Website pick

This website pick is one that I found while looking for more info on html templates and other related material; this site is easy to understand for me and I like the different choices they offer for templates.

www.sarkis-webdesign.com/free-web-site-templates.html

web picks

www.freecsstemplates.org seems to be a good site to get templates for a web page. I have read that the css may help simplify some of the work done in html alone.

Week 16 Reading

This week's reading isn't as much a reading as it is a reference guide. You can print this out and keep it with you while making your website. Look at the source code for websites you like and see what you can identify using this reference.

Week 15 Reading

We begin writing HTML this week! I chose an introductory text that explains how to start your website from W3C. It's a short article, but a great start to designing your web pages.

Week 14 Reading

This week's reading is on logo design. As you peruse the web for interesting webpicks, look for logos you like and add the url's to your blog.

Final Poster due 4/24

Just a quick reminder that your finished poster is due next Thursday. You will need to have (3) versions for the critique:

An unflattened tif file (all layers included)
A pdf of the file
A printed poster (min. 12"x18")

Be sure to upload the tif and pdf to the Project 3 folder on the class desktop as "yourlastname"P3.

Week 13 Reading

No reading or web post this week. I've been at a tech conference, so you'll get the points for both reading and webpick without having to post anything. See you all on Thursday.

Week 12 Reading

Because we are working with vector graphics and will continue to use them in Illustrator, this week's reading on sitepoint.com will discuss creating vector graphics.  Along with the explanation, there is a tutorial if you are interested.  We will be creating logo designs on Tuesday, so will use this information to work in class, along with a tutorial I have posted on our BlackBoard site.

Tutorials due on Thursday, April 10

The final Photoshop tutorial (T8) is due on Thursday, April 10th.  If you have been absent due to illness or family emergency, and made prior arrangements with me to turn in late work I will accept it on or before Thursday, April 10th.  No late tutorials will be accepted after that date.

The last day to drop this course with a "W" is April 25th.  Some of you who have excessive absences may want to consider this option.  

Week 11 Reading

We will be using Illustrator the week after Spring Break, so I wanted to give you some reading material about the two programs (Photoshop and Illustrator).  Photoshop Tips and Tricks does a decent job distinguishing between the two.  To respond to this reading, just give your general impressions.  For your webpick (due Wednesday by midnight) find a website that uses vector graphics in interesting ways.

Week 9 Reading

This week you will be looking at 12 days-a Year of Design, a site that spotlights 12 different artists who use multimedia in their work.  This is to help prepare you for Project 3 and to also give you an introduction to the Wacom pen/pad.  Ignore the constant plugs for the expensive Wacom pens, but do read the artist pages carefully for design tips.  Choose one of the artists, and share one thing you learned that you would like to try out in your Adobe Project.  We will be using the pen tool and Wacom tablets next week for an in-class activity.

Due Dates Fast Approaching

Next week you have a number of assignments due:

Tuesday 3/10- Bring your rough draft for project 2.  We will meet individually to discuss options.

Thursday 3/13- Project 2 is due at the beginning of class for crit.  

No late assignments will be critiqued.  

If you are resubmitting Project 1 for extra credit, upload for grading.

Tutorial 6 due

Week 8 Reading

Blah-Blah Text:  Cut, Keep, or Kill? This article was written by Jakob Nielsen, a PhD who studies human-computer interaction.  He offers advice on how to make your website more "readable" and some help with writing for the web.  As you read the text provided, think about how you will use introductory text on your webpages for the final project.  The homepage you are designing for project #2 is just the beginning...

XTRA CREDIT

Project 1 can be resubmitted for extra credit.  Based on the critique we gave you on your project, make changes/improvements and submit the revised project for up to 20 points of extra credit.  The last day to resubmit Project 1 is Thursday, March 13th.

Week 7 Reading

While reading the "Top 10 Web Design Mistakes,"  pay special attention to mistake #'s 1, 3, 4, and 10.  This will help you with the design of your homepage for project #2.  Don't worry about the information for meta tags, frames, and scrolling text.  We won't be addressing that in our class.

When you make your webpick this week, look for websites that use text in creative ways.  You may want to include poetry you've written, background information, or a description (keep it brief and see #4 from the reading) on your homepage.  This should not look like a myspace page, but give a good description of who you are, using web design tools we've read about and discussed in class.

Week 6 Reading

The good, the bad, and the ugly.  This is a quick read to give you some hints as to what you should avoid when designing your website.  Some you have read before, but there are some nice examples that you may not have seen as well.

Week 5 Reading

This week's reading shows further examples of the principles of design. It is a simpler version of what you read last week, with illustrations, from a Cornell University site. In your response to the reading, look around the web for an example of one of the design principles mentioned in the reading. You can choose a website or just an image you like. Explain why this design principle works and how it affects the function of the piece (website or image). See the last blurb on the first page of the website (where the author is addressing proportion and Michaelangelo's David) for an example. The author explains how Michaelangelo adjusts proportion of the human form to make statements about David's character. Understanding these principles will help when you are designing your website. Not only will you design more visually appealing sites, but you will have the tools you need to communicate more effectively.

