Design Reference (Part 2 seven design characterstics)

1. (Functionality/ Easy Navigation): Each Website that I have listed has easy to understand navigation that takes the user to a different portion of the website. (eg.) hiphop dx has a banner at the top of the page, which lists Home, Hip Hop, Community, Media, Lifestyle, Fashion. When the user waves their mouse over the catergory, a drop down screen appears with more specific options. (If you look carefully at this screen shot you can see that as I waved the mouse over the media section, the option for audio, video, or mixtape media appeared.

2. (Functionality/allowance for membership): The sites that I have chosen allow the user to become members of the site for free,so they can recieve daily updates in their emails about the site. The example that I am showing is the Thisis50 website. I am a member of this site as you can see in the top right hand corner of the screen shot where it says, "Dubs, Sign out".

3. (Functionality/viewing past posts). The websites that I have chosen allow the user to view media, or articles the have previously been posted on the site. An example of this is the screen shot of Hip dx, in the first design characteristic post. On the side bar it shows past media with the date they were released and allows users to select it

4. (Functionality/allowance for self promotion). The websites that I have chosen allow members to post their own media content. This can be seen in the screen shot of This is 50.com on the 2nd Characteristic. If you look carefully you can see that it says, Welcome dubs, what would you like to do ? Post a video ?

5. (Functionality/allowance for chat). The sites that I have chosen allow members to chat with each other in two forms. 1, with comment boards. (eg. The screen shot below shows the comment board of a particular video on World Star Hip star Hiphop.com), and 2, Chat screens. The site thisis50 allows members to chat with one another. This can be seen in the previous screen shot.

6. (Aesthetics/eyecatching Banners). As you can see in all the previous screen shots each site has its own personalised banner with the website logo. This creates familiarity within the website users

7. (Aesthetics/page layout). Each page apart from HipHop Dx, has a blogstyle page which makes it easier to see current information. On the other hand, HipHop DX has a Homepage that allows users to see all the site updates. They are both very affective methods.

Design Reference (Part 1: 5 web pages)

I find this class to be very fun because Im now for first time learning to blog. Once I start talking I wont shut up. I also enjoy that I can study the aesthetics of web pages that I like to visit, and believe me, I visit alot of webpages. If someone can inform me of a good web provider that can cater for my habit, please holla, It would be much appreciated.

Anyway down to business. I have selected 5 websites based on an aesthetic that I would like to explore in the design for my own website later this Semester. Here is a list of the 5 pages that I have chosen

1. http://www.thisis50.com/

The site Thisis50.com was created by entertainer and business mogul 50cent, to promote his own music and music affiliates as well as connecting his fans, while creating weekly blogged material on other news items.



2. http://www.xxlmag.com/







xxlmag.com, is a website established to act as a secondary source to the Hip hop magazine XXL. It was designed to give magazine fans weekly updates and new coverage/media, that the magazine cannot.




3. http://www.hiphopdx.com/






Hip Hop DX is a one stop shop for listening to the newest HipHop Media available, free of cost.





4. http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/








World Star Hip Hop specialises in up to date video media relating to HipHop.





5. http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/







This is a blog site created by Musician Kanye West to promote his own music and his artistic tastes

Development Blog 1

Wow ! What a run around. I missed the first tute for the course, So now im moving from building to building trying to figure out how to work this thing. Ive finally done it!! HELL YEAH. Anyway Ive been thinking about this first assignment and the 5 web pages we have to look for. One thing I dont understand is do they have to be webpages for Music Events or can they be any websites based on their asthetics. Basically im asking for HELP !!! anyone reading this please leave their comments.

Peace.