Multimedia Exhibition Images and Profile Text

Here are my five catalogue images for my final year Multimedia Exhibition in June. I'm also adding in this short profile to describe myself -

Dan is a well-motivated, hardworking and adaptable individual seeking employment in the web industry. He can effectively convey ideas and concepts visually and through written or verbal communication. He also enjoys taking pride in the quality of his work. Using the skills and knowledge he’s learnt in HTML5, CSS3, PHP and WordPress, he can successfully design and develop creative, standards-compliant web solutions that fulfil the requirements of the brief within the time constraints.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

Logo Development For Our Multimedia Exhibition 2011

Some logo's were submitted in the group meeting today which I attended. We collectively wanted to develop the logo further by integrating certain ideas. Here are my alterations to the images submitted by Tom Edson. Final logo will be decided on tomorrow.

Forgive it's roughness.

The two hand-drawn, scribbled fonts used are PaintyPaint and SF Zimmerman 1.0

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

Logo Development For Our Multimedia Exhibition 2011

Some logo's were submitted in the group meeting today which I attended. We collectively wanted to develop the logo further by integrating certain ideas. Here are my alterations to the images submitted by Tom Edson. Final logo will be decided on tomorrow.

Forgive it's roughness.

The two hand-drawn, scribbled fonts used are PaintyPaint and SF Zimmerman 1.0

Posted via email from IMPS

Browser Compatibility - Are Your Sites Cross Compatible With Other Browsers?!

Browser compatibility is a big thing which can sometimes be over-looked ...and makes me ask the question - 'Why can't Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera and all the other browsers just be friends?!'

I'm probably going to be waiting quite a while for my question to be answered so in the meantime I'm just going to have to check that my site works on the main 5 browsers which are - Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari and Opera.

Thanks to Browsershot.org, which checks browser compatibility and cross platform browser, I've managed to check my site to make sure its cross compatible with more than just the 5 above and older versions of each browsers. I also went into the trouble of downloading Google Chrome, Safari 4 and Opera 10 to test the whole site works.

...Now comes that bad news... All the layout are fine but my Javascript gallery doesn't work in Safari 4! So this is one element to look at. Another point that is different across the 5 browsers is the way it deals with the Javascript attached to the 'Remove Style' button.

Using the same code, here are the outcomes of each browser. As you can see, Firefox and Opera get it right!

Speakers Corner Website - LIVE

It's been two days of solid work but I has finally paid off, and I'm really happy with the final product.

My website was designed for Speakers Corner -

'A bar on the corner of Penrhyn and Abergele roads in Colwyn Bay (just west of The Central pub), Speakers Corner offers a wide selection of smoothies, coffees, juices and alcoholic drinks, as well as cakes & hot ciabattas, art exhibitions and an eclectic mix of great bands of an evening.'

Below are images that link to the XHTML pages. All pages are valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS Level 2.1 as checked by The W3C Validation Service.

My Javascript elements include the following -

• Change font size (Small, Medium or Large)
• Change style (Removes the linked style sheet and replaces with background colour blue and font colour yellow to make it easier to read, see last image)
• Photo gallery (Simply photo gallery using Javascript display a larger version of the thumbnail when clicked on)
• Lightbox (Added to enlarge images on the 'Music' page)

The Lightbox element was added as an extra.

Creative criticism welcomed!

Late Night Worker

As you can see, it's 2.30am and I've been working on my website all evening. I've completed the home page, about us and contact page by working off the initial XHTML valid home page to create the two other pages, which in their turn will also need validating. I'm three pages down and three to go! The music, art and events page will probably be done tomorrow as the matchsticks holding my eyes open are starting to break under the pressure.

I'm also needing to add in the coding for one of the Javascript elements which will be the ability to remove all CSS attached and just view a simply text version of the site. This will be on all pages.

Here is a final screenshot of the home page only. After completing the whole site, I will hopefully upload it for public testing and critique.

Seminar 5 - Design Exercise 5, Resizing, Fixed and Fluid

'Using tutorials given in lecture or what you have learnt from CSS tutorials set, create a basic template (any design) showing a fixed and a fluid design. i.e. one using a fixed width (pixel) dimension and one using a ‘fluid’ % dimension in CSS
This can be as simple as a box…or you can show understood concept by applying to design already created.'

