Development Initiated

I started doing some development ont he Graded Unit even though I have not yet recieved my mark or feedback from the planning stage, this is because I have some ideas that I wanted to lay down and also so I dont get out of the focus.

To start with I sketched down some backgrounds which I then turned into photoshop images, the results were not to bad. I then continued to make a few buttons in Illustrator to use in Flash, I came up with one that I liked so far.

I used this website to learn about the buttons > http://www.ndesign-studio.com/resources/tutorials/glassy-button/, which was accessed today 29/03/09, 22:15

I also had an idea for when you click on a button, this was from playing my psp, a valid research method for designing somethign similar I might add :). The design was from the game, Monster hunter when you selected something a ripple came out of the selection in the same outline as the icon selected, I did nt want to add htis to my sketch book yet as I didnt want to break the flow of creative backgrounds :).

That is pretty much all I have done today I hoped for more but I needed a break :)

Planning > Hand-in

This post is just to clarify my readiness for the hand in tomorrow;

I have successfully compiled what I think is enough planning to fulfil all the requirements of the staed brief, but I would like to mention that would have liked to achive more sadly this was not possible at this current time.

I will be submitting my work in an A3 plastic folder which contains the following:

Written Logbook
Printewd Written Documents
Research Sketchbook
Creative Solutions Sketchbook
Memory Stick
Painting

What each is for:

Written Logbook:
This contains my written evaluation/progress of everything, all that I do. It contains info like my research on fundraisers, planning on how my sketchbook should be layed out, ideas in formation, timescaling and functional and non functional requirements and much more.

Printed Written Documents:
This folder contains some of the docs I managed to print of before running vastly short of ink such as the homeless page ont he 15below project website and documents on fundraising and research.

Research Sketchbook:
Simple most of my research layed out in a readable flowing fashion on history of american art to eye catching new media design.

Creative Solutions Sketchbook:
This contains more of my planning docs such as timescale, action plan etc, but it is mainly to visualy put down my ideas concerning the brief like the animation, layout ideas, buttons and colour and much more.

Memory Stick:
This contains all my research that was printed and also much of the information that I could not print of like fundraising websites, images on certain fields that I researched and written docs.

Painting:
This is a painting I did to get some basic ideas out in a different form, I like to try other solutions to vary my responses to briefs, This is an abstract expressionist painting which in its design could be used in the design of the microsite.


And of course this Blog was recorded onto the front page of my planning folder.

week 3

1. What was in your plan for this week?

My Plan was to create the main idea for the microsite which i did along my research of new media which was another plan, which focused on the xbox and the psp, however the psp layout was incorporated intot he ps3 when it was released also so that counts too.

Also for this week I planned to break down the main idea into a few concepts to which i could develope from, ie different layouts slight design changes. Also I planned to look at focusing it around the psp design which I think a great design in itself but moreso for a microsite as its advertisment purposes and interactivity qualitys are integrable.

I also had a plan to design my menu buttons, in flash. I looked at rounded edges mostly as that is what the design trend is leaning towards and in slightly different terms, from a slightly rounded square to a circle. I termed these reounded edges and illustrator design buttons which litter the web 'squishys' or 'chewyys' as they look gd enough to eat, illustion of 3 dimensions, wonderful colour, they are like sweets.

In my menu button design sketches i also looked at icon design and background design of them they varied from small shines, to cog icons, happy faces to a film strip. This leads nicely on to my other plan to intergrate a level of ingenuity to it for example : having the home page...homeless ( home button less) or having the donate button a happy smile icon, as no one likes to click on the give cash away button.

Also I liked the idea of having psp like buttons, audio, video, web etc but instead of what you would originally get you would get a page with info listing hte homelessness linked to those design areas, therfore interactive with the design class of america by appealing to their specific design classes.

