Web Page Front Page Design

I quickly did a design on Photoshop to show a rough idea of what I intend to create for the main page.
For the background I took a photo of the hardwood floor in my kitchen and created a negative and lightened the opacity.
I then got 4 images from google to show each of the pages that these images will navigate to (although they may not necessarily go in this order).

Starfish: "what the epidemic is"
Rubbish: map of different beaches in Wellington
Shell: "latest fashion trend" (to continue the vogue theme. This will lead to a page with models lying down covered in trash)
Tampon: How we can prevent this issue - this includes personal ways that we can prevent trash on the beach as well as details on the beach clean up day.

FINAL

Final image work in progress

I merged Phoebes idea with mine to make it similar to a Vogue cover photo. I also added her idea of the mesh over the face.
I felt the image was too simple with the model straight in the center (we removed the text that would normally surround the model as this is meant to be a poster so we wanted it simpler).
So I gave her a shaul with sea weed and gunk all over her and stretching off the page, taking up the poster and adding an interesting twist to the image.
I also changed the background colour because grey looked too 2 dimensional, so I added a gradient with a sand colour underneath to maintain the hint of a dirty polluted beach. Also, I wanted to use this colour for our website too. 

Workbook 22/09/2015

For homework we were to analyze websites such as NZ Opera and 350.org and dissect their style and why certain aspects were necessary.

I liked the NZ Opera website because it is simple, clean and is aesthetically pleasing because the image takes up majority of the page and the information is framed around it, with the information tabs along the top making the information easily accessible.

NZ Opera

350.org was more information based (below). The white title on the dark background stood out, but it was a lot more information based and packed with a lot of information which none particulary stood out to me since there was so much, and there was no focal point for me to solely focus on in order for me to understand what the theme was. 

350.org

Below are some design ideas for the website.
For the main page, I like the idea of lining up 4 items; a starfish, a shell, a piece of trash and some grains of sand, all laid out on a hardwood floor with the vibrancy taken down so that the color of the wooden floor will still have a grey tinge like the background of our poster while still maintaining a "sand" like tinge.
Also, when the cursor hovers over the 4 items, they will light up and be clickable;
The starfish will direct the viewer to information about the epidemic and why this is an issue.
The shell will have a link to "fashion statements", which will link to a page of clothing with trash all over it. This will be because we want to show the viewer that if they do not address the issue soon, we will end up working AROUND the problem and find ways to make it seem as though it is less of epidemic. This is also continuing the Vogue theme. This page will probably have a model lying along the beach wearing "summer" clothes, but instead of putting it along the bottom it will be placed along the side - "vertical" theme.

Design ideas

Below is possible layouts for my website. Keys will be along the bottom also (i.e: about, news, map, etc). 

Week 3 Session 2

Today in class we begun with a lecture where we were shown examples of transmedia and various examples.
Always consider the visual hierarchy; "what interested me enough to keep me here?", what feeling is this website creating?

In the second half of class we were taught how to use InVision, a website simulator for designers. Along the bottom are some notes taken on how to use the software.

Photo of my notes from both lectures

Workbook: Critiques

For poster 1 ("One mans trash is another kids treasure"), it was suggested I expand on the idea of rubbish and the beach/sand and have a sand castle decorated with rubbish. I should also change the font to something more playful and simple, as the demographic is parents with children so it should appeal to adults, but catch the eye of children. I was also advised to take a photo of a beach and use that instead to experiment with mixed media, but it must be a photo of a New Zealand beach (not restricted to the Wellington region).

For poster number 2 ("The latest fashion trend") which is also the idea that Phoebe and I want to use for our final, we were told to combine both our poster designs. 

Phoebe created a magazine-style poster based around Vogue magazine with a photographic style, and I created a more illustrative poster using vectors. I will transfer my model onto Phoebe’s background of Vogue, and we simplify the poster by removing the text that was crowded around her model to “VOGUE – the latest fashion trend?” and then have the details of the beach cleanup day written in white to separate from the call to action. This will subconsciously cause the viewer to create a separation between the two pieces of information.
We changed the tag line to a question as this is the call to action.
The image will be using a summer beach theme instead of a grotty winter beach type image as we are playing on imagery and want to make our poster seem glamorous and stand out to the viewer – we are trying to express that pollution will soon be glamorised in order for the issue to seem like less than a problem than it actually is; it’s showing the possibility that we will end up working WITH the issue instead of ADDRESSING the issue.

Note: need to consider font styles.

Workbook: Poster Design no. 1 further development.

For our critiques, I was told it was a good image/idea, but continue with the beach idea by having the model in a bikini.

Note: I may also add the beach in the background to make it seem as if she's actually on the beach trying to make a statement.

Workbook: Poster Idea no. 3

This was a quick mockup sketch I did because I liked the idea behind it (colours arent the best...)

I merged a dirty jandal (one belongs on the land/our feet) with a bright gold fish (the other belongs in the sea) to show the contrast between the two - merging these two objects together can appear that the litter on our beaches is developing into more of a problem than we thought.

I considered a tag line (certainly not in this font) that says "one belongs on the land, one belongs in the sea, keep them separate, don't litter" and then the details of the beach clean up

I don't think I will continue with this idea however.

Workbook: Poster Idea Design no. 2

I like the idea of using a sand bucket with trash on top of it, as this can appeal to children and adults. I will use bright colours to capture the audiences attention, but keep the trash bucket grey (more detail to come), as it resembles a trash can.

