Creating a website in iweb

I have worked on a variety of different jobs that encompass the use of different software and tools. When I was making the ‘enjoy’ website I used the Mac programme called Iweb. It allows me to fully design a working website without the need for coding. For some of the images I had to take them into Adobe Photoshop and adjust the brightness and contrast as the images that the client had provided were quite dull, I also had to change the hue of the photo as it was shaded pink. For the content of the website I used the pricelist that we had created for the client in Macromidia Freehand. Freehand is design software that is like a combination of Indesign and illustrator, it acts as a desktop publisher and is great for creating layouts but also allows you to create vector, trace images and shapes and manipulate fonts. I selected the bits of text I wanted to use on the website and exported them to my desktop as generic EPS’s. I then dragged and dropped these onto my page on Iweb where they then convert to PDF’s and appear with a transparent background like a png. The other way of doing this would be to copy and paste the sections of text into Photoshop and ‘save for web’ where this then would save them as a png file and these could also be dragged into Iweb with a transparent background.

 Iweb also allows me to add in ‘widgets’, things such as contact forms and google maps. For the enjoy website I inserted a google map onto the contact page. To get an exact colour match between the printed brochure created in freehand in CMYK and the website that would be in RGB I copied and pasted a section with all the colour on into Photoshop and used the colour selector tool to select each individual colour, I could then click on these colours where the CMYK number mix and RGB number mix are displayed, I then just mimic these numbers into the colour box in Iweb. Within Iweb there is a tool box, shown as ‘inspector’ that allows you to control and edit most things that you do in you design. It allowed me to highlight the email address and create a link so the when the address is clicked it generates an email to them in your email software. As well as this I could outline things with an ordinary line and then change this to one of the many different line options such as scratchy, chunky or chalk looking. For the pictures you can use a tool called ‘mask’ this is effectively like crop except that the mask is fully editable at all times and you only mask bits of the image instead of getting rid of them completely. Another way of masking is to create a frame for the picture by drawing a square, or whatever shape and size you want the image, and to drag the image from your desktop directly into the shape, this then crops it to how it feels it looks best.

The Value of a Proof

A proof is an exact mock up of the design you have done that you then send to the client either for them to check and change or for them to sign off as finished. Proofs are a key part of the design process; there purpose is to get feedback from the client. From a proof they can see exactly how their finished artwork will look and if they need to make any changes, once them changes are made the design is then sent back for another proofing. Another benefit of a proof is that it acts as documented proof of the changes you have made and how many revisions of the design you have provided in case there is a dispute about this. When the final proof has been sent and the client approves this completely this is known as signing off. This is another benefit of a proofing system as it allows for a final design to be documented and signed off

Formal Elements

There are several types of elements in design, ranging from the overall colours of the design to the way it feels, to the rhythm in which the emphasis of the design is placed on the page. These elements make up every piece of design.

Rhythm is the way in which each section of the design is positioned upon the piece of work, how it flows through the canvas in which it is placed upon. When rhythm works well, the viewer will not get confused about where to go, merely follow the course of the design, when it doesn’t work well, the design becomes confusing, and the viewer becomes unaware of where they go next, causing miscommunication of the art work.

I feel one of the main elements is texture. Texture really brings the piece of work to life, gives the image feeling and a sense of personalization. It’s what makes a plain boring piece of work into something that jumps out and snatches the readers attention, draws them to the piece of work, and keeps them fixated up on it. Texture can range to a simple gradient background, to a handcrafted piece scanned in to a computer and edited to be in the back drop of your design.

Another element that works well in design is volume. Volume can really make a piece of work emphasize its message. Adding a lot of volume to an object can really make it stand out of the page, for instance, using a lot of volume on one word of a sentence really brings out that the word is the centre of attention.

Although I feel texture is very important, I feel colour is by far the most vital of all elements. Having the right colour and tone in your design can be a make or break deal on whether it will work or not in its given market. Simple mistakes such as trying to perceive something to be warm and comfortable and having a dull dark colour can instantly turn the viewer of the design away. Colour is pivotal to all design, and quite often with great designs, they work just as well in black and white, as they do in colour. Sometimes it is best to go through tones of the colours in which you/the client wish to use can help find the perfect colour for the design.

Keeping proportion in your design is also essential. When different objects or type are not in proportion with each other (not purposely) the design can look very unprofessional. If the designs proportion is purposefully set off, it can look abstract and interesting, however not done properly can completely ruin the design. Keeping objects generally in proportion with each other, works a lot better.