Now to briskly move on I also planned to finalise my find raising idea, which turned out to be a download, yes a download of either a news article ( like the big issue) or a video, of possibly my flash animation, or a magazine. the choices remain at those three atm but the idea is near enough solid, free downloads in which for every download a company would donate a small amount of cash to the charity therfore reliving the burdon of whipping out their cards to that company.

Fortunatly at this stage I dont need to prove that any such company would do such a thing, I just need to come up with an idea that sounds as if it would work :)

I also planned to intake my classes ( like always) however this week proved different front he usual ball bouncing in flash or the kind helpful hint in css, no. This time we learned hw to make proper forms in CSS a vastly helpful tool for my download page indeed and also how to make buttons in flash, my ideas formulated. I had planned hereafter to make my menu in flash like the psp menu with interactive menus that swoosh and bounce when pressed etc.

Moving onto the less design and more pragmatic terms, I detailed the functional and non functional requirments of this project, detailed in my red logbook page 42-43( i should really reference page numbers more). I also planned to detail my action plan and timescale in which i would do this project, these are inserted into my creative solutions sketchbook, the binded flip pad.

I also panned to detail considerations ie, weaknesses and threats of my plan to make this microsite and also a visual of the deadlines which proved more helpful to me than the handout at college as it has the empty weeks of when you do work, from this i saw that all the dates bunched up at the end adn was able to plan accordingly for the development stage, I have only just covered evaluation on suggecting the dreamweaver code checker, a human resouurce for useablity and powerpoint for the presentation, also word for the written.

To top it off I planned for the weekend slot of my graded unit to design some more alt considerations of ideas that could be used in any case of the main not being attainable, I wish to do more, though i cannot overstretch myself as i have other considerations to attend to.

2. What did you actually do this week?

This week went according to plan roughly, but in these terms how i set myself the goals, i achieved all of them.

3. If there are any differences between items 1 & 2, please explain why.

Not much really wen tdifferent this week, IF i could change it I would have probably added more research into colour schemes but for me that helps when you use the programs as I have very limited control with 8 coloured pencils on white paper.

So I will leave that to developement and pulling it from my research and I have put a few notes down as to the colour and usefulness, but some considerations are just common knowledge, to put everything down with the aid of research would take far longer than the time alotted.

I would also like to have made my bullet points in my creative solutions sketchbook bigger as they are small and filled with tiny fills of colour which would be hard to see for somepeople I might have to admit, a small consieration that should be added next time.

4. What worked well this week?


When It came to finally designing my solution to the microsite I felt myself beign drawn in to the theory of design and the way things should be layed out as Ive detailed in question 1. I also got into writting and styling that writting better in my solutions sketchbook than my red logbook and I have to admit again that the spaces between each idea is a great planning achievment ( the universal ruler width ).

The coloured pencils again worked great in lightening ( colouring) my design up a bit in the sketchbooks.




5. What did not work so well this week?

I tried some photoshop brushes out on a sketch of mine to test my capabilties, needless to say i need to lern the ful extent of how to use them as well as al the other tools to get the ful beinifit from them, considering this is my first task planned in my action plan ( design the background) i need to practise more before the game begins.


6. What have you learned this week?


I have learned more about self reflection i would have to say, no more beign said and also about sketchbooks, the layout of them and each little thing to add to them to make them good. I also learned more about CSS and Flash, but i already mentioned those, but just incase you don't read all the questions.


7. Describe all the items that have been added to your portfolio this week.


Page on PSP layouts/design with criticism, also my Action plan, my timescale, my consideratons, functional and non functional requirements, the main creative solutions and some more alternatives.


8. Do you have any other comments to make?

None to much at this stage except to ask myself a few more questions which i will ponder 'Can I afford to keep studying here?', 'Will Realtime worlds hire me at the end of this colege year?', 'Will I ever get a part time job?' and 'Have I wasted 3 years studying audio as there is no jobs available?' I hope I can answer them in time and with a smile on my face.'


