Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
When Jonnie applied my design
in Flash, the things that were
influenced by him were based on
user interaction. How will the
images load in the browser, what
will the transition look like?
—Luke Williams
Navigation and architecture
The navigation is both simple and enormously
sophisticated. Although the site is obviously built with
Flash technology and uses it well, it avoids busy Flash
effects.
The narrow menu anchors the left vertical plane,
with project titles expanding below when the main cat-
egory is selected. Active categories and projects are
indicated in gray, as are rollovers that “anticipate” their
selection. The only other navigation element is a slender slider bar below the project
images. Clicking on the bar and sliding to the right scrolls project images horizontally.
Design projects are either sequential spreads or are organized visually to help the visi-
tor explore the project. Photographs describe small narratives, and are sequenced by
chronology or subject.
One of the most striking aspects of the navigation is revealed as you scroll. The
menu remains firmly in place as an active element while the project work scrolls trans-
parently behind it. This extremely usable idea is the most visible example of the
Williams-Hallman creative process. As Luke says, “That was one of the things that
Jonnie surprised me with. I realized that the menu wasn't going anywhere when I
scrolled through the pieces. I was curious about how people would respond to it. In
hindsight, I liked it and I wanted to keep it like that. It echoes the announcement
text on my home page. It's all about me talking to the viewer. I'm always in the fore-
front, and what's behind me is my work.”
Williams' design mimics the natural left-
to-right motion used to present a physical
portfolio. Spreads scroll across the page,
allowing the viewer to have an experience
similar to turning book pages.
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