accounts payable and receivable.

GnuCash is perfect for small business accounting and bookkeeping. It uses a checkbook-style register to make it easier for new users to learn. It also handles reports and graphs, multiple currencies, statement reconciliation, and more.

OpenOffice.org Portable

OpenOffice.org Portable is the PortableApps.com version of the open source OpenOffice.org suite of business programs. It includes all of the regular OpenOffice.org applications: Writer (a word processor), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (graphics), and Base (database).

OpenOffice.org is a great alternative to Microsoft Office and provides much of the same functionality in a free and open source package. It’s very easy to use in comparison with many other office suites, and it’s free.

AbiWord Portable

AbiWord Portable is a word processor that can open a variety of files from other word processing programs, including Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, Open Document (OpenOffice.org), Office Open XML, RTF, HTML, and more. It includes all the basic functions you’d expect in a word processor, including spelling and grammar check and mail merge.

The portable version is built on the PortableApps.com platform and works on Windows 2000, XP, or Vista. There are plugins available to extend AbiWord’s functionality.

Other Useful Apps

Sumatra PDF

Sumatra PDF is a lightweight, portable, free PDF viewer for Windows. It’s designed to be portable, so there’s no “portable version” per se. It works with a variety of keyboard shortcuts, and can be configured as your primary PDF viewer.

Eraser Portable

Eraser Portable is a portable version of the Eraser security app. Eraser allows you to completely delete files from your harddrive by overwriting them multiple times with predefined patterns. It’s free and open source (under the GNU General Public License). This is a particularly useful app to have if you work with sensitive information on a regular basis, as it can be used to completely remove any traces of an original file.

OperaTor

OperaTor combines Opera and Tor to let you browse anonymously from any computer. No data is stored on the computer you’ve plugged your USB drive or other portable device into, making it particularly useful if you’re using a public computer. It also includes Polipo, a caching web proxy, adding an extra layer of anonymity and security.

Portable Windows Live Messenger 2009

If you need to keep in touch with your colleagues or clients, then Portable Windows Live Messenger2009 is a great way to do it. It’s a fully functional version of Windows Live Messenger 2009, just in a portable format you can use from any USB drive. It’s useful for a lot more than just instant messaging though: you can use it to share documents, and communicate via voice and video.

Foxit Reader v3.0

The Portable Freeware Collection offers Foxit Reader V3.0. Use Foxit to open and read PDF documents on the go. Just be aware that according to the comments on the download page, it can be difficult to install and configure.

KeePass

KeePass is a password management program for Windows. It’s free and open source and can help you keep track of all your passwords for FPT accounts, email, website passwords, and more. It saves everything in a single database file that you can open either with a key or key file.

TrueCrypt

TrueCrupt is a portable encryption program that will create a virtual encrypted disk and mount it as a real disk. You can encrypt an entire partition or USB flash drive. It uses parallization and pipelining to let data be accessed as fast as if the drive wasn’t encrypted. Be aware that TrueCrypt does require administrator privileges in order to access files, which is a major drawback if you may need to use public computers.

Pidgin Portable 2.1.0

Pidgin Portable is the portable version of the Pidgin instant messaging client (formerly Gaim). It supports AOL, MSN, ICQ, Jabber, and Yahoo IM. You can add encryption plugins to it to enable secure messaging.

WinPT Portable

WinPT Portable lets you encrypt files on your flash drive and then unlock them without having any special software installed. It’s still in development, so it’s not entirely bug-free, but according to most reports it’s a very polished build. The only thing it requires to run is GnuPGP, which is also available as a portable app.

Trillian Anywhere

Trillian Anywhere lets you use the Trillian IM client from a USB drive or disk. It lets you take your contact list and preferences with you wherever you go and use a full-featured but portable version of Trillian from any computer with an internet connection.

Further Resources

100 Portable Apps for Your USB Stick (for Mac and Win)
This is an excellent roundup of useful apps from makeuseof.com, though it’s not specific to development and design apps.
PortableApps.com Suite and PortableApps.com Platform
Many of the apps in this post are built on the PortableApps.com Platform. PortableApps.com offers a huge variety of programs for use on a USB drive or other portable media. The suite includes a web browser, email client, office suite, calendar/scheduler, and other useful programs.M
FreeSMUG
FreeSMUG offers free open source software for Mac users. Some of their apps include Adium, Cyberduck, Vienna, and Newspeak.
Linux for Travelers
Linux for Travelers offers a ton of information on portable computing for Linux users.

About the author

Cameron Chapman is a professional Web and graphic designer with over 6 years of experience. She also writes for a number of blogs, including her own, Cameron Chapman On Writing. She’s also the author of Internet Famous: A Practical Guide to Becoming an Online Celebrity.

