Link to tutorials...

which will help with the Flash cursor on the panaramic image.



http://www.flashvault.net/tutorial.asp?ID=26

Stobe light effect (Lights up areas which are dark).



http://flashden.net/item/following-cursor-navigation-system/7115

Little Nav thing.

Edited Environments.

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Variation...

Development- Idea 4

So, we've found the highest place in Nottingham to carry out our next interface idea. The idea is to have the initial homepage as a panoramic view of Nottingham from a high point so that the user can see each of the partners involved with the academy. 

The interface will be driven by Flash to allow the user to scroll from side to side. As the users cursor passes over the city, certain areas will become highlighted- these areas are the institutions that are part of the academy. By clicking on the highlighted area the user is then presented with a panoramic viewer of the road that for example, Broadway is situated.

Other elements such as a possible forum will be coded within php and html.

Variation...

Some examples of photograph actions in Photoshop I developed.

Vintage/Glam Inspiration

Ok, we've talked about how this genre might add to the design and heres something that emerged from that discussion:

Environment Recordings.

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Draft out for neon design.

Here's my attempt at a draft out for the neon, bright, vivid design we originally decided upon. I really like the layout being different. Tried and stayed away from the corporate look as much as possible, with just subtle use of the logos. Bright colours used to link the logo in with the page, perhaps this could be Flash with the lines flowing into boxes to reveal the photographs. When photographs appear, they can be highlighted to reveal where they will direct the user to on the site. Perhaps become pixelated? anyway yeah, here's my design idea for the initial idea...

 

Illusion Photography- Idea 3

Over the last few days, I've been thinking of some ideas for the illusional photography which will be incorporated to the homepage. Whether the neon style, or newly added "vintage" style, I feel the photography will form a nice basis towards the design of our pages.

I've researched some fantastic photographers who have used this type of style with their work, some work is shown below.

I found this image simply by typing "illusional" photography into Google. I like the way the artist has used a specific style in the sketched image, to portray the history of the image. Perhaps this could be done very similarly with the vintage style, by printing out a Photoshopped image with dreamy, cloudy effects, and holding it up in front of a Nottingham scene. I like this idea, as Nottingham based institutions tend to go for the "modern, bright and vivid" look the days.

 Here's another example in a more suitable style.

Another way of doing this would be to go for a more comical approach. After consulting a few of my wittier friends over a drink they came up with the idea of making the character in the photographs larger than the world. This could perhaps be considered for literal meaning and portray the aim of Nottingham media academy. Some ideas we came up with were to have a person leaning against a large building, but from a distance so that they appear to dwarf the structure. We also thought about including other people, for example a hand in the foreground of the image, with people standing upon the hand in the background. Some sketches of the ideas can be seen below....

And some comical Illusional photography I found...

Another way I have thought about photographs for the site, is to include a panoramic view of Nottingham, from a high point, perhaps the castle. By creating a large panoramic view over the city skyline, it could perhaps be an alternate way of creating a map of the cities media buildings, in a innovative and fresh manner. Heres a panaramic view of London which I took from Will Pearson photography. 

Illustration Development- Idea 2

For the second idea I'm going to be inspired by post-modernist media... media from the 40's-50's. The time was exciting for the media types that we're representing therefore I feel it could be an effective way of presenting NMA. The following video represents the glam from that era:

Illustration Development

Here is a rough(very rough!) mock up of how the interface may look if the client chooses the neon look:

Illustration Development

Some inspiring site links:

• example 1
  
• example 2
• example 3
• example 4
• example 5
• example 6

Illustration Development

More Illustration Ideas

I think these really work...

I'm thinking of adding a Nottingham neon skyline above the text- too much?

I also think that the pink should come back to the middle, more balanced.

Illustrations Ideas

On a neon tangent...

Not sure about the type...

The Twix advert. (inspiration for photography).

Pause More, See More..
Watch the ad...

The brainstorm and initial jobs to do...

So we've taken on the project for Nottingham media academy. Yesterday me Steven and Craig headed off to the Bonnington seating area to reflect on some initial design ideas we had. We decided on some basic principles that had to be included in the project, such as colour schemes, styles and layouts. We also began to think about the target audience and how they would react to these ideas. 

We have no separated for a few days to come up with some aspects of design to show our client at the first meeting. I will be concentrating on the photography aspects of the Homepage for now, and have decided to create some images which are of a similar style to the new "illusion" Twix advertisement. This sort of style will add a new age feel to the design I hope, and allow an interactive feel for the user through rollovers on the links.   

Illustrations and Aesthetics

So, we've looked at incorporating inspiration from the Nottingham Trent prospectuses as they are one of the academy partners. Heres what that looks like:

It certainly is lovely. 

I'm liking the neon colours- very much down with the kids, so I've looked at neon signs and art. I like the idea of the navigation buttons and logo going in this direction...? Possibly add some nice role overs in flash- flickering and sound effects etc... this idea excites me quite alot!