Fall 2010 week 7:—10/25/10: Mon. 9:00 - 12:00

Hi Everybody,

So you can all breathe a sigh of relief: one way or another, you got through the midterm push.

Whether you did well at midterm or poorly is irrelevant at this point. You should behave as if you're starting fresh, almost as if we're starting a new semester. What you should all consider, however, is HOW you want to start off the rest of the term next week. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT, THEN MAKE SURE YOU COME TO CLASS NEXT WEEK WITH YOUR PROJECTS ***WORKING PERFECTLY*** AND LOOKING GREAT!.

So that means that some of you will have to push a bit more this week to get your projects working. We are going to continue with the same projects, but with MANY modifications for the final.

WEEK 7

1. Homework 1:
   Take a look at your projects and do as much as possible to improve them by next week. We will continue working on these projects for the Final, so you don't want to start out the rest of the term behind by having to fix what you have and then implementing all the many new items of ActionScript that we will be adding over the coming weeks.
2. Homework 2:
   LINK   This is an example of a quiz that I gave last semester. Next week at the beginning of class, I will give a quiz VERY SIMILAR to this one. Make certain you can do it.

Fall 2010 week 6:—10/18/10: Mon. 9:00 - 12:00

Hi Everyone,

A lot of you are very behind and, I suspect, didn't do anything during the three weeks before our last class that we did not meet. Please, try not to miss anymore classes or forget to do your homework.

Complete the entire site by next week for your midterm project. Even if you do not have time to get it perfect, complete all the pages. Trying to do something, wrong or not, is always better than giving me something that is incomplete.

Have a nice week.

WEEK 6

1. Syllabus
• LINK    class syllabus
2. Classwork
• LINK    These files are similar to what we produced in class this week and last. Please make sure that you understand the construction and the code as YOU MUST DO the same thing for your midterm projects.
3. Homework
• exercise 1:

  A few of you have not yet sent me your intended subjects for your midterm projects. As of this past Monday, they were late. I suggest you email me IMMEDIATELY:

• exercise 2:

  FINAL PROJECTS DUE MONDAY:

  1. Pietr Mondriaan - De Stijl -->Jennifer De Los Santos
  2. Theo van Doesburg - De Stijl
  3. Joan Miro - Surrealism -->Julian Fagan
  4. Max Ernst - Surrealism -->Christopher Batiz
  5. Georges Braque - Cubism -->Giovanni Diaz
  6. Juan Gris - Cubism
  7. Umberto Boccioni - Futurism
  8. Carlo Carrà - Futurism -->Cory Jeminez
  9. Kazimir Malevich - Suprematism -->Mark Little
  10. El Lissitzky - (Russian) Constructivism -->Gabriel Ruiz
  11. Man Ray - Dadaism -->Carlos Lopez
  12. Hannah Höch - Dadaism -->Pablito Mirón
  13. Henri Matisse - Fauvism
  14. André Derain - Fauvism -->Jaron Harris
  15. Paul Cezanne - Post-Impressionism -->Acheson Phillips
  16. Vincent van Gogh - Post-Impressionism -->Christopher Breland
  17. Wassily Kandinsky - Expressionism -->Randy Brodie
  18. Otto Dix - Expressionism -->Kenneth Jean
  19. Jackson Pollock - Abstract Expressionism -->Andrew Mazowiecki
  20. Willem De Kooning - Abstract Expressionism -->Dwight McLaurin
  21. Dan Flavin - Minimalism -->Julio Perez
  22. Agnes Martin - Minimalism -->Frank Crichlow
  23. Sol Lewitt - Conceptualism -->Daniel Thomas
  24. Marcel Duchamp - Conceptualism -->Michael Foster
  25. Roy Lichtenstein - Pop -->Eddie Jemmott
  26. Claes Oldenburg - Pop -->Janelle Yarn

  If you are not certain which one to choose, then ask your art history instructor (Miguel Arisa, Dan Kadish, Vahan Nahabedian, Steve Tecson) or me for suggestions, or consult an art history book. You must come to class prepared to tell me your idea no later than next Monday.THE FIRST TO COME GETS FIRST CHOICE OF A PARTICULAR ARTIST, so I suggest that you email me your decision.

