I wanted to be a web designer; and then I made a website.

Web design evaluation

I was really wanting to get deeply involved with web design as I had a feeling that this was a way I may want my career to go. I’m definitely glad that we started out learning some of the basics of html as it really helped to be able to understand some of the coding that was happening when you changed various things when I moved my ideas into Dreamweaver.

I feel that my website is not as good as I would have hoped it to be because it became hindered by my complete lack of knowledge of the programs (having only used Dreamweaver once about 3 years previously). I made many notes in the lesson but found that by the time it came to pulling my ideas together they were of little use as I found I became stuck on small problems that halted any further work being done at that time. I found that, like with other optional modules, web design became a bit of a side project that I tended to focus on for only a day a week before having to refocus my attention to other closer deadlines and projects. I feel that I would have been able to create a better website if I could have had someone close to hand to grab and ask quick questions. As I chose to create a lot of my website at home (usually focusing on it just after finishing a lesson) I found that I’d be inspired but then wouldn’t know how to create what ideas I had sketched down. I was also slightly stuck with the fact that I’ve been stuck on crutches for the past two weeks (which were totally useless as I couldn’t actually put weight on either of my feet) and so have been pretty much housebound.

I ended up creating my website banner in flash as after playing around on Dreamweaver with the buttons I had designed it became apparent that they would not work quite how I wanted them to. Once the banner was in Dreamweaver I was able to create all the pages as .jpg image files in Photoshop and then upload them as images and hotspot all of the links I needed to. I know this is really not the best was to do a website but I am impressed that it’s working at all as I spent many an hour attempting to get my head round linking all of the pages correctly.

In future I would like to be able to spend more time focusing on creating a better website without other projects distracting me. I’m happy with the fact that it is working and visible to the public but I think I could make something a lot better once I’ve learnt the constraints and possibilities of the programs involved.

Here endeth the lesson of web design, it’s been a trip through confusing and aggravation pastures but I’ve come out intact and with a website to show for it…

website website website...

Yes it's true, it's finally uploaded after first getting into college to find out the disc I'd burnt with it on wasn't working on the macs (luckily it did on the PCs though). Then non of my links wanted to work so me and Mark spent ages trying to work out why this was and then I had to go through all the pages and reconnect all the broken links (which turned out to be all the internal links, ace). Finally, once the pages and links were working I added (with some expert help from Mark [again]) a downloadable CV. And so that is everything I wanted to get working, working. Awesome. I've tried viewing it on the Internet out of college and it works! which I didn't think it would do (we thought it was only going to be accessible through the college's internal network thingy).

Now I shall think about writing an evaluation of the project. I will post it later 'cause it's late and I'm off to bed.

Night

Website uploaded

I've uploaded my website today, this be it: clicky!

P.S. it's best viewed in Internet Explorer or Safari as it seems to squiff a bit in firefox for some random reason...

My site

Ok so I've decided on the style and content of my website... (see previous post) I've landed myself in crutches which aren't working cause I've hurt both my feet so I can't get into the lessons but luckily one of my friends is a bit of a web poker so I stole them and told them what I want to do and they've shown me how to go about it...

For the header I've had to create it in flash so that the buttons rollover as desired. (they weren't working when I placed the graph paper image as a background image because it just kept repeating and I couldn't work out how to stop it from doing that) This has then been added to Dreamweaver in the top of a two rowed graph. The graph has no boarder so that I can create the pages in Photoshop, save them as .jpg and upload them as images with hotspots that creates a seamless whole image with the top navigation system.

I tried to make the navigation bar in dreamweaver using the tool provided but it didn't give the desired effect and just looked stupid so flash it was.

anyway, I've created each page with all the content needed in photoshop and saved them all as .jpg's and inserted into the second row in the graph and saved each page with the banner in dreamweaver. I've put in some external links and set up a clickable contact page (with some more help from my dreamweaver hero).



Here is the bottom image of my 'about me' page, [the top part looks exactly the same as the perviously posted image but the buttons turn blue when rolled over].

All I have left to do is put on a downloadable CV onto the contacts/cv page (aslong as it works - think I'll wait to ask sophie cause it looks confusing!) and upload it tomorrow morning aslong as I can get into college with my crutches. ace.

ta raa

Styles

I've been thinking about various styles over the past few months for how I wanted my website to look:

as I make a lot of books I was going to have it as a stack of books that you'd choose something out of and it'd open the books and turn the pages etc but that involves the EVIL that is flash or other animation programs which just make my head hurt!

so there's the books there was also a bit about an open note book with post it notes as roleover buttons but I started making this then decided I hate it... (I've even deleted all the images I took for this so I can't even show you what I meant... dumbass)

and there was hand written buttons and other such stuff but it didn't allow for enough space and looked really tacky so nope.

I've chosen to make it with a graph paper background/scrunched background. the buttons are made out of ticker tape - see below...



oh yeah and it's called "Me in a box in front of your eyes" which is a name I've used for most of my blogs in the past or variations of - e.g. web design in a box in front of your eyes. the box being the screen... mmyeeees

ta raaa

Server space

Sophie has organised some server space for us to upload our websites onto but they won't be visible out of college so if I'm planning on using this as an actual online portfolio I'm going to have to invest in some space or find some way of getting some for free - supposedly you get some when you sign up with broadband companies... I'll look into over the Summer and see what I can find out.

Portfolio

I've decided upon picking a selection of my work - 7 in total, quite a lot I guess but I'd rather be able to show all my work in one place and hopefully this site's something I can build and improve upon over the years...

the projects I've chosen are/and consist of:

Image and Culture - images of work in situe
Reportage - 2 books
Collections - a book
Complaint - images of work in situe
Storytelling - a book
Future Perfect - an article
When I grow up I want to be... - a photo of a poster