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Proposal of the Project which is to be Final

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Jerrika L. Waller — 3 Comments ↓

For my final project, I would like to convert a blog I currently have into a more expanded personal website that organizes and consolidates my portfolio and is directly attached to the name “Jerrika L. Waller.”

Right now my site is called Jerrika, Wallflower, and I use it for personal essays. I’d like to give that its own separate part of the new site since I update it pretty infrequently and the content is not the most representative of my professional goals right now, but does have what I think are some good writing samples. I’m kind of attached to the name, and it doesn’t really function as a blog per se anyway, so I want to keep that page called “Jerrika, Wallflower” instead of calling it “Blog” or something similar.

I’d also like to make a page focused on my professional work, with links to articles that I have published online and some version of a resume posted on it. I also run another blog called Non Finito Spaghetti that is also infrequently updated and kind of without a focus at the moment (though I have some ideas for how to remedy that). I’ve done some work there that I want a portfolio site to link to as well, so I would include that with the other links on my “Professional Work” page.

I want to use the home page to feature my most recent projects; right now the project I’m thinking I could post is a PDF of a magazine design I did last semester, and maybe some acknowledgement of the site itself. I also would include buttons for the other parts of the site with little blurbs that explain what they are beyond just the names of the pages at the top, hopefully making it easier for someone to get to content they care about seeing most/first.

The other pages I want to build are an “About Me” page with a relatively thorough but succinct bio for me, and a “Contact” page.

As I said in my other post, I would like a sticky menu to make navigating through the different pages on my site easier. I’m not totally sure what sort of design or vibe I want yet, but I don’t want it to be too busy or too minimalist. I have a personal logo that I’d like to incorporate into my design, though I want to clean up the version of it that I currently have. I will probably also design a few other matching graphic elements that I can use throughout the site and tie things together.

How to: HTML

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Chelsea Wilson — No Comments ↓

Photo by: Wikiipedia

I can safely say that until two weeks ago my knowledge of HTML was limited to familiarity with what it looked like and the most basic formatting. Does anybody remember the LiveJournal fiasco where some update suddenly turned any text copied and pasted from Word into a jumbled mess? I do. And as Jim Carrey said, “Desperation is a necessary ingredient to learning anything, or creating anything.” But the ability to italicize, boldface, or underline text and set up paragraphs did not prepare me for the challenges of designing my own website.

The initial designs for my website call for two columns, the smaller one on the right with links to blogs I’ve written and the one on the left with my headshot and bio at the top. The problem I ran into was that while I knew how to insert an image and how to format text, I didn’t know how to wrap the text around an image rather than simply be below it, which is what I wanted to have done.

After a very simple Google search, I found the (also very simple) solution to my problem.

The first step was to enter the HTML for my headshot, as I had been doing.

< img src=“http://UrlOfImage/”>

The image I had chosen was far too big for what I wanted it to do, so I added height=“150” width=“150.” For the time being, until I have more of the website organized the way I want it, a 150 by 150 pixel image will do. Now to add the step that allows the text to wrap around the right side of an image: align=“left”.

The complete HTML for what I wanted to do is < img src=“http://UrlOfImage/” height=“150” width=“150” align=“left”> and then add the text in p tags below that.

Huffington Post Analyzed

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Cayla Ames — No Comments ↓

Huffingtonpost.com first debuted on May 9th, 2005. Despite having a website title a few days previous, the first day that Huffington Post went live without one. Instead, a black and white pixelated banner image is displayed at the top of the page. The website breaks up its content into three columns, imitating the structure of a newspaper. This design is still maintained today, but with added visual elements included. In addition to maintaining the same structure as the 2016 version, the 2005 version of Huffington Post keeps sections like “Featured Posts” still active, albeit with the word “blog” being added in the 2016 version. A major difference between version one and the current version of the website is the presentation of the news and blog posts on the page. It is apparent that the foundation of big, bold font, capitalization, multimedia aspects, and bold color is being constructed on the 2005 version, but the 2016 version is where users see it all fleshed out. Today, users are greeted with a large, bold headline on the front page, social media links, real-time news updates presented on a movable ticker, a featured picture with every blog or news post, and multiple categories where users can scroll through specific blog posts and information based on their interests. Whereas the 2005 version had links and news posts on the front page, there was no true organization outside the three columns. None of the information presented was customizable to the user’s specific interests. It was more in the style of WYSIWYG.

Advertisements on version 1 are nonexistent; the current version also has very few, if any ads. Another major change between the two versions is the implementation of endless scrolling. Presumably, as the website grew and added more content they implemented endless scrolling, but that element was not included in the first version. Most of the changes from 2005 to 2016 were beneficial and work well with the website’s purpose. It would be beneficial to remove the endless scrolling as users can be easily overwhelmed by the amount of information is constantly loading in front of them. The addition of pictures with each blog post or news story added to the value of the website, making it more interactive and eye-catching for browsers. The first version included little mug shots of the blog post writer beside their posts; this is still done today and adds to the value of connectivity between the writers and readers.

Today, Huffingtonpost.com presents easily accessible information from breaking news to blog posts on gardening to opinion articles to the latest celebrity mishap. If a user is looking for information on a specific interest, chances are Huffington Post has a blog post about it. This dedication to specific interests can make browsing the website a challenge, if a user is unsure of what to look for. However, once pinpointed, users can navigate the website with more ease. In addition, having layers of pages of specific interests—and even within interests—creates a community of writers and readers within that interest. Users can comment on a specific blog post and connect with similarly interested readers. The evolution of Huffington Post from 2005 to 2016, including implementing commenting, special topics, breaking news, and use of bold text and colors makes the website a major destination for writers and readers alike.

Talking with Jessie Artigue, Style & Pepper stylist and blogger

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Corey Catanese — No Comments ↓

Corey Catanese interviews Jessie Artigue, founder of and writer for style blog Style & Pepper. Artigue discusses how she became a full-time blogger, the need to keep a site’s design fresh and current, and how to differentiate yourself in a crowded blogosphere.

This interview was recorded on December 3, 2013.

Due to technical issues, an audio recording of this interview is unavailable. What follows below is a written transcript of the interview.

Corey Catanese: For people who don’t know, what is Style & Pepper?

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Talking with Catherine Laudone, Simon & Schuster editorial assistant

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Anna Caron — No Comments ↓

Anna Caron interviews Catherine Laudone, editorial assistant for Simon & Schuster specializing in books for young readers. Laudone discusses the tension between print and e-book editions, the persistent value of a traditional blog, the role of publishers in a world of self-publishing, and the distinct responsibilities of the marketing and publicity teams.

This interview was recorded on November 21, 2013.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 29:51 — 13.7MB) | Embed