Final Project guidelines

Your final project is a portfolio web site that will consist of 5 sections: Home, Portfolio, About the Artist, Contact and some kind of hook page. Please, no obscene material and no plagiarism. Use your best judgment for questionable material.

5 Technical Points are given for the following items:

• A named anchor to a specified section of a page.
• Meta keywords and description on every main page. In Dreamweaver, Insert > HTML > Meta > Description (Keyword)
• A relative link to open a new window that measures 320 pixels wide by 240 pixels height.
• An absolute link that will open a new browser window.
• <address></address> or <footer></footer> tag with site's absolute URL, date last revised, your email address, copyright with the ©, located on the bottom of all main web pages. Please make text smaller than the body text.

5 Design Points are given for the following items:

• Title on every page. NO UNTITLED DOCUMENTS.
• Consistent navigation. Navigation is visible and easily understood. Each main section is listed on each main page. There must be a minimum of three states: up, over, and down.
• Audience is considered throughout. Long pages have a Go Back To The Top named anchor and secondary navigation. No deadend pages - if you link to it, make sure it is clear how to get back.
• Clear branding of your logo and style. I know who you are and what you have to offer.
• Alt tag on every significant graphic, especially any navigation elements. Again, making sure you design for everyone.

5 Communication Points are given for the following items:

• Home page directed to your target audience, and answers 3 main questions within 5 seconds of opening: "Where am I?" "What does the site have to offer?" "Where can I go from here?".
• No misspelled words. In Dreamweaver, use Text > Check Spelling.
• A portfolio section. All graphics must be properly optimized for the web. No page should be more than 100kb total (including graphics.)
• An about us section (or about the artist).
• A hook section designed to attract an audience to your web site. This may contain material not directly to your web site, but may be used to gain attention. Ideas are lists of favorite sites, an inventory of professional organizations, a game you designed, free buttons and backgrounds, etc.

Grading is based on how you incorporate all the "hats" you must wear in order to effectively communicate your ideas on the Internet:

Design skills, using current standards with special attention to interface, navigation and interactivity, as well as our artistic skills.

Communication skills, with emphasis on content management, information architecture, the psychology of the viewer, and our personal expression through our artwork.

Technical skills, to create Web pages suitable for the Internet.