Further development on can, considering changing the tag line, but happy with the overall image. Considering changing the trash can color or shifting the text lower as there is not much of a differentiation between the two. OR changing the color of the text may also work.
I feel a frame on the picture always looks professional, however may not be needed for this poster.

18/09/2015

I have put further development into my poster (below). I didn't like how strong the border was, even though it was quite thin, the black did not contrast well as nothing else in the image was straight black, so I decided to change it to white as there is less of a clash to the image.

I also removed the vector ovals on the trash bin because they looked too tacky -- it made the trash can look too 2 dimensional, so instead I used the burn tool to shade certain areas such as the bin and the trash on the sand - this made the image look slightly more 3 dimensional while still maintaining a simple child-like theme to the poster.

I'm not sure whether or not I want to use stock images in the background beneath the vectors (i.e: water stock image in the sea and sand stock image beneath the sand vector) to make the image seem more realistic -- it doesn't take away from the childlike theme, but seems to be quite over powering. I intend to develop on this in future and search for other options. Perhaps using a different, lighter stock image (as seen in bottom right) to compliment the white border? 

Week 2 Session 2

Today Phoebe and I had critiques, and most of them were positive. 

The comments essentially said they look amazing, though needs more of a link to the beach. The context could be introduced via tag line. We were also told to keep playing on pastiche and detail making sure that the beaches are present. 

Photo of the critiques written down

Workbook: Poster Design 1 & 2 (W.I.P)

Poster design I did in Photoshop regarding the pollution in our beaches.
"Don't make this the next fashion statement", with a trash bag over the woman's head instead of a swimming cap.
I especially like this idea as it's glamorous, however after further development I will put more crap on her face i.e: plasters, cans, oil etc.
I like the idea of using turquoise as its a bright color which also relates to the beach/water.

Phoebe made the suggestion that instead we make the poster look like a magazine cover, and instead of a shower cap, we make the idea a Latin-american fruit head dress except the fruit would be replaced with garbage such as tampons, plasters, apple cores, chewed pineapple slices etc..
I like this idea because it also has a tropical theme and an upbeat attitude while still expressing the idea we want. It'll capture the audiences attention while still seeming glamorous.

Image design 2, reference images below.

Week 2 Session 1

Today in class we were asked to list a bunch of words on the white board under the head topics:

Topic, Audience, Tandibles Context, Tangibles Cont., Themes/symbols/metaphor, Cleaning, Ecology and Visual Styles.
Using these key terms we were asked to create some thumbnail poster designs as possible concepts for posters.

These were some of the designs I created. Lee mostly appreciated the Black starfish, and so Phoebe and I decided to do a poster design based on this concept. 

Workbook: Concept Sketches

Some idea's for a poster design for Save our Beach

I like the idea of putting the beach in a trash bag as this is a simplified idea.
Also, the drawing of a girl wearing a trash bag on her head with the phrase "don't make this the next fashion statement" would be a good simplified idea also

Workbook: Mood Boards

2 mood boards I created - one emphaises blues and how calming the use of blue, white and turquoise is while the second one reflects a more summer fun mood using more oranges, yellows and greens. However inboth images it is apparent that the use of blue and light brown reflect more than one theme at the beach (i.e: blue is the ocean, sky while light brown is sand or picnic baskets) so I may use these colours for future reference.

Week 1 Session 2

 Fig 1. Koha is the idea of gift giving, reciprocation and exchange. We must consider how art contributes to wider community networks.
I also took notes on trans media story telling and ethics

Fig 1. 

Fig 2. are notes on the actual assignment. Phoebe and I decided to do the assignment on Clean our Coastline. In the centre block I took notes on how we should use a video/image of the worst beach in New Zealand, as a visual example of the dilemma, on our website to grab the viewers attention.

I also wrote that in order for this poster to work, it needs to be a communal activity as it cannot just be solved by a small group of people. As a result we need to make this appeal to a wide range of people. However, we mostly want to larger people within the ages of 18 and 25 as these are the people who normally go to beaches to have picnics, drink beersies or simple get together in the sun -- they're the ones that normally consume packaged foods as well. We need to let this age group know that their actions may seem small at the time but it contributes to a huge dilemma -- we need to make not littering and staying tidy kiwis seem fun.

A second possible demographic could be parents with their kids who take them to play on the playgrounds by beaches.

We want to make the overall tone of the poster seem fun instead of sinister as scaring people into littering seems unrealistic. We want to make it YOUR beach day

Fig. 2

Fig. 3 is a Project Plan we had to fill out to show we know we know what we are being expected to do by our employer.

For Contextual Tangibles / Intangibles, I considered how colour can affect the brain subconsciously. For example, red is commonly used in Chinese restaurants because it causes hunger, and is also a striking colour that captures the viewers attention.
Phoebe and I decided to use the colour blue as it is a calming colour, and it could be used to represent the ocean and the sky on a sunny day. Since the brain makes these connections subconsciously this means the images will stick with the viewer for a long amount of time because the blue sky reminds them of day time so they feel calm in the back of their minds.

Fig. 3

Week 1 Session 2

Today in class we were asked to review Simpsons profiles and create posters that cater to the needs of the demographic. My partner and I chose Bart Simpson and created a poster with Radioactive man with the face left blank with the phrase "This could be YOU".
We chose to present the poster like this because Bart is a self absorbed tween who prefers to not follow by the rules but rather cater to his own. Through this information, we gathered that if he is self absorbed he would only want to participate in an event if there was something in it for him, so using one of his personal heroes on a poster that says "this could be YOU" (emphasis on 'you' for attention) could draw him in. Also, brighter more simpler designs would appeal to a younger simpler mind.