Site.
http://oregonstate.edu/~nguyeale/AlexNguyenWebsite/
live sucka.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Site Critique // 1
http://www.vectorize.de/index_old.html
Navigation |
Relatively difficult. The site definitely is unconventional in its navigation. The main page has several different links that are placed in no particular hierarchy. Each link taking you to a different section or site entirely. The main site opens in a very small rectangular window and browsing through the work is really not fun. the preview for the images or works are sliver like and really don't make me want to explore the site more.The only visual cues that tell me to interact are the roll over texts.
Information Architecture |
The information in the site makes sense. As far as accessing it, it really isn't as straight forward as it could be. They have used sliver like graphics to represent each piece of work in the portfolio. The content is organized by category. Which is pretty easy to understand. The visual hierarchy used is only found through their use of color.
Usability |
The site has a moderate usability. I'd say once again, it is not clear, which is half of the problem this site faces. It's more of an annoyance. Compositionally the sliver like window is just not settling. I think the navigation really hinders the effectiveness of the information architecture. The metaphors especially don't work well. Sorry but this site doesn't sustain my interest.
Meaning-Making |
I don't think the designer was trying to create any sort of meaning in this site. It just seemed like they wanted to exhibit some of their design techniques. It seems like there might be too many ideas taking place at once. No use of metaphor. No narrative or story or event that unfolds over time.
Reflection of the User |
Like I said before, I was highly discouraged by the navigation and layout of the site, therefore I didn't want to explore the site more. I think the site makes you pay more attention to the design rather than the content. Especially since you can barely see the content.
Site Critique // 2
http://www.thedesignersrepublic.com/
Navigation |
Cake. There was no navigation needed! You aren't lead through the site at all. Its just one page with a box flashing images of their work repeatedly really fast. Seizure like. The only visual clues that tell you to interact are the roll overs, which indicate links to either their email or their archived work. As for visual metaphors, I don't think that they were trying to make any.
Information Architecture |
The information in the site is straight forward. It just comes right at you. All presented in a small area. Content access is simple because there are only 2 links. The organization is also simple. It has the "Like what you see? Well contact us and we'll talk" feel to it. No games, no fancy schamcy ornate things to distract you. The heirarchy is Brand, contact, work. I read the entire site in literally 2 seconds.
Usability |
I love this site for its ease of use. Maybe I'm one of those lazy people who don't like to think, or want any visual stimuli, but I feel like it achieves a great minimal quality to it. I can't say that it kept my interest for long, or was memorable. Mostly due to the fact it was a single color with only 1 flashing graphic element.
Meaning-Making|
I think the meaning behind this site reflects the interest of the group, and maybe their experience. There is no narrative, or story, and I think this plays into the point they wanted to get across. Which is that they are already established and have no need to have to try to win the viewer over.
Reflection of User |
I loved this site. Simple, straight forward, and minimal. The design alone, led me to click on their archived works link. The site definitely makes me pay attention to the content only, because there is nothing else to pay attention to. It's a interesting relationship design and content have in this scenario. You have a completely simple design, yet it is still beautiful, and does not take away from the content. I think this website is one of those extreme examples, where there is almost no design but yet it still looks great. The design is completely transparent. Oh and a plus is that it loaded the quickest out of all the sites I visited.
Site Critique // 3
http://www.happypets.ch/
Navigation |
Cake. Again like the last critique, this site is simple and straight forward. There is a drop down that lets you access all the contents of the site. Upon clicking on the gallery link, a new window opens up with the contents. The contents are as images in a list form with numbers at top to signify pages. The contacts link just pops up a little sticky note in the main window with the information. The cues are the common symbols that are universally known. No metaphors were used to move you through the site.
Information Architecture |
The great thing about this site is that the information is based mostly upon their gallery. It's a visual content experience. The content is accessed easily via the drop down menu and separate window that opens. Content looks to be organized chronologically, starting with the most recent to the oldest. No visual hierarchy, just the universal language of numbers.
Usability |
The site like the previous is simple to use. This one has a couple more links, but overall all information and content is accessed easily. With a site as simple as this one I think that navigation and information architecture are easy to deal with. They work in lieu with how much content there is, and how many categories they want to have. The site sustained my interest through its content. They were not emphasizing the importance of their site, but the quality of their real work.
Meaning-Making|
I think the meaning of this site is to emphasize the importance of their work rather than their website. The minimalist approach to the site directs all your attention towards the content rather than the design.
Reflection of User |
There is no reflection of me in this site other than my views on design. I explained in the last section how the site directs all my attention to their content rather than the design of their site. The site feels transparent in the fact that design almost doesn't exist. If their intentions for the site is what I explained I think that they achieved it well, and it makes complete sense.
Monday, November 17, 2008
WAIT!
DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN MY VIDEO. JUST KEEP SCROLLING PAST THIS POST...Well... now that I've watched it about 100 times all the way through I noticed some small things that bug me, that I would change if I were to work on it some more.
1: The lighting leaves a bad ring that is noticeable at the end of the sequence.
2: The bridge on the glasses has no shadow
3: Camera Pan on the 3rd illustration (keys/mountains) to the 4th (Voltaire #6) Isn't good enough.