• exercise 3:

  As instructed in class this week, you must make the initial page load up AUTOMATICALLY, before the user clicks on a button. The reason we want this is so that the user doesn't see a blank page when the site starts up. You must do the same thing for your gallery pages so that when the user goes to those pages, there is already the FIRST image there showing up large. The code below is something like what you should have in your own index file right now, BEFORE you make any additions:

  1. // below is the variable that is converted into a request object;
  2. var oneRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest("one.swf");
  3. var twoRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest("two.swf");
  4. var threeRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest("three.swf");
  5. var fourRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest("four.swf");
  
  
  6. // below is the variable that is converted into a loader;
  
  
  7. var myLoader:Loader = new Loader();
  8. myLoader.load(oneRequest);
  
  
  9. // below is the function named loadOne & its contents are between the { }
  
  
  10. function loadOne(event:MouseEvent): void {
  • myLoader.load(oneRequest);
  • bg_mc.addChild(myLoader);
  11. };
  12. function loadTwo(event:MouseEvent): void {
  • myLoader.load(twoRequest);
  • bg_mc.addChild(myLoader);
  13. };
  14. function loadThree(event:MouseEvent): void {
  • myLoader.load(threeRequest);
  • bg_mc.addChild(myLoader);
  15. };
  16. function loadFour(event:MouseEvent): void {
  • myLoader.load(fourRequest);
  • bg_mc.addChild(myLoader);
  17. };
  
  
  18. /* below is the listener which is waiting for the user to click on the button named one_btn;
      and, when he/she does,
      the function named loadOne is activated).*/
  
  
  19. one_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, loadOne);
  20. two_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, loadTwo);
  21. three_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, loadThree);
  22. four_btn.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, loadFour);

  As it is right now if everything functions properly, your projects load up the content from the external .swf files only when you click on a button. Clicking on the buttons activates one of the functions that loads the external file into the index file. The code in the function only runs when the function is called. This means that we need to run that same code, but without using a function because the function keeps it from running automatically, and only allows it to run when the function is called. See the code below for a function as it currently is:

  1. function loadOne(event:MouseEvent): void {
  • myLoader.load(oneRequest);
  • bg_mc.addChild(myLoader);
  2. };

  Those two lines of code inside of the function are what we are looking for. They are the two lines that are actually responsible for loading the first external .swf file into the index. This means that you must not only have those two lines here inside the function, but also OUTSIDE OF THE FUNCTION as well. This will cause the first page to load automatically AND also when the user clicks on its button.

• exercise 4:

  Do the same thing for your gallery files so that the first image in each loads up automatically as well as when the button for it is clicked by the user.





