I talked with Karen (internship manager) who is the Manager of Habitat for humanity who also runs their local website for the Restore Store.
Her advice to me was that the layout of the text image and background were good and that my background image might be a little distracting but she loved it. Finish up on my navigation pages and make sure everything is linked correctly. The text on my Resume page is hard to read with the background image. Overall she said she liked my concept and design and can tell that the end product will work out in my favor once ive added all my projects and pictures.
She likes the slide show of my sketches, she thought that was a pretty good idea.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Interior Design Concept Statement for website
I was born and raised in Snohomish Washington or the greater Seattle Area. Growing up I started developing my passion and appreciation for interior design when I became a member of the Hit ABC show: Extreme Home Makeover. It was an experience of a lifetime creating a space and designing it with a given time period, Interior Design became my calling and my passion. I studied interior design at the Art Institute of Seattle where I will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in the summer of 2011. I have several projects dealing with commercial, residential, kitchen and bath and sustainable design. As a designer I like to create modern elements with chic elegant accessories. I like to create elegant environments with emphasis on serenity through simple color palettes and a balanced space through space planning & material/furniture selections. I am often inspired by the latest trends in interior design and incorporating nature in bringing the outdoors in!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
"Good & Bad Assignments"
1. Good Design: Brown Design & Development
Design features:
Text: Summarize the qualities of the use of type that make a website successful.
When I first saw the Brown Design & Development website, the background is a neutral brown
Color and the text is a stricking white. Right away I was captured with the brightness of the white text which automatically drew me into reading their interior design bio. The text throughout the website leading me though different link and sections of their interior design work was easy to find and to read with a great overall design.
Navigation: Summarize the qualities of the navigation that make a website successful.
The navigation of this website in particular was really easy and flowing. When you first arrive to the website they have a brief bio of the interior designer(s) a picture and immediately right of the website are tabs/links to projects, press, contact information & a shop tab to do some immediate shopping of their website page. It was as simply as clicking any of these tabs above and you were directed straight to what you clicked on.
Links: Summarize the qualities of the links, and their behavior that make a website successful.
Clicking on the links shouldn’t direct you to too many places. I think it should be simple as clicking on what you want to see and there it is without interference. Brown Design did just that, after clicking on a link you were directed right to the projects with pictures and a description of the project.
Graphics: Summarize the use of Graphics, vector and raster, that make a website successful.
All in all I think it just makes the website “pretty”. When you see so much text and writing it get a tad boring after a while. Brow Design has tons of imagery throughout their website, after all it is an interior designers website so before and after pictures are essential for potential clients in the future because it show cases their work and compliments. They also had good quality photos/images on their website. Bold bright and beautiful pictures were a definite plus on this website.
General Design: Summarize the aspects of the overall design that make a website successful.
Overall, what I think makes a great website, is first getting onto the website easily and a first impression through the color scheme/choice of the web page, text sizing I think it’s a little overwhelming when text is too big or too small to read. Easy navigation through tabs and links directing you to another part of their web page that show cases projects, photos, press and contact information. Brown Design & Development was a great example of a well thought out and put together website.
Notes:
I do have a note that some of the flashing images and text were a bit disturbing at times. I think the website is strong enough that they don’t need the flashing.
2. Bad Design: MIT Architecture
http://architecture.mit.edu/architectural-design.html
Design features:
Text: Summarize the qualities of the use of type that make a website unsuccessful.
When you first get on to MIT Architectures website there isn’t any text at all, I actually thought it wasn’t a website at first I thought it was an advertisement. They had strange images and no text. Once you’ve gone through the website and get onto a link there is just too much text and not enough graphics.
Navigation: Summarize the qualities of the navigation that make a website unsuccessful.
You have to click onto the images to navigate anywhere. I don’t even know what the images represent such as Architectural Projects, images, and contact information. Once your mouse is overlapping the text you find out what categories and links are connected to the odd images on the first page. Unless you know where you’re going to go as far as a link people would get really confused as to where they want or need to go on this website.
Links: Summarize the qualities of the links, and their behavior that make a website unsuccessful.
Way to many links associated with the images that have no reference as to what you’re going to be going to next. Its way to hard to navigate through a website if you don’t know where you’re going.
Graphics: Summarize the use of Graphics, vector and raster that make a website unsuccessful.
There aren’t a lot of graphics/images on this website. Once you can figure out where you’re going through MIT Architectures website they have one graphic per link/tab and basically you’re reading text.
General Design: Summarize the aspects of the overall design that make a website unsuccessful.
The color scheme is boring, plain uneventful. There isn’t any text helping you guide you to the next page or as to what you’re going to be going to, on some pages there is just too much text and not enough imagery which to me is unpleasing to the eye.
Notes:
Overall MIT Architecture is a good example of a bad website. They have little or not imagery/text, hard to navigate through the website.
3. Design features: American Design
http://www.americandesignfirm.com/about.php
Text: Summarize the qualities of the use of type that make this site unsuccessful.
