Announcements

2/10/10

Note: I have graded everything in the Dropbox except for your final exams. If I have a note for you regarding your Assignment 5, I’ve left it in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. For many of you, my comment is “good work!,” so if you don’t receive a comment about your Assignment 5, it’s because you did well on this exercise.

I can’t believe our class is over on Thursday. I really enjoyed “meeting” all of you and hope to meet you in person in a Graphic Design 67 class in the near future.

I’d be very appreciative if you could answer a few questions on my class survey found here. This survey is not affiliated with SMC, but rather is something I use to further develop this class. If you could take a few minutes to complete the survey, it would be very helpful to me. Thanks.

REMINDER: Your final project is due by NOON on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11. No late projects accepted. The specifications for the final project are detailed on the final project page. Please let me know if you have any questions about the final project. Please be sure to upload your final project to the class server by this deadline. See the FTP page on this site for information on how to connect to the class server.

Please be sure you know how to upload your “final_lastname” folder there before the final deadline.

Please be sure that you name your web project folder “final_lastname.” And be sure you upload your entire folder and not just the individual html pages and images folder. Please review the FTP video demonstration to make sure you understand how to do this. I will not accept final projects uploaded to the Dropbox. Your final must be posted to the class server.

Here are the 8 things I will be looking for when grading your final projects:

Final Project Checklist

1. Did you research the project and determine a specific look and feel for your site?
2. Did you successfully create a strong, visually effective site? Did you follow the sitemap?
3. Did you follow the specified dimensions based on a 1024 x 728 monitor resolution? (Finished size 990 pixels wide)
4. Did you create your site using a combination of divs and tables?
5. Did you design effective main navigation and sub-navigation for your portfolio section?
6. Did you title your pages, insert rollovers, and highlight navigation?
7. Did you use HTML text in your site?
8. Did you create and use only one external CSS file for your site?

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2/2/10

Special Note: For many of you, I made the suggestion to work on refining the typography on your midterm project. I realize I cover web typography more thoroughly in the Week 05 class notes, so when you designed your midterm project, you may not have had the information addressed here. But for your final project, study the basics of good typography: contrast, size, hierarchy, and space. Here is a great resource to check out: I love typography.

Also, check out the A List Apart website. This is a great example of a designer being creative and smart with web typography. Almost all of the text on this site is HTML text. Notice how the designers have used a variety of serif and sans-serif fonts, uppercase and lowercase, and CSS properties like letter spacing and italics.

For your final projects, I would like to see all of you work on improving the typography on your websites.

Update: Midterm projects have been graded. Please review my comments regarding your work in the Journal section of the smconline.org site.

Update: Week 04 assignments have been graded. Please review my comments regarding your work in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. If you have received a “0 or 5″ for your Assignment 3, it’s because I’ve asked you to re-do the assignment. Please check the Journal section of the site to see why. I will change your grade when I receive your revised work. Midterm project grades will be posted by end of the week. Check back.

If you are looking for the Week 05 notes, you can find the link to the notes in the right-column navigation on the right.

Be sure to finish critiquing your fellow students’ midterm projects today, as this is part of your grade for this week.

I received your Assignment 4 files and Quiz 4 files. I’ll have your grades and my comments posted by end of the day on Thursday 2/04. If you do not receive full credit on your Assignment 4 check the Journal section of the smconline.org site. I’ve asked several students to re-do a part of the assignment. If I have asked you to re-do a part of your assignment, please post the new files to the Assignment 4 Drop box before February 8. I will try to have your grades for your midterm projects completed by the end of the week. Check back to this page for an update. I will let you know when grades are posted.

After the end of the day Thursday my comments will be in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. Take a moment to review my note about your Assignment 4 and Quiz 4. I will post comments regarding your midterm projects to the Journal section also.

Reminder: If you can upload all your assignments for the week in ONE zip file, that seems to work best. Be sure to include your last name in the file name. For example, you can name your file week05_lastname.zip.

Also, please be careful not to leave information for me when uploading information to Drop box or in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. Please post any information or questions for me to the Discussion section or email me. Also, please post questions in the Week 5 thread or the final project thread, I do not check the older topics in the Discussion section.