Post tags: portable, software, tools

Rundes

septiembre 27, 2009

Imágenes en 3D sensibles al tacto

Los hologramas son imágenes en tres dimensiones que se encuentran comúnmente en las tarjetas de crédito, CD y DVD para impedir la falsificación, también se han utilizado hologramas a gran escala en el entretenimiento.

Pero ahora científicos están trabajando en una tecnología que añade la sensación del tacto a los hologramas. Por medio de ondas ultrasónicas, los científicos han desarrollado un software que crea una presión cuando la mano de un usuario “toca” un holograma que es proyectado.

Para poder detectar la mano del usuario los científicos han utilizado el control inalámbrico de la Wii, que detecta movimientos en tres dimensiones, montándolo sobre el área de visualización del holograma.

El objetivo de esta tecnología es sustituir objetos físicos por objetos virtuales que puedan ayudar a ahorrar costos y a cuidar el medio ambiente.

Más información Reuters

Rundes

septiembre 25, 2009

Brahma es Buena Onda 2.0

A la vanguardia en comunicación digital, la marca desarrollo una de las primeras plataformas digitales 2.0 de la Argentina.

Brahma presenta su página 2.0, con contenidos exclusivos, para mayores de 18 años, actualizados diariamente y espacios donde el usuario es el protagonista, pudiendo interactuar y relacionarse con otros visitantes. El sitio, desarrollado por SG2, destaca las “Comunidades Buena Onda”, sección que permite un acceso ágil y sencillo a los canales de la marca dentro de las redes sociales preferidas.

Los usuarios pueden subir sus propios videos, fotos y notas, comentar y calificar la información de las distintas secciones, y acceder a promociones y premios. Además, en el site se presentan las últimas novedades sobre recitales, discos y la movida en los principales bares del país.

En la página de “descargas”, se accede a wallpapers, e-cards y emoticones, exclusivos de la marca. Y en la sección de “juegos”, se ubican los juegos propios de la marca como así también otras opciones sugeridas. Y para saber dónde está la “Buena Onda”, la página incluye un mapa on-line con los destinos que la marca y los usuarios recomiendan: centros turísticos, circuitos de bares, pubs y boliches; ilustrados con imágenes, videos y características de los lugares.

“Este nuevo site cuenta con un alto valor agregado, crea una plataforma de comunicación permanente con la marca y entre los consumidores. Además, permite una fuerte interacción con las redes sociales utilizadas a diario por los consumidores”, explicó Fernando Mur, gerente de la marca Brahma.

Para mayor información ingresa a www.Brahma.com.ar

Rundes

septiembre 24, 2009

Google SketchUp 7.1

Google SketchUp 7.1 ha sido lanzado hace muy pocos días, y aunque en primera instancia podríamos pensar que se trata de una actualización menos, la realidad es que las novedades son muchas y para todos los gustos.

Así, tenemos en Google SketchUp 7.1 una gestión facilitada cuando se trata de modelados de gran tamaño, como los que poco a poco comenzamos a ver, y aunque las mejoras variarán en gran parte dependiendo de la potencia de nuestro hardware, desde Google aseguran que son notorias.

Otro aspecto que preocupa sobremanera a Google en estos últimos tiempos es el de la liberación de datos, que es como llaman a su cruzada contra los formatos propietarios, y Google SketchUp 7.1 lo sostiene, permitiendo exportar e importar archivos COLLADA y KMZ.

Las novedades son muchas más, y puedes echar un vistazo a todas ellas en la fuente a la que enlazamos debajo.

Via Google LatLong

Melissa Scroggins

septiembre 23, 2009

Back-to-School With 40 Excellent Adobe Illustrator Tutorials

Learning is a process which continues throughout the life of an artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. Along the way, designers find the task of mastering Adobe Illustrator a large obstacle which requires practice and experience in using the vector-based application. Practice comes in the form of tutorials, which offer tips, tricks, and artistic styles from other designers who have mastered certain techniques based on their experience.

From these tutorials, a designer can polish their skillsets on a variety of topics which will strengthen their own artwork. Sometimes a simple tutorial has tips which may have been overlooked based on the subject of the tutorial. By looking past the subjects of the tutorials, an endless array of learning opportunities exist. Essentially, the tutorials become not only a teacher but a “class” which a designer can repeat as often as necessary to refine their skills.

This post presents 40 excellent simple to complex Illustrator tutorials and presents the overall techniques of each tutorial, summarized in a brief overview. The purpose is to pick and choose among the tutorials based on the areas that need improvment. Whether a seasoned professional or a designer just starting out, these Illustrator tutorials offer a way to brush up on one’s skills.