Just read until you reach the last design principle (unity).  There is a nice article about Creativity and the Design Process that follows, but you don't have to read that for our class.

REMINDER

Your webpick for the week is due Wednesday, before midnight, on your personal blog. This will be the last reminder I give during our semester. Every week, you will find a website that you find interesting and post it on your blog. Just write a few sentences describing why you like the site and relate it in some way to the reading material you were assigned. Example: Our reading focuses on the principles of design this week, so look for examples of balance, symmetry, unity, repetition, scale, contrast, etc. in a website of your choice. Point out the principle of design you notice that the web designer used and why you thought it was effective.

Week 4 Reading

The Principles of Design

Webpicks

Communication Arts is a nice online magazine to check out, if you are having trouble finding interesting websites to review. They offer a "webpick of the day," as well as information about jobs, competitions, conferences, etc.

Week 3 Reading

Form vs. Function: Finding the Balance

After reading the text, navigate through the website you posted on your personal blog and see how it measures up against the suggestions made by Nick Finck. Does it strike a balance between form and function or is it dominated by one or the other? Back up your opinion with clear examples.

Free 30-day Trial for Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Design Contest

You can go to the Adobe site and download a free trial of PS. Here is the link: http://www.adobe.com/downloads/

It is something like 800 mb, so make sure you have enough room to download it. Also check to see if your machine has the capability to run it. If you have an older computer, you may not be able to use it. All of the info is on the download page. Just click on the icon for Photoshop CS3 extended and you will find more information.

You will all enter the design contest as part of our class, so take a few minutes to check out the rules and past winners at: http://www.adaaentry.com/?trackingid=BQVSZ

Week 2 Reading

How to create a good enough website

Week 1 Reading

Guidelines for a Great Web Site!

Week 1 Websites (Next week you will post from your own blogger page)

SheepMarket
Kiva

Tutorial 1 (selection tools)

You can only access tutorial #1 from the computers in our classroom (user name: CS3, password: CS3). They are under the public folder (on the desktop)> faculty > tucker > Mul110 > tutorials > tutorial 1 (selections).

Syllabus

INTRODUCTION TO MULTIMEDIA: MUL 110
Spring ’08, T/Th 11:00-12:20, Sec #1112, Bld.100, Room 107B

Instructor: Lisa Tucker
E-mail: ltucker@msjc.edu
Phone: (951) 639-5335 x61112
Website: http://multimedial110.blogspot.com/
Office hours: By appointment

Course Description:
This course will immerse you in the process of planning, designing, and building a professional web site. The first half of the semester will be spent learning Photoshop CS3. The second half of the course will focus on Illustrator, developing the technical skills necessary to manipulate images/text, and designing a website using HTML.

Course goals:
Survey the Multimedia Industry
Survey Multimedia Design Tools: PhotoShop, Illustrator & HTML
Develop Artistic Vision

Objectives:
1. Students will learn the fundamental tools of working with HTML and gain a confident working knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator.

2. Students will create simple web pages using basic html that will enable them to out put imagery to the web.

3. Students will research and analyze various uses of media within the graphic design industry and develop an awareness of related career opportunities.

4. Students will be able to research, observe, and create professional level materials for use on the Internet.

5. Students will be able to analyze and select appropriate hardware and software as specified for use in the industry, and be able to select tools that are appropriate to a variety of multimedia tasks.

6. Students will design media products in both individual and collaborative settings.

Important Dates:
Consult the Schedule of Classes publication, page 1, for add/drop deadlines and other important dates.

Lab Time:
Each student will devote a minimum of one hour of effort outside the class (or in lab) for each hour of in-class activity. If you cannot devote out of class time in the lab, this is not the course for you. It is probable that you will spend many hours per week working on projects. Check with instructor for lab hours.

Evaluation:

Grading:
Responses to Readings/Participation 10%
Website Reviews 10%
Critiques 10%
Tutorials 20%
Projects 30%
Final Website 20%


Grading Breakdown:
100 pts= Readings (15): 6.5 pts each, last post 9 points
100 pts= Website Reviews (14): 7 pts each, last post 9 points
100 pts= Critiques (5): 20 pts each (10 for being there with work on time, 10 for input for others). Project 1 (gifted), Project 2 (home page), Project 3 (Adobe draft and final project), Project 4 (Logo ), Final Website
200 pts=Tutorials (9): 22 pts each, last tutorial 24 pts
300 pts= Projects: Gifted (50 pts), Homepage (50 pts), Logo (100 pts), Adobe Design (100 pts)
200 pts= Final Website

Total Points Possible= 1000

A= 900-1000 pts
B= 800-899 pts
C= 700=799 pts
D= 600-699 pts
F= 0-599 pts


Accessibility:
(Americans with Disabilities Act Information): This course requires good hand/eye coordination to operate the mouse in Photoshop especially. While these tasks are best accomplished with good vision, they are not impossible if you have some physical impairment. Please let the instructor know immediately if such a physical impairment exists so that arrangements can be made to insure your success in the class.

