MX: Portfolio Crit Space

Check it out here!

what you hoped to achieve in its design:

In my portfolio site I wanted to create a unique experience through the use of a grid-like wall of work displayed in a collage like form. I did not want to categorize my work because I wanted it to all be mixed together to get a sense of how I work as a designer. I feel like everything is intertwined in some way, so I wanted to display my design intertwined with my other artwork in a grid like structure. I wanted the work to be easily obtained by the viewer, and for it to be read quick and fast.

what you learned through this process:

Throughout the process of this project it taught me how to think about other types of interaction between the user and an interface design. The idea of an interface being transparent to a user is something that I felt was important to web design and interface design. I also learned some new technical aspects of html and css code, using Jquery.

what you are most proud of:

I am just proud of myself for actually pursuing something that I had no clue of how I was going to build. I feel like I got a better understanding for html code now, and surprised myself when it came to actually getting stuff to work. I feel like I don't hate interface design as much as I used to, and will continue to explore its possibilities.

what you struggled most with:

I had a hard time with some of the functionality of the site, that still is not resolved, but will be in the future. Also I had a hard time with sticking to traditional ways of navigation. I feel like I need to do some user testing, to see how they interact with the images.

MX: Reading Response #3

Moving from cinema to the computer screen was greatly influenced from the military and radar system. I thought that this was really interesting how they made connections between cinema and radar, how it sends live information to the viewer. The SAGE system and the invention of the light pen really opened up a new way of human-interface interaction. The fact that this opened up new possibilities of that made it possible to directly affect reality through the interaction of the light pen with different radar 'dots'. The computer screen opened up new meaning to a virtual reality. Being a rectangle, that we look through into a new world, that is limited by the parameters of the rectangle led to more innovative approaches to virtual reality where the rectangle is completely eliminated. I thought that this pertained to new web-cam interaction interfaces similar to what Ian is doing for his website. Where you are actually in reality touching something that is live in virtual reality, and bring the two together in a unique way. These types on interactions is what keeps pushing new technologies of interaction design.

MX: Website

Got my website domain up and runnin. No content yet but a good start at functionality.

Silkscreen Photos

VA: Plan Ahead Photos

VA: Plan Ahead final Label

MX: Monogram Logo

MX: Reading Response #2

Cinema has very much influenced of the interface, starting with a rectangular frame. This frame is something that we perceive to be another reality or world, which has content within that border and outside that border. Cinema represents reality through interactive gaming, as well as three-dimensional spaces through the technology of the movable camera. Game designers use the idea of perspective in 3d games such as Doom and mariokart. Being able to change views had a huge influence from cinema. For instance intros to games are a way to get the viewer interested in the story line and understand the plot. Which directly comes from cinema and a narrative. This relates to building our personal portfolio sites because we need to consider what type of story we want to tell through our work. How do we want ourselves to be perceived by a viewer that is looking at your design? Cinema is so ingrained into our everyday life that we are automatically attracted to motion and imagery rather than text. That is why interface design is becoming more cinematic and creating a virtual world of its own. That is why is my own personal portfolio I want to include some cinematic features such as motion, as well as zoom. But I do not want my viewer to perceive these formal qualities as the wrong thing.

MX: Further Portfolio sketches

TOP:

Original zoom in and out idea.

MIDDLE:

On rollover of each letter the letter will blowup and change to uppercase letter, and display work next to it.

BOTTOM:

Monogram logo on rollover pops work out in 3d space and when you click on monogram it forms a grid of work .

VA: Senior Project Questions

Senior Project Questions:

WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE? WHAT ARE WE OUT TO ACCOMPLISH?

A) Primary objective is to create a surfboard design that has never been done before. Whether it is the way that you apply those graphics, or how the user can interact with them. Can I create a graphic that can be utilized and customized by the user on the 'fly'. How can the user be the main influence in the graphic, and how can the user manipulate the graphic in a way that makes it their own.

WHY IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME FOR THIS PROJECT?

B) It seems like now is the right time for this type of project because growing up with the interest in these boardsports I have seen many different graphics that seem to be aesthetically the same. How can I revolutionize this idea of a board graphic in the new world of web 2.0 generation? Looking back to the origins of board art, it was originally made for the rider. How can I bring back the original meaning of the graphic, in a new web 2.0 way?

WHO DO WE WANT TO CONNECT WITH?