After looking through some 'Fixed' and 'Fluid' tutorials, I found that Dave Woods' explanation was the best, thanks Dave Woods!

• Fixed 2 Column
  http://www.dave-woods.co.uk/index.php/creating-a-simple-css-layout/
• Fluid 2 Column
  http://www.dave-woods.co.uk/index.php/2-column-liquid-css-layout/

My example of Fixed column design -


My example of Fluid column design -

Web Applications and Interaction Design

Exercise
Read and comment on the following content in your online journal -

Dan Saffer: 'Interaction design is an applied art' August 13, 2008
http://www.designinterviews.com/interviews/interaction-design-is-an-applied-art

Joel Schafer: 'I'm into minimalistic clean design' January 15, 2008
http://www.designinterviews.com/interviews/599

My comments...

Dan Saffer Interview

Ive highlighted some points of interest in Dan's interview and will comment on each point -

Do you believe formal design education has more to offer than self-teaching?

'You need a (for lack of a better word) Master standing over you while you do your apprentice work.'

'All that being said, there is certainly value in learning things on your own ... You can read every book in the field and be a terrible designer. You have to practice it, live, preferably with a client and (eventually) with users.'

I agree with Dan's views on this question. It can be important to have a 'master' to teach you. Being taught by tutor or teacher helps you to develop your intake of information, helps you look at other points that you might not have seen and introduces you to new aspects that you might never known about before hand. Learning things on your own can also be useful. In my experience, being a self taught web designer, I like the controll that I have over how fast or slow I want to develop my skills, but can sometimes find it hard to have the drive to read up on things without being taught or shown it first.

Would you explain the difference between interface and user-centered design?

'Interface design is the physical expression of the interaction design: the skin over the muscles and bone. Interaction design says, 'We need a button to turn on the siren.' Interface design says, 'The button should be here and it should be red.' They are deeply intertwined, since you cannot have one without the other.'

Dan's explanation of Interaction Design and Interface Design has made it easier for me to note the differences between them both. Interface Design focuses more on aesthetics and apperance and Interaction Design focuses on what needs to happen/needs to be done.

What are the typical mistakes that interface design newbies encounter and how to avoid them?

'I'd say there are two mistakes that new designers make: one is not coming up with enough variations—or, more accurately, not being able to come up with more alternatives. Which is to say, falling in love with one direction and not being able to see others. Often, this is direction is something familiar, that the designer is comfortable with. It is hard to kill your babies, but sometimes you have to.

The second mistake is one of details and completeness. What separates a great designer from a good one is the ability to not only come up with great concepts but to also see those through down to small details. The details are hard; making sure every part of the products works well and works together into a pleasing whole is hard to do. Playing out what a concept means down to the details is an important skill to learn.'

Unfortunately for me, I have actually fallen into the first mistake on previous web design projects. Hopefully in actually acknowledging it in his interview it will help me to overcome this problem in future projects. Details are also important for me to work out in any and all designs. In working out details early on, it could ultimately save you time in your design process.

What is it you find most irritating and/or distracting while working?

'My own ignorance, lack of skills, or inability to grasp new concepts. My own limitations are always more frustrating than almost anything external. My work place is always cluttered, noisy, and chaotic. That doesn't bother me overmuch.'

In reading Dan's answer to this question, I find that I also feel the same about myself. My lack of skills and the inability to come up with new concepts has always played on my mind, but this only becomes a hinderance if you don't do anything about it. I personally, am always trying new things out to develop my skills and I'm now trying to look to different areas to find inspiration. An example of what Dan Saffer likes looking at is mechanical interfaces. I have also been recently inspired by 'Letterpool' to maybe create a collection of my own.. who knows maybe 'Letterham' (for Nottingham) will soon be popping up!

Joel Schafer's Interview

In 4 years Joel Schafer, from buying a html book in 1997, graduated as web & media producer in 2001 - A quick process! He states how important it is to always write down everything on paper before starting a project, which is something that I don't always follow. I prefer going straight on to computer to start creating ideas because I find my drawing skills can restrict my desgins - Maybe this can be an area to improve and develop? In reading about how he gets his images for his web designs he says its always good to know a good photographer! (A nice reference to networking as a designer) Joel says how web is going to develop it interactivity with 3d and movie clips. In reading this I wondered if I could design a 3D website. This would be a brilliant project to work on! So I started researching an found a flash webstie in 3D (http://www.lech.pl/) Trouble is I need to get myself some retro 3D glasses first! Wish me luck in finding some!