Note: I will drop any students who have no or low activity in the class so it is important you keep up with the assignments in this class.

Assignment 05: Faux Columns and Spry Menu

1) Faux column exercises

Exercise 1: Using the HTML code from the 2-column layout from last week, create a faux 2-column layout with a column that extends down to the bottom of the page using a graphic.

Exercise 2: Create a HTML file and CSS file for a 3-column layout with columns that extends down to the bottom of the page. Remember, this is called a “faux column” and is done using a graphic.

2) Spry Menu

Create a spry menu bar following the instructions above. Please be sure to view the Video Demonstration, read through the class notes, the textbook reading, and the Adobe video.

Upload the zipped file with your complete folder to the “Dropbox” on the smconline.org site by noon, Monday, February 8.

(If you don’t have Dreamweaver CS3 and therefore don’t have the Spry Menu feature, create a pop up window and upload the zipped files to the “Dropbox.”)

Please be sure you know how to upload your “final_lastname” folder there before the final deadline.

Please be sure that you name your web project folder “final_lastname.” And be sure you upload your entire folder and not just the individual html pages and images folder. Please review the FTP video demonstration to make sure you understand how to do this. I will not accept final projects uploaded to the Drop box. Your final must be posted to the class server.

Here are the 8 things I will be looking for when grading your final projects:

Final Project Checklist

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1/27/10

Update 1/29/10: Your midterm projects are due at 12 noon today. Please be sure your folder is named correctly: midterm_lastname. Check to see that all your files are contained in your midterm_last name folder. I see miscellaneous folders floating around on the server that are not inside a students’ project folder. If any of these miscellaneous folders are yours, be sure to move the folders back into your midterm_lastname folder and correct your HTML pages so the links to these folders are correct. Once you have made these corrections, please delete the miscellaneous folder. (You can delete a folder by simply selecting it and hitting the delete key.)

Also, check to make sure I can click on your midterm_last name folder and immediately open your home page (index.html). I should not need to click on another folder to see your website.

Don’t forget to critique your fellow student’s web projects by 12noon on Tueday, February 2.

Update: Week 03 assignments have been graded. Please review my comments regarding your work in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. If you have received a “0″ for your Assignment 3, it’s because I’ve asked you to re-do the assignment. Please check the Journal section of the site to see why. I will change your grade when I receive your revised work.

If you are looking for the Week 04 notes, you can find the link to the notes in the right-column navigation on the right.

I received your Assignment 3 files and Quiz 3 files. I’ll have your grades and my comments posted by end of the day on Thursday 1/28. If you do not receive full credit on your Assignment 3 check the Journal section of the smconline.org site. I’ve asked several students to re-do a part of the assignment. If I have asked you to re-do a part of your assignment, please post the new files to the Assignment 3 Drop box before February 1.

After the end of the day Thursday my comments will be in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. Take a moment to review my note about your Assignment 3 and Quiz 3.

Note: I will drop any students who have no or low activity in the class so it is important you keep up with the assignments in this class.

Assignment 04: 2-column and 3-column layouts & web critiques

1) 2-column and 3-column layouts

Using the exercise examples 1, 2 and 3 in the notes above, create 3 separate web layouts– all with their own separate file structures. Therefore, each example will have it’s own folder and will contain (1) html file and (1) CSS file. You can create the files in TextEdit, Notepad, or use the code view in Dreamweaver.

Exercise 1: Basic layout
Exercise 2: 2-column layout
Exercise 3: 3-column layout

Modify the CSS in some way and experiment to understand what happens to the layout when you add modify and add additional CSS properties.

Upload your web files as a zip file to the “Drop box” on smconline.org site by noon on Monday, February 1.

2) Web critiques

Using the Seven Criteria for discussion outlined in the notes above, comment on one of the Design web sites, and all of your fellow student midterm projects. Please post your comments to the Discussion section of the smconline.org site.

Here is the URL to the midterm projects:

http://www.everythingaboutweb.com/grdes66online

Please post your comments to the Discussion section by noon, Tuesday, February 2.