Required Materials:
Portable USB Drive and/or CD-Rs for image transfer and backup

Readings and Tutorials will be provided.

General Policies:
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Offensive language, and/or downloading inappropriate material will lead to removal from the class and referral to the proper college authority.

Please do not surf the web while instruction is in progress.

Assignments/Schedule:

Readings:
Readings will be assigned each week on the class Blogger page. It is your responsibility to read the material and post your response to the question provided on the class blog before midnight each Monday, for a total of 10% of your final course grade. As you answer the question, thoughtfully consider the text and use clear examples from the reading to support your position.

Website Reviews:
Every week during the semester you will write a review of a web site. You can choose any site you like: a commercial site, a web designer/artist, or a website that relates to your final project. The review should be objective, detailed, and brief. Do NOT print or email these. You should post them on your Blogger page by midnight on Wednesdays, along with a small screen shot from the site. The reviews will constitute 10% of your final course grade.

Blogger:
Each student will set up a Blogger account in the first class session. This account will be where you post your website reviews and link to your eventual website. No need to be concerned with aesthetics initially. Just set up your account and we will address design in class.

Course Schedule:
Week
1
1/22 Introduction to class and methodology. Adobe Photoshop CS3 Tutorial 1 (selection tools).
1/24 Set up Blog account. Review websites and reading for next week.

2
1/29 Discuss reading and critique websites: Guidelines for a Great Website.
Image acquisition: In class demo

1/31 Project 1: Gifted (due 2/14)

3
2/5 Reading and site critique: Form and Function
Tutorial 2: Layer Basics (due 2/14)

2/7 Tutorial 1 (Selection Tools) due today

4
2/12 Reading and site critique: Elements of Design.
Tutorial 3: Basic Corrections (due 2/21)

2/14 Tutorial 2 (Layer Basics) due today
Project 1 (Gifted) due today for critique

5
2/19 Reading and site critique: More Elements of Design
Tutorial 4: Masks and Channels (due 3/6)
Project 2: Homepage Design (due 3/13)

2/21 Tutorial 3 (Basic Corrections) due today

6
2/26 Reading and site critique: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Tutorial 5: Retouching and Repairing Photographs (due 3/6)

2/28 Lab day: Work on Project 2 or tutorials 4 and 5

7
3/4 Reading and site critique: 10 Mistakes Made by New Designers.
Tutorial 6: Advanced Layers (due 3/13)

3/6 Tutorial 5 (Retouching) due today

        Tutorial 4 (Masks) due today

8
3/11 Reading and site critique: Blah-Blah Text
Tutorial 7: Pen Tool (due 3/20)

3/13 Project 2 (Homepage) due today, with critique
Project 3: Adobe Design (Proposal due 3/20, draft due 4/10, final project due 4/24)
Tutorial 6 (Advanced Layers) due today

9
3/18 Reading and site critique: Concept and Content
Tutorial 8: Vector Masks, Paths, and Shapes (due 4/3)

3/20 Adobe Project Proposal due today (Draft due 4/10)
Tutorial 7 (Pen Tool) due today

10
Spring Break

11
4/1 Reading and site critique: Don’t Make Me Think!
Introduction to Illustrator and Typography: Text demo
Project 4: Logo (Research and thumbnails due 4/15, Refined sketches due 4/17, Final logo due 5/8)

4/3 Lab day: Work on Adobe Project
Tutorial 8 (Vector Masks) due today

12
4/8 Reading and site critique: Banner Blindness
Converting hand drawn images to AI files: Drawing demo

4/10 Draft of Adobe Design Achievement Award Competition due (crit in class)

13
4/15 Reading and site critique: Favorite Artist Sites and Page design

4/17 Lab day: Bring scanned drawings to class

14
4/22 Reading and site critique: The Web as Art Space
Tutorial9: CS3 Webpages (due 5/1)

4/24 Adobe Design Achievement Award entry due in pdf format
Final crit of work

15
4/29 Reading and site critique: Interactive Narrative
HTML Introduction
Final Website : Use previous projects as a base, including logo project (due 5/20)

5/1 Lab day: hand coding webpages
Tutorial 9 (due)

16
5/6 Reading and site critique: Non-linear Design or Mystery Meat?
Lab day: Final Websites

5/8 Logo due, critique

17
5/13 Reading and site critique: Bruce Mau’s Manifesto for Growth
Lab day

5/15 Lab day


18
Final Project Presentations