Click on any of the headings below to view examples of that specific media page.

world Web designers use a variety of different tools depending on what part of the production process they are involved in. These tools are updated over time by newer standards and software but the principles behind them remain the same. Web graphic designers use vector and raster graphics packages to create web-formatted imagery or design prototypes. Technologies used to create websites include standardized mark-up, which can be hand-coded or generated by WYSIWYG editing software. There is also proprietary software based on plug-ins that bypasses the client’s browser versions. These are often WYSIWYG but with the option of using the software’s scripting language. Search engine optimization tools may be used to check search engine ranking and suggest improvements.

Please click on the following link to view a selection of website designs: WEB DESIGN

My own preferred proprietary web development tool is Adobe’s “Deamweaver.” a web design and development application that provides a visual WYSIWYG editor (colloquially referred to as the Design view), and a code editor with standard features such as syntax highlighting, code completion, and code collapsing as well as more sophisticated features such as real-time syntax checking and code introspection for generating code hints to assist the user in writing code. The Design view facilitates rapid layout design and code generation as it allows users to create and manipulate the layout of HTML elements. Dreamweaver also comfortably accommodates other web technologies such as CSS, JavaScript, and PHP, all of which commonly feature in many websites that I design.



Rose Budd logo

My featured websitre design is the independent florist "Rose Budd's Floral," which is located in a small communal town on the outskirts of the city "Buffalo" in WNY. A relatively new establishment, which was formed three years ago, whose proprietor "Rose Budd," wishes to broaden her business potential and expand her customer reach.

One plausible way to expand her business potential would be to give the business a web presence that will increase its identity within the locality with the potential for broadening its customer base. The business does not have any web presence at the present, so Rose has agreed on the initial creation of a small web site that will include limited detail about the company, and include an about page, a photograph gallery of some of her products/services, and a possible contact page. Should a web presence achieve the desired effect of increasing customer interest and sales, then a larger web site that will include a broader cover of services and products in the form of photo galleries/slideshows, and a secure payment method online, along with a customer database will be considered at a later date.For a complete break-down of the web site concept and development, please click on the following link Rose Budd Floral Documentation.

(To view the web site, please click on the above logo image).

graphic design decal

    Graphic design, also known as communication design, is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. The form of the communication can be physical or virtual, and may include images, words, or graphic forms. The experience can take place in an instant or over a long period of time. The work can happen at any scale, from the design of a single postage stamp to a national postal signage system, or from a company’s digital avatar to the sprawling and interlinked digital and physical content of an international newspaper. It can also be for any purpose, whether commercial, educational, cultural, or political.

    My most recent experiences in graphic design was during my previous study for my degree in web design and interactive media. Various subject matter bridged simple illustrations in Adobe Illustrator, to 3D effects in Adobe Director. The examples below are two early designs from my introductory “Fundamentals of Design” class, created in Adobe Illustrator.

    Design 1: “Create a element group using 2-4 black and/or white circles of the same size and no stroke. Then, duplicate the form group 2-4 more times, utilizing translation, rotation, and/or reflection to create a black and white design. Experiment with different form groups and layouts to generate a visually appealing composition that is unified. Unified in this instance means the elements you have assembled will look as one larger unit.Remember that the negative space is as visually important as the positive. Finally define the composition space with a border.”


    The following circles design is my interpretation of the above design proposal that satisfactorily met all the defined requirements.

    FD Circles design

    Design 2:

    Submit a written proposal for your final project. Your proposal should explain the message or theme of your design, and its intended audience. It should also explain how you will use the elements of visual design to achieve these design goals. The proposal will serve as a written plan for the execution of your design.

    Final Project-Proposal.

    The statement “form follows function” simply indicates the linear progression of the design process. The function of a design needs to be established first, so that the form can then be fully considered. Also, the function of a design is a solution to a specific problem. The problem that I have recognized is the issues of cost-effective residence, durability of material, and aesthetic quality of standardized design. The common shape of a home is the rectangle, and rectangles within rectangles. While this is a tried and tested shape that has stood the course of time, I believe it is time for a change in shape, and time to think outside the box.

