Visual Language Week 11

In class today we went over the basics of semiotics and the funcionality of the sign again. We also looked at the seven features of interactive web design, including: User centric design (UCD), simplicity, typography, white-space, layout, colour and conventions. Later on in the day we had a tutorial in how crap macs are and why i want them all to burn in mac hell…. cough, yeh, what i mean is we had a class in which we had to design a button in photoshop and none of the devil macs i used seemed to function… for some reason. so i haven’t actually gotten around to designing a button…. yeh! anti climactic!

 Afterwards we wrote a web critique on a web page of our choice, making reference to the interactive web design principles… this i HAVE done… on my perfectly fine WINDOWS computer. ;)

 

Web page Review

 

 

User Centric Design:

www.uci.ie is used to book movie tickets, watch movie trailers, read movie reviews and check up on available movie timetables. This websites audience would mainly consist of teenagers and young adults, the page allows for all types of user though. A user can quickly identify whatever it is they’re looking for, by quickly scanning through the webpage. The links are clear and to the point, allowing easy navigation throughout the website, Because of the simplicity of the design, and the uncluttered look of the page, it is difficult for a user to get lost while using this webpage.

Simplicity:

This website is well presented and very basically displayed, it provides quick effective information and doesn’t weigh itself down with unnecessary details. The colour is used effectively to direct the users vision, it identifies the borders and boundaries of the page and highlights the relevant information, and does not waste time with distracting items or images. The page contains very little non data ink, it’s relies on its content more than other unnecessary items.

Typography:

The website makes use of three type faces, all very similar, all quite clear, sans-serif fonts The larger bold fonts are used classically for the header, whilst the smaller fonts are used for the specific details, and for some of the less relevant links off the webpage. Web page makes use of an excellent user feature allowing the user to enlarge or decrease the entire webpage. Although one could do this on any webpage if they knew how, it just goes to show the sites mass usability for all levels of user.

White-Space:

There are clear margins and borders on display on this webpage. It makes great use of the white-space concept. There is generous and highly visible padding in between the sections of the webpage. To fully view the webpage the user must scroll down, the designers wisely decided not to sacrifice clear design and pleasant layout for a much more cramped look. The white-space is also employed to space out the text effectively, further clarifying the page.

Layout:

This webpage utilizes a classic design to quickly and clearly convey its message. It makes use of a header, footer and three columns. All of the very important details are in the central column, including movie times and a movie trailer application. The left column is used as the navigation bar, whilst the right column is used to book film times. The much smaller size of the two bordering columns helps indicate the greater importance of the central column, where most of the relevant content is on display

Colour:

The webpage makes good use out of a complimentary colour scheme, using yellow and blue, white is used as a third, neutral colour. Different shades of blue and yellow are used to highlight and refine the different sections of the page, light shades of yellow are used to gently highlight the movie information while darker shades of blue are used to increase the impact of the headings. Black is also used for the detail text, against the light yellows and stark white, the black is quite clear.

Conventions:

This site does make use of several conventional design ideas. Firstly the page utilizes the western left to right format. A user menu of links is visible in the left column; thus making this the main navbar with additional, more technical links being displayed atop the header. Hyperlinks within the page are clearly underlined, and any user can identify their purpose as links. Emphasized text is also used, the webpage uses bold text to highlight the importance of the “Book Now” feature. Another convention used is the user sign in bar just below the navbar in the left column, These features are universally recognised throughout the web.

Visual Language 10

Today in the lecture we looked at many amusing signs and such. We recapped on gestalt principles and we had a good auld look at semiotics. We later did another photo shop excercise, i chose the excellent Liam Neeson to immoratalise.  Btw he is awesome. Twice!

Oh Yeah!

Visual Language Week 9

I was in a team with Tanya, Jack and paul. and we presented our storyboards. We also learned about Gestalt principles. We then had a photoshop practical tutorial. It was good craic… i will abuse what i have learned today muhuhuhahahaha! We tried to make Louis walsh look good, and we did! however, he’s still a scumbag.

He’s So awesome… cough

Visual Language Week 8

This Week we teamed up in the freezing frosty ass cold, and we sculpted several wicker statues, to display our.. uh, artistic talents. We spent the whole day on it, but we got the job done!

Visual Language Week 7

Today we looked at Design principles; simplicity, emphasis, contrast, balance, space, unity, movement and porportion. We observed the golden rule of means. The golden ratio is 1.61. We then looked at the rule of thirds.

Visual Language Week 5

 

Bleedin MACS killem all

 

 

Today we looked at the many different digital filetypes there are. Such as Png, gif And jpeg.

 

We learned about still image files and vector image files, and we began to look at the different photo editing programs.

We later started a basic tutorial in photo shop… I had no idea what i was doing…. i hate macs! 

We tried out cropping tools, filters and other editing tool

Visual Language week 4

This week we visited the botanical gardens, and had to demonstrate our understanding of the different drawing techniques we’d studied the weeks before. First we had to sketch a contour of some subject, in my cas a tree. Then we had to do a blind contour, in this case a squirell. Third we had to do a negative space drawing of an object…. i foolishly chose to draw a monument, which ended up looking… questionable. Then we had to split a sheet into six sketches, where we’d stand in one point and draw what we saw from different directions. Lastly we had to sketch something with texture, in my case; a ragged leaf.

A tree

A tree which is upside down for some reason

 

Are you not amazed?

 

I didn't think this through...

 

Be impressed!

have some Texture

Visual Language week 3

Bleh!!!!!

This week in visual language we studied the colour spectrum, seeing which colours compliment each other naturally We learned about primary and secondary colours and how to design and use a colour wheel…. I completely understood   We then went on to demonsrtate our understanding of complimentry, analagous, triad and uh, the other one by painting pictures using each technique. voila!

Visual Language Week 2

 

I eat your soul!

BLEH!!!!

 

In the first part of visual language today, we took a look at what visual language is, and how it differs to art, where it applies to and how it assists us.

Then we learned about different styles of dot, line, contour, blind contour ,tonal and negative space excercises.

Visual language week 1

    This week, in visual language, we got an introduction to the VL module, and learned about some of the things we were studying. We were given an assignment to discuss something about ourselves, we were asked to describe ourselves and draw three pictures of  ourselves. we were then asked to pick one of the thumbnails and draw it out larger

 

 

Bleh!!!