Minor Project 23 - Final Blog Posting

1. I feel that Eric Meyer's book was alot more helpful for me throughout this course than Andy Clarke's book because Meyers listed out how to incorporate his help into your site step by step. Clarke's book was not as clear as Meyer's was.

2. I did not take as much advantage of the lynda.com videos as I should have. In the beginning of the course, I went over a few of them. I have also used lynda.com in the past for other classes and it has helped me out alot, especially with IDD 250. I do wish I used lynda.com for this class a lot more though.

3. Clarke's book was slightly helpful for developing a better workflow, but again, I felt that Eric Meyer's book was more helpful with the overall help in creating web designs.

4. From what I got out of Clarke's book, the technical details on CSS was helpful for me. It gave me a better understanding of what CSS actually is and what it entails.

5. Prior to this class, I felt that my workflow and web development skills were not up to par with where I should be in this stage of my college career. I felt that I was maybe a bit unorganized with my ideas and designs. I also did not know much about CSS before this class. This class helped me improve my skills in web development, organize and improve my creative thinking and techniques, and led me towards the right path with what I plan to do out of school. With the professor's help along with the textbooks, I gained a better understanding of web design and the tools needed to maintain a better workflow.

Nadinne Cruz

What I have learned about Nadinne Cruz' presentation was that its always good to be actively involved in community service. When I was younger, I was active in many groups around my town, including helping at a soup kitchen, spending time with less fortunate children at a children's hospital, and helping out at a nursing home with my synagogue. I believe that community service is a way to give back to those in your community. I do not expect anything back from what I have done in the past with community service. Community service comes from the heart. What I also got out of her presentation was the importance of being bold with your ideas. In other words, the bolder the better. In design, bolding your look and feel of your design makes it more attractive and grabs more attention to the eye.

Minor Project 22

For this project, Lauren and I plan to start working in DreamWeaver by the 15th and adding the streaming videos and image gallery stuff by the 29th and then use the rest of the semester to finish the entire site and make any changes if needed.

Minor Project 21

Being that I have started from scratch for my Major Project 1, I feel that by November 15th, I should have the new layout of the homepage almost completed. I want to have the buttons set up by the 15th. By December 6th I want to have a completed site with rollovers and the other pages.

Student Choice Master List

Student Choice Master List

HEADER
Zachary Schwartz
Banner
-“Graphic Design Portfolio”

SIDEBAR
Rollover buttons (icons) with text navigation
-Home
-About Me
-Designs
-Resume
-Contact

BODY
-Introduction to this website
-Reasons for creating this online portfolio and I plan to accomplish from this portfolio

NAVIGATION
Home
-Reloads into main page

About Me
-Information about me
-Brief graphic design history
-Experience with design programs
-Photo(s) of me
-Home icon with link to Home

Designs
-External links to past work from past years
-Brief descriptions about each design and year published
-Pictures of assignments from classes
-Home icon with link to Home

Resume
-Link to mywebspace of my resume
OR
-Entire resume formatted onto the webpage (possibly with cover page)
-Experience with programs as well as past IDD classes taken
-Past work experience
-Home icon with link to Home



Contact
-Picture of me
-Email mailto of Quinnipiac email
-Possible contact phone number
-Home icon with link to Home


Links
-Possible drop-down menu for links
-External links to Quinnipiac University website and other links I like
-Home icon with link to Home

CONTENT
Spray-can icons
Brick wall background
Banner stays in place

Workflow for Client (Major Project 2)

For my Major Project 2, I plan on creating a workflow with my client as follows:

Begin thoughts on ideas for designs

Draw out or sketch thumbnails of designs

Arrange to meet with the client to discuss what they are looking for or expecting

Begin sketches of their ideas/wireframes

Create flow of site and the mind mapping technique using NOVAMIND

With original wireframes, update wireframes with details (in-depth flows)

Create a few prototypes to get feeling of what the site outcome will begin to look like (using Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver

Develop and add in any extra ideas from clients head/your thoughts

Construct final design and the site

Client for Major Project 2

For my Major Project 2, I plan on working on the Campus Minitry website with Lauren Aufderheide.

CSS Example

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Major Project One BRIEF

For my Major Project 1, I plan on turning my site into a "portfolio" which will include my work from the past as examples for possible job offerings in the future. The intended audience will most likely be graphic design company's, but I am not looking to attract just one type of audience. Today's world relies on graphics and the world is only going closer towards this. Some company's that don't necessarily work with graphic design may want some design for their company, whether it be for their website or logo. The content will be my past work with Interactive Digital Design, including my work on MyWebSpace, a mock company website I had to create, and most likely a full background of myself, which will involve my experience with this field as well as who I am and what I look for. Color choices will not be too flashy, probably basic colors just to let the viewer know that I am not creating this portfolio to have it look good, but instead to show you what I can be capable of.