Illustrator Tutorials

Gradient Mesh Bell Pepper Tutorial

Use multiple smaller Meshes to create a realistic object
Learn to use the Eyedropper Tool (I) to sample colors from a reference photo

How to create a Television Icon

Using Offset Path on an object
Learn to use Gradients to create surface texture and depth
Create a reflection using an Opacity Mask

Working with 3D Objects and Transparencies to Make a Vector Cola Bottle Design

Learn to “cut” up an image in Pathfinder and use the pieces in 3D Revolve to create solid objects
Map art (symbols) onto a 3D object

Create a Stylish Colorful Text Effect in Illustrator

Learn to use Offset Stroke on text
Apply a Pattern Swatch to text

Illustrate a Malevolent Skull in 8 Steps

Working with a sketch and outlining with the Pen Tool (P)
Use Outline/Preview modes during design process
How to use the Reflect Tool (O) to save time

Create A Wood Grain Texture

Use Raster Effects, Live Trace, and Expand to create a texture
Learn to use the Warp Tool (Shift +R) to customize a texture

Illustrator ring shape via overlapping crescents effect

Create abstract geometric shapes with Linear Gradients, Align, and Pathfinder
Learn to use Smart Guides (Cmd/Ctrl + U)

How to Illustrate a Brain Icon for OSX and Vista

For faster coloring, use the Live Paint Bucket (K)
Bonus Lesson: How to turn art into an icon

Create a Realistic Candy Bar in Illustrator

Tips on stacking order for the Layers Panel when using a sketch
Create realistic creases in paper
Where to place shadows/highlights and why

How to Create a Vector Smiley Icon

Working with Radial Gradients
Copy design elements for symmetry
Learn how to use the Isolation Mode

How to Create a Radial Mesh in Illustrator and Make a Vector CD

Create a radial mesh from a Radial Gradient and the Mesh Tool (U)
Learn the finer points of selecting mesh points
Create a Clipping Mask

Illustrator full spectrum spirograph

Using the Rotate Tool (R) to create abstract shapes
Learn to use Transform Again to save time

How to Make a Cartoon Style Cereal Box Logo in Adobe Illustrator CS3

Effectively use Strokes, Align Stroke, and Selection Tool (V) to modify fonts
How to use 3D Extrude & Bevel Options to Create 3D Text

How to Create a Gearbox Settings Icon Using Simple Shapes

Use the Rotate Tool (R) to rotate shapes relative to another shape
Create a metallic texture using shapes and Radial Blur
Design a perforated metal backing using Gradients

3D Effect Extrude and Revolve

Learn to use simple shapes to create a 3D object with Extrude & Bevel

Illustrator Tutorial: Realistic Orange

Learn to use Plastic Wrap Effect and Sponge Effect to create an orange peel texture
Effectively use Opacity in an illustration

How to Create Semi-Realistic Scissors in Illustrator

Using shapes and Gaussian Blur, create an aged metallic texture
Learn to add highlights on metal contours

How to Create a Hippy Van Vector in Illustrator

Trace a photo with the Pen Tool (P)
Expand strokes to add Gradients

Illustrator Quick Tips #1 – Complex Symbols with Pathfinder

Use the Gradient Tool (G) to create a 3D effect
With the Pathfinder Divide, create abstract shapes
Learn to use the Blending Mode Multiply

How to Make a Vector Diamond Ring in Illustrator

Use Pathfinder to create a compound shape
Create a metallic finish with Gradients
Create a diamond with Linear Gradients

Create Fun, Eye-catching Text with Adobe Illustrator

Use the Free Transform Tool (E) on text to create depth and perspective
Highlight and shadow placement on text

‘Women and Cats’ How-To Advanced Tutorial

Learn about shading/highlights in vector portraits
Use of Transparency and Opacity Masks

Turn Any Font Into a Sketch Font

Learn to use the Scribble Effect and Roughen to create a font
Create a custom Graphic Style

How To Create A Realistic Pendrive in Adobe Illustrator

Learn how to align objects to the Artboard
Create a realistic metallic surface using Linear Gradients

How to Create a Rainy Window Vector Background

Create an abstract background with the Mesh Tool (U) and circles
Use Gradients, Inner Glow, and Warp to design raindrops
Learn to make a Symbol from artwork

Draw a Cute Purse Using Simple Shapes

Modify shapes using the Warp Tool
Use Pathfinder Exclude to create new shapes
Learn to design a simple pattern
Quick Tip: Horizontal Align to align anchor points

Make a Christmas Light Bulb in Illustrator

Create a quick glossy orb using Gradients and the Blend Mode
Add an image to a round surface using Pathfinder

