Week 12
November 21, 2010
One giant leap
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
At long last, it is finished. My website is published and freely available for all the world to see. It is so very different from those first exercises, and now I can only hope that some other graduate student will find some use in it. It is a tool for learning, but it is a unique expression of my own personality at the same time. As the semester comes to a close I feel I have accomplished my goals and I can move on with confidence. Already I am laying out the blueprints for my next site, but now the time has come to say goodbye to this course, to the work on this site, and to this blog. Let it be known that on this day a hopeful graduate student first made a little bit of the World Wide Web his own.
I came in peace for all mankind.
Farley
Week 11
November 9, 2010
The finishing touches
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
- Leonardo da Vinci
Introduction
It is almost over. Much care has gone into the production of my web site. Many long hours spent agonizing over the merits of the smallest of creative decisions. Towards the end I find the hardest part is resisting the urge to perfectionism. It is hard to know when the time has come to declare a given work good enough and walk away. But there will always be deadlines, and there will always be a new project beckoning, and so it must be done.
Website Review
www.smartwebby.com/web_site_design
Smart Webby definitely has a lot of helpful articles on a number of topics. I felt much more comfortable with my own design decisions after reading their Web Design Tips article. I will definitely make sure to include a lot of well-placed white space and use fonts on the “safe list” on every website I am involved with in the future. Some of there Dreamweaver Templates looked pretty nice but I am not sure about having a “designed by smartwebby.com” tag on every page.
Final Thoughts
A web site, as with every creative work, is never truly finished. Of course there is always one more stroke that can be made. One more minor tweak, another small improvement that might just be the difference between a pedestrian work and a true masterpiece. While this urge can make one’s creation more beautiful, it can also make it quite overdone. Sometimes the best artist is the one who knows when it is time to walk away.
Until next time, take care of yourselves, and one another.
Farley
Week 10
November 2, 2010
Use your imagination
“Human achievement is limited only by human imagination.”
- Albert Einstein
Introduction
This week’s assignment focused on beautiful web designs, and I found my thoughts drawn to the imagination necessary to produce it. To me, the most beautiful thing about web design is the ability to transfer one’s imagination onto the screen for all to see. As my website grows very near to completion I find that I am overwhelmed by the limitless possibilities for the next one and the one after that. All of the very best achievements in art and science have come about as the result of imagination, and now we have the ability to share it with one another instantly.
Website Reviews
CSS Remix was a collection of very beautiful sites. This kind of design is definitely beyond my current skill level but it is definitely something to work for. I especially liked the gorgeous mix of images and fonts on the Lost World’s Fairs site.
CSS Nature had some very appealing nature designed sites listed. The About Trees site did an especially wonderful job of design with an organic theme. If I ever find myself with money to spend on a design template it will most likely be their Sheriff “eco template”.
CSS Moon had a beautifully designed site that pointed the way to plenty more. Their header was very nice and I was impressed with the mouseover event of site previews the mouse was over being displayed in the header. Their templates looked nice but $49 is just a tad out of my price range.
The Oriental Gallery was a great collection of wonderfully designed sites that most Americans would never come into contact with. I think it is a great idea to look to other cultures for artistic perspectives one has not considered. DCM Entertainment had an especially impressive site. It took a while to load but the brilliant animation more than justified the wait.
CSS Blaze was another very interesting web gallery. I liked the option to search by color as well as category. {6creations had an especially impressive site. If I ever hire a web designer it will most likely be them.
UniqueCSS is definitely a site that lives up to its name. There were only 4 sites profiled but they all demonstrated a great deal of creativity. My vote went to www.hippoapp.com. The interactive animation features definitely got my attention.
The CSS Based Web Design Gallery was another beautiful collection of web sites that was presented very well. Simplicity is definitely beautiful to find in this age of overdone websites. 61pixels demonstrated an especially beautiful mix of image and texture.
One Page Love is an interesting site with a wonderful concept. Digital sprawl has reached the point that many sites have become difficult to navigate, I was glad to see focus on simplicity. The page for Javierandrés Mesa is especially well done. The texture is beautiful and the grungy look works very well.
Cool Websites was a well-done site that lives up to their promise. Their design is deceptively simple but proves that websites do not have to be overdone to look good. The use of reflections especially gave it a wonderful texture. My vote went to Big Spaceship. They have a great black and red design, nice typography and some beautiful 3D artwork on display.
Final Thoughts
My nearly completed website is a wonderful testament to what is, and all of the beautiful sites that I have reviewed show what can be. As my hard work begins to pay off, I see how the web can be used to translate imagination into reality. The human mind is a very powerful engine to create, communicate and enlighten. Imagination is the fuel that fires that engine.
Until next time, take care of yourselves, and one another.
Farley