American Design’s website at first looked ok. When I clicked on a link on the “About Us Bio” section it brought me to just a text reading, but their text is 3 different styles, bold and different sizes all in one page. I think it would have been all right if they used the bold text to announce the About Us Bio and used the same text but small and not bold to harmonize the bio page of them. It was too distracting seeing too many font styles and sizes on just one page. The color scheme was all right but it was still more boring using just brown and white, I think they could have added a little more color.
Navigation: Summarize the qualities of the navigation that make this site unsuccessful.
Navigation was ok. They have tabs for bio, projects, services, portfolio and contacts. Once you hover over the tabs they give you more options on what you can be directed to. I think as an interior design website they could have made a more unique way designing the navigation tools.
Links: Summarize the qualities of the links, and their behavior that make this site unsuccessful.
If you click on the tab/link it won’t take you to what you want to go to, you have to physically hover over portfolio and then clink on either residential, commercial or model. I think that’s a bit high maintenance and confusing.
Graphics: Summarize the use of Graphics, both vector and raster, which make this site unsuccessful.
The graphic weren’t all that great. They seemed to use just a home camera instead of a more professional camera and it definitely shows.
General Design: Summarize the aspects of the overall design that make this site unsuccessful.
The Website was a boring color scheme, the text was overwhelming, images weren’t professional quality, and navigation was getting confusing.
Describe the purpose of this site in the notes. (Include whether it was easy to determine the purpose – why or why not?)
Notes:
The website was easy to distinguish what the purpose was but as a professional practice I think they should have made their website a little but more outstanding and could have spent more time and creating a great website to showcase their design work and experiences.
4. URL of site #1:
Design features: Craig Williams Interiors
http://www.craigwilliamsinteriors.com/home/
Text: Summarize the qualities of the use of type that make this site successful.
The text throughout the web page stays the same size, font and color with the exception of his bold text for introductory reasons.
Navigation: Summarize the qualities of the navigation that make this site successful.
The navigation through the website is very easy and flowing, it takes you through each webpage with no hassel in trying to figure out where you’re going or what you’re looking at.
Links: Summarize the qualities of the links, and their behavior that make this site successful.
His tabs are easy to find and click on to take you to your next destination. Within hitting on the tabs/links you have options to look at only residential, or commercial or all.
Graphics: Summarize the use of Graphics, vector and raster, which make this site successful.
The graphics are of professional quality and make the website look professional and clean. The color scheme for the website is well balance and pleasing to look at.
General Design: Summarize the aspects of the overall design that make this site successful.
Pretty to look at when you first get onto the website, easy navigation, balances text and color throughout the website, images are of professional quality to make the website very clean and well organized.
Describe the purpose of this site in the notes. (Include whether it was easy to determine the purpose – why or why not?)
Notes:
Yes Craig Williams’s website was easy to detect the purpose of what this website was.
5. URL of site #2:
Design features: Design Stage
http://www.design-stage.com/
Text: Summarize the qualities of the use of type that make this site successful.
Design Stages website overall when I first looked at it was really good. I thought at first the text was a little bit too small, you almost have to squint. But I love the color scheme, its smile, sleek and clean.
Navigation: Summarize the qualities of the navigation that make this site successful.
To navigate the page was really easy, you click on the tabs and it takes you directly to where you need to go.
Links: Summarize the qualities of the links, and their behavior that make this site successful.
When you click on the links they take you straight there and than you get the option to choose where you want to go next. Clicking on the portfolio page you get the option of seeing residential or commercial projects. Instead of labeling everything with text they simply just used images are they’re project you choose to view.
Graphics: Summarize the use of Graphics, vector and raster, which make this site successful.
The graphics are of professional quality, they also have a boarder around them to create a well presented website.
General Design: Summarize the aspects of the overall design that make this site successful.
Great color scheme, easy navigation, professional quality pictures creating a very well put together professional website for an interior designer.
Describe the purpose of this site in the notes. (Include whether it was easy to determine the purpose – why or why not?)
Notes:
Monday, April 11, 2011
Getting to know Me
Name: Merrisa Shepherd
Department/Program: Interior Design BFA Program
Are you graduating this Quarter? No. I'm scheduled to graduate Summer of this year.
If not, current graduation date by Quarter/Year:Summer 2011
Online Social and Professional networks: The only online social network I'm apart of is Facebook. I use Facebook not only for socializing with my friends and family but to use as a networking tool.
Website URL (if already developed):I currently do not have a created website yet.
What software experience do you have? (explain all that apply)
Photoshop:I use photoshop on a Quarter basis for developing my final Interior Design projects in. I know how to cut, mask, stamp and use all the photoshop tools.
Illustrator: Ive used illistrator once to develop my logo and resume which was a year ago so i could use some freshening up skills with illistrator.
Dreamweaver: Whats that? Ive never used it nor have I heard about it!
HTML: I've worked with HTML a few times, but not enough for me to be really familiar to use.
InDesign:I have used InDesign when I was in Presentation Graphics but didn't learn a whole lot.
Other: CAD.
Explain your objective for the class to the best of your knowledge:
What I would really like to get out of this class would be to come out with a well designed website to help get my name out in my field of study and show my talent for Interior Design in the hopes of getting potential clients.
Learn iWeb?
Publish web site?
Revise and update current site?
Begin the process of a professional web presence?
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