Shapelike.com

About Me

Nutshell: I like bikes, cameras and computers.

In the past I’ve helped develop and run a bicycle shop in Toronto, Ontario. That experience taught me a lot about problem solving, efficient workflows and effective marketing on a shoestring budget.

Before that I worked in the commercial photography industry as a retoucher and assistant with some very talented people who helped me think purposefully about design. By being part that process I learned how to bring projects from concept to completion and the delicate art of client management.

I’m a computer geek and have been since I was a little kid. Initially computers were a focal point for my curiosity but eventually they became a creative outlet as well.

Hi, I'm Mike Clark (avec Helmut doing laps).

Oh, Hello There!

My name is Mike Clark and I’m a web designer living in Toronto, Ontario. This site is my venue to experiment with new design ideas and web development techniques.

If you browse through this site you’ll find use of XHTML, CSS and Javascript and Flash (PHP is working its magic behind the scenes as well).

I’m a fan of standards-compliant design and try to keep usability in balance with style and aesthetics. Sometimes that’s easier said than done but I always find it rewarding when a project achieves what I’ve planned.

What Have I Been Up To?

SciNet | View Site

SciNet utilizes high performance computing to perform scientific and medical research. I designed and developed XHTML, CSS and jQuery-based templates for the SciNet website (which uses the Ironpoint/Active CMS).
Iceland Trip | View Site

This is a personal site designed after a visit to Iceland. The site uses custom PHP-based templates for daily entries, jQuery for a daily image gallery and the Google Maps API to display locations of interest that I visited.
Pattern Icons | View Full Set of Icons

The concept for these vector icons is ... you guessed it, different patterns. Houndstooth and argyle are easily recognizable. The final pattern is of a carbon nanotube structure (yes, I'm a nerd).
University of Toronto - Centre of Criminology | View Site

I had a development role in this project and coded the Centre's website using XHTML, CSS and jQuery.
2008 Southwestern Ontario Cyclocross Series Race Calendar | View Site

This mini-site serves as a race calendar for the 2008 Southwestern Ontario cyclocross race series. Events are represented separately from holidays, etc. and the featured images are from previous races.
University of Toronto - Sustainability Office | Coming Soon - Preview It!

Using the Ironpoint/Active CMS this XHTML/CSS/jQuery template design offers users a clean and easy to navigate resource of information on the Sustainability Office's various events and research projects.
Cycle Therapy | View Site

This site for a Toronto bicycle shop uses XHTML and CSS to provide new and returning customers with a great source of information about the shop itself and different featured brands.
Ultraviolet Portraits | View Full Set of Portraits

This portrait series is inspired by forensic ultraviolet photography. The technique I developed exposes existing skin and pigmentation features that are invisible to the naked eye.
Sara Herron - Online Graphic Design Portfolio | View Site

This is the online portfolio site for a graphic designer. I designed the one-page navigation system and developed the mock-up as a complete site using HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP.
University of Toronto, Surgery Department | Coming Soon - Preview It!

My role in this project consisted of template design and development (using XHTML, CSS and jQuery with the Ironpoint/Active CMS) for the Department of Surgery and eight of its divisional websites.