4: I would have liked the perfume to be more visible
5: The Jason Schwartzman animation is weak on timing and effect.
6: The perfume puff lingers a bit longer than I'd like after the title fades away.
Call me bi-polar. Or sleep deprived.
I dont have screen shots of what I did, but I can definitely explain to you why I chose to do what I did for my title sequence.
Background information:
In my previous posts I posted my story board for the title sequence. For a long time I was stumped on how to morph shapes, which is my initial scene. But thanks to Krista and lynda.com I was able to figure it out and it was relatively smooth sailing from that moment on.
Apple Motion and I have grown in our relationship since the first time I started using he/she. I'm really getting the hang of the way the program will react to certain effects I try to get it to do. I also have a much greater understanding of the program and it's tools and features.
I actually began working on this 2-d, but being the spatial person that I am, I figured out how to use the 3-d space and from there it was just a matter of putting down my vision.
Concept:
If you didn't already know the concept for my title sequence was to use the symbols in the movie as key items in my piece. Each scene has an item that is of symbolic value. Peacock feathers, sunglasses, razor, keys, perfume.
Goal:
The main goal I had for myself was that I wanted to figure out how to effectively keep the viewer engaged visually, and that meant a dynamic composition that transitioned well. Which is why I emphasized so much on trying to unifying the pieces as a whole thebest that I could. (shapes merging into others).
Lighting/Camera:
The lighting/vignetting effect I chose to put in at the end. I kind of just stumbled upon the lighting effects and after seeing it with, I couldn't go back to plain even lighting.
Typeface:
As far as the typeface treatment. I didn't want to go for too much of a script font, but I was definitely not going for a sans serif. I felt that the movie has a majestic feel to it, and the "Eccentric" typeface sat well for me in the end.
Color:
The color palette was pretty much reserved to earth tones, and the peacock feathers. with the exceptions of black and white and shades of grey.
Conclusion:
Overall I am quite pleased with my end result. I think that it turned out relatively well considering I have never used apple motion before, let alone any apple software at all.
So here it is: Enjoy!
Click here
Background information:
In my previous posts I posted my story board for the title sequence. For a long time I was stumped on how to morph shapes, which is my initial scene. But thanks to Krista and lynda.com I was able to figure it out and it was relatively smooth sailing from that moment on.
Apple Motion and I have grown in our relationship since the first time I started using he/she. I'm really getting the hang of the way the program will react to certain effects I try to get it to do. I also have a much greater understanding of the program and it's tools and features.
I actually began working on this 2-d, but being the spatial person that I am, I figured out how to use the 3-d space and from there it was just a matter of putting down my vision.
Concept:
If you didn't already know the concept for my title sequence was to use the symbols in the movie as key items in my piece. Each scene has an item that is of symbolic value. Peacock feathers, sunglasses, razor, keys, perfume.
Goal:
The main goal I had for myself was that I wanted to figure out how to effectively keep the viewer engaged visually, and that meant a dynamic composition that transitioned well. Which is why I emphasized so much on trying to unifying the pieces as a whole thebest that I could. (shapes merging into others).
Lighting/Camera:
The lighting/vignetting effect I chose to put in at the end. I kind of just stumbled upon the lighting effects and after seeing it with, I couldn't go back to plain even lighting.
Typeface:
As far as the typeface treatment. I didn't want to go for too much of a script font, but I was definitely not going for a sans serif. I felt that the movie has a majestic feel to it, and the "Eccentric" typeface sat well for me in the end.
Color:
The color palette was pretty much reserved to earth tones, and the peacock feathers. with the exceptions of black and white and shades of grey.
Conclusion:
Overall I am quite pleased with my end result. I think that it turned out relatively well considering I have never used apple motion before, let alone any apple software at all.
So here it is: Enjoy!
Click here
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Incredibly busy.
But heres 2 story boards. I'm afraid the first one is too ambitious, but I'll attempt at them.
I understand its hard to see, but the first one is based more on the train, and the trains transitions/movements. The train masks text and reveals it as it moves. Abstract Peacock feathers may be used as texture in background. Feathers fall at the beginning to set the scene for the train to come blow them away. The text will be incorporated on the trains sides also.
Story board two, emphasizes more on the transitions. It highlights symbols that appear during the movie. Peacock feather, Glasses, Razor, Keys, belt, perfume. Each scene transitions into the other either by morphing into the next shape, or zooming in to the object and appearing as if you are going from one corridor into another. The text will be dynamically added by sliding in from different directions or creatively placed on the object itself.
Click to view it un-cropped
But heres 2 story boards. I'm afraid the first one is too ambitious, but I'll attempt at them.
I understand its hard to see, but the first one is based more on the train, and the trains transitions/movements. The train masks text and reveals it as it moves. Abstract Peacock feathers may be used as texture in background. Feathers fall at the beginning to set the scene for the train to come blow them away. The text will be incorporated on the trains sides also.
Story board two, emphasizes more on the transitions. It highlights symbols that appear during the movie. Peacock feather, Glasses, Razor, Keys, belt, perfume. Each scene transitions into the other either by morphing into the next shape, or zooming in to the object and appearing as if you are going from one corridor into another. The text will be dynamically added by sliding in from different directions or creatively placed on the object itself.
Click to view it un-cropped
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
