Project 3 start

Beginning design for project 3 which will be an interactive web design

Artist Statement - Introspection (draft)

Consider with whom you have conversations most frequently. Un-conceptualized is that the answer is your self.  We each have a perpetual dialog going on within ourselves. The value in this realization is that we can analyze, consider and redesign this inner dialog to influence our interpretation of the exchange of information that we assimilate on a daily basis. With this awareness we can adjust our cognition and behavior.

The greatest complement received about my design is when it generates various interpretations. This means that I have successfully pushed the viewer into quite contemplation where their inner dialog creates individual reflection.

By creating a design that leaves room for individual interpretation, either by complexity or simplicity, I hope to prompt viewers into a discourse that makes them realize how their individual construct influences their understanding of the design.

Starting project 3

This week has been a revision on my resume....

and the beginning of project 3. I was very intrigued with the students that used a web site as a platform for their art so for this project I am creating an interactive web site image based on my research in psychological perception. Reading further in Daniel Gilbert's book Stumbling on Happiness he states "awareness can be thought of as a kind of experience of our own experience."  With this project the viewer's interaction will contribute to their visual experience. 

Review of progress

Just a review of progress for this week. Project 2 is near completion. Here is a look at the Badger State Outboard Association's  old logo and site design.

And here is the new logo, site design and business card.

This design is a continued exploration of negative space with simple clean lines and subtle graphics that depict elements of outboard hydroplane boat racing. The color scheme ties in summer blues and greens with a flair of orange, which is commonly seen in the racers helmets and life jackets. A succinct style is used in the body copy so the viewer can readily access the information provided by the association.

With just a few suggested shifts in the design and the final body copy provided by the BSOA this project will be completed. 

Moving forward

Moving on with project 2 and the BSOA logo design. Here is the approved logo design and business card. Web site design is also progressing.

Admittedly research has been limited this week. I have done a bit more reading in Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Hayes and Smith for project 4. It is very interesting when you start analyzing your own thought process. It slows your mind to where you can actually seperate yourself from your internal dialog and change it.

Mixed progress

This week has been a jumble of progress. First a new look, layout and information on the resume.

Second was a more in depth appointment with the Humane Society where we reviewed their hosting software, their existing site and the direction they want their new site to move.

And thirdly was a dip into a more creative, inspirational project 4 which topic will be mindfulness with a goal of giving the viewer a different concept of interpreting ones own thinking process. Two books I have started as references are Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Steven Hayes and Spencer Smith which concentrates on ways to shift the thinking process from our inner dialog to experiencing our existence and surroundings. And Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert in which Gilbert's description of the separation of humans from other species is their ability to think about the future. More to come from this resource......

Moving Forward

This has been a week with no major accomplishments just a slew of work on various projects.
First I am revising my resume design and personal logo as a class mate gave me a good critique on the first design.

Next is a logo redesign for the Badger State Outboard Association which they have approved so I can move on to their website for project 2.

Also the humane society site is moving forward. I am researching JQuery (Lynda.com & the JQuery site) for the drop down menus as their viewing audience encompasses a very wide range of browser compatibility. The drop down with the new CSS3 I don't think are a good idea at this time. My eye opener was during the class critique as the failed on the computers there.    

Humane Society Web Site

Some of my best work as a portrait photographer came with unforeseen circumstances. A burst of wind around a building as a client was posing enough to subtly change the subject’s form and say this is a real moment in time. Stepping back and pushing the shutter when the subject was in quiet speculation or when a family was relaxed and interacting prior to the posed shot. When a subject would say, “Hey can we try doing this.” My response would be, “Sure.” I learned to quiet my own inner voice and pay attention to the obscure messages of my surroundings and to take great consideration of the ideas of others.

So has been the development of this web site. This final design has been choreographed from the needs of the Humane Society, an insightful critique of the first design by Professor Eric Souther who brought to light its confinement, with added inspiration from Professor Sean Hottois who, while pushing a design concept for another project, looked at my work and described the key components I tend to use such as composition and the use of space.

The original design started with large, bold images confined in the whole limited square space of the most commonly seen pixels, then evolved into a design incorporating negative space as a primary feature with an added iconic element. The clean open space serves as a canvas for the multitude of information the Humane Society needs to communicate. The simple and precise navigation bar organizes that information making it more easily accessible to the viewer. The imagery expresses a more obscure message that connects the viewer to the animals through expression and eye contact. Logo and color scheme are that of the Humane Society and have represented their organization for many years.  

The Humane Society is a non-profit organization that takes on the responsibility of handling one of our societies great failings, that of neglected, abandoned and abused animals.  The goal of this site is to encourage viewers to adopt animals, to support the Humane Society financially and to promote volunteer efforts. The achievement of these goals is accomplished with the site organization, imagery, and precise informative content. 

Design change

Throughout my college career the design process has involved concept development, inspiration, idea gathering, critiques with shared creative points of view which has been a very progressive process in design development. This project has added a new twist in the process, which is to create a new look while including  an existing logo, color schemes and images.

In combination with the creative process is learning to transform the design into a functioning web page using HTML5 and CSS3. I am excited to use some of the new CSS3 design features that eliminate the usual required use of Java Script. It is just a bit more challenging as not all the browsers support it. 

References that I have been using are:

CSS3 For Web Designers, by Dan Cederholm which introduces the new CSS3 features and how to add code for browsers that don't yet support it such as adding dashed prefixed keywords and the beginning of the property name.

HTML5 For Web Designers, by Jeremy Keith.

This book also introduces the new features of HTML5 and adds instructions on how to code so browsers will be able to use the new HTML5 elements such as adding script in the head element (document.createElement('header');.

HTML5 by Bruce Lawson and Remy Sharp. 

This is similar to the above book just a bit more in-depth.

I have also been using Bill Weinman's HTML Essential Training on Lynda.com from which I have learned the fundamentals of coding a web page.

Progress so far on the home page: Missing are the top and side navigation.

This is the beginning design concept for the dog adoption page:

Photos in web design

Examples of Photos in web design by sixrevisions.com

Design with faces

From an article on designshack.net

Advertising approach

One of the key considerations on design will be the advertising approach and giving the client, whose site is very content driven, a site with a design that will also influence traffic to and viewers interaction with the site. I came across an article in Ad Age that touches on the subject of content www.adage.com.

Domain name and hosting sites

I have purchased jennydeneen.com from Network Solutions as I have another domain name with them. Their site is not easy to maneuver for hosting so I researched a couple of hosting sites suggested by Professor Hottois, www.mediatemple.net and www.fatcow.com. I went with mediatemple as it seems to have a better client side dashboard. 

I also have an appointment set up with the client to review their site needs on Friday.

Project one ideas

A goal of mine after graduation is to design websites. Through a relative I have been approached by a company who is not happy with their site and I would like to create a new site for them in hopes that they would actually use it. 

The challenge would be how the web site functions as they need ecommerce, which I have never done, and they need client side access to a calendar for events and to update news letters. The research for this project will entail several client interviews to asses and plan their site and learning how to create a site to meet their needs along with designing a new look for them. I will also need to research hosting companies that can meet their needs to access their site and make changes.

Another project choice would be to develop a logo and site for a friend of mine who is in charge of a Boaters Association. Their site is a relatively simple site. The challenge here is they are interested in a rebranding. So not only would I have to develop a site I would have to create a new logo and image for them.