Blog of Calin Daniel

The Basics of a CMS and Google Analytics

Calin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:26:21 +0000

Some of the most popular online marketing tools today are Content Management Systems. A CMS is an online interface that is integrated into a website; it allows the user to make revisions and updates to a website without having to know anything about web scripting languages.

The CMS we use most frequently at Calin Daniel Creative is called WordPress. WordPress is an open-source CMS know for it’s easy to use interface and blogging capabilities. Below are a few videos I’ve created to highlight the WordPress interface.

I’ve also included two videos on Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a powerful online tracking tool that enables one to track a website’s visitors and the visitor’s actions.

If anyone has further questions don’t hesitate to contact me at calin@calindaniel.com.

1. How To Log In To WordPress

2. Add A Post In WordPress

3. Add A Page In WordPress

4. Editing A Page & Post In WordPress

5. Approve and Unapprove Comments In WordPress

6. An Introduction To Google Analytics

7. An Introduction To Google Analytics

Things That Are “Awsome”

Calin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:29:45 +0000

This week I couldn’t bring myself to write another design blog, especially after finding one of the internet’s most effective time-waster websites. The website is www.oddee.com, a website that features interesting but useless information on any and every subject. Oddee generates over 5 million views a month and it’s no secret why (insert “it’s more addictive than…” analogy here).

So in an effort to time-burgle from your employers, I’ve put together a list of “Things That Are Awsome”. This list includes epic Facebook fails, inappropriate newspaper headlines, weird candy and everything in between. Anyway it has been awhile since I last posted anything so I hope you enjoy. Don’t forget to leave a comment!

“Awsome” Tattoo

Muscle and Tendon Tattoo

Delicious Tie

Pulse Shelf

Alt, Ctrl, Del Pillows

Ceiling Faucet

Real, Live Simpsons’ House

Inappropriate Logo #1

Inappropriate Logo #2

Inappropriate Logo #3

Cool Keyboard Wall Art

Pixel Wall Art

Facebook Fails #1

Facebook Fails #2

Facebook Fails #3

Underwater Hotel (visit site)

Amazing Hand Painting

The World’s First 1 Billion Dollar Home

Horizontal Stripes + Vertical Stripes = Checker Board

World’s Fastest Rollercoaster

Hilarious Sports Headline

You Can Never Have Enough Bacon

X-Ray Gummy Fish, Enough Said!

The Funny Durex Ad

50 Creative Band Logos

Calin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:31:15 +0000

Band logos, much like band posters, are cut from a different cloth than traditional branding. The logos are usually designed by amateur graphic designers giving them a raw, artistic, non-traditional style and feel.

This week I’ve compiled 50 band logos that have survived to become the iconic symbols behind some of our favourite artists. If I’ve missed one of your favourites don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

1. Nine Inch Nails

2. The Who

3. ABBA

4. ACDC

5. Buzzcocks

6. Daft Punk

7. Franz Ferdinand

8. Klaxons

9. My Chemical Romance

10. The Libertines

11. Husker Du

12. Iron Maiden

13. Jamiroquai

14. Kiss

15. Misfits

16. Metallica

17. Motorhead

18. Muse

19. Public Image Ltd.

20. Queen

21. Scissor Sisters

22. Slayer

23. Sex Pistols

24. Ramones

25. Linkin Park

26. Queens of the Stone Age

27. Anthrax

28. The Beatles

29. Arctic Monkeys

30. Black Flag

31. Blur

32. Green Day

33. Korn

34. Led-Zeppelin

35. Angels & Airwaves

36. Scissor Sisters 2

37. Nirvana

38. Oasis

39. Public Enemy

40. Prince

41. Red Hot Chili Peppers

42. The Doors

43. Slipknot

44. Rolling Stones

45. Three Doors Down

46. The Cramps

47. The Strokes

48. U2

49. Weezer

50. Whitesnake

Two Up and Coming Photographers

Calin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:21:40 +0000

One thing I am very passionate about is supporting and promoting young talent. Being 24 myself, I can related to the hardships experienced in the professional world by young artists trying to make a name for themselves. However, I feel young people still have the spark, the creativity, and the drive to create some of the world’s most exciting work.

