Testing the site

I have just tested my website using four different browsers; Safari, Firefox, Explorer and Google Chrome. Everything looked fine except that I found a missing link on the Two Worlds page. It will be simple to fix and now that I know how to connect to the remote server and update files using CS4, I can do it from home.  Feeling a lot more positive about my online portfolio since I had a day off.

Final layouts

I have adjusted the line spacing in the description text slightly so that it is easier to read. I also have considered changing the spacing around the image - but have decided I really like the overall feel of the page with so much white space. This way the colour can act as an accent or focal point of the page and hopefully draw in the viewer.

Exhibitions & Media button

I have created links from all of the description titles which adds just the right amount of interest and colour to the page layout. 

Here I have resorted to changing the text for the exhibitions & media button to an image in order for both words to change colour and once. I found this impossible to achieve through the use of the css style sheet due to formatting. I think it will be easier to navigate this page having made the above changes.

Project menu layout

I have moved the project descriptions closer to the buttons and experimented with some colour. I think it is a bit much, especially once you hover over a description title which is now a link.  This mood is just a tiny bit too playful for me.

Feedback from presentation

My original layout for about page placed the image at the bottom. From the feedback at presentation I have been playing with swapping the image and text to stay in line with the work pages. I'm not sure what I prefer. 

I'm going to leave it like this for a few days and see what I think. Is the image too heavy to sit at the top of the page? 

Possible Homepage

This has to be the prettiest page I've made so far - should this actually be my homepage? I will make a separate homepage with birds illustration and see how the easy (or difficult) it is to navigate around the site.

Scroll bars and div tags

These are a couple of the scroll bar images I have made and they look quite good on live view.  I've learnt much about div tags through this process. For example if you "save page as" to create a new page but you need different shaped div tags you need to create new ones, because when you change the size of a div tag throughout css it will change the div tag styles on other pages too!  I only found this out through trial and error...what a mess.

Div tags and rollover thumbnail gallery.

I was very pleased with this attempt at creating a rollover thumbnail gallery. As a collection of images they work very well, so I think the rollover gallery is working for these images - but will have to check the suitability of other collections before creating one for every project.

I will not let this beat me!

Oh dear, what has my life become? I used all of my strength tonight to make a div layout for one page. I hope it works and then I can use it as a template. If not I guess I'm back to the drawing board.

To make this layout, I consulted the websites I've been looking at recently and also my own sketches and site map.

Style & Mood

http://jodyroberts.co.uk/

I like the style of Jody's website, as it is simple and easy to navigate. Ritsuko's website below has more personality due to the lovely illustration on the homepage which is something I would like to acheive. In terms of font, I prefer something easier to read such as the font Jody has chosen over Ritsuko's handwriting.  

http://www.ritsukohirai.com/Ritsuko_Hirai/Ritsuko_Hirai.html

I don't mind the handwritten header when it's combined with other typed text. The layout of Ritsuko's portfolio pages is fantastic. I love that you can clearly see the link between the inspiration and the garment. This is a style I would definitely like to try. 

The mood created by the photographs is quite soft and serene. I like that the background for these end-use photos is not stark white. It adds to the ambience. 

Style & Mood

The contrast between the dark background and brightly coloured fabrics creates a focal point for this page. It would be really difficult to get lost. The black background is almost like a stage and the textiles are the star of the show. I find his style quite theatrical and eyecatching.

Sitemaps

I found this exercise really difficult. It took two hours for me to get my sitemap right with all the connections and then I realised I had actually left out a whole project. I think the overall naviagtion is okay as you can easily get back to the homepage from anywhere. 

Buttons for Homepage

This seemed like a good idea at the time, but is visually too busy. If I want to use imagery for buttons perhaps choose a pencil motif or just take a piece of coloured texture from one of the images as a background. Also the imagery needs to relate to the topic of the page the button is navigating to - or they all need to be the same so as not to confuse people.

Homepage Composition

I put this composition together for an illustration page, but think it could possibly be the startings of a homepage.

Graphic Affair, Auckland

This website, although very interesting to look out was harder to navigate due to having to hover over the subheadings to click to a new page.

Helena Gavshon, London

The strong background colour draws the eye towards the central images. Written profile is great - brief and to the point.

Alexander Rose, Wellington

This website really showcases what they can do and highlights their most important work to date.

Abigail Brown UK

Simplistic, sophisticated and beautiful.

Genevieve Packer

First page has impact and the website is easy to navigate around.

Amy Van Luijk

The simple layout of this page is eye-catching and showcases Amy's illustrative style. I like how her work is visible on the first page.