As i was doing some reasearch on accessability for my final year when i found out about this inspiring man called John Benson.
John Benson is an american web designer who disbite having Cerebal Palsy which stopped him form being able to use his arms and legs was able to forfill his dreams of being a web designer.
After guaduating with a Internet Webmaster Technician Associate Degree he used a hands free keyboard called LUCY. He did this by aiming a laser pointer which was attached to a pair of lensless glasses. then when he has to use a mouse he uses his chin to manipulate a trackball.
this is crazy to think that he could use his face to be so creative and productive it must have took alot of determination to get him where he is today i think it is amazing and very inspiring
Monday, September 29, 2008
CS4???
Ok Ok Ok Ok slow down im just getting used to Adobe CS3 and now when i was looking to buy the software for my mac i dicovered that the new CS4 is out on pre-order and i cant help being scared and wherey about what is to come.
From what ive seen so far of it theres not much change so hopefully ill be ok
but as always ill keep you posted
From what ive seen so far of it theres not much change so hopefully ill be ok
but as always ill keep you posted
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Principles of Web Design
Right ok so i've learnt about layouts now and I think I have more of a clear idea now to think bout the basic principles that differntionate between good design and bad
Emphasis
Emphasis is all about the important things that you want to draw attention to. therefore the most important things are the most prominent on the page. the first mast important thing would be the most prominent on the page then the second most prominent would be next and so on.... this can also help usability as the most important things are highlighted and can be found easily. when thinking about what is important on the page it is key to think about what your client wants to achieve and the message they want to send out though there site. therefore they are the most important areas to emphasis. another area where emphasis is used is the area that the client will find most appealing on the site; there they will stay there longer. some sites emphasis the logo as that is another key area. there are few ways in which you can emphasis these include bold, bigger, italics, different colours, drop shadows and borders.
Sense of Balance
hmmm balancing isn’t really one of my strong point anyways and now I have to try in on the web too!!
this sounds pretty simple but is hard to get right. you need to be able to divide a page down the middle both ways and it should be balanced. things such as images, colour, shapes and text. things should not lean to one side. this does Not mean that everything has to be symmetrical.
Arrangement
this is all about the way in which the elements connect with each other on the page, also about how they line up with other so in the end they are all aligned with each other making the page very neat and tidy. the best way to do this is using a grid or ruler on the page in order to make sure it is accurate and lined up perfectly.
Contrast
Contrast is essential within a webpage, without contrast your website would be boring. not only that but it is used to guide the users eye around the page. contrast can be used on areas such as logos, text and navigation these are areas that you would want to set apart from apart from the rest of the page. ways in which to contrast include reverse text, larger text, italics, drop shadows, glows textures, different shapes and borders
Repetition of Elements
Good repetition within a websites helps to maintain a theme. a theme is key as users become familiar and know there way around. the trick is to keep it simple repeat areas such as navigation logo and colours.
Visual Direction
this is all about the way the users eye moves through your website. its all about making the user go through the way that you want. it also helps pick out the most important things. the key is to look at what your eye is drawn to. A U shaped flaw line is easier on the eye.
Emphasis
Emphasis is all about the important things that you want to draw attention to. therefore the most important things are the most prominent on the page. the first mast important thing would be the most prominent on the page then the second most prominent would be next and so on.... this can also help usability as the most important things are highlighted and can be found easily. when thinking about what is important on the page it is key to think about what your client wants to achieve and the message they want to send out though there site. therefore they are the most important areas to emphasis. another area where emphasis is used is the area that the client will find most appealing on the site; there they will stay there longer. some sites emphasis the logo as that is another key area. there are few ways in which you can emphasis these include bold, bigger, italics, different colours, drop shadows and borders.
Sense of Balance
hmmm balancing isn’t really one of my strong point anyways and now I have to try in on the web too!!
this sounds pretty simple but is hard to get right. you need to be able to divide a page down the middle both ways and it should be balanced. things such as images, colour, shapes and text. things should not lean to one side. this does Not mean that everything has to be symmetrical.
Arrangement
this is all about the way in which the elements connect with each other on the page, also about how they line up with other so in the end they are all aligned with each other making the page very neat and tidy. the best way to do this is using a grid or ruler on the page in order to make sure it is accurate and lined up perfectly.
