madewithpixels

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The online portfolio of Michael Auty, a freelance Graphic, Web and Multimedia Designer. Working in and around Sheffield, Leeds and the UK. Michael creates, builds and hosts highly accessible websites. Increasingly he is asked to lend digital marketers and communications agencies a helping hand.

The madewithpixels recent portfolio of work includes; Content managed web-portals. Event Management, Customer Relations and E-commerce systems. Interpretative multimedia installations and successful digital marketing campaigns for SME and Blue-Chip clientele alike. Working with reliable partners, madewithpixels is able to provide outsourced production support to some of the UK's leading agencies.

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about

madewithpixels is drawing on a depth of senior directorial agency experience that spans nearly two decades.

My agency background has afforded me the opportunity to work with incredibly diverse clientele. In fact, I've been telling stories, raising awareness and selling things online since the early nineties.

People I've designed and developed websites with include; The British Museum, The Conran Group, The BBC, Channel 4, RIBA, Sealine Yachts, Yorkshire Forward and many other high profile companies, organisations and institutions.

My portfolio covers the commercial, corporate, public and private sectors. On a variety of projects running the entire gamut of modern digital marketing methodologies, development techniques, media delivery channels and technology platforms.

My approach to website design and development is based on the agility and fluidity of rapid prototyping techniques.

Employing a no-nonsense, user-centric, accessible, standards-compliant design approach that draws on outside resources only when your project demands it.

To ensure that costs remain effective and outputs tight. I keep the team small, over-heads low and my partners close. I'm supported by an array of digital marketing specialists including Search Engine / Keyword Optimised (SEO) copy writing and PPC advertising channels.

Being able to think, iterate and act swiftly means that I can pass real savings on to you. Ensuring measurable benefits to your project budget - and a tangible quality of final delivery that competes beyond agency level. For a fraction of the cost.

My partners and I write world class code. Served from a highly stable, scalable and secure hosting platform.

We're fluent in cross-browser compatible; W3C standards compliant XHTML, CSS and unobtrusive Javascript methodology.

We use the Microsoft C# .NET framework and SQL as our main development environment and we're always happy to get busy with a bit of Adobe Flash or open-source technology should your website project demand it.

Our websites are hosted on Rackspace dedicated servers. Find out why we wouldn't trust anyone else.

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work

Archived work

  • Website: Insight CBT Partnership
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    Insight CBT Partnership

    The Insight CBT Partnership has focussed 10 years of research and training of mental health teams and home carers in CBT for patients with severe schizophrenia.

    In early 2010 we launched an online brand and resource portal that helps to connect the Insight Partnership with it's audience and the wider healthcare industry at large. Providing a platform from which CBT trainers and trainees can meet, interact and gain knowledge and training on the cutting edge of cognitive behavioral therapy.

    We used our old favourite Telerik's Sitefinity CMS to provide full content and user management. Customising the software heavily to add case study Q&A sessions, chat rooms and PayPal payment integration for the varying levels of membership.

    Read more about the design approach in this blog post

    Role:
    Concept, Information Architecture, Design, XHTML, Project Management

    Credits:
    © 2010 madewithpixels
    CMS and Javascript Jon Ward

    Launch the website

  • Website: Soyo Bar
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    Soyo

    Soyo is a late bar and premiere pre-club destination located in the heart of Sheffield City Centre. Slick and swanky yet retaining that definite edge that embodies cool - these guys have got a good grip on the importance of effective graphic design in shaping their business identity.

    Teleriks Sitefinity Content Management System provides full site publishing and the solution also Event management and offers the user great ways to interact with the site such as Blogs, 'members-only areas'. Facebook integrated online booking forms complete the package in order that Soyo can continue to engage with its audience in targeted ways.

    Read more about the design approach in this blog post

    Role:
    Concept, Information Architecture, Design, XHTML, Project Management

    Credits:
    © 2010 madewithpixels
    CMS and Javascript Jon Ward

    Launch the website

  • Website: Creswell Crags
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    Creswell Crags

    In the Summer of 2009 madewithpixels launched this fully content managed website and online learning resource for Creswell Crags in conjunction with the British Museum.

    The site integrates functionality from Google maps and the Museums offline object database; allowing the user to explore the surrounding heritage area and providing access to the object collection and research resource for those not able to visit in person.

    The site features blogs, forums, event management, downloads, polls, research resources and many more exciting features which ensure that this has become one of the countries premier visitor attraction websites.

    Creswell Crags is powered by Telerik Sitefinity CMS

    Role:
    Concept, Information Architecture, Design, XHTML, Project Management

    Credits:
    © 2009 madewithpixels
    CMS and Javascript Jon Ward

    Launch the website

  • Website: Mednet Consult
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    Mednet Consult

    Mednet provide training to NHS mental health practitioners

    In conjunction with pharmaceutical giant Janssen Cilag; madewithpixels launched a fully content managed website featuring Assessed and Certified Online Tests, Customer Surveys and Event Management functionality in order to provide Mednet with a suite of business tools that address their developing business needs.