How to Create Shiny, Vector Dice in Illustrator

Learn to use the 3D Extrude & Bevel
Create highlights on a 3D object with the Gradient Mesh Tool (U)

Create a Cute Vector Monster from a Pencil Sketch

Learn to rough in a character using the Pen Tool (P)
Use tapered brushes to create a sketch style

Drawing a chinese fan

Create symmetric shapes using the Rotate Tool (R) and Ctrl+D
Overlay images using Symbols and Color Burn

How to Draw A Realistic Vector Light Bulb From Scratch

Create a metal thread contact with Effects and Gradients
Use the Zig Zag Effect to create wires

Create a Character Mascot with Adobe Illustrator CS4

How to set up an Adobe Illustrator file to trace with a sketch
Create a Custom Art Brush

Hit the Mark with a Realistic Vector Dartboard

Using Transform Effect to create segments
Save time with Live Paint
Learn to create bent wire numbers

The Shane Harper way to go Lineless!

Add details to a drawing with the Pencil Tool (N)
Alter shapes quickly using the Knife Tool

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make an Icy Cocktail

Simulate “glass” using Color Burn and Gradients
Create Water Drops quickly

Create a Simple Vector Creature in Illustrator

Learn to use Guidelines effectively
Use the Reflect Tool (O) for symmetry
Change end caps on Strokes to alter paths

Create an easy landscape scene in Illustrator

How to use the Crystallize Tool to create shapes
Learn to use the Free Transform Tool (E) to create perspective

How to Create a Killer Chainsaw Bunny Character

Learn to trace with vectors
Block a character in using the Pen Tool (P)

Blueprint-Style Text in Adobe Illustrator

Use Scribble Effect to create a hand drawn font
Learn to use an Opacity Mask with a Gradient

Create a Cute Lipstick Tube

Working with shapes and Pathfinder
Learn shading tips for 3D Objects
Design a Reflection on a shiny surface

Conclusion

These Adobe Illustrator tutorials are just a sample of some of the free learning opportunities available online. Learn to look past the tutorial subject and find what skills the tutorial covers. After all, it’s never too late to go back to school!

Further Resources

About the author

Melissa Scroggins is a freelance graphic designer who loves designing icons, creating vector illustrations, and playing survival horror video games. Follow her on Twitter where she posts on a regular basis.

Post tags: illustrator, Tutorials

Walter

septiembre 22, 2009

The Most Controversial Magazine Covers of All Time

We’ve put together a collection of magazine covers that have stirred up controversy through the years.

These covers can serve as object lessons for what to do and what not to do both with design and editorial.

While some controversial covers have worked and sold more magazines, or won awards for the editors who made the decision to go to press with them, others were embarrassments that the publication had to either apologize for, or fire an editor over.

Here are some of the most controversial magazine covers of all time. Feel free to suggest other covers that you think should be part of this collection.

Time Magazine, January 2, 1939: Hitler as Man of the Year

This cover featured an elaborate illustration of Hitler playing “his hymn of hate in a desecrated cathedral while victims dangle on a St. Catherine’s wheel while the Nazi hierarchy looks on.” Baron Rudolph Charles von Ripper was a Catholic that fled Hitler’s Germany, and the artist of this disturbing piece. By 1938, Hitler had firmly seized power in Germany, taken over Austria and Czechoslovakia, and had been given a free hand in Eastern Europe by the English prime minister of the time, Neville Chamberlain. Time has had to defend this choice throughout history, and at the time defended it by stating that the “Man of the Year” was a title bestowed on the person who had most influenced events of the previous year.

Time Magazine, April 8, 1966: Is God Dead?

This cover has been called the most controversial of all time. The related article concerned the “death of god movement” that had sprung up in the 1960’s. The cover and article enraged readers.

Life, November 26, 1965: War In Vietnam

Paul Schutzers captured this arresting image of a VietCong prisoner being taken prisoner by American forces during the Vietnam War. Photography and news coverage like this helped to turn the American public against the Vietnam war. While Schutzers was one of LIFE’s best photographers, he was killed on assignment during the Six-Day War of 1967 between Israel and its neighbouring states of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.

Esquire, April 1968: The Passion of Ali

This smart rendition of Muhammad Ali was created to illustrate his martyrdom to his cause after he refused to join the US military due to his religious beliefs and was subsequently stripped of his heavyweight boxing title. The piece was done after the same manner as “The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian”, a popular theme through medieval art but most recognizable in the painting by Andrea Mantegna.

