Reflection, Self Learning Did It Work?

Hi all,

It seems my previous post was not my last 1 as a student, nor will it be my last as an ex student!

In this post I would like to show how,why where and when my 6 month learning plan was successful and was not successful. This is the plan I intended to follow but not knowing what the next project entailed, e.g. flash prevented realistic planning, though on the other hand, when do you get realistic time to plan in industry?

This was the plan:
Where I Am Now (at time of writing)

I currently have a basic knowledge of Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Freehand, I also have some Flash skills, but I believe that is one of my weaknesses.
I do not have any experience of Illustrator and would like to gain some knowledge of that. I am of the opinion that the more ‘strings to your bow’ the more employable you are.
I think I have strong research and sketchbook skills and do not have any problems generating ideas, my weakness, as I see it, is implementing them technically with the software at my disposal.

Aims
In my 6 month learning plan I would like to achieve the following:

· To be able to use Photoshop to a professional level.
· Learn how to use Freehand to an intermediate level.
· Learn how to use Flash, beyond the basics.

I have based these aims on research into what employers are currently looking for, in the positions that interest me. Those being web designer and 2D creative artist.

Hopefully CSS will be learned to a sufficient level while doing the CiSSy project. This leaves the remaining software applications.

I will have to do tutorials on a regular basis to get to the standard I would like, this could be 1-2 a week.

To demonstrate that I am learning via the tutorials I will set myself small projects after each one. This will be saved and recorded as evidence.

Progress Measurability
My progress will be measured by using the Adobe partners that give tutorials, I will utilise their learning outcomes as a guide as to what I should be achieving.
A document will be produced to monitor and check my progress, with timescale and skills achieved and not achieved.

Flash Links

Action Script Tutorial:
www.adobe.com/support/flash/action_scripts/actionscript_tutorial/
This tutorial is expected to take 1 hour (adobe.com)
Date for tutorial. Friday 15th December 2006

How to Animate Text in Flash:
www.adobe.com/tips/aft65presetanim/
I expect this tutorial to take approximately 2 ½ hours.
Date for tutorial Saturday 23rd December 2006

Flash Sound:
www.adobe.com/support/flash/sound/sound_player/
Date(s) for Tutorials. Friday 20th, 27th January, Friday 2nd February and Friday 9th February 2006.

Freehand Links
Deconstructing Freehand Graphics:
www.adobe.com/support/freehand/basics/deconstructing_fh_1/
This tutorial is divided into 4, I will allow ½ hour for each part.
Date for tutorial Friday 16th February.

Deconstructing Freehand Graphics 2:
www.adobe.com/support/freehand/basics/deconstructing_fh_2/
This tutorial is the more advanced version of the previous one. It is divided into 5 parts and I would like to allow 45 minutes for each part. This project may have to be done over 2 dates.
Date(s) for tutorial Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th February 2007

Apply Special Effects:
www.adobe.com/support/freehand/learning/fhmx_tutorial02/fhmx_tutorial0206.html
I would like to allow 2 hours for this tutorial.
Date for tutorial Friday 2nd March 2007

FreeHand MX lesson 2: Using vector and raster effects:
www.adobe.com/support/freehand/learning/2_effects/
2 hours for this tutorial.
Date for tutorial Friday 9th March 2007

Photoshop Links
Use Sketches to Produce Artwork:
www.adobe.com/uk/designcenter/illustrator/articles/createcomp.html
I feel this could possibly be one of the most important tutorials for me. It will allow me to use my illustrations as a bases for print work or web images.
I will dedicated 6 hours to this , I would like to create a small brief designed to produce some professional work for my portfolio. Probably to be mainly used for print but also applicable to web pages.
I would like to do 2, 3 hour sessions with this.
Dates for project Friday 16th and Friday 23rd March 2007

Dreamweaver and CSS
I would like to use some of my remaining college months making sites, I will try to produce ‘real’ sites, which will hopefully give me valuable commercial experience.
I believe the more I use Dreamweaver and CSS the more skilled I will become, a case of practice.
Dates dedicated to using Dreamweaver and CSS skills will be: Friday 30th March, Friday 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th April 2007