Work Never Stops...

...but neither does play.

I've just been browsing through a few websites and blogs and have come across a few interesting things. While plowing through these sites and blog articles I have found a 'Multimedia Creative Designer' that could be of interests to me, since I will be following the Online Environment pathway next year. His name is Aaron Russell and he is a freelance web and graphic designer based in Swindon. (Hopefully in the next few days I will post some more about Aaron and his work.)


Another blog article I came across was this one by the Freelance Switch blog. Since I'm looking to develop myself as a freelancer in graphic and web design, I need to start looking into self promotion and how to get freelance work. This article is just a collection of some 'stunning' business cards that might inspire you to look at creating your own.


And just to finish off, some recent completed work of mine -

Auto Street LTD. | Poster Design

Tiger Energy Drinks and Boost bars later, I have finally finished everything.

After a long night drinking energy drinks and eating Boost bars, a run round the block could not put me to sleep, but thankfully I have finally finished everything for my Identities project. All I have to do now is submit it which I will be doing later on today.

So here is my final, complete Identities project for all to see...

http://www.danielryland.co.uk/flash.htm

(SORRY! LONG LOADING TIMES)

Now it's time for some self-promotion! Oh Yeah!

Do the D.A.N.C.E!

Just seen this brilliant music video for Justice - D.A.N.C.E.

Long time no...blog

Right, its been ages since I last publish an entry so here's the update.

Logo - Complete

Avatar - I have designed my avatar however, still need to animate and stylise -

Website - Complete (Just need to fix a few javascript problems with the lightboxes)

Interactive Box - Audio and design complete. Need to add the three final elements to complete -

Interactive Showcase - Take 3 by ~TheBigDiscoNinja on deviantART

Other Element - My Passport/ID, photo of me morph from my face to the faces of my friends/family.

A/V - New Idea - Words that describe me - translate into Welsh. Make into language learning video see example below -

Identities Update

Here are my final ideas for my identities project -

Showcase - General idea completed, just need to add the elements in.

Logo - Completed.

Avatar - Still not fully sure on final idea, but I want to complete this in the next few weeks. Probably go for the super hero idea. The concept behind this would be a good leader and knows what is right from wrong.

AV - Unsure of what to do. One idea I had was to video people saying words that describe me and my personality. These words would not be my own. I would then make it into a film review/audience reactions trailer of myself. To do this I will film people saying certain words or sentences that describe me.

The idea was a development from an entry requirement project that I had to do for Graphic Design down in UWIC, Cardiff. You had to create 3 image for 3 titles of your choice. I choose 'Your Ideal Self,' 'Yourself as a letter,' and 'Your Nightmare Self.' Here are my 3 entries -

Website - Going to use my current website but need to restyles to link with City&Wool's image and colour scheme. This would highlight my professionalism and quality as a creative practionier.

Last Element - I want to play on the idea that people around you make you who you are. I was thinking of combining stop motion with some sort of morphing program. Passport or Driver's Licence would come out of my wallet then as you would look at the photo it would morph from my face to my friends and families faces and then back to my face. Not sure what kind of music/audio I would include yet.

3D Studio Max - Biped and Walking

Above is a render of my walking creation.

A Shape That Represents Me

I have chosen a Pyramid because of the followings reasons -

• Solid Foundation in friends and family (Thats who makes me who I am)
• From a Multimedia Practioner's point of few - I have lots of ideas but will develop untill I'm happy with the final idea in a perfectionist kind of way (the top of the pyramid)
• Red because it is a striking colour and a colour that won't just blend into the background. I like my work to stand out and look good and not just fade away into the background.

Research

Looking at my creativity, and what and who I’ve been using it for, I find that all my projects fit into two groups/under two titles. The first group/title is personal use and gain and the second is one is client based. I have been designing and creating websites, graphics and illustrations since GCSE level and since being on the Multimedia course I have produced taster trailers for a future film project.