4. Midterm Requirements:
• page size: 1000px X 700px
• page number: 6 pages
1. bio:
   this page is about the artist and should include sufficient text, and then enough accompanying images to help explain or demonstrate the text.
2. art:
   this page is about his/her art, and should, like the bio page, contain sufficient text and images to accompany the text for us to have a basic understanding of the art.
3. movement:
   this page is about the art movement that he/she participated in, and should, like the other two pages, contain sufficient text and images to accompany the text for us to have a basic understanding of the art: in this page, you MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST 2 IMAGES FROM DIFFERENT ARTISTS IN THE SAME MOVEMENT.
4. gallery 1 & 2:
   these pages should contain thumbnail images which, when clicked on, cause a larger image to show up with a caption below it—the best way to do this is to place the large image in a separate Flash file and type some text below or beside it. Each page must have at least 4 images and each should show up with a unique caption to go with it.
5. bibliography:
   this page contains a list of links and a brief description of at least 10 online resources that have information or images. Also, list some recent books or films about the artist and/or his/her work. This should include who wrote it and when it was published it if is a book; or who directed it and when it was released if it is a film.
5. Midterm Grading:
• topic: 5pts—
  this is a giveaway of points (5% - a half of a letter grade - of the final grade of the project) if you all follow the topics you chose;
• color: 5pts—
  this has to do with whether you've seriously chosen your color scheme: if you choose too many colors or if they simply don't go together, points will be taken off; so, if you're not sure, keep it really minimal, or use the COLOR INDEX;
• images: 5pts—
  another point giveaway if you use enough images AND if you DO NOT DISTORT THEM; and also if you don't use images more than once in such a small website;
• text: 5pts—
  once again, another giveaway of points if you use enough text and if you spend a little time formatting it: a couple suggestions are that you should NOTstretch text all the way across the page, but break it up into a couple columns instead; also, like color, make sure you do not use too many fonts, especially multiple decorative fonts together;
• layout, positioning, & alignment: 20pts—
  you should carefully consider the organization of each of your pages and, especially, keep in mind that consistency from page to page is very important. USE RULERS & GUIDES!!!!;
• title: 5pts—
  make certain that there is a title and that it is present (in the same spot) no matter what the user does;
• buttons: 5pts—
  buttons should be fully functional, should have 4 frames in which the hit frame is a simple gray rectangle, and they should be designed well&#a hint here: students often make their buttons too large;
• content: 5pts—
  yet another point giveaway and it is simply points to determine whether you have enough content in each page;
• movie-clip container: 5pts—do you use a movieclip container (box_mc for the index and bigImg_mc for the gallery, for example)?;
• initial load: 15pts—
  when the user first opens up your site using the index, does content AUTOMATICALLY LOAD as it should, or does the user have to click on a button to make something appear when the page loads up initially?—this also pertains to the gallery pages;
• button loading: 20pts—
  this simply refers to the functions connected to the buttons on the stage: does content load when you click on all your buttons?
• folder organization: 5pts—
  the folder that you give me next week should be organized, meaning that images should be in one folder. Also, right before you give me your project, put your .fla files into a separate folder as well. You should also remove any images or other files that are not being used.

Fall 2010 week 5:—10/11/10: Mon. 9:00 - 12:00

Hi Everybody,

I'm sorry about the last two weeks. The week before last I was ill and then this week, of course, we had the problems with the administration not wanting to negotiate a new contract with us like adults. Luckily, all that has been resolved and I am not sick anymore. Please see the following exercises for your homework due Monday (along with the homework that was due last week).

Your mid-term projects will be due in three weeks; however, by next week you must have a partial rough draft to show me. This means you have to have the first two "pages" of the site done by next week. That DOES NOT mean they have to be perfect, as we will continue working on them two more weeks to get them into better condition. Moreover, we will continue working on them throughout the rest of the semester, adding features and editing what you already have. These projects will be the same projects that you give to me for the final as well.

The most important part of this project is to get the ACTIONSCRIPT to work. Design is very important, but should take a backseat if you have to make a choice.

WEEK 5

1. Syllabus
• LINK    class syllabus
2. Classwork
• LINK    This week's class files
3. Homework
• exercise 1:

  Many of you have not yet sent me your intended subjects for your midterm projects. As of this past Monday, they were late. I suggest you email me immediately:

