Sunday, June 7, 2009

Week 3 - Web Creation

Evaluate 2 websites & List their addresses.

I actually evaluated the following three websites http://martinlutherking.org/, http://www.thekingcenter.org/Default.aspx, and http://www.wanderplanet.com/vacation-hawaii/hawaii-language.htm. Once you click on the link you just can’t help but run through it.

What criteria did you use to evaluate?
I used the Kirk's list of criteria to evaluate the websites.

Will you be more critical of websites you look at in the future with regards to the information they contain?
I think I will be more critical to website that matter most to be or that I need to spend some time using, but other websites I probably will subconsciously I will be asking myself different question wondering why

How will this information apply to your website project you will be creating?
I have the upper hand because I know the basics to create a good website. I just have to follow the rules.


Create a an outline or flowchart to lay out what information you will include on your website. Each main item will be detailed on its on page. The navigation design should be made with the intention of allowing the viewer to flow through your website with ease and should represent the sites personality whether it is business, casual, or technical. Adding either internal, connect to another part of your site or external, connects to someone else’s sites links is common but should be used sporadically to avoid overwhelming the viewer. Frames are another form of navigating through a website but appears to be frowned on. I would have to say autobiography websites are a great place to for frames. Links should only be used when worthwhile, not just because, and should be tested to confirm they work. It mentions reading text on the monitor is more tedious than reading it on a page. I believe this is true. I often find myself wasting ink printing stuff out to avoid looking at the monitor. It’s something about the screen that makes all the words merge together. All information listed was of great use.

Chapter 8 advised on numerous pointers on what a good and bad website looks like. Everything put in a website should be taken into consideration as to what the viewer will see. Font size, style, and color are very important. A website with the font in all caps, color without enough contrast, and line breaks are not acceptable. Working links, roaming frames, and not enough space can through the entire website off. Page size of 800x600 pixels, repetition, and appeal are very important.

It’s truly interesting to see the various ways websites are set up. I would think before actually launching ones website they would do several test runs and get some opinions before the targeted viewers have the chance to see it.

Compare & Contrast Web Pages- Week 6

I'm finished with my web design project!!! It was a long week.

I spent three days in the hospital with my daugther. They thought it was her appendix. Thank God it was 'only' a injection. A big difference that why I said only. I come home to wake up the next morning to find out my father was in the hospital. he hadn't come home and now I get a phone call about his situation. So now I'm off to NY. He couldn't come back home with me but that was ok. My brothers and sisters are checking on him. No sleep no time to work but I did it. It's done!



There are several main differences in the creating a web page in Front page and Webnode. I found Front page allowed you to be freer in what you add to your page. I was able to create buttons and apply them as my own navigation bar and apply a photomontage.. Wednode basically has there own formats that for the most part must be followed. Wednode automatically links the pages as they are added, whereas Front page you manually had to link the pages. Front page requires tables to add images, whereas Webnode did not require me to add a table. Instead of having three pictures side by side on my homepage I had to use one as an icon on the page. I was stuck with limited font size.

Comparing the two they both revealed the same effect. I can continue to make changes and add to my website on both applications. I believe my mother would come to tears if she saw her page. I also believe I will take the time to add more to her website. After all is it out there for all to see.

As long as you know what you are doing either software would serve great in accomplishing some ones final goal. It did mines. Preferably, I enjoyed and felt in control using Front page.

My webpage is http://yalondas-journey.webnode.com/.

I am thank-full I do not have to turn in the paperwork on my webpages. I wrote all over the page I would of had to choice but to redone my sketches. That's a lot of work to do.

Personal HMTL website - Week 5

The title of my web page is Yalonda's Breast Cancer Journey. The title bascially explains the content. It summeries her journey with breast cancer. The majority of my images are from personal family archives. Most of which had to be scanned and a few were taken from my digital camera. One image was taken from Ask.com's Web Clip Art, http://webclipart.about.com/od/ribbonclip/l/blbc7.htm. I have to admit this was not an easy task choosing archived pictures to use for my website. I will be using front page as my HTML editor.

Concept Paper Questions:

The information I am trying to communicate through my website is my mothers journey with breast cancer. Like most it was unexpected. A big surprise! She adapted to the situation, did not complain, and made the best of her situation. She put he faith in God.
And he was her rock.

I would just like my website to look nice. Not fancy but nice. Something I can potentially build on later.

My text will include information on my mother before the cancer showed it’s ugly head, treatment for the cancer, and her life afterwards.

The link’s I will be including in my website are information links regarding the flow of detection, treatment, general information, and how to be active in the cause.

My pictures include images of my mother before and after cancer.

My color scheme will play on the breast cancer theme. Pink and white with some black.

My inspiration is my mother. She is my hero. Watching her go through all she did with out any complains was inspiring. She is a strong woman. I pray If I ever have to endure all she has that I can be that strong. I love my mother and this is one way I can show her that she is always in my heart and mind.

Week 4 - What about web designs?

Computers and software have enabled individuals to become one-man or one-woman businesses out of their homes. This is also true with website design; anyone with a computer can create a website.
Is this always a good thing?