    Role:
    Concept, Information Architecture, Design, XHTML, Project Management

    Credits:
    © 2009 madewithpixels
    CMS and Javascript Jon Ward

    Launch the website

  • Website: ay-pe
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    ay-pe

    ay-pe provide CGI, video production and interpretive media services from their semi-rural location near York, North Yorkshire.

    A minimalist design approach and some funky javascript effects bring this website and integrated Wordpress blog to life. Providing a platform for ay-pe to showcase their incredibly creative work and engage with their audience.

    Role:
    Concept, Information Architecture, Design, XHTML, WordPress Integration Project Management

    Credits:
    © 2009 madewithpixels
    Javascript Jon Ward

    Launch the website

  • Website: Kadow
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    Kadow Interpretation & Design

    A minimalist approach for this web portfolio for Erich Kadow; an interpretive designer working in the museums and heritage sector.

    Role:
    Concept, Information Architecture, Design, XHTML, Project Management

    Credits: © 2009 madewithpixels

    Launch the website

  • Website: Sheffield Five-A-Side
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    Sheffield Five-A-Side

    Charity website for this Guinness World Record attempt in Sheffield City Centre.

    Scheduled for March 20th 2010, the event will mix Live Music, DJ's and Street Performers to ensure that the crowds remain entertained and the players motivated.

    Role:
    Concept, Information Architecture, Design, XHTML, Project Management

    Credits:
    © 2009 madewithpixels
    CMS and Javascript Jon Ward

    Launch the website

  • Website: FDI Events
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    FDI Events Ltd

    Website, CMS and online booking system for an events management company based in Leeds.

    Role: Sales, Design, XHTML, Project Management

    Credits: © 2009 madewithpixels | CMS Jon Ward

    Launch the website

  • Website: Bag It Don't Bin It!
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    Bag It Don't Bin It!

    Website for an organisation responding to the issues surrounding point of sale packaging and the effect on the environment. Bag it Don't Bin it is a Sheffield based manafacturer and printer of fashionable, re-usable eco-friendly bags and back-packs owned and operated by entrepreneur Julia Gash.

    Role: Concept, Design, Photography, Flash Animation, XHTML

    Credits: © 2008 Quba New Media

    Launch the website

  • Website: HFMA
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    HFMA

    Information portal for the Healthcare Management Finance Association.

    Role: Concept, Design

    Credits: © 2007 Quba New Media

    Launch the website

  • Website: Casewise
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    Casewise PLC

    Casewise are a globally reaching I.T. organisation that provide enterprise level business compliance solutions for many of the worlds leading corporations spanning the Oil, Pharmaceutical, Banking and Environmental sectors. Key brand values were to be communicated through a large feature area on the websites' home-page re-enforcing Casewises' position as the market leader in the global markets which it operates in.

    Role: Concept, Design

    Credits: © 2007 Quba New Media

    Launch the website

  • Website: University of Nottigham
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    University of Nottingham

    Two projects for the University of Nottingham: The Business Portal and the Postgraduate Prospectus websites.

    Role: Concept, Design, XHTML

    Credits: © 2006 - 2007 Quba New Media

  • Website: Stanley Tools
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    Stanley Fat Max Tools

    Microsite for the UK arm of power tool manufacturer Stanley Tools providing a showcase area for the companies new 'FAT-MAX' product lines launching in the UK.

    Role: Concept, Design, Flash Animation, XHTML

    Credits: © 2006Quba New Media

  • Website: Sealine
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    Sealine Yachts

    Simple, sophisticated, 'luxury brand' graphic design ana user experience for this UK manafacturer of luxury power yachts and cruisers.

    Role: Concept, Design, XHTML

    Credits: © 2007 Quba New Media

    Launch the website

  • Website: Knowledge RICH
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    Knowledge RICH

    Knowledge RICH is a project funded and operated by Yorkshire Forward to identify and broker relationships between commerical and academic organisations on research, development and production projects in and around the Yorkshire and Humber region.

    Role: Concept, Design, XHTML

    Credits: © 2007 Quba New Media

  • Website: Propeller TV
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    Propeller TV

    A variety of designs (both pitch visuals and variations of the final website) for Propeller TV; a satellite television channel broadcasting on the SKY network that showcases the best in independent and student film making.

    Role: Concept, Design, XHTML

    Credits: © 2006 Quba New Media

    Launch the website

We've worked with…

Some of the work on this page appears with the kind permission of the following agencies.

  • Installation: Creswell Crags
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    Creswell Crags

    Two new touchscreen multimedia kiosk installations for this important archaeological site on the Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire border.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • Installation: Clitheroe Castle
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    Clitheroe Castle

    Two new touchscreen multimedia kiosk installations exploring the cultural and natural landscape of the Clitheroe Area

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • DVD Rom: Ideal Standard
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    Ideal Standard Bluebook

    Building on a already highly successful web based project, Quba New Media worked with Ideal Standard to produce an interactive DVD that allows architects, builders and interior designers to examine, specify and order the entire Armitage Shanks product range during the design phase of their latest project.