  1. Pietr Mondriaan - De Stijl -->Jennifer De Los Santos
  2. Theo van Doesburg - De Stijl
  3. Joan Miro - Surrealism -->Julian Fagan
  4. Max Ernst - Surrealism -->Christopher Batiz
  5. Georges Braque - Cubism
  6. Juan Gris - Cubism
  7. Umberto Boccioni - Futurism
  8. Carlo Carrà - Futurism -->Cory Jeminez
  9. Kazimir Malevich - Suprematism -->Mark Little
  10. El Lissitzky - (Russian) Constructivism -->Gabriel Ruiz
  11. Man Ray - Dadaism -->Carlos Lopez
  12. Hannah Höch - Dadaism -->Pablito Mirón
  13. Henri Matisse - Fauvism
  14. André Derain - Fauvism -->Jaron Harris
  15. Paul Cezanne - Post-Impressionism -->Acheson Phillips
  16. Vincent van Gogh - Post-Impressionism -->Christopher Breland
  17. Wassily Kandinsky - Expressionism -->Randy Brodie
  18. Otto Dix - Expressionism -->Kenneth Jean
  19. Jackson Pollock - Abstract Expressionism -->Andrew Mazowiecki
  20. Willem De Kooning - Abstract Expressionism -->Dwight McLaurin
  21. Dan Flavin - Minimalism -->Julio Perez
  22. Agnes Martin - Minimalism -->Frank Crichlow
  23. Sol Lewitt - Conceptualism -->Daniel Thomas
  24. Marcel Duchamp - Conceptualism -->Michael Foster
  25. Roy Lichtenstein - Pop -->Eddie Jemmott
  26. Claes Oldenburg - Pop -->Janelle Yarn
• exercise 2: Complete THE FIRST TWO PAGES of your midterm project by next week to present to me a partial rough draft. This means that you MUST COMPLETE THOSE TWO PAGES BY NEXT WEEK. I will then comment on what you show me and you will have two more weeks to improve it and smooth out all the rough edges.




4. Midterm Requirements:
• page size: 1000px X 700px
• page number: 6 pages
1. bio:
   this page is about the artist and should include sufficient text, and then enough accompanying images to help explain or demonstrate the text.
2. art:
   this page is about his/her art, and should, like the bio page, contain sufficient text and images to accompany the text for us to have a basic understanding of the art.
3. movement:
   this page is about the art movement that he/she participated in, and should, like the other two pages, contain sufficient text and images to accompany the text for us to have a basic understanding of the art: in this page, you MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST 2 IMAGES FROM DIFFERENT ARTISTS IN THE SAME MOVEMENT.
4. gallery 1 & 2:
   these pages should contain thumbnail images which, when clicked on, cause a larger image to show up with a caption below it—the best way to do this is to place the large image in a separate Flash file and type some text below or beside it. Each page must have at least 4 images and each should show up with a unique caption to go with it.
5. bibliography:
   this page contains a list of links and a brief description of at least 10 online resources that have information or images. Also, list some recent books or films about the artist and/or his/her work. This should include who wrote it and when it was published it if is a book; or who directed it and when it was released if it is a film.
5. Midterm Grading:
• topic: 5pts—
  this is a giveaway of points (5% - a half of a letter grade - of the final grade of the project) if you all follow the topics you chose;
• color: 5pts—
  this has to do with whether you've seriously chosen your color scheme: if you choose too many colors or if they simply don't go together, points will be taken off; so, if you're not sure, keep it really minimal, or use the COLOR INDEX;
• images: 5pts—
  another point giveaway if you use enough images AND if you DO NOT DISTORT THEM; and also if you don't use images more than once in such a small website;
• text: 5pts—
  once again, another giveaway of points if you use enough text and if you spend a little time formatting it: a couple suggestions are that you should NOTstretch text all the way across the page, but break it up into a couple columns instead; also, like color, make sure you do not use too many fonts, especially multiple decorative fonts together;
• layout, positioning, & alignment: 20pts—
  you should carefully consider the organization of each of your pages and, especially, keep in mind that consistency from page to page is very important. USE RULERS & GUIDES!!!!;
• title: 5pts—
  make certain that there is a title and that it is present (in the same spot) no matter what the user does;
• buttons: 5pts—
  buttons should be fully functional, should have 4 frames in which the hit frame is a simple gray rectangle, and they should be designed well&#a hint here: students often make their buttons too large;
• content: 5pts—
  yet another point giveaway and it is simply points to determine whether you have enough content in each page;
• movie-clip container: 5pts—do you use a movieclip container (box_mc for the index and bigImg_mc for the gallery, for example)?;
• initial load: 15pts—
  when the user first opens up your site using the index, does content AUTOMATICALLY LOAD as it should, or does the user have to click on a button to make something appear when the page loads up initially?—this also pertains to the gallery pages;
• button loading: 20pts—
  this simply refers to the functions connected to the buttons on the stage: does content load when you click on all your buttons?
• folder organization: 5pts—
  the folder that you give me next week should be organized, meaning that images should be in one folder. Also, right before you give me your project, put your .fla files into a separate folder as well. You should also remove any images or other files that are not being used.

