The Waterfall Document model is a software development process set up as a sequence. The process is visually displayed in such a way that the diagram is displayed like a waterfall. This symbolises that progress is flowing steadily downwards, like a waterfall would. Below is an example of the waterfall method
(Wikipedia, 2009)
In this example the project goes through each stage of the waterfall process, in all cases of the waterfall model the only way to move to the next stage of the waterfall is through the completion of the prior stage, hence in the above diagram including Requirements, Design, Implementation, Verification, and Maintenance. Requirements would have to be fully completed before I could move on to Design.
The whirlpool model is similar to the waterfall model in many ways however visually the process goes around like a whirlpool would. This means that you would produce each of the sections to completion like in the waterfall method. However the process would then restart back at requirements. This means that the product is constantly improving and that the whirlpool method is an ongoing process.
I believe that the best model to use for a web designer would be the whirlpool model. I believe this is the best method for a web designer because most websites will need to undergo changes and have updates, therefore the whirlpool method I ideal in the industry because the designer can go through the steps again and again every time the website needs updating.
The waterfall process can be very useful in design when it is a one off process, If you are not going back to the design to improve then the waterfall model is perfect. The Whirlpool design is much more practical for most designs because in general products will always have to be improved to the best possible standard to keep up with the surrounding industry and constant upgrades of technology.
The third non web designer that i have decided to evaluate is the Graffiti Artist Banksy. Banksy has not always been a main influence for me and my work. I only discovered his work last summer on a trip to London hence the reason for not influencing any of my work yet. I had glanced his work before but had never really got the time to find out what he was about; I researched him and was fascinated by his story and the quality of his work under the circumstances.
I purchased a book on Banksy (Wall and Piece) after the trip displaying some of his most famous work and giving some brief information about the guy however he remains anonymous. It is thought that he was born just outside Bristol in 1974, and became interested in Graffiti art during the great Bristol aerosol boom in the late 80’s.
His work fascinated me because they are not just pretty pictures there is a meaning behind each of his pieces of work. His work often has a hidden message mainly on the delicate topics of politics, ethics and our culture. His work is not only highly illegal but also holds the greatest detail created by just stencils and spray paint. Banksy’s work has been illegally displayed in Bristol, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris and Israel. It has been know that art experts have auctioned off Banksys work on site, where the winner of the auction has to deal with the Graffiti, for example if it is ordered to be washed off the new owner of the piece will have to do this. There have been roumers and articles in newspapers about revealing the identity of Banksy, weather these are true or not I am not sure.
Banksy could have a great influence on my graphic designs on the websites I create in the future; I am especially interested in the hidden meanings behind the images. I would like to be able to create graphics which make people stop and specifically think about the meanings. This would of course depend on the genre of the website that I create. I also think that the look of graffiti art is very effective, I am not recommending graffiti art however the circumstances of Banksys work makes it all the more exiting and impressive. I could attempt graffiti art for a future project; this greatly interests me as I did Art at a-level and have never tried it before.
The reason why I like Beckerman’s images so much is because they are all in Black and white, I feel that this makes the photographs look vintage even though they are extremely modern.
I feel that Black and White New York City photographs are more effective than colour photos because the city does not have too much colour anyway, the colours of the older buildings are very grey and dull colours therefore can sometimes spoil photographs; however the black and white shows the history of the building.
When I think of colour I immediately think of the yellow Taxi’s. I have seen prints of black and white New York photography with only the colour yellow for the taxi’s in the photograph. I feel that this is effective because it shows a bright colourful logo for the city.
Another reason why I like the work of Dave Beckerman is because he also has an interest in Paris, this is another unique city with identifiable buildings and unique people. I have visited Paris before therefore I am very fond of the images and I am defiantly fond of the city itself. Beckerman’s work relates to may on so many different levels however I feel that the main similarity is his interest in New York City, and Paris, because these are defiantly my two favourite Cities in the world.
Beckerman could inspire me as a web designer in many different ways; I could have a black and white rustic theme for one of my websites. His work also inspires me to go out and actually take photos for my websites. I have not always been interested in photography, and have often been lazy in taking photographical evidence for my work, however as my interest in the subject rises this inspires me to create my own photography, rather than the far easier method of finding other peoples images on the internet. I have to bear this in mind for when I loose my student status as everything will have to be my own when I start my career.
The first non web design practitioner that I would like to talk about is the film director Stanley Kubrick. Born in New York City in 1928 he spent most of his later career living in England, Kubrick was a writer, producer, director and photographer of films. He is famous for his innovative and influential filmmakers of all time; some of his films have been known to be very controversial to the public eye. Some of Kubrick’s most famous pieces have been Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut, The Shining and 2001 a Space Odyssey. However I would like to concentrate on one of his most famous and controversial films, A Clockwork Orange.
I studied the novel during A-Level in English Literature during my time at school, therefore know it very well having completed coursework on the novel. The Novel was created by Anthony Burgess; the novel is famous for its nadsat language throughout the story. This is the language the gang use between each other e.g. Krovvy means blood and Droog means Friend.
However focusing on the theatrical version I was first introduced to the Film by a friend and found it very odd because I was quite young and didn’t really understand the meaning behind it. However watching it in 6th form during an English Lit lesson I realised just how good the film really was.
The soundtrack is based around classical music and is fantastically linked in with each scene to show different moods and atmospheres. The motion picture features disturbingly violent images of attack and rape based in a futuristic British society.
The lighting is uniquely used the set the atmosphere, especially in one scene inside a milk bar, I also have to mention the props used to create a futuristic setting.
The innovative ideas used in A Clockwork Orange could be very useful to me in the world of web design. The music used in the film and the way it is could help me set a certain mood or atmosphere on a web design project for the future. Kubrick’s use of scenery could also help me for my graphical work or setting for the websites I create in the future.
