Main Course Projects

• My First Page

  Kicking off the semester, My First Page was a simple one-page activity designed to introduce us to the basics of HTML, internal CSS, and file management while getting comfortable with the Dreamweaver interface. I quickly learned the semantics and syntax of HTML coding and how they talk to the browser. I also discovered how to add images, the process of uploading a site to an FTP server, and the wonders of file naming conventions and file paths (by that I mean learning the hard way not to rename or move files to a different location unless you’re in Dreamweaver or want your assets to fall into a black hole of broken links). This was my first experience with web design and I highly enjoyed learning about the process of building my own website!

• Squint Studio Build-Along

  Expanding our knowledge gained previously, the Squint Studio Build-Along was a progressive multi-page project made for an imaginary photography studio where we started establishing and understanding the connections between HTML and CSS. We learned about new elements, attributes, and selectors and styled them with Dreamweaver’s CSS Designer. Working with an external CSS stylesheet, we created a much more elaborate website with new styles such as padding, alignment, shadows, and link states while going deeper into classes and IDs to create logically organized sections. This project rounded out our understanding of HTML and CSS while teaching us image optimization, SEO optimization, design techniques, accessibility standards, link rules, and industry standards (and of course patience, what you envision takes time to become reality).

  My Final Portfolio

  For our final, we were able to make a website on a topic of our choosing. I took the opportunity to create a portfolio where I could collect and show off my work, personal and academic. Each week, we hit various set milestones while learning about concepts such as SEO, metadata, page structure, image optimization, responsible sourcing of visual assets, and more. From ideation and wireframing to coding to the final product, I was able to make a beautiful site entirely by myself. Really shows the my growth from this little site to my final portfolio!