Fall 2010 week 4:—10/04/10: Mon. 9:00 - 12:00

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry that I wasn't in class on Monday, but I've been a little ill since the weekend. I will undoubtedly be in class next week. You must, however, despite my absence, continue working on your projects. Please make certain that you bring all of the work that I ask for below to our class next week.

Have a nice week.

WEEK 4

1. Syllabus
• LINK    class syllabus
2. Classwork
• LINK    These files are similar to what we produced in class last week. Please make sure that you understand the construction and the code as YOU will be doing the same thing for your midterm projects.
3. Homework
• exercise 1:

  Many of you have not yet sent me your intended subjects for your midterm projects. As of this past Monday, they were late. I suggest you email me immediately:

  1. Pietr Mondriaan - De Stijl -->Jennifer De Los Santos
  2. Theo van Doesburg - De Stijl
  3. Joan Miro - Surrealism -->Julian Fagan
  4. Max Ernst - Surrealism -->Christopher Batiz
  5. Georges Braque - Cubism
  6. Juan Gris - Cubism
  7. Umberto Boccioni - Futurism
  8. Carlo Carrà - Futurism
  9. Kazimir Malevich - Suprematism
  10. El Lissitzky - (Russian) Constructivism
  11. Man Ray - Dadaism -->Carlos Lopez
  12. Hannah Höch - Dadaism -->Pablito Mirón
  13. Henri Matisse - Fauvism
  14. André Derain - Fauvism
  15. Paul Cezanne - Post-Impressionism
  16. Vincent van Gogh - Post-Impressionism -->Christopher Breland
  17. Wassily Kandinsky - Expressionism
  18. Otto Dix - Expressionism -->Kenneth Jean
  19. Jackson Pollock - Abstract Expressionism
  20. Willem De Kooning - Abstract Expressionism
  21. Dan Flavin - Minimalism -->Julio Perez
  22. Agnes Martin - Minimalism
  23. Sol Lewitt - Conceptualism -->Daniel Thomas
  24. Marcel Duchamp - Conceptualism -->Michael Foster
  25. Roy Lichtenstein - Pop -->Eddie Jemmott
  26. Claes Oldenburg - Pop -->Janelle Yarn

  If you are not certain which one to choose, then ask your art history instructor (Miguel Arisa, Dan Kadish, Vahan Nahabedian, Steve Tecson) or me for suggestions, or consult an art history book. You must come to class prepared to tell me your idea no later than next Monday.THE FIRST TO COME GETS FIRST CHOICE OF A PARTICULAR ARTIST, so I suggest that you email me your decision.



• exercise 2: Make certain that you have at least three resources to do your research and get your images. These may be either books or websites, and you must come with them written down ready to show to me first thing in class.


• exercise 3: Last week, I asked you to do TWO MOCKUPS for the first page of your website. If you hadn't done those by yesterday (Monday), then you got a break. They will be due next Monday. A mockup is a "fake" website, or an image that simply "poses" or "pretends to be" a website. You will use Photoshop or Illustrator, or both, to do your mockups. They must look EXACTLY as you intend them to look when you actually make your websites in Flash. Choose your color scheme, your fonts and your layout. You should also design your navigation: will you utilize graphic buttons, or will you use simply text links to click on to go from page to page?


• exercise 4: You should create your INDEX file in FLASH. Recall my discussion on the separation of interface elements from content elements. In your index you should ONLY place navigation (buttons and/or links) and those items that will remain visible to the user at all times, such as the title of the site or the background. THERE SHOULD BE NO CONTENT AT ALL IN THIS FILE. If you're not certain, email me and ask me if one thing or another belongs. This file should be similar to the INDEX files we produced last week in class together.