Esquire, May 1969: The Drowning of Andy Warhol

Another triumph of Esquire’s former visionary Art Director, George Lois, this picture combined two separate shots of a soup can and Warhol. In the first ten years of his employment at Esquire, circulation was boosted from 500,000 to 2 million, a figure for which his covers were partially responsible. This shot references Warhol’s famous “soup can” exhibits that symbolized the American avant-garde art movement.

Playboy, October 1971: First Playboy African-American Woman

This cover was the first Playboy cover to feature an African-American woman. The model is Darine Stern and the photographer was Richard Fegley.

National Lampoon, January 1973: If You Don’t Buy This Magazine…

While this cover didn’t do much more than make people laugh when it came out despite its violent overtones, Ronald G. Harris’ famous cover shot definitely raised a few eyebrows in pre-Photoshop days.

The New Yorker, March 29, 1976: Steinberg Map of New York

This portrayal of a New Yorker’s idea of what the rest of the United States looks like was drawn by Saul Steinberg. The artist sued Columbia Pictures over their movie poster for “Moscow on the Hudson”, which does seem to be derived from Steinberg’s cover down to the placement of the title. Steinberg won the case.

Rolling Stone, January 22, 1981: John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Annie Leibovitz took this shot just hours before John Lennon was shot outside of his apartment building, the Dakota, in New York City on December 8, 1980. Leibovitz originally wanted to take the shot of Lennon alone but he insisted that his wife be in the pictures. This cover was named the most popular magazine cover of the past 40 years by the American Society of Magazine Publishers.

Vanity Fair, August 1991: Demi Moore, Pregnant and Nude

This cover was shot by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz and was decried as shameful and disgusting when it was released. Some stores sent back the issue, or only sold it with a brown paper covering the “offensive” image. It has spawned countless celebrity nude pregnancy shots done in the same fashion, and helped to launch Demi Moore’s career into the stratosphere.

Vanity Fair, August 1993: K.D. Lang and Cindy Crawford

The cover was meant to be as controversial as the country star’s career. According to the cover story, Lang got more grief from the country music industry over her decision to join PETA than her decision to come out as a lesbian.

Time Magazine, June 27, 1994: OJ Mug Shot Controversy

In 1994, OJ Simpson was accused of murdering his wife, Nicole. In 1995, he was acquitted after a long and highly publicized trial. The photo used on the cover of Time Magazine was manipulated to make OJ look darker in skin tone and more menacing. For comparison, see the Newsweek cover which uses the original shot without any alteration.

The Economist, September 10, 1994: The Camel-Humping Issue

Obvious Black Eyed Peas references aside, this cover drew some fire for the UK-based magazine. The cover was printed for the North American market only.

Time, April 14 1997: Ellen’s Coming-Out Issue

Time’s cover and exclusive story left no doubt in the minds of all Americans that Ellen was, in fact, gay. Even in 1997, coming out could be perilous for a star’s career. While it may now seem like a mere bump in the road due to Ellen’s stunning success, at the time TV outlets in rural America pulled her show.

Wired, June 1997: 101 Ways to Save Apple

When this magazine went to press, Steve Jobs had just rejoined Apple through Apple’s acquisition of his NeXT Software Inc. While the cover was a bit more pessimistic than the story it was meant to illustrate, it remains one of the top magazine covers of all time. We don’t think anyone would try to give Jobs advice today, but back then Mac fans would have done anything they could to help the ailing corporation.

Time, Dec 21, 1998: Devil Horns on Clinton

This was one of several magazine covers that featured Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. In 1995, Lewinsky was an intern at the White House during Clinton’s presidency, and they had an intimate affair. The scandal broke when Lewinsky confided in a colleague in January of 1998. The scandal eventually resulted in Clinton’s impeachment. The top of the letter “M” in the Time masthead appear to be resting on the top of Clinton’s head as horns. The devil horns were written off by Time as an accident of masthead placement rather than a deliberate act.

Esquire Magazine, December 2000: The Crotch Shot

This shot of Clinton was said to be inspired by the Lincoln Memorial, but was interpreted as an obvious reference to the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Like the Obama couple satire in the New Yorker seen further down, this cover drew fire from both sides of the political fence.

The New Yorker, Sept. 24, 2001: Twin Towers in Silhouette

This cover was a graphical as well as an editorial success. The magazine succeeded in creating a fitting and classic memorial to the victims of the tragedy and the buildings themselves in true upscale New Yorker fashion. Covers editor Franoise Mouly created a testament to the Twin Towers that drew on the inspiration of Ad Reinhardt’s black-on-black paintings.

Entertainment Weekly, May 2 2003: Dixie Chicks

The Dixie Chicks set off a firestorm when they criticized then-president George W. Bush for invading Iraq on the grounds that Iraq was manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. The Dixie Chicks used their weapons of mass distraction on this provocative cover.