If you, anyone, would like some visuals of my planned please just ask and I will see if I can part with some of it.

Weekly timetable

click to enlarge


Here is the weekly schedule that i initially made at the start of this project and so far its stuck pretty much with me without changing

week 2

1. What was in your plan for this week?

My Plan was to start thinking of ideas based on my research and to start thinking outside the box i had set for myself which is dangerous in a short timed project like this but i have too to get the extra marks. I began with re-emphisising microsite research a little, i picked up a few interesting but similar designs as trends often are and have subsequently drawn sketches of my own design linked to my research.

I have also set out some things in writing as I had not done so prior to the development of solutions, the details contained info on what software i would be using, what spaces, what people and what websites i would plan to use. I also set out to start thinking on what the menu should contain as htis is a key feature in microsites.

Some of the ideas that leapt forward were firstly and obviously the home button, next an about button as this is key to the brief, a sponsor button for the design idea that will be displayed on the main page, and a how to help us otherwise page, or a help your way page, whcih is basically a small forum to send in to ask about what they can do to help in their way or send ideas etc.

I have also planned to start thinking on what other content i could put into this microsite an dth efirst idea which i have now storyboarded is a flash animation of the 15 below text/logo. breifly outlined with suggestions and comments aswell.

I also started to look at the type of 'containers' these micro sites were in and thought of way to design some for myself, my mouse mat was one and the macs in the college was another, simple rectangles with curves always is a gd way to go in this time, especially looking towards tailoring towards the design class in america, which they are all about, ie curves cleanliness.

I had also planned to research a bit into the audio side of the webdesign such as how i could incorporate it into the code and make it a useful and friendly to sue feature.



2. What did you actually do this week?


This week went according to plan roughly, but in these terms how i set myself the goals, i achieved all of them.

3. If there are any differences between items 1 & 2, please explain why.


For starters I did not look too much into the audio side as i didnt want to push my own feelings into the microsite and would first research on the design classes in amaerica which are roughly located in terms of density New York, Manhattan and vancouver.


Also this week I kept my plan loose but i do try to get my work done near the times and for the same amount of time,


4. What worked well this week?


I finally got a good idea or two sketched out on paper which i am pleased because for a few days i had a creative block. I also planned out my sketch sletchbook well giving myself space outside my original guidlines to adapt and change an idea which worked a few times.

Also I have a basic idea of what the ECA finally want now which is a start finally. ALthough the design seems a little flawed and i might have to direct them in designing it.


5. What did not work so well this week?

My imagination failed me a little this week but its perhaps from other sources and not lack of design flair, although myabe not. Also this weekend I have forgotten to put anything in my logbook which i will rectify tonight


6. What have you learned this week?


I learned that a simple answer helps and and taking a break on one topic an dmoving onto another which is also gd practice to not spend hours on one thing. Also that my class needs a little more motivation, so i showed them some of my stuff and a few took to it well, others are just going about this the wrong way.


7. Describe all the items that have been added to your portfolio this week.


More research into microsites and design sketches into the layout and flash animation, logbook entries and thought on new topics, i count my mind as a portfolio.


8. Do you have any other comments to make?

Not much for this week except that I hope that this 1 year course will not get me jobs for the sake that i won't have wasted 3 years of my life learning about sound when i won't even use it.


Soon to have images of my work up

week 1

1. What was in your plan for this week?

My plan was to recieve answers from my list of questions pertaining the project ''The 15 below Project '' and to work out a list of research material that would need to start the project with the questions. Deriving from that I would write a blog in question form, have a logbook/diary and sketchbooks for visuals.


Also I had planned to create a weekly timetable to roughly set my projects by so i could better manage my time before the inital dates were handed out which could be adjusted; the timetable or the deadline dates.


After this I planned to list in detail my questions to ask myself to better focus my research these questions included but not limited to: What does my target audience use to search the web? how to raise funds online? What is Passionate/empathetic/authentic in design of web? and so on.