Universities
I am currently leaning towards gaining employment after the course has ended but if I were to do a degree the links to possible courses are below.
University of Leeds:
http://tldynamic.leeds.ac.uk/ugcoursefinder/2007/prospectus3SQL.asp?prog_id=1020

University of Huddersfield:
Interactive Arts BA(Hons)
http://www.hud.ac.uk/courses/undergrad/ipp_pages00000438.htm

Multimedia Computing
http://www.hud.ac.uk/courses/undergrad/ipp_pages00000069.htm

Interactive Media BA (Hons)
http://www.hud.ac.uk/courses/undergrad/ipp_pages00000146.htm

Multimedia Design BA (Hons)
http://www.hud.ac.uk/courses/undergrad/ipp_pages00000217.htm

These were the tutorials that I did, but nowhere near in the order that I set out to do them in. Nearly as soon as the ink had dried on the print out of my researched list of what i wanted to learn, the new project came in, nothing to do with what I planned to learn! 1st years beware! Look at subjects in advance is a good bit of advice!

Of course when asked to plan 6 months in advance, it is a little difficult when you are still at college and you do not know what is coming next, in the workplace at least you are employed as a 'whatever you do best' sort of person and so you are in your comfort zone.

This is where the 6 month learning plan fell down in my eyes, it seemed to distract from the work we were doing rather than help. I am sure if done correctly it could help but I felt that it was a 'have to do it' kind of task rather than something we could clearly see the benefit of.

I do think it would have had a greater value if it had been discussed earlier too, I think as a student, you can get caught up in the design, 'exciting' stuff rather than the written planning work.

Discussing it earlier may have put more value on the task. Maybe 2nd years from last year could have been introduced to tell us of their experiences, just a thought.

As it is, as 2nd years, I think the few remaining (3) have felt a little isolated, and so planning beyond the next week proves difficult. This is especially true when you also see that you are not rewarded like the other 'years' on the course for doing well.

My '6 month learning plan' will continue, and at the moment it will mainly be based around flash and CSS, as my weaknesses. But having seen the job search results that have come back to me via email, I think I have a lot more to learn!

Thanks for reading

Mark

Plan B

Hi, for probably the last time as a student.

Well so much for the plan! It is now a case of get it done any way possible. The stress is quite unbearable as I heaped the pressure on myself by deciding to a portfolio re-design so close to the end of the course, now I am behind with the 'A Day in Your Life' project, whether I will get it done I do not know, at least for the 15th May.

But enough of that, its presentation day on Tuesday and the nerves are creeping in, though the practices seem to have gone okay, if a little short of the half hour mark.

I have been thinking what I will say, the things I have learned, my experiences and where I want to go next.

Well the things I have learned, theres so much, I did not know how to use pagemaker when I walked through the door on the 1st day. Now I feel that I am employable, I have knowledge of Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Freehand, CSS, HTML and Javascript. It is a considerable amount to learn in 2 years I think.

So my experiences, well they have been rewarding, infuriating, disastrous and joyous! Late nights trying to figure out CSS or action scripts in Flash have been some of the most painful events, but also the most joyous when I managed to master something.

I have made mistakes along the way, usually involving me doing everything twice, which has not been good for producing the quality of work I have wanted to.

Looking at my portfolio though, I seem to have done more work than I realised, though I know how hard I have had to work to get projects done and the sacrifices I have had to make, including my family.

I would like to say it has all been worth it and on a professionl level that is true, as now I feel as though I have some career prospects. On a personal level though, the support from my family wavered and dissapeared and I believe contributed to our break up. This has made the final few weeks incredibly difficult as ther reasons for me doing the course dissapeared.

I certainly thing I have done it the hard way, but I do think I will benefit greatly from completing the course.

So where do I go from here? I am hoping to gain employment in the web deesign industry asap, though I will be taking any job that comes up after I finish to start with. I will also be looking to get up and running as a freelance web designer / print designer and indeed I already have some possible clients which bodes well.

I'd just like to say thanks for reading my ramblings over the last year or so, but do not fear i intend to continue using this blog, maybe it will shed some light for future students of what to expect when they 'get out'.