Seventeen, May 2003: Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Zombie Arm

This horrendously manipulated stock photo of Sarah Michelle Gellar made the mag send an expensive purse by way of apology. Gellar returned the purse since she didn’t wear leather. While the practice of using stock photos for covers is common, flagrant abuse of Photoshop is something that the art department and editor usually catch before print time.

Rolling Stone, January 2006: The Passion of Kanye West

Rolling Stone tipped a thorny hat to Esquire’s portrayal of Ali with this 2006 cover. It isn’t known if the cover was meant to be a joke about the singer’s ego, but most people found it very funny. Religious fans of the magazine didn’t find it as hilarious, and the odd cover story that went with it in which the singer admits to a porn addiction just made the whole thing awkward. The tone of the cover feels current in light of the singer’s recent mike-grabbing moment at the 2009 VMA’s.

Baby Talk, August 2006

While this image seems benign to most people who have been involved with a baby in one fashion or another, the cover was decried as obscene. Even though moms made up the target demographic, a survey of 4000 of them turned up the fact that 25% had a negative response. One mother actually shredded the magazine so that her 13-year old son couldn’t see it. Not that he likely noticed; he was probably on the computer downloading porn watching tips from Kanye.

Texas Monthly, January 2007: Dick Cheney Cover Issue

Building on the famous 1973 Lampoon cover, Texas Monthly took a jab at the Vice-President’s hunting accident where he shot a colleague in the face. This cover won the 2007 Best Cover Line of the Year Award from the Magazine Publishers of America.

Time, August 29, 2007: Devil Horns on Billy Graham

The blogosphere was rife with rumours about this cover. This was probably not intentional. Time Magazine has claimed that all of its “Devil Horn” covers through the ages are mere coincidences. For a defense of the Time Magazine position, this blog post has a list of Time Magazine covers that have devil horns but no potential hidden meaning. Accident of their masthead design, or subtle editorial statement? You decide…

Golfweek, January 19, 2008: The Noose that Hung an Editor

This cover was born out of the comments of a golf anchorman, Kelly Tlighman, that fellow players should “lynch (Tiger Woods) in a back alley” and the subsequent feature story that was published in that edition of Golfweek. PGA Tour director Tim Finchem had this to say about it: “Clearly, what Kelly said was inappropriate and unfortunate, and she obviously regrets her choice of words, but we consider Golfweek’s imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible”. A day after the cover was published, the editor was let go.

People Magazine, March 2008: Brangelina Twins

This cover and photo shoot sacrificed People’s editorial soul for a first shot at the Brangelina twins. Instead of their usual journalistic even-handed approach, they seemingly acquiesced to the couple’s need for nothing but positive coverage in order to get a scoop on the rest of the world with the first baby pictures. While People magazine denied these charges as “categorically false”, the coverage was nevertheless very rosy-cheeked in tone.

Vogue, April 2008: King Kong Cover

This cover of model Gisele Bundchen and sports star Lebron James was considered to be a racist portrayal of “King Kong”. Images that portray black males as threatening “reinforce the criminalization of black men,” said Damion Thomas, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at University of Maryland. The cover was supposed to showcase two stars with excellent bodies, in keeping with the “Shape” theme of the issue.

The New Yorker, July 21, 2008: The Obama Couple Satire

This cover by famous New Yorker cartoonist Barry Blitt was heavily criticized by both the McCain and Obama camps during the 2008 US election. While the piece was meant to be a satire of allegations lobbed at the couple by their detractors, its inopportune appearance during a campaign didn’t have Obama’s supporters laughing as hard as the magazine intended.

OK Magazine, June 2009: Michael Jackson Death Photo

Fans were upset over the magazine’s decision to publish this photo. Sarah Ivens, editorial director, said that the cover decision was made since they wanted to stand out from all of the tribute covers that were dominating the stands that week. Jackson died on June 25, 2009 after being given a cocktail of drugs by his physician.

Compiled and written by Angela West.

Dany Correa

septiembre 22, 2009

Tips de iluminación básica para el video en la web

Uno de los recursos más exigentes para la producción de video es la luz. La calidad de la imagen requiere unas condiciones mínimas para que el sujeto y/o la escena que vamos a grabar conserve adecuadamente sus características físicas o que las mismas sean modificadas correctamente con un fin específico. Lo común es tomar la cámara y empezar a grabar sin darle la importancia suficiente a la temperatura del color, las sombras, el fondo, el contraste; incluso el tipo de piel y el maquillaje del sujeto.

