Initial Website Design Ideas

I don't know if I will decide on a final design for a website before the end of this class, though I have been planning and designing some ideas...

Initial Example drawings/plans/designs:

home


me


portfolio


media


blog


links


contact

Logo Idea:



Homepage Designs:







If I continue developing this style ... Then weekly I could change the style of image of me? (collage, colour, graphic style etc..)





Further Designs?:

Revised Business Card & Portfolio Ideas

Business Card:



(side 1)



(or)



(side 2)


Portfolio Ideas:

Keeping within my crossword "theme" I began to draw some portfolio sketches:

Week 9:

I have mostly spent this week uploading the class videos to you tube for the web team (website) and attempting to encourage everybody to pass on their media if they wish it to be included for the exhibition.

I purchased 2 types of blue tape to test out the 'sticky-ness' (hopefully on weds) for our PacMan floor. If the decision was made to create the 'blue boundaries' within the Pacman framework.

I also purchased a few rolls of the sticky back plastic as I saw some at the weekend.

I spoke with Helen about trying to finalise prop ideas so that we can allocate any tasks before everybody disappears for their Easter break. Hopefully we can achieve this in class on Wednesday?

Otherwise: I have been re-doing my CV and attempting to come up with ideas for my personal portfolio and website.

Pac Man Floor Road Test

Further to the discussion in class today regarding ideas for props. Polly and myself went to test out some Pac-Man styled floor designs.

Polly made some cut out shapes and covered them with sticky back plastic, allowing an overlap for the stickers to stick to carpet.

Fortunately the floor is black, so we felt that it worked really effectively. The material stuck well to the carpet and we felt using this method, we would be able to create "spares".

So that, if any of the floor stickers became unstuck or loose during the 'week' traffic, we could leave some pre-made ones and students on 'shift' could replace them.

For our test PacMan, small pellets, power pellets and a fruit were made. We also considered the possibility of creating the ghosts in this way too?

I am going to go and buy some blue electrical tape in the next few days, so we will be able to test out the framework.

Some Pictures:







The Photos are a bit dodgy as they are from my shady phone. Polly took much better ones.

The rest I took are uploaded on my flickr if you want to take a look: CLICK HERE

Prop Ideas...

PacMan Floor:

Using the traditional PacMan arcade game, design a floor layout using these elements. This originally came from an idea Anna had suggested during our initial brainstorming..

Tracy also suggested she like the idea as PacMan 30 year anniversary occurs this year.

Essentially the idea was to somehow create pellets on the floor using stickers or tape, larger power pellets around the pathway, ghosts and fruit... and using blue tape to rope off / accentuate different areas of the floor plan.

I have said from day 1 that I felt this would be a strong idea, so am enthusiastic to do some tests for this.




Some Visual Ideas:

This is the style I was thinking we could try and recreate: (obviously less busy than this ... but in terms of a visual idea).






useful icons:




Space Invader Cut-outs/Stencils:

I initially thought it would be great to get some stencil stickers made up of Space Invader aliens to attach to the glass in the exhibition area, though Mariana suggested that the uni may not be too keen on that.

Though perhaps they could be still used as an idea in some way?







Cassette Tape: (floor direction)

My idea here was to try and incorporate an 80's inspired cassette tape which could potentially sit on front of our refreshment table as a prop (and to hide some unwanted furniture).


A brown "track" - pulled out from the tape ... as if the tape had been pulled out and pulled across the floor, could be a way to help direct traffic flow .... through the exhibition?


Cassette Tape:







Arcade Style Machine:

This is maybe a little bit over the top, but I found that I had an old 80's 'atari' joystick ... and thought it could be an interactive feature of our exhibition.

It works, and I dont care so much if I lose it so I offered it up to the group.

I contemplated with the ideas of making a 'working arcade' for the exhibition, by getting an old tv, building a stand and case for it using wood or mdf and creating an 'old school arcade machine' to house it. The joystick has arcade games loaded in it, so it's a simple plug and play to a TV.

It would be a big task and may be a little OTT even for me, but I thought it was an interesting idea.

This is the game:





Something Like This 'Arcade':







Rubix Cube Structure:

Polly, Alex and Myself have been trying to consider for weeks how to incorporate a working Rubix cube as a prop. This would be difficult we feel, but we spoke about making 27 square boxes and applying the different colours, and making cubes that could potentially be played with by guests, or that would create a 'rubix sculpture' as a feature for the Exhibition.

Interactive Crossword

The main decision I am having difficulty with is whether or not to use a "traditional" style crossword typo.

On this design above - i kept this idea - though made the text a little larger.

Back / Clues:

This was my first "Back"



I don't really like "My Details" on this, but I kept the font the same - to suit the "traditional" style. These is my first clue style. I like how they work, though it has been pointed out to me that the numbers don't flow chronologically; yet it is the most effective design for passing my message.

Back 2:



I prefer the 'my details' here - though kept the clues the same.

Back 3:



This is a more conventional crossword style, I also changed the alignment of the clues to illustrate how if it was entirely "authentic" - how it would be.

My feelings here at that it kind of works visually, though it makes it slightly harder to get my message across easily.

The difficulty of the logistics of this idea is that I want the person to do it!! The clues and message has to be REALLY simple otherwise there is a risk that they just go ... Uuuurgh ... can't do it.

It is quite difficult to convey the message you want the user to decipher, while using clues that they will "easily" work out.

Some alternative clues are included on this one, and I feel they may work better.

I still think i will change 4 across to " a web abbreviation for company"

It's still a little difficult currently, but I'm still working on it.

The downside of this design is that I had to change 5 Down to "You want to Hire", rather than my preferred "The person you are going to hire" (for space reasons as u will see).

Overall, I prefer the clues at this stage. Though, while i like the 2 different columns for clues, it doesn't make the message to solve AS obvious?

Groupwork Update

In the last 2 weeks the exhibition team:

Marketing:

- Sponsorship (Tracey)
- Newspapers (Steve and Kat)

Location:

Helen, Ana, Elliot and Olly.


The group discussed props and potential ideas for layout. Gift/Memorabilia ideas.

Tracey suggested a 'small rubix cube keychain' idea but also suggested she had a badge machine, that could be a possible nice cheap fun option.


For Props; I suggested potential idea of making an "interactive" arcade machine. We also spoke about potentially making a rubix cube as an exhibition feature and thought about how we could incorporate Anna's Pacman Floor idea into the layout.

Layout were going to draw up some potential floor map ideas.

Helen agreed to take on Treasurer duties, and as a group were trying to put a "rough" budget together in order to try and see what money we have to raise.

Taking into consideration Boards, Memento's, Materials for any Props, Printing, Refreshments etc.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Anna, Helen and Steve)

Projector and DVD player for visual work - booked with IT services (Mark Fletcher)

(Mark is going to email Steve but Mariana will need to send a confirmation email as Staff)

Network Services (People to move boards) arranged.

Organized use of the display boards.

Security

I was allocated by the group to collect all the visual work (movies/sound/animations) and edit it together for the Exhibition. I have given the class a drop box folder and asked students to dispatch their work there.