Bye for now

Mark

And Now The End is Near....

Hi,

And sorry for the lack of entries in the last few weeks. It has been a hectic time for one reason and another.

This is just a quickie to update you on my progress.

The 'On the Job2' project was a success and well done to Adam for doing his 'team leader' bit well. The client loved the site and Merits were achieved for us. Good stuff, and very rewarding!

The 'CiSSy' project came to a close and although I handed my work in I was not entirely happy with it as I had originally intended on 3 separate home pages rather than 3 pages from the same site. Time constraints and a blundering error on my part, by losing files, meant I had to start again. But taking the positive from that, I still managed to submit my work.

The slight downside is that I have some remedial written work to do regarding the impact CSS 3 will have on the end user.

iMe has come to a stand still at the moment, but that needs to change since we are so close to the finish line. I have been pondering the idea of a quick re-design, is this wise? I ask myself!

Well on the one hand I think my original layout needs improvement, to allow me to include more work in the future, and to have it better laid out.

On the other hand is it sensible to start again when the deadline is approaching, but.... if I am not going to be happy with that end result....would you call this procrastination?? arghhh its back!

So decision to be made, re-design a simple header with 3 column layout, preferably in CSS! Brave move eh?

A Day in Your Life has only just begun really for me. I am struggling with a few issues, if i take a typical day of my life or part of it. And as my life is a little upside down at the moment I do not know how personal, or separate to make it.

So anyway, I need a plan of action! here it is:

Tuesday 24th April - Finish web plan for 'A Day in Your Life'

Wednesday 25th April - Do remedial work for 'CiSSy', add references and add written work on the impact of CSS 3 on the 'end user'

Thursday 26th April - Sketches for 'iMe' re-design, final decision on layout and get CSS template done.

Friday 27th April - Content gathering for 'iMe', all images cropped to size, all written content. Also sort out password protection for the 'all work' section of the site.

Saturday 28th April - Use as a catch up day for anything not done. New 'iMe' digital page designs.

Monday 3oth April - Idea generation for 'A Day in Your Life', have sketchbook work done, upload to blog for feedback, get feedback from tutors and peers.

Tuesday 1st May - Based on feedback look at the technologies I will be using, and how they can be implemented e.g. audio, video and images. Research! Multiple sources!

Wednesday 2nd May - Remake 'iMe' site.

Thursday 3rd May - Browser test 'iMe' site. Print screen shots. Make any alterations.

Friday 4th May - Digital screen designs and build basic template for 'A Day in Your Life' site. maybe look at CSS version and HTML.

Saturday 5th May - Catch up day for anything not done.

Tuesday 8th May - Content gathering for 'A Day in Your Life', edit any images and audio ready for build.

Wednesday 9th May - Content selection for final site 'A Day in Your Life'

Thursday 10th May - Build 'A Day in Your Life' site.

Friday 11th May - Upload 'A Day in Your Life' to portfolio site. Tout for feedback. User test.

Saturday 12th May - Make any changes based on feedback. Get submissions together for hand in.

Sunday 13th May - catch up day

Monday 14th May - Work on presentation. What going to talk about, the order in which going to talk about projects.

Tuesday 15th May - Deadline day

Well a lot to do! Best get crackin!

Bye for now and thanks for reading.

Mark (highly stressed HND Interactive Media Student)

A Leap of Faith, Cos You Gotta Have Faith!

Hello readers,

This week has been a strange one, I felt as though it had not been that productive, but it seems to actually have been quite the opposite. I feel as though I have a renewed optimism too, but how long that will last we'll see!

A progress report is due I feel, so here you are:

CiSSy - A little progress has been made but things beyond my control have hampered me this week. I feel a lot better about using and implementing CSS now too. I find using tutorials less mind boggling than before but I do wish that the penny had dropped a lot sooner. Its my own fault though, as you who have read previous entries will know, I have had a fear of CSS (and Flash) and generally anything I have not come across before.

So its the last week of the CiSSy project and for once it seems everything will not be left to the last minute.

The things I have to do for Tuesday 20th March are:

• Write a 1000 word essay on CSS level3.
• Fnish my 3 CSS layouts of the BBC pages.
• An evaluation of the project.