El contra luz no es un enemigo y tampoco el único detalle a considerar, el video es una expresión artística y como tal, la información que contiene una imagen debe poseer una intención. Lo cierto es que muchos no se preocupan por el concepto detrás de su trabajo y abusan de los recursos, créanme, el público es lo suficientemente inteligente para darse cuenta de ello.

Abrir lo ojos

Hay que empezar por identificar todas las fuentes de luz disponibles en el lugar donde vamos a grabar, si estamos en un exterior, la posición del sol es clave, la cantidad de nubes, las sombras que proyectan los objetos. No controlamos la naturaleza y hay que estar preparado. Lo ideal es aprovechar las primeras horas de la mañana, o los días nublados porque la luz es más suave y difuminada. El medio día no es recomendable, hay demasiada luz desde arriba, las sombras son como bloques negros sin proporción, el final de la tarde tampoco porque disminuye la intensidad en cuestión de minutos.

En interiores como la sala de la casa, hay que saber cuántas fuentes de luz artificial tenemos y en donde están ubicadas, si se pueden mover o no, evitar los bombillos del techo porque si no se compensan con una luz frontal, se van a marcar sombras tipo mapache en la cara del sujeto. Las ventanas pueden ser bastante útiles, recuerden, lo importante es aprovechar al máximo todas las fuentes de luz que tenemos disponibles y la luz natural funciona, el reto es saberla dirigir.

¿Cuál es el objetivo?

Después de estas consideraciones y no disponer del equipo profesional de luces, tenemos dos opciones. La iluminación de tres puntos, esta técnica como lo dice su nombre, funciona con tres fuentes de luz; la principal (Key Light) se ubica 45 grados a la derecha o izquierda del sujeto con cerca de 45 grados de inclinación hacia abajo, siempre dirigiéndola hacia la cara. Lo ideal es dispersar esta luz para suavizar las sombras, simplemente alejándola del sujeto lo necesario.

La segunda fuente es llamada luz de relleno (Fill Light), va situada al lado contrario de la principal y a una altura similar a la de la cámara, su posición no debe ser la misma de la principal, porque la iluminación de tres puntos tiene como objetivo modelar el rostro mediante la creación de sombras y contornos. Se recomienda que su posición sea unos 15 a 25 grados del sujeto. Por último está la luz de atrás (Back Light), se usa para separar el sujeto del fondo y se pone encima y levemente detrás del mismo.

Creatividad y soluciones

Es muy importante tener presente el tamaño de la locación, y la distancia entre el sujeto y la cámara para posicionar las tres fuentes de luz, mucho más lo es jugar con los valores que antes mencioné, no son ley, ni verdad científica. Este tipo de iluminación busca crear un ambiente dramático y por lo mismo exige de la creatividad. La manera más simple es usar las lámparas de la casa, el único requisito es que la luz pueda ser dirigida a un punto específico. En caso de no disponer de ellas, con una inversión pequeña se pueden comprar unas lámparas de abrazadera, son fáciles de mover y sujetar a cualquier base como por ejemplo, una silla.

¿Y si trabajamos afuera? podemos rebotar la luz hacia el sujeto, usando un pedazo de cartón blanco (icopor, duroport, etc.), el blanco mantiene los tonos naturales; o también usar uno de esos protectores de calor que ponemos en el parabrisas del carro, con el plateado aumentamos la intensidad de la luz, con el dorado se enfatizan los tonos cálidos, logrando un efecto tipo atardecer.

Iluminar pensando en la Web

quickset Mucho se discute acerca del manejo intencional de las sombras para el video que se produce para la Web. Si recordamos las exigencias del proceso de compresión y buscamos obtener una mejor calidad, es importante lograr que la información en la imagen sea la menor posible, y el contraste que generan las sombras no ayuda. Por eso se recomienda usar una luz suave como la fluorescente que reduce además del contraste, el detalle; su costo y el tono frío que producen son consideradas como limitantes para algunos.

La segunda opción es la iluminación plana, una técnica bastante sencilla y rápida que por el contrario de la iluminación de tres puntos, busca eliminar por completo las sombras. Consiste en utilizar una o dos fuente de luz que se acomodan detrás de la cámara en ángulos opuestos para cubrir toda la superficie del sujeto. Si contamos con un “streaming” de una resolución menor a los 320×240, la iluminación plana nos permitirá un mejor resultado final después de la compresión.

Es tiempo de jugar un poco y buscar la mejor solución a sus necesidades de iluminación, no dependamos de las reglas, tampoco del presupuesto, hay que ser prácticos.