This week I’ve decided to feature two photographers who drip talent from their pours and blow their noses with awesomeness. Whether their backdrops are grungy beaten-up houses or vomit stained floors of an indie rock club, these two have the ability to capture images that would make even the most seasoned pros gush.

Cody Wheeler

Cody Wheeler is currently completing a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Medicine Hat. A relatively new photographer, Wheeler has only have been shooting for about a year.

“I get a lot of inspiration from music videos from the 90s. On the flip-side of that, I also get a lot of inspiration from classic cinema. I am just really passionate about photography, and if I’m not doing it, I’m reading about it, or looking at it.”

To view and purchase some of Wheeler’s photos visit his iStock page here http://www.istockphoto.com/Ten03

Keith Skrastins

Keith Skrastins is a man that’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. He has been roaming indie rock night clubs for years, armed only with his camera and a half empty pack of cigarettes.

A self-taught photographer, Skrastins has become one of the most influential pieces of the Calgary indie rock scene. He has shot some of Calgary’s most prolific bands including: The Lions, The Nix Dicksons, Frankie McQueen, Noel Johnson, Matt Blais, Black Phoenix Orchestra, and many, many more.

Skrastins can be found online at his Facebook page.

100 Amazing Movie Posters

Calin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:48:12 +0000

If a picture is worth a thousand words than a movie poster is worth a million!

If you are a frequent movie goer like I am, you’ve seen your fair share of movie posters. They are plastered on the walls of your local theater like wallpaper. Some are really creative giving you the “I’ve got to see that” feeling; others are just plain awful!

This post brings together 100 examples of amazing movie posters. One side note for you real movie geeks; all of the posters in this blog can be purchased online from The Movie Poster Shop.

1. 300

2. Lord of War

3. The Dark Knight

4. The Watchmen

5. King Kong

6. Saw 5

7. Spider-man

8. Pan’s Labyrinth

9. Cloverfield

10. Napoleon Dynamite

11. The 40-Year-Old Virgin

12. Halloween

13. Perfume

14. 2012

15. A Christmas Carol

16. Clockwork Orange

17. A Scanner Darkly

18. Ace Venture – When Nature Calls

19. Adventureland

20. Alice In Wonderland

21. The Amityville Horror

22. Anti Christ

23. Away We Go

24. The Chronicales of Narnia

25. The Clash of The Titans

26. Cloudy with a Chance of Meat Balls

27. Dead Alive

28. Dead Snow

29. Despicable Me

30. District 9

31. Donnie Darko

32. Enemy At The Gates

33. Fido

34. Food, Inc.

35. Friday The 13th

36. Che

37. Gomorrah

38. Gonzo

39. Death Proof

40. Hancock

41. The Hangover

42. I Am Legend

43. Identity

44. Independence Day

45. Inglorious Bastards

46. Invincible

47. Kill Bill

48. The King of Kong

49. Aqua Teen Hunger Force

50. Kung Fu Panda

51. The Lord of The Rings

52. The Dark Knight

53. Indiana Jones

54. Up

55. Muppet Treasure Island

56. Inglorious Bastards

57. Shaun of the Dead

58. No Country For Old Men

59. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

60. Office Space

61. Pathfinder

62. Pirates of the Caribbean

63. Death Proof

64. Poltergeist

65. Poolhall Junkies

66. Rent

67. The Ruins

68. Session 9

69. Sharkwater

70. Show Girls

71. Shutter Island

72. The Silence of the Lambs

73. The Simpsons

74. Sin City

75. Skeleton Crew

76. Sweeney Todd

77. Terminator Salvation

78. The Hurt Locker

79. The Descent

80. The Devil’s Rejects

81. The Exorcist

82. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

83. Bruno

84. There Will Be Blood

85. There Will Be Blood

86. Thirteen Ghosts

87. Toy Story 3

88. Trailer Park Boys

89. Transformers

90. Wall-E

91. Where the Wild Things Are

92. Zombieland

93. The Howling

94. The Pacific

95. Into the Wild

96. Avatar

97. 10,000 BC

98. Zodiac

99. 30 Days of Night

100. A Crude Awakening