Unity within a design is extremely important in a design as it is what pulls all the design elements together. Unity looks at how the elements work in contrast with each other, whether they sit closely together in the design or whether they are spaced apart. The closer they sit the stronger the unity is, this is affected by layout and spacing of areas of image, line and text.

Every design has emphasis, whether it is on logo, wording or image there will always be a definite emphasis on a certain bit of any design. This is especially apparent in design for advertising as the emphasis is always on the element they are trying to advertise.


Event though there is always emphasis a good design will always have balance.Balance can be simply each half of the page being symmetrical to each other or it can be 2 parts of the composition that are placed together to give the design unity. In some cases balance can be obscure and the two halves of the composition can be contrasting and asymmetrical, yet still create some kind of balance on the design. 

Line is probably the most common element of any design. Most smooth, professional designs have, objects, shapes and text that are kept in line. It makes the design sharper and you read it better when things are lined up. However, more sporty and `’bouncy’ designs, look more towards rhythm and randomly placing the objects around the page.

Formal elements comparison

I have selected two pieces of work, one by Peter Saville and one by Neville Brody. I have chosen an album cover that Peter Saville created for OMD and a Nike advert created my Neville Brody. Both of these design pieces use many of the formal elements.

First of all, the OMD album cover uses lines to create a strong image upon a bright orange background, emphasising the shape created upon the page. Because the artwork is not set into equal proportions there is large area of negative space that is created by the shape of the lines, this navigates your eyes to the logo. This is a clever way of making you focus on the thing with the highest visual importance. The colour of the lines set on a bright orange background create a nice unity to the piece, they are all flat basic colours with no tone or texture and because of this the artwork is really eye catching and bold.

The Nike advert is a great contrast to Peter Saville’s simple and stylistic piece. There is a minimal use of colour in this piece just using volume to create a collage of words. There is slight proportion in the artwork as it is set into clear half’s, however there is a distinct lack of line and proportion as the text is placed randomly in different directions and angles. The works well as the words have the biggest emphasis as they are the clear focal point of the work and they hold the most visual weight. Because of how the artist has sectioned the work and created a negative / positive style using black and white there is a good harmony and rhythm as everything seems to flow with a nice continuity.

Overall both of these pieces cover the majority of the formal elements but I think Peter Savilles album is the strongest piece.

Copyright & Design Rights - Design
The design rights are typically owned by the creator of the design,
except if you was under employment within a company or commissioned to
create the work, then the company or commissioner owns the rights to the
design.
The design rights protect the shape and configuration of a design and
are used to prevent copying and distorting an original design. It is
possible to buy the rights to a design in the same way you can buy
copyrights. Design rights are separate to copyright, the copyright
protects the details of the design as well as anything else included in
the final product; such as separate literature or marketing materials.
Where as the design rights focus more on protecting the shape,
configuration and construction of the final design. Unregistered design
rights are automatic and in the case of a later dispute or legal claims
you only have to show proof of the date and content of the
work.Copyright works differently and only protects from copying of the
design within the countries where the application for copyright applies.

Moral Rights - Design
Moral rights were introduced by the Copyright Design and Patents Act
1988 and exist alongside copyright. They include:
The right to be identified as the author of work (the paternity right).
The right to object to derogatory treatment of your work (the integrity
right). Treatment is derogatory if it amounts to mutilation of the work
or is otherwise prejudicial to the honour or reputation of the author.
This may arise is the artwork is subjected to addition, deletion,
alteraton or adaptation for exampe.
The right not to have an artwork falsely attributed to you.
The right of privacy in certain photographs and films commissioned for
private and domestic purposes
The paternity and integrity right last for as long as the copyright
lasts. Moral rights belong to the author of an original work. They can
be passed to the artist/creators estate on the death. Moral rights
cannot be sold or passed on to another person. Artists are frequently
asked to give up their moral rights in a written document. However it is
unadvisable to ‘waive’ your moral rights as then you would not obtain
any of the benefits of having the paternity rights such as being
identified as the author of your own work.

Intellectual Property - Design.
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions,
literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs
used in commerce.
IP is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes
inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic
indications of source; and Copyright, which includes literary and
artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works,
artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures,
and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of
performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in
their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and
television programs.