Very do-able I feel.

KISS - The KISS project was brought to completion this week with the submission of my remedial work, I really did not enjoy doing work for something I knew I could only get a 'pass' for, so I will be trying my hardest to avoid a repeat. But it was a good feeling to get it out of the way, one less worry!

On The Job 2 - is coming along and we have a brief extension to the project, this means the deadlines for the CiSSy project and this one do not coincide with each other anymore which I feel more comfortable about.

I feel though that this project has not gone as smoothly as I had hoped, similar issues have arisen from the previous 'team' project, and I am not sure a lot of lessons have been learned from previous mistakes.

I would also have appreciated a chance to do more on the building side of the site to hone my skills a bit, but that is a problem for the project manager, because as such he has gone with peoples strengths, so yet again idea generation was my task. Not that I mind I just feel I need to do more technical stuff, and now the fear has gone, I want to jump in!

The new (and last) project 'A Day in Your Life' starts on the 26th March, it looks an interesting brief with a lot of scope for creativity.

I am hoping to utilise some of my idea generating skills to come up with something quite original. But also I would like to prove my worth with the use of CSS and other technologies, I feel as though others may still see it as a weakness of mine, but I believe I am starting to making good progress. I feel too that with so little time left on the course that, this will be encouragement for me too learn more off my own back, I think learning (or starting to) things like the implementation of CSS level 3 will give me an advantage later on.

The other things i have not necessarily enjoyed in the past because of my lack of expertise, such as flash and java scripts are now something I do not mind facing. This bodes well as i think the more rounded my skills, rather than being too specialised, the better chances of employment.

This brings me to my next fear / problem, I have asked for time off from my job to make sure I get my course work done, my asking resulted in my contract being terminated as of the 20th of April.

This is of obvious concern as I still have to pay bills and keep a roof over my family's head, but I do feel, strangely, a sense of excitement - that this could be the start of my new career. I am just really hoping that I gain employment relatively quickly after leaving college. I feel as though I have made a leap of faith in risking so much, especially when the result is not guaranteed.

Fingers crossed!!

Well thats all for this entry, any feedback, as always is welcome from anyone who feels like chipping in.

Thanks for reading

Mark

Not So CS-Stressed

Hi again,

It has been a few weeks since my last entry. This is partly down to being busy and also because of the half term holidays. So let me fill you in on the events of the last few weeks.

After the Flash project and the subsequent nightmares, I decided that once I get some spare time (if there is such a thing) I am going to attempt some more flash based work.

I have done some tutorials now online and I feel better equipped to use the software, I also think it would be foolish to fall into the same trap as last time- that being not using it again until really necessary, I am going to try and work with the 'practise makes perfect' theory in mind.

We have started a new project 'On the Job 2' which is a kind of follow on from from the 'On the Job1' project. We are re-designing a website for a fabric company. This I think will give us some scope to use some nice imagery and should make for a nice site.

Looking at our ideas already I am quite happy with the professional feel to them. I can also see the progress that has been made from the earlier days of the course, I think I maybe becoming a little nostalgic with the end of the course in site!


I do think the HND students that are left are starting to work well together, and my only disappointment is that it did not happen sooner. I think each of us has strengths and we all could have benefited from each others knowledge a lot more than we have.

On the subject of CSS my evil nemesis, along with Flash, I have had a breakthrough!

It has been quite a painful process but I bit the bullet, and I wish I had done it earlier. I now feel quite at ease using CSS and even enjoy trying to figure out solutions to layout problems. This is something I certainly did not expect to hear myself saying, in fact it has been such a thorn in my side it has given me stress levels that I really weren't happy with.

That along with some other stresses - the old employment after college chestnut, deadlines, referral work and wondering if I can 'cut it' in the industry have given me a pretty crappy time in the last few weeks.

I am hoping that me getting to grips with CSS, even in a basic way will push me on. After all there isn't long to go, May 15th folks!

My 6 month learning plan has changed in content really, I think I have done tutorials as I have needed to rather than in the order I first laid them out. This has been through necessity though, Flash tutorials and a nice site I found that allows you to edit CSS text, and see the effects on certain elements , have become an important part of my learning.

