Objective

To develop a digital portfolio in the form a personal website for self-promotion purposes. To showcase new media and interactive design skills for the purpose of obtaining employment as a graphic designer.

Secondary objectives

To utilize Adobe Creative Suite as layout and production tools.

Description

Design a digital portfolio in the form of a website. Publish your website under your own domain name. The website must be compatible with the look-and-feel of the self-promotion materials you designed for Project 1.

The contents of your digital portfolio should contain at least the following:

• a home page (a.k.a. splash page or front page)
• 10-20 pieces from your portfolio
• link to a functional website you have designed
• résumé page
• contact information
• philosophy statement (optional)
• personal information (optional)

Procedure

1. RESEARCH AND DOMAIN SET-UP: Research existing portoflio websites (see Blogging Assignment). Then review and critique the digital portfolios of recent Parkland graduates. Your objective should be to make your portfolio website better than theirs. Purchase your domain name and sign-up for a hosting package.

2. DEVELOP THE CONCEPT: In your sketchbook begin to conceptualize ideas for this project (see sample thumbnails). Make at least 10 sketches of all possible directions you might take this project. Draw exactly how you intend to layout key pages of your site (i.e. splash page, inside page, portfolio page). Edit your concepts down to your best three ideas and redraw them inside a browser window using a felt tip pen (download blank browser window ). Rough out site maps (download examples of site maps) as needed to explain your navigation scheme. Scan and publish your concepts/site map on your personal projects page for critique.

3. EXECUTION: Based on the critique of the above, create a prototype "mock-up" of key sample screens in Adobe Photoshop which will indicate the "look and feel" of the website. Place your art inside a blank browser window (download blank browser chrome in PNG format). Also develop your site architecture by prepare the text for your website and publish a text-only website (see example). Generate web-ready JPEGs of your prototype screens and publish them on your personal projects page for critique. Be prepared to talk about what design principles are utilized in your layout.

4. TEMPLATE PRODUCTION: Revise your layout as needed, then slice up your pixel elements and produce working sample template pages in XHMTL. Publish your templates on your personal projects page for critique.

5. WEBSITE PRODUCTION: Revise your template as needed, then produce a fully functional website. Rasterize your portfolio pieces and place them in your pages. Publish your website with your own hosting service and make a link from your personal projects page for critique.

6. PORTFOLIO PREPARATION: Based on the critique of the above, revise your website as needed and present your finished site on screen for final critique. If necessary, make refinements until you are 100% satisfied with the project.

7. GRADING: Submit two printed screenshots of key screens of your website with your name on it for grading. File the graded proof in your 3-ring binder for individual review along with all the preliminary work you did for the project (research, sketches, proofs, final color comp). You will not receive credit for this project if any of the above elements are missing.

8. STUDENT GALLERY ARCHIVES: Prepare a ZIP archive of your finished website and drop it in Angel's drop box. Your project may be published in a showcase of student work on Parkland's website.