SK SYSTEMS is the working name used by myself, Ed Grace, in a number of fields of endeavour, from music to design work like the page you see in front of you at the moment. I have been using the World Wide Web for over four years now, and have been designing sites for almost as long. During this time I have been teaching myself html so that I can hand-code all of my pages. I have also begun experimenting with JavaScript and Macromedia Flash.

I have a critical eye, and over the years that I have been using the net I have observed many web pages, some featuring elements I like, and others displaying a profound absence of design skills. Many so-called designers only seem to care about the visual impact of their sites, and this might seem like a strange statement, but in reality a large number of other considerations must be made to create a fluid web experience. The download time of a page increases dramatically as graphics are added to it, and there are a number of ways of circumventing this which are often not observed by designers. Developing my own web pages and creating them for others has taught me a lot of these tricks, such as limiting the colour palettes of graphics whilst maintaining their quality, and breaking up large files into smaller chunks so that they load faster. I have been using computers creatively since the age of five, and have always been interested in expressing ideas and concepts through graphic media. I am committed to what I do, and don't want anything substandard bearing my name to be produced.

I avoid using technologies which at present I see as obstructive to clear communication. Not every visitor to a site will have a browser capable of implementing the latest developments in web technology, and searching for plugins to make these pages work is often a frustrating experience. I feel confident in my use of Macromedia Flash, as it is an increasingly widely supported medium, which a large number of individuals are able to experience without upgrading their browsers. In instances where I use media such as Flash, I make efforts to provide an alternative route for those who do not have a Flash-enabled browser, although I would suggest that reasonably regular browser upgrades are essential to smooth navigation of the web. By practicing what I preach, I can reach a wider audience than a designer insisting upon using the latest technological developments in their work.

You can either email me or fill in the form below and hit the 'Send!' button.