I plan to list my 'done' tutorials on here as evidence, maybe stating usefulness and content, then if any of you readers would like to, you can just click the links and do them yourselves.

Aims

1. As mentioned above, list my tutorials for next week.

2. Have my 3 CSS layouts for the CiSSy project in place.

3. Have my referral work, 1-2 essays done for next week.

4. I would like to re-design my portfolio site, or find a solution to navigating projects in sections, e.g CiSSy, Mikron and On the Job projects in the web section.


Thanks for reading, any suggestions on portfolio layout would be welcomed greatly.

Mark

FLASH, AHHH ARGHHHHHH! - Painful to All of Us

Hi All,

It has been a very tiring week, the route of all my problems, and I'm beginning to think all evil, is Flash (ahhh ARGHHH!!, I know that's twice, but I can't emphasise it enough!) But from all the pain that 'lovely' piece of software caused me this week, it has also taught me a thing or 2. It has made me realise that I need to put an end time on when I am going to stop trying to figure the software out and go to plan 'B'.

Luckily I had a plan 'B' on this occasion, a good job really as I left it until 12.30 a.m to start to do something different. I was done by 2.30 but not entirely happy with the results. Judge for yourself at http://www.feathermark.co.uk/websites/kiss2/final_web_pages/kiss_start.htm

The original idea was to link all my scenes within Flash, this though was where I had my crisis, it just would not work! I tried and tried and nearly blew the house down with my huffing and puffing. I was so frustrated that at one point I was ready to pack the thing up and walk away from it. But even in the early hours, I had a niggling voice telling me to get my self going again, and it proved wise to listen to the voice, because at least I had a submission.

I genuinely feel as though my work has suffered with this project because of a lack of understanding and maybe a bit of stubbornness on my part, in not wanting to be beaten by Flash.

"You may have won the battle, but this is war!". Needless to say I will be tackling Flash again in the form of tutorials (if there are any left that I did not do on Monday / Tuesday) I will be trying to remain calm and not let myself be wound up.

Anyway I handed something in, hopefully a 'pass' but I think maybe some remedial work will have to be done. Not because I am not capable but because I lost time fiddling. My research was not as thorough as usual, and my written work was not as good as either.

Anyway, that is the 'KISS' project out of the way (for now at least) and on to the next one.

My next priority has to be the CiSSy project, again I am experiencing the resistance to it because I do not know how to do it.

Even after all this time on the course I can't seem to overcome that feeling that crops up when faced with something I have no idea about. I only tend to deal with the issue when confronted like a cornered rat!

But I have dealt with the nasty Flash issue this week, not that comfortably but dealt with nevertheless, and so that seems to have given me a bit of confidence to tackle some CSS this week.

So my aims for this week are:

1. To read my CSS pocket handbook, get the gist of CSS. Maybe start to understand it better.

2. To cement my understanding of the 'box model', I have a basic idea, but I need to try and use it firsthand.

3. To get my portfolio nearer to completion, I want to have some more work up by next week.

4. To make sure my layout of the portfolio site is consistent for next week, as I want to apply for a job I have seen, and showing portfolio work is a must.

5. To refresh myself on ongoing projects, and try give them the attention they should be getting.

The list is a bit bigger than usual, but while the bit is between the teeth, and I am learning to deal with sleep deprivation.......

Anyway no 'Peak of the Week' this time, I haven't had one. It been too stressful!!

Any comments as usual, are welcome, as is feedback on my blog or my portfolio site www.feathermark.co.uk

Thanks for reading.

Mark

Feedback Folly

Hi Folks,

I am looking for some feedback on our latest project. That being 'KISS', the task basically is to come up with an e-card for valentines day.

My ideas are attached.

1. A dog holding balloons, the object being to distract him to release them, and so revealing a romantic message.

2. A 'love me' love me not' type scenario with a flower.

3. A virtual bunch of flowers.

4. A bear that you have to tickle to get the message from.

5. A valentine advent card. Different door, different message.

I would appreciate any comments, feedback or suggestions.

Thanks Mark