Welcome to Interactive Llama, the online presence of Stephen James. Stephen is transitioning between online identities right now, so the Interactive Llama might be a little schizophrenic until he settles into his new pasture.

One part designer, one part developer: Stephen loves working in a field that changes every day. He excels at optimizing layouts--designed in print tools--for the web with pixel-perfect, yet responsive, perfection. He has empathy for the user first, then developers, then machines. He follows web standards. He follows coding conventions. Then, does whatever it takes to make it work.

Stephen lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife, Rachel. He is a media designer with experience in interactive, print and video. He has a marketing and agency background. Stephen has collaborated with illustrators, printers, writers, and public relations specialists to create the best projects within the requested budgets.

Past Web Projects

    • Avondale Meadows
    • News and informational website for urban revitalization project on the near east side of Indianapolis. Original visual design by Brad Goodwin

    • Highlights

      • Responsive design (desktop first)
      • Fluid grids, media queries, flexible images (320-1400 pixels)
      • Flexible slideshow
      • CSS transitions
      • Content managed with WordPress
      • Reusable content blocks
      • Listed on Media Queri.es
    • Rachel Steely
    • Blog and gallery site for fine artist and art instructor, Rachel Steely. Currently under development

    • Highlights

      • Responsive design (mobile first, "320 and up")
      • HTML5
      • Javascript polyfills for IE 7+
      • Fluid grids, media queries, flexible images (320-1400 pixels)
      • Content managed with WordPress
      • Client-side form validation
    • Fresh Meat Creative
    • Quick turn-around creative portfolio for graphic designer, Joe Black. Visual design by Joe Black.

    • Highlights

      • Horizontal scrolling
      • Item slideshows
    • World Class Beverages
    • Educational website for craft beer by beer distributor with point-of-sale location tool for over 400,000 products in multiple states. This site is now solely updated by the client.

    • Highlights

      • Search Beer Spy for draft and package locations of a beer brand. Returns address and approximate distance to point-of-sale.
      • Beer Spy is an original WordPress module with its own "pretty permalinks" and MySQL stored procedures. Stored procedures written by Jason Spangler.
      • Dedicated mobile version
      • Imports monthly sales data to update Beer Finder
      • Content managed with WordPress
      • Uses Google Calendar API to update event listings
    • Special Olympics Indiana
    • Redesign and content re-structuring of old website to make information about games and fundraising events more accessible to the public and its athletes. Described by one SO national staff member as the "best website in the movement."

    • Highlights

      • Event Calendar with monthly, upcoming, and category view, keyboard shortcuts, and accordion summary on homepage
      • Client managed slideshow with headline
      • Transitioned from an insecure DotNetNuke site to become content managed with WordPress
      • CSS only drop-down menu
      • Reusable content blocks
    • MB2 Advertising
    • Informational website for full-service marketing firm. Updated Adobe Flash-only site to include creative portfolio slideshow.

    • Highlights

      • JSON-based, MooTools slideshow of images and video
      • Interactive Flash animation for desktop clients
    • East Chicago Marina
    • Informational website for recently renovated East Chicago Marina. Updated by client. Visual design by Joe Black.

    • Highlights

      • Content managed with WordPress
    • The Shores on Broadway
    • Informational website for The Shores on Broadway subsidized apartments. Visual design by Joe Black.

    • Highlights

      • English and Spanish versions