Reflection of Assignment 1

After few weeks, we had finished our assignment which we have to made up a media critique. In this assignment we have to choose one website, analyze and bring out any point that we had recognize as weaknesses of applying principles of design. This is the original surface of the website that we had choose.

Phew... What a very, very green page. Yes, it apply such a very striking greeny colour, add up with e those decoration of bamboo and grasses. I'm sure the page had applied those elements because they wants to present the value of agriculture, since it is one of the main courses in that school.

However, from our discussion, we decided, it seems too green, messy with grasses. As first view, it does not seems as an educational organization website, but a page only about farming or gardening, or maybe a website about forestry. As we had discussed, we found some of the problems in applying principles of design, which are:

1. The design of one page is not consistent, either applying theme, or typeface, that makes that website was a combination of few pieces of articles that had been developed by different people. There is no unity value there. Even we can see, different page, as not seen as the home page, unless those pages still use the same background. the arrangement of the contents, it is not neat and have no value of unity.

2. It is not applying the contrast well. Even they put the green vs white, it is not emphasis the whole content. our eyes are more attracted to the background colour and some of the unimportant moving animations.

3. The way it manage the navigation bar, the menu is not proper. It does not seems in a good arrangement, it did not applied well when link of that tab was not very useful to the audience.

So, we made some magic!! As we had re-fix the page, through applying those principles of design that had been taught in class, here it is:

We still apply the green colour... But it such a refreshing green. It did not too obvious yet seems modern even the page design is not too modern. We did not want to change the theme, or the layout, but we fix and we arrange it neatly. We applied the principles of unity, and using white space to relaxing the audience while they surf the website. Besides, we also applying emphasis of the content where it seems obviously in the middle of the screen with some colour contrast that attracting those audience eyes. No more moving animations that have no benefit to apply on.

It may late when I post this reflection but I hope it is still not late. And the best thing when we did the assignment, we understand more about the principles of design.

Thank you Prof. Jamal for your guide, and for your class!!

Week 10: No class with Dr. Shafie

There is no class.

The class had been replaced by PhD student named as En. Hisham.
We learn virtual world learning through avatar.

WEEK 9: ANIMATION

Today is the first week of Dr. Shafie class. As usual, Dr Shafie asked us to makes some research and presents that information that we gain within 30 minutes. Each group will present based on the sub topic given.

On this week, we learn about animation.  As I understand, animation is something that we display on the screen that moving. If it is static, it would be called as graphic.

I learn that there are 4 types of animation techniques. One of them, which I believe popular when I was a kid, is 2 dimension animations (2D). I still remember how I love Mickey Mouse on that time. Some of us called that as cartoon.  2D cartoon is flat, we cannot see the depth. It seems less popular compare to 3D animations. Earlier 2D animation was drawn of every movement. Nowadays we could us Adobe flash, framing every gesture, and we could see the movement.

3 dimension animations (3D) is something could be seen, seems too real as you wish you could touch the picture. High definition of 3D performance will seem very similar to real things.

Virtual Reality is something that combining with our real live. Usually, it would not be static. It will be in animation presentation because those moving things attract the attention of the user.As the example; we could see it in football, where they show the line of the ball movement and offside line.  

Special Effects is something that we  add on in real life to makes it more attractive and eye’s catching such as putting on the effect that makes the situation seems supernatural.

Besides we learn about 4 types of animation techniques which are drawing animation, Cut-out animation, Model animation or stop motion animation and Digital animation or computer animation.

Drawing animation is probably the first animation that had been produce. It will draw a movement by a movement, step by step and combining it page by page.  I think this is one type of animation that popular when we was a kid, we choose a book, we draw on the edge, and we turn the book fast, and whe see it is moving drawing.

The cut out animation is still use on this day, but I do not think it is interesting unless we provide those things, and produce an animation with our students. The cut animation is not attractive, looks jagged, and the motion is not smooth, because it is the way it should be.

The model animation seems as 3d animation, but it is actually, some modelling that usually made by clay or boxes, move pieces by pieces. It will framing, capturing every movement.

Nowadays, it is easier to make an animation through computer, such as adobe flash and so on. So no wonder there are lots of animation production even in our country that become popular nowadays such as Upin Ipin and Boboiboy.