Learning Multimedia Authoring: February 2017

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Basic Web Designs

I found a really quick read on web design. It is very helpful for people who are new to web design. https://www.sumydesigns.com/2014/09/04/basic-web-design-principles/

WIREFRAME

Its main points are as follows:

-Make sure to plan and research your idea and design.
-Layout should focus on consistency and ease of navigation.
-Design should be consistent and prominent.
-Sans serif fonts are easier to read and should be used for the body text.
-2 or 3 main colors are best. Don't go overboard.
-Use photos to add interest and break up bodies of text.
-Make sure to get someone to proofread your website when you're done.

Monday, February 6, 2017

HTML? HTML.

Hey, hey. If you came here because you were linked from my HTML, then welcome! Here are those images I promised:

If you're here for some other reason, that makes sense. I'm pretty sure only Dr. Murray has access to my HTML.Until now. See it below. If you copy and paste it in Notepad and save it then theoretically you should be able to see the actual webpage, but what do I know?

	<!DOCTYPE>
	<html>

	<head>
	<title> Mini Project Two </title>

	<body>
	<h1> Caitlin Mendoza </h1>
	<p> for Multimedia Authoring </p>
	<p> Fort Worth B-Cycle </p>

	<p> images <a href="https://caitlinma.blogspot.com/2017/02/html.html"> here</a> within blog post </p>
	</body>

	</head>

	</html>

Mini project two was a learning experience but I like the way things turned out. As a Photoshop newbie, I had a few problems that I have now resolved, but it's too little to late. I didn't originally realize that there is an extensive gallery of filters available on Photoshop. I thought I was limited to the few filters that appear when I hit the "Filters" drop-down menu. I was wrong. I could've done so much more with these images.

I do feel like I portrayed my message well. The idea of movement is certainly present in both images, which is great because bikes are known for their movement! I like the way the text bleeds off the edges of the first image. I think it adds a grid-like look, as discussed in Ocepek's "Images." The second image is certainly eccentric, but I like it. For me, it shows the idea that the bikes of the bike sharing come and go as people use and return them. It's the beauty of bike sharing!

I did struggle a lot with the placement of the words in the second image. Even now, I think they just look like they were thrown on top of the image at the last minute. I worked with them a lot, but I couldn't make them look like I wanted them too. The problem may be that I didn't have the words in mind when I was editing the image.

All in all, it was a fun assignment and I learned a lot from it. It was homework I was excited to work on, if that says anything. On to the Unit One Project!

Thursday, February 2, 2017

The Art to Arranging

Reading Ocepek's "Arrangement and Organization" and discussing it in class really got my brain juices flowing and I feel inspired to make the best promotional campaign poster for a non-profit organization ever made by a student in Multimedia Authoring: Image and Hypertext.

I have almost always believed that symmetrical is best when it comes to design. Admittedly, I haven't had much experience with design beyond designing the layout of my high school yearbook.

However, my non-profit is Fort Worth B-Cycle. Bike sharing! Bikes move. They get you from place to place. A bike sharing organization deserves a poster with a dynamic layout - something that highlights the way bikes move. That probably means I will need to leave my old ways behind and venture into new territory: asymmetric design. I'm really excited about it.

B-Cycle knows design. Look at how their logo is round... like a tire wheel. More inspiration!

So I have this idea in my head. Let's hope I can execute it. In the meantime, here is a really awful, very rough sketch I did made in 30 seconds on paint. The finished product will look a whole lot better, trust me :)