3) Quiz 4

Also, answer the question in the attached Quiz 4 to the “Drop box” on smconline.org site by noon on Monday, February 1.

REMEMBER THE DEADLINE FOR THE MIDTERM PROJECT IS NOON, FRIDAY JANUARY 29. Please be sure to upload your midterm project to the class server by this new deadline. See the FTP page on this site for information on how to connect to the class server.

Please be sure you know how to upload your “midterm_lastname” folder there before the final deadline.

Please be sure that you name your web project folder “midterm_lastname.” And be sure you upload your entire folder and not just the individual html pages and images folder. Please review the FTP video demonstration to make sure you understand how to do this. I will not accept midterm project uploaded to the Drop box. Your midterm must be posted to the class server.

Here are the 8 things I will be looking for when grading your midterm projects:

Midterm Project Checklist

Did you research the project and determine a specific look and feel for your site?
Did you successfully create a strong, visually effective site?
Did you follow the specified dimensions based on a 1024 x 728 monitor resolution?
Did you create your site using a combination of divs and tables (when needed)?
Did you design effective main navigation and sub-navigation for your website?
Did you title your pages, insert rollovers, and highlight navigation?
Did you use HTML text in your site?
Did you create and use only one CSS file for your site?

—

1/20/10

Update: Week 02 assignments have been graded. Please review my comments regarding your work in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. If you have received a “0″ or a “5″ for your Assignment 2, it’s because I’ve asked you to re-do either one part or both parts of the assignment. Please check the Journal section of the site to see why. I will change your grade when I receive your revised work.

If you are looking for the Week 03 notes, you can find the link to the notes in the right-column navigation on the right.

I received your Assignment 2 files and Quiz 2 files. I’ll have your grades and my comments posted by end of the day on Thursday 1/21. If you do not receive full credit on your Assignment 2 check the Journal section of the smconline.org site. I’ve asked several students to re-do a part of the assignment. If I have asked you to re-do a part of your assignment, please post the new files to the Assignment 2 Drop box before January 25.

After the end of the day Thursday my comments will be in the Journal section of the smconline.org site. Take a moment to review my note about your Assignment 2 and Quiz 2.

Note: I will drop any students who have no or low activity in the class so it is important you keep up with the assignments in this class.

Assignment 03: AP divs

Re-create the web page from my video demonstration located in the notes above.

Re-create the web page from my Video Demonstration using a combination of AP divs and tables. I demonstrate how to re-create the Cupcake Mama web page using AP divs. Using the files found here web1_tables_example.zip, re-create the Cupcake Mama web page using Dreamweaver. You are to build the page using a combination of AP divs and tables. Recreate the web page as demonstrated in my video demonstration. Upload your web files as a zip file to the “Dropbox” on smconline.org site by noon on Monday, January 25.

Quiz 3

Also, answer the question in the attached Quiz 3 and upload to the Drop box on smconline.org site by noon on Monday, January 25. Again, please be sure to include your last name in the name of the file when you upload it to the Drop box.

Please be sure you know how to upload your “midterm_lastname” folder there before the final deadline.

Here are the 8 things I will be looking for when grading your midterm projects:

Midterm Project Checklist

Did you research the project and determine a specific look and feel for your site?
Did you successfully create a strong, visually effective site?
Did you follow the specified dimensions based on a 1024 x 728 monitor resolution?
Did you create your site using a combination of divs and tables (when needed)?
Did you design effective main navigation and sub-navigation for your website?
Did you title your pages, insert rollovers, and highlight navigation?
Did you use HTML text in your site?
Did you create and use only one CSS file for your site?

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1/13/10

If you are looking for the Week 02 notes, you can find the link to the notes in the right-column navigation on the right.

I have emailed the login and password for the class FTP site to all student yesterday. If you didn’t receive it. please let me know. The password is NOT grdes66WebDev as discussed in the class video.