Soon after this I planned to recieve a list of accurate concepts and art therories from college to better find books and search online for material to better understand art in general and in design context.


I also quickly planned how to layout my sketchbook research.


Having the basics from reading the brief originally and through finding out research materials O thought it would be best to refocus my thoughts and write a condensed version of the brief and put it into a visual form to understand a bit better.


Moving on through the week I planned that by today i would have roughly done the two main books of research inserted into my sketchbook and the brunt work of my online research put in digital folders ready to be layed out and printed.


2. What did you actually do this week?


This week went according to plan roughly, but in these terms how i set myself the goals, i achieved all of them.

3. If there are any differences between items 1 & 2, please explain why.


For starters I had not realised how time consuming researchign and laying out ina sketchbook could be so it took a little longer than planned but i put in extra time anf got it just about done, only some text remains, and a sore back.


Also I feel that I made my plan too strict so I have decided That the times will be loose and mallable for me to enjoy a break or indeed do housework etc or fighting back the government hounds and trying to find a job :)


4. What worked well this week?


My ambition to get this project well started went well and I put a lot of work in at the very beginning, however I must admit a lack of attention to my other projects this is because in two cases I work with other people.


The amount of research I have collected so far is good and I have found out a lot of interesting Ideas, facts, concepts, different use of material and an abundance of my own theories on how to integrate the research.


5. What did not work so well this week?


I havn't as of yet got any big ideas on the microsite, this is likely because I have only just begun researchign and not yet fully moved onto the web research in visuals yet.


On a side note of my other Projects, which I have documented in my weekly schedual so it counts here;


ECA have not got back to me as of yet with a meeting date, and the Social Justice project Im having trouble focusing on it as I work with 2 others who weve all just not started very well and I cannot return my focus to being the big push of enthusiasm in the group anymore. I will however use the time I allocated to that project to do the best I can with little inpit from the others, other than what I ask them for.


6. What have you learned this week?


I have learned coloured pencils go a long way in sprousing up the logbook, and on a more serious note on Design; how companies use concepts to get you to do what they want, sort of thing. Also I have learned that sacrifice have to be made when necessary which is unusual as I can plan out a project pretty well before starting, so its new to me.


I have also learned that design from reading books is much more interesting that learning the basics at college from single points of view, to really graps many and of different cultures and countries is amazing. So to is some of the ideas and concepts I have not understood before or even thought of have suddenly become clear like in terms of raising funds asking less money each time so that the donator feels the initial contribution was valued, that I never understood till now.


7. Describe all the items that have been added to your portfolio this week.


Considering I writting in one right now I would have to say this blog, also my sketchbook with 2 books worth of research and my in my graded unti research folder on my laptop I have put definitions, research images and text, and also some back up prints of my book scans ( unfortunatly I only realised doing this would help after the first book from which I have used 40 images, damn). To conclude also my Logbook which is a constant portfolio of my thoughts and ideas/research.


8. Do you have any other comments to make?


Considering I overflow a bit on each question I think I have covered everything exept one thing that is I think that the planing and research stages should be 2 separate developments of the graded unit, this sort time is hardly enough for someone like me to get All the research I want to do in; I like to delve deeply into the research of the different subjects.


Here is a nice image for you that I found on Modernism, enjoy :

Set up

02/03/09


I am setting up the parametres in which I will conduct this project of designing a website promoting 'The 15 Below Project', a project dedicated to the homeless by supplying coats that can be easily insulated with newspaper or otherwise.

This Blogs purpose is to catalogue my weekly diary of the project in the form of questions.

The questions I will ask myself are:

• What was your plan for this week?
• What did you actually do this week?
• If there are any differences between items 1 & 2, please explain why.
• What worked well this week?
• What did not work so well this week?
• What have you learned this week?
• Describe all the items that have been added to your portfolio this week?
• Do you have any other comments to make?