    Solution

    I propose to submit a design of a new concept in building blocks. As the name suggests, my target audience will be architectural, building industry, and all general new (or returning) home owners. I will not be the manufacturer, just the designer. It is commonly said in design conversation that form follows function. This means that the form of a design, or its outward appearance, should be created in service to its function. The function of a design should define its form. The building blocks will not be the traditional rectangular shape or size. They will be pre-manufactured, full sized-room hexagon building blocks. They will be part of a set and will come complete with door (external/internal), and/or window frames (depending on size, position within home, and design requirements). The material for these blocks will be a strong, fire and weather resistant, reusable material, sizes are likely to be standardized, base and roof will be transferable (multifunctional - one size fits all). Each completed home can either be uniform, or take on a unique shape and size within the hexagon building framework (one/two or more levels).

    Creativity remains at the heart of design and the content, meaning, form, and message are a source of inspiration for the designer. Each message becomes the starting point for a new exploration in creativity. The visual elements will be predominately graphic with the obvious "hexagon" element with the look of 3D volume and depth. However, balance may also come in the form of visual scenery (the physical surroundings), placement of other architectural or sculptured designs in a park-like, town, forest or marina area. Harmony with colors and overall geometric rhythm will be a main source of visual communication. The idea is to create a desire and a need. To show a solid foundation, strength and aesthetic qualities.

    The challenges I foresee will be, the design, gaining a visual desire, the viability in physical construction, costing, logistics, and basically, getting people to think outside the box and live inside a hexagon.

    Initial examples of building block design.

    hex design 1hex design 2

    Final Design

    hex final draft


    Please click on the following link to view a selection of graphic design media: GRAPHIC DESIGN

School scholar

    A learning management system (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of electronic educational technology (also called e-learning) education courses or training programs. Conceptually, e-learning is broadly synonymous with instructional technology, information and communication technology (ICT) in education, EdTech, learning technology, multimedia learning, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), computer-based instruction (CBI), computer managed instruction, computer-based training (CBT), computer-assisted instruction or computer-aided instruction (CAI), internet-based training (IBT), flexible learning, web-based training (WBT), online education, virtual education, virtual learning environments (VLE) (which are also called learning platforms), m-learning, and digital education.

    These alternative terms are all linguistically more restrictive than "educational technology" in that they refer to the use of modern tools, such as computers, digital technology, electronic media, networked digital devices and associated software and courseware with learning scenarios, worksheets and interactive exercises that facilitate learning.

    Please click down on the "school robot" character to the left to view the pre-schooler's "School Scholar Robot" eLearning tool for pre-schooler's and parents. Alternatively click on the following link to view a further selection of eLearning media: eLEARNING


raptor

    A former Air Force photographer, photography has been both a passion and predominant tool in my arsenal of creative talents. The transformation from traditional film photography to digital photography was a seamless one for me especially with my preference for using photoshop over several arduous hours in the darkroom.

    Digital photography has many advantages over traditional film photography. Digital photos are convenient, allow you to see the results instantly, don't require the costs of film and developing, and are suitable for software editing and uploading to the Internet.

    There are also many additional features available on digital cameras, including image stabilization, on-board image editing, color correction functions, auto-bracketing and burst modes. A lot of these can be handled by image editing software, and so they can be unnecessary (and often inferior) when built into a camera. Burst mode, macro mode and image stabilization are probably the most useful extra features. The basic attribute of a digital camera that determines image quality is its megapixel rating. This number refers to the amount of information that the camera sensor can capture in a single photograph. Cameras with high megapixel ratings take larger pictures with more detail.