I’ve designed my own online portfolio, created a logo for myself and recently been developing my Adobe Premiere Pro skills by creating trailers for a film idea called Doll Death Demise. This film project, which is currently in the early stages of storyboarding, will be a creative collaboration between my brother and I that will hopefully be hitting the big wide world next year.

When looking at the specific projects listen above, I find that my creativity has been use to think up and designed these projects for my personal use which has been a good platform for experimental work and the testing of new skills.

The second group, client based, is where I believe most of my creativity has been going, not that I’m running out our losing it, but where I feel I am more focused towards. I have designed logos for local businesses and companies, which includes the design of a logo for the WHAC Scheme run by the Welsh Hockey Union, websites for various clients, like Katalyst Theatre Productions and Tom Wright Photography and the design of a poster for the Nottingham Trent University EdCam (Education Campaign).

I find when looking at personal projects I don’t restrict my creativity due to the fact that I am the client and I allow myself to express myself in a creative way however, when looking at client based projects, my creativity could seem to be restricted slightly due to the fact that they might have different opinions and tastes to myself but when looked at in a different light, my creativity is never restricted, it’s just manipulated and adapted in a different ways to fulfil the client’s needs.

For the future, I seen my creativity blossoming into something unique and original. This will be used in the form of web design but also in graphic design and film design. I have always enjoyed creating things that look good but I also like making things that work well underneath its exterior. This is where I find myself falling towards the wide world of web design and its pathway, but don’t worry - no one pushed me.

When using the powerful tool of Research, I find that I can develop and build on skills I already know but also find new things by learning new technologies and skills through various tutorials. The web is a brilliant place to find a huge collection of inspirational blogs and website which include designs, images and ideas that could be nurtured into creative original ideas.

When looking at the four starting points of research, behind the text, in or through, in front of and finally for, I find myself drawn to ‘in or through.’ With regards to web design I find it interesting to look at the html/xhtml coding of websites to see how each image or paragraph comes together to make that website. By looking at the coding or source of a website, you can see its bare back bones. However, I find myself feeling wary of the ‘in front of’ starting point due to the fact that there can be so many opinions. When it comes to designing a website, you might like using large images as backgrounds but others with slower internet connection hate the fact you are using a large image because I takes so long to load in their browsers. When looking at which one of the four starting points seem irrelevant, I think that they all should have an equal importance in research however, I personally don’t tend to look at ‘for.’

Avatar Development

Here are a few sketches/traces of an idea for my avatar. My avatar will be called The Disco Ninja since this is a tag I've had for many things.

Interactive Showcase - Changes

Here is the latest copy of my interactive showcase. This copy also includes audio however I am tempted to add music. I want to make it as if you are listening to music using headphones and not paying any attention to the teacher/speaker. The only one problem with this is copyright but fear not, I have recorded my band playing original material so I will use that. All links to the buttons work and I have included a test video to see how if it works. Other links are just to blank pages because I have created the finished product for all the five elements yet.

Feel free to comment on my work - It would be useful to know what others think and ways on how I can improve it!

Lets get that constructive criticism flowing!


Interactive Showcase - Take 2 by ~TheBigDiscoNinja on deviantART

Interactive Showcase - Changes

So after showing my mood board in the seminar on Friday I've decided to use my mood board as my interactive showcase/box. This is because the mood board in more visually pleasing and has more elements that could be developed.

Here is how my showcase is going to look -

I have imported it into Flash and begun work on making it more interactive. To do this I'm using invisible buttons so when the user moves their cursor over certain images they become clearer. The user would then click on the objects to see more/go to another frame.

Here is what I've done so far -

Interactive Showcase by ~TheBigDiscoNinja on deviantART

Does take a long time to load

In other news, in the seminar on Friday I was able to play around with a Wacom Bamboo A6 Graphics Tablet and enjoyed it so much I have decided to purchase one. The reasons for this are because I can product illustrations of a high quality, trace images and photos accurately, develop my 3D avatar and hopefully, using a this graphics tablet in my work will improve my ability to draw.

Below is a trace, using the Wacom Bamboo Tablet, of Superman -

Moodboard - Avatar

This is a moodboard for my avatar