I received your Assignment 1 and Quiz 1 files. I have posted all of your grades to-date, so if you are missing a grade from the gradebook you can assume it’s because I did not receive your file(s) or you have been asked to re-do your assignment. Please visit the Journal section of the smconline.org site for my comments regarding your assignment. Take a moment to review my note about your work.

If you have any homework outstanding, you can turn it in for a late grade within a week of the due date. That said, do not fall behind with your work because it is very difficult to catch up on such a tight 6 week schedule.

I prefer if you upload all your assignments for the week in one zip file. Be sure to include your last name in the file name. For example, you can name your file week02_lastname.zip.

This week we will discuss file structure and FTP (file transfer protocol). I’ve created video files with a demonstration of both of these topics. You can watch the videos using the YouTube file embedded in the week 02 notes– or for a larger version, you can download the .mov file from the week 02 notes. You’ll need QuickTime Player in order to view the file. If you don’t have the QuickTime Player, I have included a link to a free download in the week 02 notes.

I’d like you to practice using FTP to connect to the class server as outlined in the notes and the video. I have sent you the password in an email. If you do not receive my email it may be because I don’t have your most current email address, please let me know.

I’ve also posted your the assignment for the Midterm Project on the Midterm page located in the main navigation here. Your Midterm Project is due by noon, Friday, January 29. Please read through the assignment carefully and post any questions you have about the Midterm to the discussion area on the smcline.org site. You’ll need to upload your Midterm Project to the class server so it is important that you understand how to use the FTP feature in Dreamweaver.

This week we start to talk about image slicing. Please be sure to watch the videos I have included in the week 02 notes. Again, I have embedded the YouTube videos (in parts) in the week 02 notes, or you can download the larger version.

Your assignment for Monday, January 18 has two parts and is outlined in the Week 02 class notes. You need to also complete Quiz 02. Let me know if you have any questions.

After you have completed these assignments, please upload the zipped folder with your work to the Dropbox on the smconline.org site by noon, Monday, January 18.

Please be sure you understand how to upload files to the FTP. You may want to practice by uploading the folder with your bio page(s) to the class server. You will need to post your Midterm and Final projects to the server in order to receive a grade. All the information about how to use the FTP in Dreamweaver is posted here: http://www.classes.jamiecavanaugh.com/grdes66/ftp/

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01/06/10

Thank you to all of you who have introduced yourself in the Discussion area on the smconline.org. If you haven’t done so already, you may want to read through the introductions so you can meet your fellow class mates.

Important note: It is very important that you keep up with the class notes, assignments and quizzes for this class. Your grade will be lowered by a full grade for any work handed in late. (I DO NOT accept any work later than a week from the due date.) Please keep up with the work — because the class is only 6 weeks it moves quickly.

Just a reminder about some important details about the class and your assignment:

The prerequisites for this class are: Graphic Design 65 and Graphic Design 64 (or Entertainment Technology 37). If you have not completed these two classes first, you may not take Graphic Design 66.
As noted in the Introduction information, it is necessary to have basic Photoshop skills for this class. If anyone does not have these skills, you will need to drop the class and take a basic Photoshop class before taking this clas.. Based on my experience, it’s difficult for students to keep up with the class if they’re struggling with learning Photoshop at the same time.
It is also important that you have basic HTML skills. Some of you who have taken GrDes 65 — for those who haven’t, I require that you demonstrate basic HTML skills in order to proceed with this class.
Please be sure you have purchased, or have ordered, the required textbook for this class. Information about the book is in the class syllabus
Note I’ve added discussion topics for general questions and questions specific to the week 01 notes for this week. Please make use of the Discussion section of smconline.org to ask any questions you have about the class and this week’s notes and assignments. Also note there is a “Student Forum” section for students to pose questions about outside or personal web projects.

Reminder:

Please be sure to read through the Introduction section, Syllabus, and the Week 01 notes.

Your assignment is to Introduce yourself in the Discussion area of this site and to complete the Assignment 1 and Quiz 1. Post both as a zip file to the “Dropbox” on the smconline.org site by noon, Monday, January 11. Please be sure to include your name in your file names. For example: assignment1_yourlastname.zip.

Please let me know if you have any questions and post the questions to the Discussion section.

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