Conrad+Shen+Project+3


 * Final Site**

[|View in Safari (Of Course)]

Sometimes random computers give you random errors for the last processing page. Restarting your system seems to solve that temporarily. Oh yea I would also reccommend refreshing the page once it's been loaded just because the fading looks nicer :).


 * Process**

Fig. 1

Initially as shown in Fig. 1, I began brainstorming broadly regarding ideas involving the world ‘absolute’. Generally, the absolute refers to a form of truth, something that is completely unambiguous, or something that is perfect; something that transcends ordinary perception. It is a term used in mathematics, science and philosophy, connoting thoughts such as infinity, stability and reality.

A few examples:

In math there is such a thing as absolute values, where a number is simply it’s own being regardless of being positive or negative. In science there is the absolute zero, a temperature so extreme that everything living will cease to function. In philosophy it refers to a form of divinity, a foundation of unconditional perfection.

Also, absolute can be used as an adjective or a noun, and both represent very dramatic or extreme ideas when pondered upon, but I decided to focus on absolute as a noun, simply because it seemed much more interesting as a powerful force rather than a description of one. However, I decided that the concept of the website would be based around questioning the idea of an absolute, rather than enforcing it, allowing you to explore the polarity of such an idea and experience a contrast within. Hence three words the layout of the site was based around were: extremes, contrast, and progression.

The moodboard in Fig. 2 demonstrates my personal visual exploration and representation of the word.

fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 3 depicts my initial planning for the layout of the website. I have seen the scrollTo plugin for jQuery an effective method of navigation and I believed it to be enhanced withing the context of my word especially. The scrolling effect was believed beneficial because it allowed the user to travel within a spectrum of pages rather than simply blinking there. The top of the layout would represent one extreme of the spectrum while the bottom would represent the opposite. If the user decides to navigate the site in the default order, they will find themselves travelling between contrasting themes matched by contrasting black and white backgrounds, while a slightly progression from the opening white screen to the final black screen is also made. The final colour scheme of red, blue, and grayscale was chosen because of their affinity to the ideas of contrast, positive/negative, hot/cold etc. Finally, the opening screen as well as the aesthetic quality of the site is based around my moodboard.

At this point as I was beginning to lay out my site, it was suggested to implement a fading effect to the homepage, simply making it feel somewhat more immersive and just epic, brah. I had gotten the fadeIn effect to work and had the general layout set up. [|CLICK]

Fig. 4

Fig. 4 is the very rough planning of my content I wanted to implement into the site. These are two more steps I took in between developing this site:

[|2.0] [|3.0]

To briefly explain the thinking behind each of the six compositions, I am going to list them as they appear in the final website.

1. The homepage represents the absolute positive of a spectrum, sporting a very white innocent background, clean constructed typography and a smooth fade in effect. The navigation fades in last allowing the user to focus on the impression given by the titles. The title is styled as a spectrum as well to simply compliment the overall theme. One problem I encountered here is that the first fade or two will lag a bit because everything on the page is loading all at once. If given more time I would like to put a delay at the beginning, or some form of short loading bar. Also, the scrollbar on the entire site is taken out to avoid any accidental exploration of the site. Sharp gradients are placed between each page to compliment the fast scrolling effect between white and black backgrounds.

2. A little exploration was done on page 2 as I realized you can collage embedded videos together, hence this page was fairly experimental as a I overlapped videos of different sizes along with some live type featuring words that regard the theme. The videos all feature 4 versions of the the song 'Absolute' by Thousand Foot Krutch. A little literal but also somewhat interesting. Finally a interesting idea I would have liked to be able to try is to compose 4 of my own videos, each with differing video, but one played withing 5 second intervals of each other, the audio would be designed to compliment and overlap with the other videos. I definitely want to try this in the future.

3. Moving on to the next white background, you find another light-hearted concept of absolute. The dolphins are based around the shapes of a ying-yangs; symbols of balance, perfection and unity between two oppositions. Around this is a collage of images that personally evoke a feeling of absolute to me; objects that are solid, bold and powerful. Most notably, the lighthouse is based around the saying: "At the foot of a lighthouse, it is dark." Also note that the contrasted colour scheme is used consistently throughout all the layouts.

4. The four layout takes the black background and uses it as an advantage to seamlessly take you into the dank depths of a cavern. The idea of a cavern explores the ideas of absolute darkness being penetrated by absolute light. This idea is also complimented by the oppositions of stalactites vs. stalagmites, which have been enhanced with red and blue editing. The animation is created by two smaller overlapped gifs that again represent a possible ambiguity by letting the top red drip into the bottom blue.

5. This one is a simple composition based on the material I used in my moodboard, with some added elements. Like in page 3, these images portray thoughts of boldness and extremities. Light is emitted from the bottom sun while it is also emitted from the sky in the small photo. I find that many of these images are felt to be very soothing yet surreal and visceral. A very simple and bold |x| is also placed in the center to represent the absolute value.

6. This processing sketch is arguably the most important page of the site, as it summaries the entire message of site, contrasting against the very first page you saw. At the end of a journey between the top of the site to the bottom, we find a complete inverse of what was on the first page: black background, inverted colours, disjointed typography, a question mark as well as elements moving in opposite directions. I was hoping that the overall message of questioning the absolute truth would be made here, where it is made most obvious. The idea of the arcing circles is based around the atoms and molecules that surround us, the absolute structure of us and our world. We are told they are only able to function and operate in one method, that this is a natural law of the world. The absolute is one truth, and it can never be changed. This page attempts to challenge that. So by clicking the page and receiving an input from a user, the flow of the atoms will change, opposing against the natural law.

This is probably all very cheesy and makes more sense in my head than it does yours but hey I enjoyed it. Kcoolthat's pretty much it.