iMakeArt.net - Art By A7 » site

New site (A7 is) and iMakeArt merged

A7 — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:04:41 +0000

I finally managed to get my new portfolio site A7 is and this site synched up automatically. Now, when I post a new work on A7 is, the post should automatically carry over to iMakeArt as well, posted under Art News. The one glitch in the process is that any updates I make to the post at A7 is will NOT be carried over to iMakeArt. So please be sure to check the original post for all the latest news. Otherwise, enjoy the streamlined site.

Site update: new look

A7 — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:49:28 +0000

As you can probably tell, I’ve implemented a slightly new look to the site. It’s not a major change, but it does streamline the site a little bit and make it a little more visually interesting.

I hope you all like the changes. If you notice any issues, please get in touch with me.

Site upgraded

A7 — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:42:06 +0000

Just wanted to mention that the site has been upgraded to the latest code. This was a fairly substantial update with a lot of changes (to the backend code… nothing visible to the average viewer). Everything appears to be working, but please let me know if you happen to spot anything out of order.

Thanks!

New category!

A7 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:13:29 +0000

I’ve created a new category on the site in order to post about Interaction Design (IxD) and other general design (DES) topics. Posts in this section will cover my personal ideas around creative thinking, user experience, accessibility, brainstorming/bodystorming, prototyping, and all other elements of design.

Since IxD is now officially my career path for the next little while, I’ve had a few ideas for some design posts. Now I have somewhere to post them.

Most of the posts will be focused on Interaction Design, and I’m hoping that this site (or specifically this section) will act as a think tank for building on design ideas and considerations. The sharing of ideas, information, and experience is an important part of the design process, so please don’t be shy to participate! The more discussion that occurs, the better the end result.

A real IxD post will be forthcoming. Enjoy the new section.

Site updates in progress

A7 — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:34:07 +0000

Please note that this site is in the process of being updated.

Some elements may appear out of place, or may not function properly for the next few hours.

UPDATE: The site has been successfully upgraded. This upgrade brings a few security fixes, an updated posting interface that is now compatible with Safari, and the ability to easily post pictures, videos, music, and other media files. The site should now be working properly. If there are any issues, please let me know ASAP.

Welcome to A7′s Blog v2.0

A7 — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:15:01 +0000

You know I couldn’t stay away for very long.

As you can see, the new site is VERY different than the old site, and contains a number of improvements to both the functionality and the design. This post details why I made these changes and explains a little bit about how to use the site properly. So keep reading.

As mentioned, the look of this site is drastically different than the old blog-style site I had before. This new layout is designed more like a magazine with specific categories of posts for better organization. I designed it this way so that I could assign different priorities to each category. For instance, you will notice that the Art News section will always remain on top. This is because the main function of this new site is to organize and display my art for curators and potential exhibitors. In this regard, even if there are 10 newer posts, the older art news will still remain at the top. The video section works in much the same way… it will always display the latest video in the same location. The next section below is the 3 latest “important” posts. These posts include technological ramblings, music news, pictures and important site information. Finally, below the video section you will find the 5 latest posts in all other categories. This includes my own “just for fun” posts as well as your own contributions to the site (like the Free4All, now called Friends). If you have a picture uploaded to your account, you picture will also show right on the main page. I wanted to get away from having a completely separate page for the Free4All. I think your contributions all deserve to be on the main page. Finally, the last major innovation on the site is a live search function. Note that the live search does not work with Internet Explorer, so I highly recommend getting Firefox if you are on Windows, or Camino (or Firefox) for Mac. If you are using an approved browser, when you type in the search box, it will automatically start finding articles that match what you are typing.

Now on to the functionality of the site.

First and foremost, I recommend you all sign up for an account right now. The process is dead easy, and takes only 20 seconds. Just click the link in the yellow box on the main page, fill in the two boxes and submit. You will then be emailed your temporary password to access the site. Simply log in and change your password to something you would prefer using (and while you’re at it, feel free to fill out your personal details and upload a picture). You will not be able to post to the site immediately. I have to approve all new users manually, so once I see you’re not a freak (or at least that you’re a freak I like) your account will be upgraded and you will be allowed to post. Again, I recommend Firefox or Camino as the other browsers are a little quirky.

I think that’s enough of a primer for now. Go ahead and explore the site. Let me know if you notice any major problems and I will do my best to correct them.