J5

Before responding to this journal read "Basic Design Principles" found in the course library on BlackBoard. Summarize the entire reading in two paragraphs. Be sure to answer the following two questions within your journal posting: What are the four basic principles of design that are highlighted in this excerpt? Explain each principle. How does color affect page design?
Now, use this reading to critique your homepage and your narrative page. What changes should you make given what has been discussed in the reading?

After reading "Basic Design Principles" I have recalled reading this once before. I think we read this before we did our websites. Nonetheless, the crux of the matter is that we all should now be professional web designers. The selection outlines the basic principles that come together to create a powerful, professional, and credible website. The reading is very easy to follow, and the visuals make understanding the concepts basically idiot proof. Furthermore, the application of all these formating technics is not difficult at all.
The four basic design principles, which not only are bold, but also have circles around them, are alignment, proximity, repetition, and contrast. Alignment, as stated in the reading, simply means everything on the page is lined up. The important application of this concept is to choose just ONE alignment for the entire page. Proximity is the relationship that develops when items are in relation to each other. The important concept with this idea is that when things are close together, they have a relationship with each other. Repetition ties everything together. It creates a notable motif throughout the webwork. Contract essentially created a roadmap of where to look on the page. Key points contract with their surroundings so they stand out. Color affects page design by establishing credibility. For example, news sites never use flashy bright, obscene colors to convey their news. The New York Times, for example, uses the delicious simplicity of black and white.
Applying these tactics to my webpage, there are only a few places where I would modify structure. My alignment is all centered and continuous throughout, so thats not an important. Proximity is sufficient for the layout, and everything seems interrelated, and respective keys are close together. The overall theme of the page is continuous with every sub-page, so repetition is a-o-k. Color contrasting is moderate. I could do a bit better job with intermixing the hues together so there is more juxtaposition between the colors. Other than that, everything is sufficient. I am very impressed with the structure of my webpage, and I do not intend to change much.

Journal 3

Knier Selection:

Identified Audience: General Audience
Tone:Conversational, informal
Commentary: The Knier selection takes a less formal approach than the Trask work. Knier's informal approach through he use of slag words such as "loooooved" and "woo" clearly establish the younger-aged audience. Knier's use of diction and structure is perfect for his essay - the wording parallels the structure, and his voice comes out clear in the part. I feel like I am having a friendly conversation with the author, and it is an enjoyable experience. As a younger reader, I feel more connected with this work, and I liked it.

Trask Selection:

Identified Audience: Specialist Group
Tone:Didactic
Commentary: This essay was of no interest to me, reading it was not an enjoyable experience, and I found myself loosing track of what I was reading. Trask is clearly not righting to the general audience, for you really have to think about what he is saying, try to understand the rhetorical, and decode what the heck he is saying. Words such as "cultural prostitution," "outmigration," and "OHA" clearly indicate Trask is writing to a target group, and his use of diction is trying to establish credibility. The writing is very structured, and does not seem to flow as freely as Knier's work did. It was impossible for me to draw a relation to his work, and I would not read something like it again if I had the option to read something else. The bubbly "discover the magic" also has a very femine appeal.

Bride & Prejudice:

Intended Audience: Young, Femine Viewers
Tone: Romanic Comedy
Commentary: This trailer clearly is trying to capture the women views. The appeal to romance and the mother aspect of the family obviously signals this is a chick flick. the use of the glitzy colors on the clothing, fruity bubble text, and "girly" music make the audience of this movie clear. Furthermore, attention is put into dress heavily on this movie, and that is something that a masculine audience would not look for.

Pride & Prejudice:

Intended Audience: Mature, Broad Audience
Tone: Serious, Formal, Romantic
Commentary: This trailer is much more mature than the previous. The transitions between the clips are much more formal, the text presented is very formal and clean, and the overall feel of the movie is much more mature than the previous one. The formal, elegant, dress of the characters creates a much more mature feel to the film. I would much rather watch this film than the first!

YAY i did it!