Week One
Prompt: What do you hope to achieve in this class by the end of the term? Are there special projects or technologies you’d like to see covered by the end of the term? Is there a site (or two) that gives you butterflies in your stomach? What is it?
Response: I hope to develope the ability to confidently solve coding problems! I was begining to learn python over the break and am actively trying to build the resillience to work through coding conundrums. I'd also like to build up a library of web design inspiration focused on intuitive navigation and content accessibility!
Inspiring site of the week: Towards Resilient Systems
Week Two
Prompt: What are you planning to do for project 1? What content do you plan to show? How will you make each page unique while maintaining a cohesive design across the project? How will your color palette, imagery, and typography choice complement your subject matter?
Response:I plan on making a Wes Anderson fan-page showcasing four of my favorite movies by him. I will make each page distinctive with imagery and content specific to each movie, as well as employing the unique color schemes of each movie, which is part of Anderson's signature style. I'll be working in Futura Bold for the landing page as well as The Darjeeling Unlimited and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, whereas I will use Helvetica and Archer for Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Grand Budapest hotel. The header type for each page will be in his classic yellow bold type.
Inspiring site of the week: Secret 7
Week Three
Prompt:This weeks journal prompt, I want you to clearly imagine one user who'll love to use your Project 1 website. This user could be you, it could be someone similar to you, it could be someone completely opposite from you, it could even be a non-human animal or an alien or an amoeba. You get to choose. Really imagine what they are like in their mind. What do they spend their time on? what are their hobbies, clothes, music, favorite foods, books, tv. what's their personality like. Once you've imagined this person. write about them. just a paragraph, three to five sentences. try to have fun with it.
Response: To be honest I like to imagine Wes Anderson using his fan-page and flipping through some of my favorite movies of his! He’s sitting there in his corduroy suit sipping on absinthe (or whatever Wes Anderson drinks) with a Kinks album playing in the background. His socks would have small red beanies on a field of turquoise and he would laugh and laugh and laugh at the heartfelt attempts of a fansite created by a fledgling design student. Ah yes, and he would laugh…
Inspiring site of the week: More Matter
Week Four
Prompt: Make a list of 5 things to keep you going when you feel resistance or discomfort..
Response:
Inspiring site of the week: Nemo Design
Week Five
Prompt: Compare the site you are redesigning to 2 similar sites. Consider their content hierarchy, attention to customer needs, ease of use. Write about your findings. You may use a SWOT analysis template(link). Response to Umoju Miller talk .
Response:
Inspiring site of the week: Typomania: Chae Byung-rok
Week Six
Prompt: Why did you choose the business/cause that you chose? Why do you think your redesign will be better? What area/content will you focus on in your redesign? Look at two other similar websites. What stands out about those sites? what bothers you abut them? How will you improve things in your own design.
Response: I chose to make a website for a fictional company called Ladd Cold Brew as an extension/fleshing out of my bottle project from the spring quarter. It's to expand my portfolio and give me a better sense of building out a brand further. There wasn't a pre-existing website so this will be somewhat form scratch, though I already have all of the brand assets. I did a lot of comparative research on coffee brand websites and none of their desktop or mobile versions really stood out all that much. Sure there were some branding choices but funcitonality was favored above aesthetic and visual interest most often.
Inspiring site of the week: Everyday Practice
Week Seven
Prompt: Write about your project. What went well, what went not-so-well, what was your favourite part? What do you wish you knew before you started.
Response:
Inspiring site of the week: Queens by Kilotype
Week Eight
Prompt: Mobile-first versus desktop-first designing and coding: thoughts?
Response: I tink mobile-first coding makes the most sense to me from a logistical standpoint. Because mobile browsing and app usage are becoming a more prominent browsing method, it makes more sense to design for mobile first.
Inspiring site of the week: 205TF
Week Nine
Prompt: N/A
Response: N/A
Week Ten
Prompt: The why behind being a designer. Why do I want to be a designer?
Response:
1.)Because I want to have a job that utilizes creativity.
2.) Because working at something not creative would be depressing(trust me I've tried).
3.) Because I'm fueled/driven forward with creative/visual problems to solve. If 75% is feeling like work, then the remaining 25% feels like adrenaline and excitement and joy and pride and growth.
4.) Because it feels like I'm building something. Meaningful workfor me is pushing ideas and getting into crafting the narrative of the thing I'm creating!
I didn't make it to 7 "why's", but I feel that the core of my motivation is that 8 hours a day 5 days a week (at least) is a lot of a persons life. If I found no drive or meaning in graphic design, that I wouldn't bother spending the time on it. I would also be a really terrible designer (I think).
Inspiring site of the week: Juman Malouf
It's not particularly impressive from a UI/UX perspective, but I live her illustrations and find them inspiring!