“In a nutshell, the goal of Bilby is to aim at the Japanese market as well as the upper end of the Australian oldies market, offering in simple terms, a mix of business class/first class passenger service at a reasonable rate. We don’t wish to compete with the likes of Australian Pacific which is 100% first class nor with the el cheapo companies who only have themselves to blame for not getting return business or making a profit.”

Here’s the finished logo.
Follow @redbilby

The Best Value for Money Image Editing Software on the Planet!

Thanks to the newly launched Mac App Store I am now the proud owner of Pixelmator. What is Pixelmator you ask? It is simply the most exciting image editor/creator for the Mac.

When you spend a large amount of your time working with images it is really important to have software that not only works really well (fast and stable) but is also a pleasure to use. This is what makes Pixelmator such an outstanding piece of software. It’s a simple fact that designers like using things that look good and Pixelmator looks better than good – the user interface design is stunning (Apple would be proud to have designed it). Not only does it look gorgeous but it is packed with subtle features that make things so intuitive that when you use it you find yourself saying over and over again, “why doesn’t Photoshop do that”. For example when you select a tool from the toolbar it pops up, so you can clearly see what you currently have selected.

The Pixelmator company was founded in 2007 by brothers, Saulius and Aidas Dailide driven by the desire to produce an image editor that was 100% Mac. What they have delivered in version 1.6.4 is a superbly crafted, full featured image creation and editing program that can hold it’s own against industry standards like Photoshop. In fact, this program is so good I am sure it won’t be long before Adobe or Apple come knocking on the door at Pixelmator (if they haven’t already).

Another feature that sets this app apart from anything else I have ever used is the ability to generate effects using Apple’s Quartz Composer. These filters open up a whole new world of possibilities for rapid image creation and experimentation.

In short, if you are a designer working on a Mac, Pixelmator is a “must have” and best of all is the price.  When you discover how powerful this program is you will feel almost guilty for getting it so cheap and if you buy it fo

Option 1:

“Michael Chanter is a very clever fellow. He once fooled me into thinking he was an American courier who was beaten up by Bill Murray and been given ten thousand dollars compensation. He even got me to feel the lump on the back of his head (which didn’t exist). I don’t know who he really is. But he does seem to be a fine children’s author judging by the book you’re holding in your trembling hands. Don’t read this foreword; turn to the pages he’s written- now. Don’t read this bit either. I’ve finished. I mean, they told me to fill the page up but please just skip over it. Go on.(He’s a fantasist. And a damn fine one).”

- Shaun Micallef

Option 2:

Michael Chanter and I met in the Vietnam War. We were fighting on opposite sides, but one Christmas the strangest thing happened. At the stroke of dawn it started to snow and the Viet Cong came out of their caves and gave us all puddings and presents. I took the opportunity to pick a few of them off from a tree. But there was one Viet Cong I didn’t shoot. He had made a bicycle for me out of his own hair. I wept as I rode it and still do to this day. (The chain keeps catching my socks and it strangles my ankle) I’m glad I let him live because otherwise we might not have seen this wonderful book.

- Shaun Micallef

Watch the promo video below:

I have used Nick’s themes for some time now and have found the annual subscription cost of $19.95 USD, which gives you access to all his themes, to be excellent value for money. In fact, it’s an absolute bargain!

This latest theme named “Lumin”  features 3 colour schemes, a blog style option, gallery layout display, automated thumbnail resizing, ad management, and more.

The graphic details in this theme are stunning. The subtle background texture and the clever use of  Java script combine to deliver a clean and truly elegant theme.

Every visual element in the site has been carefully crafted using subtle textures and shading as seen in the sidebar and comments areas below.

Nick’s intro at Elegant Themes says, “I craft my themes with a goal of simplicity and professionalism and strive to inject each design with a dose of modest elegance. I believe that your website is not just a tool, it is an integral part of your identity. My job is to respect each customer by providing attractive and userfriendly templates that will help you achieve your online goals.” With the release of Lumin we believe Nick has succeeded again.