C) People that I am wanting to connect with would be the younger generation of surfers, that have been around long enough to know what the board graphic used to look like. I would have to say that the targeted audience is going to be male/female's would love surfing, and that surf on a regular basis. Age ranging from 18-30 years old. People who love water, love to enjoy hanging out with friends and family, and of course love surfing.

WHAT ARE CURRENT PERCEPTIONS ABOUT YOUR TOPIC?

D) Being that I grew up in the Midwest, where there isn't any ocean and no surfing I do not know that much about it, but have been intrigued by the sport since I was a little kid. Growing up, I always have wanted to be a part of the surfer culture in some way, and have dreamed of being able to surf everyday. Going into it with an open mind, my perceptions are that there is a lot that has to be considered when creating these graphics that might make or break this project. So keeping in mind what my limitations are will play a huge role in creating a new life to the board graphic.

WHAT’S THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO LEAVE YORU AUDIENCE WITH?

E) The message that I want my audience to grab is that board graphics are meant for the user, and to reflect their personality. By creating something that they can have a part of brings this idea that they have a hand in the design of their board that they ride. By giving each and every surfer an opportunity to create something that they had a part in, can reinforce the original idea of the board graphic, while keeping in mind the art of the actual surfboard itself.

WHAT CAN YOU OFFER AS SUPPORT FOR THIS?

E.2) As support I want to create innovative designs that are utilized by the rider to create their own graphic or image.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE WILL THEY THINK or FEEL WHEN THEY’VE HEARD THIS?

F) I would hope for them to want to have a part in the creation of their graphic. Surfers are very unique, being that a lot of them are artists' themselves. I would hope that they will be excited to see board graphics progressing into a new level and making it more about the rider than the shaper/designer.

WHAT IS THE TONE YOU WANT TO SET?

G) I want to set a mellow tone, and get as much feedback from the riders. I don't want it to seem like I know everything about the subject matter, since it is about the riders I want to get as much inspiration from the users themselves.

WHAT’S REQUIRED TO MAKE ALL OF THE ABOVE HAPPEN?

H) What's required to make all this happen? Well I would think that A LOT of hard work (which comes with anything I do) and a lot of personal resources, and connecting with the riders, to see what is effective.

DS: Identity PART B: Silkscreened Items

Beach bag.
Hoodie
T-shirt

MX: Reading Response #1

In response to the reading "The Interface", I found some interesting connections between the old and the new. First off, the connection between the use of a grid system in the beginning interface production and the existence of that same idea in new technology like GPS systems and certain phone interfaces. This is the way the interface started and the influence it had to the interface strongly supports its existence still today. The printed word was one of the first things to become digitalized form of media. Text became a metalanguage of media, a code in which other media is represented. For instance one uses code of text to format an HTML page, or the coordinates of three-dimensional objects, as well as pixel values. The connection between the printed word being the first thing to communicate data in the form of a structured page, originated from the codex, is being implemented into the interface as well. When Apple introduced the idea of being able to stack pages, like a book, in which each page is never ending and you can scroll individually through each page was revolutionary to the interface. Run time is where data is created on the fly, and is constantly changing depending on the users input. This can happen in a variety of ways; procedural computer graphics, formal language systems, AI and AL programming. In our portfolio site we will want to use the idea of Run time when building, keeping in mind that new information is going to be dynamically added to it. The idea that the printed word is used to communicate content through hyper-linking is connected with how we interact with a newspaper. Newspapers are dominant in text, images, and graphs with symbols linking to other pages within that newspaper. Today we see this a lot in hyper-linking pages in a nonlinear fashion.

MX: Rapid Prototypes

Prototype 1:

When you arrive at my site it will have floating boxes bouncing off each other.

When you click one it throws other boxes out of screen and it zooms on single box clicked.

Zooming on box.

Box would then unfold into 2d form and display different images for each project.

Prototype 2:

From Here you would click to zoom up on my name to reveal new information.

Zooming

Zooming more

This would just be different information around the type, that you can click and zoom.

This would be different project thumbnails, that when clicked would zoom up.

Zooming

This is the image gallery for the projects, there would be multiple images that you could click through with information.

Rapid Prototype 3:

Arrive at just a black box. When rolled over there is something that appears.

This green box pops up when mouse rolls over box.

It disappears when not on it. Indicating that you can click.

When clicked a black box would expand out of the other black box.

When you click on that box it would zoom and information would appear.

Click outside of that information and it will zoom back out.

Same rollover idea, just with new shape.

Clicked.

Zoom up with info that pops out.