Notes from the studio.

Practical writing on web design, branding, marketing, and AI systems for expert-led service businesses. Everything here comes out of real client work.

A person types on a laptop with the ChatGPT interface open on screen

How to Get Your Business Recommended by ChatGPT and AI

ChatGPT already answers 'who should I hire?' for your prospects. Learn how AI tools pick the businesses they recommend, and the steps that get yours cited.

8 min read

A man in a dark green shirt sits at a light wood desk with his fingers laced together, looking at a laptop screen that faces away from the camera.

AI in Web Design: The Tools, the Limits and the Future

What AI actually does in web design today: the tools worth using, what it cannot do yet, and whether an AI website builder is right for your business.

13 min read

A woman types on a laptop at a light wood desk, the screen showing a spacious layout of soft colour blocks with one block in violet.

Integrating Aesthetics and Functionality in Web Design

How to balance aesthetics and functionality on a website: what each one contributes, where they conflict, and how to get both without trading either.

8 min read

A woman sits at a light wood desk studying a tablet propped in a stand, its screen showing a large letter pair Aa in a clean sans serif above evenly spaced lines of body text.

Typography in UX and UI Design: The Rules That Matter

Typography decides whether people read your site. Here are the elements, the classifications, and the rules that make text work in an interface.

8 min read

A woman sits at a light wood desk with an open laptop in front of her and holds her phone up in one hand, looking at the phone screen.

What Is Responsive Web Design and Why Does It Matter?

Responsive web design makes one website work on every screen. Here is how it works, how it differs from adaptive design, and why it matters.

12 min read

Two printed type specimen sheets lie side by side on a light wood table: the letter R set in a clean geometric sans serif, and the same letter set in an ornate Victorian serif.

How to Choose the Right Font for Your Website and Brand

A practical guide to choosing fonts for a website: the types, the pairing rules, the best fonts for websites, and how many you actually need.

12 min read

A woman holds a fan of printed colour swatch cards open in front of a white wall, running through violets and blues, and studies them.

Color Psychology in Web Design: How to Pick Colors

How color psychology works on a website: what each color signals, how to build a palette, and the design rules that keep it from going wrong.

9 min read

A woman stands back from a white studio wall where three printed website wireframes are taped in a row, arms folded, studying the middle one.

Choosing the Right Type of Website for Your Business

The common types of websites explained, what each one is for, and how to pick the right website type for your business without overbuilding.

13 min read

A dancer in lilac practice clothes stands at the barre of a bright daylight studio, marking a step and looking down at her feet.

The Ballet of Branding vs Marketing: What Is the Difference?

Branding decides who you are, marketing communicates it. Here is the real difference between the two, and which one has to happen first.

8 min read

Two people work on laptops at opposite ends of a long wooden table in a bright studio office full of plants, lit by a large window.

How to Use AI in Marketing: A Guide for Small Teams

A practical guide to AI in marketing for small teams: what marketers use it for, the benefits, the real limits, and how to start without wasting money.

10 min read

A man stands on a sunlit city sidewalk looking at his phone, with a modern glass storefront out of focus behind him.

Mobile-First Design: What It Is and Why It Still Matters

Mobile-first design starts with the smallest screen and works up. Here is what it means, how it differs from responsive design, and how to apply it.

13 min read

A woman in a lilac shirt stands beside a light wood table in her home office and checks the flip screen of a camera on a tripod before recording.

How to Build a Personal Brand: Lessons from Chris Do

A step-by-step strategy to build your personal brand as an expert, drawn from a year of mentorship with Chris Do and the Key Person of Influence method.

10 min read

A close view of a hand resting on a laptop trackpad with the index finger lifted, lit by the warm glow of the screen.

Call to Action Buttons: Best Practices and Examples

CTA buttons decide whether a visitor acts. Here are the design rules, phrases and examples that get a call to action pressed.

11 min read

Four identical printed posters hang in an evenly spaced row along a warm white wall above a light wood bench, each showing the same violet brushstroke mark.

Brand Consistency: Why It Matters and How to Keep It

Brand consistency turns recognition into trust. Here is what it means, where it breaks, and how to hold your brand steady as you grow.

11 min read

Two colleagues lean over a long table covered with printed sheets of colour blocks and shapes, one of them pointing at a single sheet.

How to Conduct a Brand Audit: Your Step-by-Step Guide

A brand audit shows where your brand really stands. Follow this six step process to evaluate your identity, messaging, and market position.

11 min read

Two designers stand facing a white wall covered with a grid of printed page layouts, one of them reaching up to point at a single sheet.

Design Principles: The 10 That Matter and How to Use Them

The 10 principles of design I use after 20 years of practice: balance, contrast, emphasis, hierarchy and the rest, with how to apply each one.

16 min read

A woman carrying a laptop walks into the entrance of a small modern studio, past a light wood reception desk and a large framed violet artwork on the white wall.

The Importance of Brand Identity and How to Build One

Brand identity is the set of elements that make a business recognizable. Here is what goes into one, and how to build a brand people remember.

10 min read