Research for Buttons
Listed below are some examples of buttons done in Flash to provide inspiration and develop an understanding of what is available and possible.
Above is a good example. The words pop out of the boxes, straighten out and change color.
Brainstorms and initial logo/page ideas
Here I had a look at the history of New Media Art which began, as with many new art movements, in the 1960’s. The Dadaists would have been one of the major forerunners, and were Art Revolutionaries. As with their philosophy the goal of New Media Art is not primarily to entertain, but to break boundaries and challenge conventional perceptions of Art.
Here I have looked at New Media Art in all its forms to better understand the nature of the medium itself and what is available to display on the site. There is a vast and growing pool of work available and the choice of display will depend on the research and which stand out as interesting or appealing.
Ideas here for the logo and Homepage layout. The word Meta itself is interesting and has many different meanings and i began my brainstorming by looking at definitions and attempting to incorporate some of these in sketches.
Further sketches and ideas for the site, and I found the idea of using a stage to provide a sense of unveiling and presenting appealing. This was going to be an old fashioned stage to convey history, however, as New Media Art is a contemporary movement I believe a modern stage setting is more appropriate .
Focused Extended Research for New Media Art
Alan Butler info@newmediaart.co.uk
Although this artist has many examples of his work here, I’m particularly looking for sound/performance N.M.A. This piece is light and airy with birds singing in the wind, however I felt it didn’t have enough to maintain interest for the length of the video.
Another piece from Alan Butler would seem to be a satirical and ‘negative’ look at modern technology.
Here the ‘actors’ take on the character of the inanimate objects they’re holding and go on a journey of sorts with them. An interesting piece from Jill Scott which I found on utube.
Another take on modern technology from http://www.wirebrand.com
http://www.shamboo.xt.pl While I enjoyed the music from this short I found the flashing images uncomfortable. the use of color is very effective and the background remains constant throughout.
New Media Scotland 2010
WordPress Themes
Inserted below are some of the word press themes I have been looking at. Although I viewed many I was in the main searching for a dark, simply laid out style, however here I’ve included a variety of examples. The Free Themes Directory is an excellent starting point, or simply typing in Word Press Themes will also lead to a great selection.
In the end my search led to a choice between two. This is the one I have chosen to use;
I have also secured web space for the project, downloaded my chosen theme, planned the content for the pages and continue to work on many ideas for the logo. The collection of articles, images and videos for the project is ongoing at the moment, as are the planning sketches for the pages.
Lucid. List of Objectives.
Research online magazines, college, university, art, news, and advertising.
View Word press Templates and together with previous research, begin to formulate ideas for the magazine style, layout, color combination and target market.
Investigate possibilities in flash and Java.
Research and learn about Databases and think about how this applies to Lucid.
Write a Mission statement detailing the proposed chosen layout and design, providing Rationale for choices.
Construct a site map in illustrator, detailing the pages, proposed links and initial content titles.
the online magazine will be subject to daily or weekly refreshing in content, so this must be taken into consideration. From a user perspective the site must be perhaps easy to alter.
Secure Web hosting space.
View advertisements on magazine websites and on the web in general and learn about how these my be posted on the site.
Look at fonts, styles, sizes and colors, and select appropriate for the chosen magazine style.
Think about the Logo Design and make sketches to formulate an eye catching and appropriate finish.
Research and think about the target audience.
Sketch and finalize the chosen design and create template in photo shop for transfer to screen.
Web Development. Mission Statement.
Having viewed and researched a diverse range of online and off the shelf publications, from college magazines and Art monthlies, to radical ‘free speech’ loving publications and single subject publications, I have decided that Lucid will take the form of a college magazine with an underground, mildly anarchistic feel, with content and prompting which supports this. Basically a college Music and Arts magazine with an edge.
The homepage will have a grainy appearance, with a midnight blue or dark grey background in order to provide a restful and unhindered experience for the viewer. I have been working on a number of different ideas for the logo, which include a cartoon style female holding a gun pointed at Lucid and an almost spooky shadowy feel with pale ghostly colors and accompanying music when the homepage opens, i.e.: twilight zone, which can be changed by the viewer, or a cerebral styled logo.
The latest news page will feature local bands with interviews, video clips and listings for upcoming events in the town and countrywide, with links to sites concerning these. Also included will be a nomination section, where the viewer may suggest a band to be featured as new talent every week. This is to promote continued interest in the site and build possibilities for discussion and therefore advertising.
Societies will include little known or word of mouth societies, again with the opportunity to set up a new one with the support and ongoing patronization of the magazine. An example of one of these is ‘The Letterkenny songwriting music collective’ which is being advertised on face book. Funny, unusual or quirky societies will be encouraged and membership will be possible through I link on the page.
The opinion page will include local artists, people of interest and students who may give their opinions on a subject of their choosing each week. Any topic within reason will be considered.
The magazine will also include a fun section which will be art based, a comic strip feature where students may submit ideas as to the next installment, and an about us, contact us and advertising rates pages, to be confirmed. The overall look and feel of the magazine will be maintained throughout the site, with the background remaining constant. Also included will be a daily photograph section, with images of students, college events etc., to further increase interactivity and interest in the magazine and so boost advertising potential. Any advertisements will be posted on the left of the page only so as not to disrupt the viewers enjoyment of the site.
Research for Web Development.
This online university magazine is an eclectic mix of news, features, sound and video. It is well laid out and easily navigated. The daily photo is a
particularly clever idea in that it would entice readers to visit the site on a daily basis and therefore encourage visitors. Past photos advertise the university
and local business and so reach a wider audience outside the campus. There are also details and listings for local and national events, a letters page, and
the footer includes past editions and the opportunity to browse these. Although i feel the site could be more eye catching and edgy, it is appropriate in that
it provides a neutral background on which to display the links to it’s many articles and news stories.
This online design Magazine is laid out in a very traditional style of the street magazines we see everyday, but has a fresh contemporary look and feel which makes it easy to view and navigate. The content is eye catching and interesting and there is just the right balance of images and word. There are no adverts which i always find appealing, though for the purposes of this assignment i must take note of them.
I like this alternative style magazine for it’s simplistic layout and fresh clean looking homepage. there is an archive section ehere it is posible to look at past editions and an area devoted to the addition of content by the viewer making it interactive and interesting. adverts are confined to one side of the page which is also appealing to me.
I liked this magazine site for it’s use of color which is restful to the eye, the ease of navigation and the lack of clutter. I have included the bottom of the page with the mcAfee site adviser as it turned red here. I suppose it’s the mix of politics and anarchy which has led to the inseure rating.
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