WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

To demonstrate my progress throughout my year 1 at UCA and the work I have created, I decided to re design my website so that it was easier to see my progress and also my work completed.

For my home page, I wanted a simplistic style with easy navigations to other parts of my website. My design for my home page has changed many times throughout my progress at UCA, but I have finally decided on a simplistic black background with moving images for each segment of my website, which is different from my original design, which consisted of the background of my home page being a video edit of mine playing. Even though I felt that this layout was eye catching, I feel that the simplistic background is much more effective and brings more attention to the actual content of my website, also making it look professional.

For the photos that are presented on my home page, I created layouts inspired by the artist 'shots and styled' which consists of images being layed out over more than one page. To do this, I played out my photos that I wanted to use on INDESIGN and added them to a slide show so that the all the images are shown.

For the navigation of my website, over the slide shows, there is a hover box, here you can click on it and it will take you to the page that is being represented, for example, in the screenshot above, the hover box when clicked would take you to the photography page that is on the website.

For the Video representation section on the home page, I cut parts of videos that I had created to have them play on a loop on the home page, so that a small part of the videos that I have made are represented, to give a teaser feel. Just like the photography section, there is a hover box that will take you to the video page on the website.

the last part of the website home page that is represented is my UCA blog posts. I wanted to make sure that the representation of my Blog post part was as the same theme of the rest of the website, but still factual, therefore, I made fact sheets for some artists that inspire me for this part of my website. Just like the other two sections, there is a hover box over this section, which takes you to the UCA Blog page.

For the Photography page, I wanted the layout to be simple and effective, therefore, I kept the background black and also kept the same layout with the photos in a grid form in a slide show so that they all are shown. Underneath, I then picked out my favourite shots from each collage and represented them underneath. I did this as I wanted the layout of my photos to be more interesting than just bring presented in a row, therefore I played around with the layout. I feel that this layout is the most effective for the look and asthetic I am trying to achieve on my website.

For my video page, I wanted to make sure the full focus was on the videos that I have created, therefore, I added a white box around the video box where the videos play to make them stand out more. I added a video feature where you can scroll between all the videos I have added. I made sure to add captions onto each video so that the viewer knows what they are looking at.

For my about me page, I made sure to speak about myself in the third person to make my website more professional. I wanted the layout of this page to relate to my interests and style, therefore, I added a trippy background which included me in. I did this as I wanted this page to have personality relating to me so that the viewer can get an Idea of who I am as a person and what I represent. I also added a link to my Art instagram, which is linked though the Instagram logo presented on the About me page.

For my blog page, I still wanted to have the same aesthetic therefore I again added a white box around the blog posts to make them stand out more. Regarding organisation within my blog posts, I added sections for each project, contextual studies, own projects and evaluation. I added this formation so that it is easier for the reader to identify and read exactly the part they want to. I feel that a clan layout with sections is easier for navigation therefore I worked hard to make sure the layout was correct. I spent the most time on my blog page as I feel this page is the most important one on the website as it obtains all information about my work.

OVERALL,

I am pleased with the layout and outcome of my website, I feel that if I was to make any improvements it would be on my video page possibly adding more elements, but I feel for the time being my website is effective for its purpose and is pleasing to look and navigate around.