    Adobe Flex technology was used to bring interactivity, usability and most importantly web-connectivity and cross platform delivery to the project, providing a tool that is as useful and informative in the field as it is on the desktop.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design

    Credits: © 2009 Quba New Media

  • Installation: Bowes Museum
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    Bowes Museum

    A touchscreen multimedia kiosk installation allowing users to find out more about the history of the Museum and the Incredible Silver Swan exhibit.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • Installation: Wales Millenium Centre
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    Wales Millennium Centre

    These interactive kiosks form part of an multimedia exhibition at the new Wales Millenium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

    Called Arts Explorer, the installation consists of four touch screen kiosks that trace the Millenium Centre story from its inception, through the architecture and subsequent build, to opening and beyond.

    Visitors can question the architects and designers of the project, learn about the artists and groups residing in the building and even sing along with the Welsh National Opera!

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design, Photography

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • Installation: The Deep, Hull
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    The Deep, Hull

    The Deep is the worlds only indoor submarinum; a visitor attraction on the banks of the River Humber in the heart of industrial Hull.

    During 2004 Mindwave undertook the mammoth task of re-creating a complete Grey Reef Shark in detailed 3D CGI.

    Semi-holographic, large format projection technology was coupled with an intuitive touch screen interface to produce a life-size shark with which the user can interact in three dimensions.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • Installation: Ceasarea Reconstructed
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    Caesarea Reconstructed

    As part of a major heritage initiative in the small town of Caesarea on the western coast of Israel. Mindwave have developed a set of media based interpretive installations that explore it's archaeology, history and the stories of its inhabitants, past and present.

    Touch screen kiosks and large projection screens bring period characters to life while an interactive time machine allows the user to restore a present day view of the town back to its original state from four periods in history. Large holographic characters interface with period details and life-size reconstructed CGI buildings in an impressive marriage of past and present.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • DVD ROM: Toc-H
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    Toc-H

    Toc-H is a charitable organisation with roots that go back to World War One and formed the beginnings of the Samaritans movement. This CD-ROM and kiosk was produced as a promotional tool to attract a younger audience to it's volunteer program.

    'An invitation to participate' uses a variety of methods to tell the story of Toc-H's inception and the subsequent charities and non profit making organisations that have sprung up around it. QuickTime panoramas, audio clips and evocative, high resolution imagery from the Toc-H archive make up an extensive history of the support work done by this charity around the globe.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • Installation: Digital City
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    Bradford Digital City

    Part of a community based initiative in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Digital City was conceptualised as an on-going archive of video diaries from local business and residents.

    Visitors to the attraction submit video diaries which are digitised and streamed to 16 multimedia touch screen kiosks across a high speed network.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design, 3D Modelling

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

  • Installation: Manchester Cathedral
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    Manchester Cathedral

    As part of a major scheme of urban regeneration following the bombing of Manchester city center. Mindwave undertook the brief for a number of multimedia kiosks that would serve to illustrate the Cathedral's colourful history.

    Visitors can explore inaccessible parts of the Cathedral through interactive panoramic photographs, sing with the Choir and discover the Cathdrals rich history by talking to characters from the past.

    Role: Visual Concept, Graphic Design, 3D Modelling

    Credits: © 2009 Continuum Group

blog

madewithpixels ♥ soyo

July 29, 2010

Another month, another site launch. This one – it’s fair to say. We’re especially pleased with. Mainly as it’s a regular watering hole for me and my drinking buddies and one of Sheffield’s most dedicated purveyors of lovely graphic design.

Soyo website screenshotSoyo is a late bar and premiere pre-club destination located in the heart of Sheffield City Centre. Slick and swanky yet retaining that definite edge that embodies cool – these guys have got a good grip on the importance of effective graphic design in shaping their business identity. They’ve previously drawn on the cream of Sheffield’s design and illustration community working with people such as The Hantu Collective and Kiosk’s (ex Designers Republic) David Bailey to provide awesome corporate ID, signage and promotional materials.

Obviously – we were delighted to be asked to design and build their website. It’s not everyday we get to play (and play we did) with such a cracking little brand and we had a LOT of fun pushing these little Scrabble inspired pixels around.

We decided fairly early on to keep things edgy rather than too slick. Utilising a punky layout that doesn’t define or demand any particular aesthetic language in order that it will happily hold any of the wide variety of graphic styles employed by the bar across their specifically branded promotions. Such an atypical layout does demand a certain amount of work from the user to initially take in the various elements, so we made sure to work extra hard to provide useful and relevant content that’s accessible and easy to access with a structure based on a widely spaced grid to provide maximum readability under difficult circumstances…

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Archived entries

  1. July 6, 2010 Link love

  2. June 12, 2010 An Insight on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  3. May 28, 2010 ay-pe has had a make over

  4. April 7, 2010 Helping the past go public

  5. December 8, 2009 It’s re-design time.

  6. September 11, 2009 Ooooo parallax! ay-pe TV

  7. June 1, 2009 Look at the size of that thing! Creswell Crags is go go go!

  8. February 18, 2009 They’re right… less is definitely more. Ay-pe goes live.

  9. January 29, 2009 Go big or go home. Mednet is launched