Master of Fine Arts, Media Design, Design Research
Design Research is the ability to translate concepts into visual communication solutions by understanding how to use research information, exploring options and applying critical thinking skills. Understanding design research leads to improved informed design decisions.
The image on the left was created in Adobe Illustrator with the pen tool and the turtle on the right was a watercolor I painted. Both images were used in the following projects.
Mood board
Mood boards help to establish the style and design flow of the project as you start the design. It is a collection of colors, images, fonts and textures that defines what the project will be about. It is a perfect tool to help you and the client agree on design aspects which assists in putting the entire puzzle together. From three mood board creations, the above layout is my selection for a concert at the beach to benefit sea turtles. Each mood board captures the audience by targeting the feeling of adventure, freedom and life without troubles. Coastal living and vacation paradise are a means to leaving the real world behind and enjoy a more peaceful way of living without the distractions of modern technology. By inviting the audience in to an enjoyable living style it is a reminder that we are the visitors to the beach and the ocean and it is our responsibility to make sure we take care of the life that lives in the water. While it is nice to have fun in the sun, it will not be possible if we let down our eco system and don’t preserve the natural habitat. The sea turtle’s entire life goes from sand to ocean to sand and human being need to respect that life.
Wireframes
The second step in the process of a web site design is the wireframe. It allows for the planning of information hierarchy of the design making it easier to organize how you want the user to process the site information. Similar to an architectural blueprint, it allows for the designer to plan the layout without the distraction of colors, typeface, images or copy.
Sketches
When planning a website, sketching is an invaluable part of development. Either with pen and paper, grid or digital layout it is used for the designs user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) elements. The sketch portion is a tool for communicating interface design elements and is meant to support the structure of every section of the website. By structuring the different sections of the layout, navigational elements, screen size requirements, spacing and consistency of design now presents a visual developed workflow.
Website Comps
The website prototypes are a series of design comps that demonstrate the layout of each web page with the intended look and feel. The comps have an almost finished look containing images, color, textures, typography and copy that come from the mood board, wireframes and sketches. These have the ability to be shown to the client before being coded. Below are all five page comps.
Home Page Comp
Artists Page Comp
Concert Information Page Comp
Tickets Page Comp
About Page Comp
