Accent Creations - About page rough

Accent Creations - gallery page rough

When the website visitor clicks on the thumbnail on the left - the larger size image appears in the main content area.  The gallery button on the left - when visitor clicks on it - flyout menu of chests, tables, chairs,  desks, beds, small treasures, miscellaneous appears bringing them to another gallery page.  I chose the white backdrop for the furniture/woodwork piece to allow allow the piece to shine and pop.

Accent Creations - Splash/home page roughs

The image used is art nouveau design 'Grand Palais' in Paris, France.  Image re-worked in photoshop. I wanted to give sense of curves and welcoming open arch/doorway feel to website visitor.

The furniture pieces were selected from their backgrounds in photoshop - wanted Michael's furniture pieces to be showcased in splash/home page.  The grey pattern background image suggests wallpaper & has contemporary feel to it.  Also the grey color allows the furniture pieces to pop.

The background image uses Michael's furniture pieces re-worked in photoshop to get outlines.  The different outlined furniture/woodwork piece can easily be re-sized or shifted in position...

Accent Creations - logos and company name work-ups

The above fonts are 'free' fonts except helvetica attached to complete the company name.  I used the circle in a couple logos thinking I could incorporate the circle as a repeating element for buttons to link pages...
The font with the 3 repeating squares in letter E - I colored and the square may be used for buttons.

Accent Creations - wireframe and site map architecture

Statement of Intent for Accent Creations

Michael McGrath wanted an art nouveau feel to website and may incorporate letters 'A' or 'AC' for logo.

I would like the website to showcase his fine art furniture - be simple, clean and incorporate curvy, organic lines.  The colors will be from nature and/or wood-like colors as that is the materials Michael works with.  

SpryFloat Assignnment

Do the math to figure out widths...for the 3 columns in content box (columns are floated); and there is clear float .css style in code b4 footer box.  The spry menu bar color is changed from default eg try search customize menu bar widget.  

list assignment

For the button 'image' - done in illustrator - then to psd; tried solid oval - lowering capacity so type would show through on mouse over.  Need to practice getting the hang of using the external style sheets - changing it out from there for individual look.

Research: Misc websites for inspiration

http://www.instantshift.com/2011/02/25/21-beautiful-art-gallery-websites-for-inspiration/
The website shows '21 Beautiful Art Gallery Websites for Inspiration'.
The websites below are useful sources of inspiration, and they prove that there are multiple variations on similar themes which can be used when you make a website. They show the array of choices that designers have and the ways in which sophisticated, intricate, or visually interesting graphics can actually enhance the look of the art, not counteract it. By creating a balance between the work being sold and the design format, art galleries have the potential to optimize their website as a marketing tool and therefore increase their business.
I checked out a few...


http://www.luhringaugustine.com/
I like the clean look of this website - simple white/grey backgrounds so images can shine.

http://www.galeriethomasschulte.de/index_site.html

Another website that can be image driven.  Again, the simple grey background to showcase the artwork.

http://www.snowdenindustries.com/portfolio_logos.html

I like the repeating circle and orange elements...

Research: Misc art & furniture websites

Above is Dave Jones website - I liked that when you click on the smaller rectangle image - the image as above comes up (about 6x5 inch) to give a really good look at the piece for details.

Above two images from leonsdubing website.  The blue background had different lines and designs -not quite sure the blue works so well.  Like the placement of the menu bar and furniture item showcased.

I like the clean look and simple lines (border) - images floated from one to another. Chajo.com

I like the simple suggestive textural lines in the background which is sort of carried through to image in front.

Luons art website of funky fun furniture is very colorful and the black really is good for colorful furniture in front.

Research for Accent Creations - links Michael likes

http://www.bwoodworks.com.au/node/160

http://www.davejonesfinewood.com

http://www.leonsadubin.com.au/about.htm

http://www.royschack.com/ http://www.richardvaughan.com.au/Site/Welcome.html

http://www.artfurniturebygeorge.com/ http://furnituremaking.com/wordpress/

http://www.brooksengland.com/

http://www.andersoncustombicycles.com/

http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/3557

http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/3485

http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/3357

Research: Tony Kenway furniture site

Michael thought the website is interesting - I like the simplicity of the home page.  The gallery has the thumbnails - rollover to larger image - and from there and click to get an even larger image.  Since Michael's work is all about fine furniture - the emphasis should probably be on the image and showcasing of the furniture.

Research for Accent Creations - Richard Vaughan site

http://richardvaughan.com.au/Gallery/Pages/Works_in_Wood.html#15

Michael like's the feel of the website - it's not a catalogue.  I like the page for the thumbnails and big images below and links to previous and next.

Research for Accent Creations - art nouveau

Art nouveau - some info...

Intl style of deco and architecture from 1880s.

Writhing plant forms

Emphasized decoration and artistic unity

 Associated with arts and crafts ideas

 Design work of macDonald sisters

Work of Beardsley

Famous guimard’s famous glass and iron metro designs

Best expressed in applied arts 

Michael McGrath -contemporary fine furniture designer likes art nouveau eg for logo?

The above may give me an idea for working out the font type for a logo...

http://thetextileblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/art-nouveau-whiplash.html

Helpful link for art nouveau designs.

Red - ShoeLore final two pages

Hooray - finished final 2 of 4 pages.  Thanks to fellow students and prof Angela who assisted with various 'issues' with things looking different in various browsers and needing to re-do linking of menu..navigation links.  Found it was a bit less frustrating with the 'insert - image object - rollover image'  easier to style that way.  What an eye strain staring at the code views to 'find' some tiny missing particle.  Must remember to look away every 20 minutes - re-focus!

Here's link to the website.  Hope it works!
http://www.palosverdes.com/roseannah/red/shoe_lore_splash.html