Dany Correa para Maestros del Web.
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Rundes

septiembre 21, 2009

Top 5 Business Blogging Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Business blogging can be exceptionally rewarding. When done correctly, a successful blog can bring attention to your business, can attract new customers, and can turn your current customer base into the type of fans that companies like Apple, Netflix, and Ben and Jerry’s have: people who will not only buy your product or service, but evangelize it to their peers. Of course, like anything, there is a right way to go about starting a business blog and a wrong way.

Creating a blog for your small business isn’t easy; it requires hard work and the ability to think creatively about your work. But if you avoid the five big mistakes laid out in this post, your chances of building a successful business blog will be much better.

Mistake #1: Treating Your Blog Like a Press Center

The number one mistake that business bloggers make is to treat their blog as an extension of their current press center. Repeat after me: Your blog is not the place for press releases. Blogging is a conversation and it offers a way for your customers to connect with your business on a completely new level. Press releases, on the other hand, are the exact opposite. They’re impersonal, they’re self promotional, and most readers don’t trust them. If you use your blog to republish press releases your customers will have no reason to keep reading and they’ll also likely not trust your content.

How to Avoid: First, don’t ever put out a press release on your blog. You can use your blog to make product or other business announcements, but do so with original writing and in a more casual voice. Second, do use your blog to write about things other than your core business. Share your thoughts on your industry, share insights into the day-to-day work life and processes at your company, and provide tips and tricks you have learned during your time in business.

Mistake #2: Not Blogging Regularly

Think about the blogs you read on a regular basis — how many of them publish only sporadically? Most successful blogs put out new content at least a couple of times per week and try to stick to a regular schedule. Consistently putting out quality content will keep readers returning and over time it will help you build a community and turn your customers into fans.

How to Avoid: Blogging regularly isn’t easy, so to avoid burning out, brainstorm editorial ideas ahead of time. If you plan to put out new posts every Tuesday and Friday, for example, try not to start writing Tuesday’s post on Tuesday morning. Get other people at your company involved so that one person isn’t shouldering the entire blogging load, and even consider sourcing content from your customers. Remember that anything can provide fodder for a good blog post, so pay attention to the things you read or see on other blogs, newspapers, magazines, or television.

Mistake #3: Not Enabling Conversation

As I already said, blogging is a conversation, and not allowing it to occur on your blog is a mistake. It’s true that blog comments can open you up to criticism, but blogging is an unparalleled opportunity to connect with your customers. You’ll get a lot more out of blogging if you enable — and even encourage — your customers to respond to what you write.

How to Avoid: Obviously the first thing you need to do is enable commenting on your business blog. But beyond that, you need to remember that the conversation is two-way. Get in there and respond to the comments readers leave on your blog and you’ll be more likely to develop a community around your writing that can help turn your customers into fans who will evangelize your products and services and provide you with quality feedback. You should also participate in the conversation on other blogs in your industry by leaving comments on posts elsewhere around the blogosphere. That will help you to establish your “blogging brand” and bring new readers your way.

Mistake #4: Making New Content Hard to Discover

Your blog won’t be very helpful to readers if they aren’t able to easily find new content. You need to make your blog discoverable and you need to make sure that when you add new content, your regular readers will be able to find it.

How to Avoid: There are a few ways to make sure your blog content is more easily discovered.

- Make your blog easy to find by linking to it prominently from your company’s web site and including your blog’s URL in your email signature, on your business cards, and in sales and marketing collateral.

- Use a full RSS feed (because the goal with most business blogs should be to get read, not boost page views) and make it easy for your readers to find and subscribe to.

- Embrace social media technologies like Twitter and Facebook as a way to notify your fans and followers of new blog content, and make it easy for your readers to share content with each other through social media channels and via email.

- Optimize for search engines by putting relevant keywords in post titles and URL slugs and write about the things that your customers are most likely to be searching for — but avoid sounding artificial simply so you can stuff some more keywords into a post.

Mistake #5: Expecting Too Much, Too Soon

Blogging isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Your blog won’t be an overnight success, and for the first few months it might feel like you’re writing for no one. It can take time to build up your readership and have a regular community of people who participate on your blog. Don’t expect immediate returns from your blog and do expect to put in a lot of hard work.

How to Avoid: Set attainable goals and realize that you’re in it for the long haul. Don’t cancel your blogging efforts after three months — give it at least a year of regularly putting out quality, original content. And make sure that your blog is easy to find, and that your readers are able to easily comment and share posts with others.

More blogging resources from Mashable:

- 6 Tips for Customizing Your Small Business Blog
- 5 Rules for Better Web Writing
- Top 20 Ways to Share a Great Blog Post
- 26 Places to Find Free Multimedia for Your Blog
- HOW TO: Support Social Good on Your Blog

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Franck-Boston, blackred, marekuliasz

Tags: blog, blogging, business, small business