Contrast
Contrast is essential within a webpage, without contrast your website would be boring. not only that but it is used to guide the users eye around the page. contrast can be used on areas such as logos, text and navigation these are areas that you would want to set apart from apart from the rest of the page. ways in which to contrast include reverse text, larger text, italics, drop shadows, glows textures, different shapes and borders
Repetition of Elements
Good repetition within a websites helps to maintain a theme. a theme is key as users become familiar and know there way around. the trick is to keep it simple repeat areas such as navigation logo and colours.
Visual Direction
this is all about the way the users eye moves through your website. its all about making the user go through the way that you want. it also helps pick out the most important things. the key is to look at what your eye is drawn to. A U shaped flaw line is easier on the eye.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Layout
The layout is another important step when creating a website so it is key that know the basics when it comes the layout then the rest is up to me.
The Golden Rules
we always read from top to bottom from left to right, therefore the most important things go at the top, larger and stood out from anything else (like a banner on a newspaper). the second important things underneath, smaller but still big enough to attract attention e.g. links, menus and navigation. information should never be stacked from top to bottom.
The Classic Inverted L Shape Layout
within this layout the top and side bars are the most important; this area is used for navigation and logo. this layout is good for corporate sites to appeal to a larger audience.
Top Header
this layout has everything important at the top leaving the rest of the page free for the rest of the content. this layout makes the site look clean simple and organised. this layout is used for drop down navigation
Side Navigation
this layout has no top bar for navigation, it looks clean, organised and simple to use for this reason it is frequently used.
Box Shape
with this layout all the information and content is in the middle of the page inside a square or rectangle. sometimes small elements are on the outside but usually all the interface is inside a box. this layout is very user friendly as it gives your eyes a rest as your focus is drawn to the center. this layout is therefore effective and popular.
Classic Header, Center Footer
this stacks everything neatly from top to bottom, logo, content, footer. links can be at the top with the logo or at the bottom with the footer. the footer can contain copyright information, links and corporate information. this layout is a very basic style design. this is also a good layout you to organize information by importance.
Left Justified
this layout does what says on the tin it aligns all of the interface and content to the left and is designed for a number of monitor and screen resolutions. this layout ensures minimal white space.
Right Justified
just like the one above this layout also does what it says on the tin all the interface and content is aligned to the right, no matter now much you stretch it
No Interface, Just White Space
this layout when done correctly can look beautiful and clean with no drawn borders or dividing lines this can look elegant. it can be any colour. the space is used for navigation space.
Full Design, No White Space
this layout has no interface design and covers the whole of the browser window, this layout can be eye-catching but very busy, it can also give a site a very modern futuristic look. the disadvantages of this are that the audience maybe overwhelmed and it can be very complicated to use. therefore this layout should be handled with care.
Middle Interface
Within this layout all the content is based in the center of the page leaving the top and bottom of the page empty, therefore this has a similar look to the box design. the only difference is that it isn’t contained within a box it stretches to each side of the page.
The Classic Black Site with Red or Green Text
this colour combination isn’t good for creating business web pages; it is used a lot for rock bands, gothic sites, sci-fi and video games.
3D Design
within this layout elements are made using 3D software. this is becoming more and more popular on the web and is used by a wide audience. the main disadvantage of using 3D on the web is the download speeds. it can take a long time to download therefore the user may get board and go elsewhere.
Horizontal Scrolling
this layout is used a lot by photographers, artists and online stores as they use it to showcase there work or products. the page scrolls from left to right; this provides a change from top to bottom. however most people don’t like scrolling therefore there are limited number of people that will visit sites using this design.
Unconventional Styles
websites that come under this category have no particular style. however do have a clear specific layout. this style of design is used by many art students, design firms, rock bands and fashion designers. it got its inspiration from print designs and allows total freedom to create what you like where you like. be careful though as this design has a lot of impunity to fail as you do not know how the audience will react to a website created like this. so there maybe the freedom to do what you like you then looses the stability of knowing what the audience will think. however if the navigation is clear it can be very effective. So the key thing to remember when creating a site like this is to make sure your audience will accept your unconventional site.
The Golden Rules
we always read from top to bottom from left to right, therefore the most important things go at the top, larger and stood out from anything else (like a banner on a newspaper). the second important things underneath, smaller but still big enough to attract attention e.g. links, menus and navigation. information should never be stacked from top to bottom.
The Classic Inverted L Shape Layout
within this layout the top and side bars are the most important; this area is used for navigation and logo. this layout is good for corporate sites to appeal to a larger audience.