    The window to the heavens where raptors glide

    Please click on the following link to view a selection of photographic media: PHOTOGRAPHY

clapperboard

    Videography, a term first phrased by Bob Kiger in an article in the 1972 edition of ”American Cinematographer.” The name originates from its Latin meaning of “video” (I see), and combines it with the Greek terminal ending “graph” (to write). By today’s standards, videography includes video production and post-production (editing), currently using electronic media rather than it’s former film stock (cinematography) material. The advent of digital imaging in the late 20th century began to blur the distinction between videography and cinematography. The arrival of computers and the Internet created a global environment where videography covered many more fields than just shooting video with a camera, including digital animation (such as Flash), gaming, web streaming, video blogging, still slideshows, remote sensing, spatial imaging, medical imaging, security camera imaging, and in general the production of most bitmap- and vector-based assets.

    My initial interest in videography began in the very late 90’s, with the purchase of a Hi8 digital video camera. Editing was a slow and laborious procedure with my use of a low-end analog editing box, where cuts between scenes were as accurate as 4 seconds delay. My editing skills were greatly enhanced with the purchase of my first iMac G3 in 1999, and it’s inclusion of iMovie’s linear editing software. To me this was the same transformation experience as my movement from traditional film photography to digital, and its use of photoshop editing software over film/print processing chemistry in the darkroom. From iMovie linear editing software I moved up to Apple's "Final Cut Pro," and Adobe's "Premiere Pro."

    The short movie on the left is a collection of clips taken at various events, taken with a standard definition (SD) video camera.For a selection of more current video media, please click on the following link: VIDEO

    Even without the audible aid of a cello, this Steven Spielberg film requires little introduction. This movie is the original 1975 classic "Jaws." The first and best of a 3 sequel movie about a great white shark with an insatiable appetite for human prey.

    The opening of the movie takes place on a small island community of Amity, and we begin with a young female swimmer enjoying an early evening swim in the ocean, not far from the coastline. This is where we are first introduced to the shark, swimming below the surface and hunting for a meal. The young swimmers splashing sounds catch the attention of the shark, and the swimmer becomes the first of many victims to this gigantic great white shark.

    The animated events start with the letter "A" taking on the appearance of the shark's dorsal fin prowling the ocean close to the coastal island of Amity (frame 1). The next frame shows the young female swimmer (the letter S) splashing around near the coast. Frame 3 and the shark (letters A and W) has its victim (S) in its sights, and is coming in for the kill. Frame 4 has the victim firmly in the grip of the sharks teeth (letter W). Frame 5 shows the whole shark made up from the letters "A, S, W, J." In frame 6 we see the shark letters after they have surfaced and morphed into the title of the movie, JAWS.

Please click on the following link to view a further selection of animated media: ANIMATION

    Historically, the digital things made by interaction designers were largely tools - contraptions intended to be used instrumentally, for solving problems and carrying out tasks, and mostly to be used individually. Much of our ingrained best-practice knowledge in the field emanates from this time, expressed in concepts such as user goals, task flows, usability and utility. However, it turns out that digital technology in society today is mostly used for communication, i.e., as a medium. And as a medium, it has characteristics that set it apart from previously existing personal and mass communication media. For example, it lowers the thresholds of media production to include virtually anyone, it provides many-to-many communication with persistent records of all exchanges that transpire, and it offers access to ongoing modifications of its infrastructures. These characteristics of what we might call collaborative media are only beginning to be understood in interaction design, and one might expect that this will be one of the most significant areas for future conceptual developments in this field.

    In the meantime, user interactions with digital media can take on any and all forms, from the simple button interaction used for navigation (such as the many used in this website), to complex CMS (content management system). The media on the left “Selfie Center,” is a simple list of navigational buttons which offers the user multiple choices - in this instance, different background locations for an insinuated self portrait (selfie). While it assumes a light-hearted approach, its implications can be related towards amy set of instructions where user interaction is a prerequisite in going forward in an act of learning/instruction etc.

    Please click on the following link to view further examples of interactive media: INTERACTIVE DESIGN