· Yes it is a very good thing.
What are some of the advantages to creating your own website rather than hiring someone else to create it?
· The advantages are the very simple. You are able to bring to life your ideas and your vision. Someone else creating your website in unable to totally see your view even after explaining it in grave detail. Someone else will create the website the way they believe it should look while incorporating your ideas. Also, your not paying someone to create the website for you.
What are some of the drawbacks?
· Drawbacks would include overlooked something or leaving items that are incorrect in content and design.
What is the difference between Usability and Accessibility and why are they important?
· Usability is being able to navigate through a website with ease. No one will use your website if they difficulty using your website. It is frustrating and annoying.
· Accessibility is anyone being able to access and use the website regardless of impairment or disability. Because the world consists of a significant proportion of people using the web who have one kind of disability or another they require certain functions to be able to access your website. If your website does not have the accessibility functions then shame on you and viewer will move on to an accessable website.

Chapter 3 & 4 both reiterated what was taught in class, by Professor Michele on about how to create a web page using Front Page 2003.
Chapter 3 advises you on what Web pages really are and what you should and should not do with additions to the web pages. Basically they are HTML code translated into a picture and text for the world to view. Some web authorizing software programs allow you to manually update the HMTL code others do not. Formatting the text with various font styles, font sizes, alignment arrangements, and how to create a space between lines, paragraph, or not with breaks. When changing the color of the font and or the background once must make sure it does not make the text difficult to read. This is a major turn off. Links are included for various reasons. E-mail links should be spelled out to avoid any confusion and allow the view to make note of the e-mail address without clicking on the link. Internal and external links are self-explanatory. Internal links must be created within the website, while the exact URL must be know to reference external links. Graphics, tables, and frames can all be headaches to create and add to a page but used correctly they can add style to a web page.

Chapter 4 advises you step by step on what should be done in preparation of creating a website. Organize all files with folders and subfolders for easy access and storage. Correctly name all files with lower case letters, without special characters with the few exception of the underscore and period, no spaces, saving the file with the proper htm or html ending, naming graphics and using the correct extension, and keeping the file name as short as possible. Saving the title page, the name in which people will see. Finding a server that best suits your needs, the various but very answers to the questions that should be asked, and retaining a domain name either by allowing the server to provide one to you or taking the steps to own your name. After all that, that hard part begins. Creating a website is normally done for one specific reason either personal or business and will target a specific audience. Your ideas should be spelled out in an outline and all content materials such as photographs should be collected, saved at a higher resolution and filed.
If these simple instructions are followed then it will assist in creating your website a little easier.

Please stop with the Resolution!

To begin I believe it is not a good idea to attach a photo without making changes. The picture should be cropped cutting out unnecessary background images creating a better looking picture. The picture should be more than likely saved as a JPEG file for a smaller size and better quality. Getting the correct monitor resolution matters because it effect’s the way images are viewed. Setting the picture to minimal 72 ppi makes the picture look better. Size and Compression assist in determining the speed of download time.
First, I have to admit this reading took a lot out of me. The more I read the more things rambled on. It felt like a read the same thing over and over. Maybe because I was a little tired but it seemed like reading about resolution and pixel sizes was none stop but scanners was just enough.
Reading about how scanners actually work was something I would have never done if it had not been for this class. It's like I know how to scan and that's all I need to know. The mechanics behind it just doesn't matter, but if I were a person into inventions the material would be of great value. I started thinking about what I could do to invent a new and improved scanner but then I had to focus.
Web images you have to consider that everyone does not have a big monitor, therefore using a lower resolution (i.e. 640x480 or 800x600 pixels for the average 14 inch monitor) would be best. For some reason I think I’m getting this mixed up but time will tell. The bigger the picture the longer it takes for PC to download it.
Images for the web can be tricky. You have to know what to do and what not to do. Saving in the correct format such as JPEG, files sizing and resolution are big factors between viewing good and bad images. I touched on colors and in week ones blog.
To sum it up readability vs legibility are also big key players on the web. Creating a masterpiece is fulfilling but having the word view that masterpiece through your eyes mean limits. You have to remember everyone doesn’t share the same fonts, sizes, and styles.
Working with Photoshop element software is something I look forward to doing more of. There are so many fetchers I only thought professional photographers could offer. I’m exited, in my down time, I’ll actually be able to sit down and create some unique photo’s to build albums for my family.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Reflection - Week 1 Assignment

The following questions must be answered to complete
What did you learn about graphic design and how does graphic design play a role in our daily lives and activities in both the print and web?
I learned that both graphic design and print are big businesses and can be time consuming. Both are created to grab, draw, and hold the attention of the viewer. Every print and page is created for a purpose and not just for show. Both are everywhere and interacts with us in everything we do from cooking instructions, to academics, to games.
What is your understanding of designing for the web vs designing for print.
My understanding of designing for the web vs designing for print is based on need, taste, and budget. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Designing for the web is considered easier and cost effective. Web allows the use of millions of colors through RGB color scheme. Changes can be done at any time and any place. The cost is very inexpensive and the space in unlimited.
Once the final piece is viewed it could possibly be seen different than how the designer designed it.
Designing for print is considered hard, not location friendly, and expensive. Print allowed limited options for color using the CMYK color scheme. The available space for design is limited. Your final design must be 150% perfect before print. If not the cost to re-work and reprint is costly. After print is the distribution. Once distributed that print cannot be returned for corrections. Any corrections require a reprint and re-distribution. Depending on the target group print may be the way to go. Everyone does not have a computer.


In the back of my mind while looking at advertisements I wondered what was the rhyme and reason behind it. While logging onto websites I wondered why pages took so long to load, or how much time was put into the page to make it look the way it did, and how I could make my own page.
I taught myself everything I know about computers. I knew the ‘logical’ meaning to the various computer terminologies, but after looking up the actual definition some things are slightly clearer. The one thing that stands out the most with the reading was how to exclude items during a web search.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Test - Blog Week #1

Testing blog from class