Top Header
this layout has everything important at the top leaving the rest of the page free for the rest of the content. this layout makes the site look clean simple and organised. this layout is used for drop down navigation
Side Navigation
this layout has no top bar for navigation, it looks clean, organised and simple to use for this reason it is frequently used.
Box Shape
with this layout all the information and content is in the middle of the page inside a square or rectangle. sometimes small elements are on the outside but usually all the interface is inside a box. this layout is very user friendly as it gives your eyes a rest as your focus is drawn to the center. this layout is therefore effective and popular.
Classic Header, Center Footer
this stacks everything neatly from top to bottom, logo, content, footer. links can be at the top with the logo or at the bottom with the footer. the footer can contain copyright information, links and corporate information. this layout is a very basic style design. this is also a good layout you to organize information by importance.
Left Justified
this layout does what says on the tin it aligns all of the interface and content to the left and is designed for a number of monitor and screen resolutions. this layout ensures minimal white space.
Right Justified
just like the one above this layout also does what it says on the tin all the interface and content is aligned to the right, no matter now much you stretch it
No Interface, Just White Space
this layout when done correctly can look beautiful and clean with no drawn borders or dividing lines this can look elegant. it can be any colour. the space is used for navigation space.
Full Design, No White Space
this layout has no interface design and covers the whole of the browser window, this layout can be eye-catching but very busy, it can also give a site a very modern futuristic look. the disadvantages of this are that the audience maybe overwhelmed and it can be very complicated to use. therefore this layout should be handled with care.
Middle Interface
Within this layout all the content is based in the center of the page leaving the top and bottom of the page empty, therefore this has a similar look to the box design. the only difference is that it isn’t contained within a box it stretches to each side of the page.
The Classic Black Site with Red or Green Text
this colour combination isn’t good for creating business web pages; it is used a lot for rock bands, gothic sites, sci-fi and video games.
3D Design
within this layout elements are made using 3D software. this is becoming more and more popular on the web and is used by a wide audience. the main disadvantage of using 3D on the web is the download speeds. it can take a long time to download therefore the user may get board and go elsewhere.
Horizontal Scrolling
this layout is used a lot by photographers, artists and online stores as they use it to showcase there work or products. the page scrolls from left to right; this provides a change from top to bottom. however most people don’t like scrolling therefore there are limited number of people that will visit sites using this design.
Unconventional Styles
websites that come under this category have no particular style. however do have a clear specific layout. this style of design is used by many art students, design firms, rock bands and fashion designers. it got its inspiration from print designs and allows total freedom to create what you like where you like. be careful though as this design has a lot of impunity to fail as you do not know how the audience will react to a website created like this. so there maybe the freedom to do what you like you then looses the stability of knowing what the audience will think. however if the navigation is clear it can be very effective. So the key thing to remember when creating a site like this is to make sure your audience will accept your unconventional site.
What are you going to communicate??
when creating a website one of the main things you have to consider is your audience and what you are tryin to communicate. when looking at this these are the key things that i have learned.
- i need to understand the needs and goals of the website
- being cool isnt enough
- clients are either seeking or already have a certain type of audience
- its my job to define the audience
- i need to gather information about the audience, these include things such as education, occupation, income, marital status, age, culture and gender (demograhic statisitics). these help to draw an image of the audience.
- you can then use demographic statics to estimate what browser, monitor size and speed the audience uses eg gamers are more likely to have huge screens and fast computers that can handle large file sizes. where as a older couple are less likely to have this. however it is important not to stereotype your audience.
- should always ensure that your site downloads quickly at low speeds
- 800 x 600 resolution = 760 x 420 design
when creating a website you should
- create a site map
- create a scope for the site
- what the designer will do
- what the client will do
- amount of money
- websites are not all about design
- Design is about the website the same as its not all about the content
- i need to understand the needs and goals of the website
- being cool isnt enough
- clients are either seeking or already have a certain type of audience
- its my job to define the audience
- i need to gather information about the audience, these include things such as education, occupation, income, marital status, age, culture and gender (demograhic statisitics). these help to draw an image of the audience.
- you can then use demographic statics to estimate what browser, monitor size and speed the audience uses eg gamers are more likely to have huge screens and fast computers that can handle large file sizes. where as a older couple are less likely to have this. however it is important not to stereotype your audience.
- should always ensure that your site downloads quickly at low speeds
- 800 x 600 resolution = 760 x 420 design
when creating a website you should
- create a site map
- create a scope for the site
- what the designer will do
- what the client will do
- amount of money
- websites are not all about design
- Design is about the website the same as its not all about the content
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