Network Diagram

Gonna start throwing some essay work up as I'm happy with it, here's my network diagram hopefully giving me a better mindset about where I am in the industry right now and giving me areas to improve on. (More successful contacts please!)

Now to follow up all those emails nobody wants to reply to asking research questions...

I broke your logo today, sorry.

Yeh um, sorry about that...

Bit more of the colour theory stuff this time asking if logos would still work if we messed about with them. Funnily enough it seems certain logos like the Volcom one work in pretty much any colour (They produce shirts with it in yellow and purple if I remember correctly) and other logos just transcend the importance of colour entirely by being so memorable (Facebook you handsome devil you.)

Here we go again...

Elastic Minds Studios  (http://elastic-minds.com/)

Immediately focussing the attention of the user by engaging them with a musical intro and strong visuals, EM studios aims to impress with a powerful first impression. Work is organised by a few rough categories shown in a looping gallery which allows the user to view full sized images at a click. The more conventionally displayed clients list is displayed in its own category allowing potential customers to see an index of achievement. Despite all the fancy show reel styling and moving graphics: as of writing everything on the website performs well and is very simple to use. The website is created by EM studios to establish their corporate identity and makes heavy usage of Flash to stylize its display. An unfortunate by-product of this may be that it won't display correctly on some devices such as more inherently locked down tablets.

 Tom the French (http://www.tomthefrench.com/)

Tom the French's website instantly engages the user by greeting them verbally and visually with its odd display style for what otherwise could of been a boring vertical list. Each project has a list entry which takes the user to a gallery of the finished result mixed in with the occasional cool sketch, all the while casually listing the design brief and web links down the side. Tom sells himself immediately with a dynamic display of quotes presumably from happier clients  stating things like Tom's designs are "A different way of thinking." These quotes like most things on the website can also be clicked through by the user. Further establishing himself via his profile page Tom boasts 10 years of taking risks for ideas and gives a brief self description. Like EM Studios website Tom the French uses flash to create an interesting view which obviously means it holds potential to suffer the same negative points on certain display devices.

Life and times (http://lifeandtimes.com)

The site works similarly to burying a time capsule of the last few years and uses a low text interface instead relying on thumbnails to allow the website to stimulate the users interest and hide the wealth of information and quotes behind each. Returning users would have something to look forward to after each important news story or anniversary of an interesting event, for example a recent homage to Steve Jobs life with the recent news of his passing. While Life+Times is more of a subtle publicity machine for Jay-Z it's interesting to note that most of the links to profitable sections of his career such as merchandise and tour tickets are listed only at the bottom of the page.

The website uses HTML5 to do all of its display techniques such as the rolling thumbnail reel, the mouse over effects and the content/comment display pages, while it could have easily been accomplished in Flash along with a few other technologies  Area17, the creators, chose to do everything with just one presumably increasing speed and reliability somewhat.



Obligatory item of holiday work that I forgot to post:
Few logo designs for a rally driving team I socialise with, the brief was very specific but I feel like I surpassed expectations for a concept so simple, those beermat drawings sure came in handy.