|
3/2/03 - 3/9/03
This site is for my Dad, Fred Belay. He is a man of many talents and experiences, so finding materials for this project wasn't difficult, however, simplifying and organizing all of the information into a site plan
definitely was a bit more challenging.
After reviewing the many facets of my father's life and a little help from Dad, I chose four main categories: (1) "Kane Road" where my father lives and maintains an apple orchard. (2)Vermilion, the
place where my father grew up and continues to spend much of his free time fishing. (3) Family - genealogy as well as everyday life (4) Education - a professor of mathematics, it is his belief that one never stops learning.
With these four different facets in my mind, I started sketching the logo for the family - big mistake. So, I began sketching out the "splash page". I scanned in some apples, and sliced apples thinking
of a background. I worked on the sketches again and came up with two ideas and proposed them to Dad - he liked my idea of a collage of images for a splash page. From there, I incorporated the technique of "photo painting"
and as I worked on some of the images, one reminded me of a stamp from his stamp collection. I always loved the stamps made in the 1940's with many shades of one color. I was hit with a possible theme... and a
background idea that would allow me to create my own from scratch.
After pulling out his old collection of stamps, I proceeded with new energy, creating an image for each category for the splash page and scanning in stamps for the background. I wanted to go with the
complementary color for each category, but I have four, not three...I added the secondary colors. With a color scheme idea and general layout I now needed that one piece to fit into the center of the stamp arrangement...the
"logo". Remember this is where I originally started and gave up, but now it seemed so simple. After tossing the idea of a circular button shape, I realized I needed to stick with a square. The words live, laugh, love,
are from a country song which Dad enjoys, they corresponded nicely to Vermilion, Kane Road and Family. But, that left out education and another name for "educate", of course, is learn.. Ok, this seems almost too
easy, but it's all true. With the family approval and my 10 year old son's reference to the logo as the "Quad L's"... I now have to design each page and incorporate
banners, and buttons, and those apples I scanned in (?). Hmm...
3/10/03-3/16/03
Page layouts do not come easy to me, and trying to fit three specific banner shapes, buttons, and text all onto a page and keep it pleasing to the eye, easy to read, and navigate could make me a bit crazy. With a
background to work with, and a logo to fit in somewhere I began sketching again.
Thinking of stamps on an envelope, I placed the logo in the upper right corner of the page and worked from there. Using the darker color for each heading and the lightest color for the background of the text
I decided it is important to maintain consistency in the placement of the headings, images, etc. for continuity.
I used the triangle shapes from the logo as my inspiration for the horizontal menu bar for the four L's and the Home page. The triangle "buttons" I made by experimenting with the filters and shadow settings.
To help identify which page you're on, I changed the blending mode of the text on the corresponding button from normal to soft light, giving it a look hopefully similar to the text on the "stamps".
I added the black background to the bottom of each page to help tie the pages together and to the splash page. Once this outline was done, I decided to show the change in shade of color from the dark
heading to the light background area within the vertical menu bar and the use of gradients. Then, to tie the menu bar in with the background, I added the stamp pattern to the buttons.
3/17/03-3/22/03
Color Palette completed. I placed all of my colors onto one document to get a better feel as to how they "worked" together. I decided I had to go back and change a few.
By using layers and saving the original files, making the changes was really quite easy. I then decided to show the color palette I created as a banner. Using the custom shape tool, and the shape that I just now
found that looks very much like a stamp, I made my first banner that fit the requirements. After adding all of the links to the 5 button horizontal nav. bar, I viewed a somewhat complete "stage 1" of construction of this
site. I decided to make the "advertisement banner" for the bottom of the home page. Using my scanned in apple slices, my goal was to create something so different from the site that the banner would look more like an
advertisement than a "stamp" without the proper border. All of my files are now transferred to the server, notes are written and my progress is documented. I have one image, a banner, left to do and I need
to work with filters, as I've worked mostly with layer styles up to this point. I have decided that this page and the files page are too long and I'm going to need a way to return to the top - a top "button"....but I'm
going to make it a clickable banner. I start with Black because it is going to be in the black area at the bottom of the pages. I use the glow style because I need the brightness - but I shouldn't because I
really need to work with filters...so I force myself to experiment with the filters and low and behold the noise and blur filters work really neat together. My project is complete! Please note however
that though my project assignment is complete, this site is not. The vertical menu bars, except for the home page's, are not yet active. I've published them because it gives us a better idea of how this site will come together when completed. |
