Website Analysis 2

Alexandria Technical College of Communication Art and Design

Description

1. Overview (technically this is 3rd in nav. bar, but it was first when I clicked on your web address listed.)

bordered with an abstract gold and black design with title of college on top

"Your future is here..." and address on bottom of page border

navigation bar of seven different links in black paintbrush stroke

links for feedback on bottom

with black, red, and white college logo on right bottom side

left side bold font "words and pictures" importance, below that is definitions in faded gray

in the middle positions you can hold in gold, bold title and regular definition, with Job Market as well

web design/illustration/painting/3D/advertising/animation faded into yellow background

three column format for text

2. Student Work

same border but red

blank in the middle for looking at images

a square made up of tiny squares in left side

these squares are different colors: red, purple, fish, few other can't figure out image

put mouse over each square, see different student's artwork that isn't the square image itself

two links below border

current student work in red bold, below black font normal size, followed by images,

below that is "featured student" in red and description the style below that

right side student quote link 'what they are saying'

below is three paragraphs, normal

"striving to be the best" in bottom border

3. Courses

same border in bright violet

also in bright violet is "first year, laying foundation" and address bar on top of course descriptions

course descriptions layout is 4 blocks across and 11 blocks down

4 across consist of season (semester), title of course, description, and then pictures of things related to course

first half is lighter gray (fall)

second half is darker gray (spring)

these are first year courses, listed as links next to it are second year and fifth semester courses

"first year/laying the foundation" on bottom border

4. Vision

layout is basically the same of Overview page. Same colors and and 3 columns of text, with same font, bold, text, etc.

1st column is "Creativity is encouraged" title, and 2 paragraphs describing this

next column is for first year students

third column is for second year students

this is different from overview with the gray line drawn below last two columns of text, not below 1st.

below line is fifth semester student description, with three blocks of gold and black abstract from border

below that is Vision in gray large print

"Your future is here" bottom border

5. Opportunity

same gold and black border

same text style on left side "opportunities" big with paragraph below

next column of text is the claims of employment of ATC students at the following companies...

there is a gray line and then below that is two columns of companies listed of employed students: 20 in all

same three colored blocks are below second column of text (companies text)

"future is here" bottom border

6 Instructors

same but green background/border

two columns, four paragraphs

2x2

picture of professor, followed by assumed last name, in bold dark gray,

below that is a description of person in normal font/text, and and link for their homepage, emails listed, and school

contact numbers

four professors

"learn from experience" bottom border

small, black and white pictures of instructors' faces

7 Contact Us

green borders, same design

same 2x2 structure on left side of photos and info. Info is different, however

First and last name used this time

same school addresses below names

same pictures

set up like this for each profile:

P phone number listed

F fax listed

E email listed

right side is paragraph with bold gray heading "we would love to visit your school"

one paragraph below it in gray normal font/text with "College for a Day" bolded

line of gray below text

below that is "can we help, contact us" lines

"great career choices" on bottom border

Analysis

Rhetorical Devices

It is not shocking that this is a colorful website considering it is an art and design college. They keep the same general borders, but change up the colors from red/green/gold/purple. An art student would not expect to come to this site and see a black, white and gray display. That might turn them off, so this sight uses color to show "We're artistic!" The borders are also kind of an abstract design, proving to the audience that "We're artistic, and edgy!" Also, using terms like "Laying the foundation" for their first year is a play on words related to art (sculpture, etc.)

1. Patterns of Repetition

The border and background of all of these links are basically the same. The only variation is color, and the message at the bottom. Even the color and messages are repeated in the borders though.

Every page has mostly gray text on it. Interesting choice, because most sites would use mostly black text.

The three column format is used multiple times for the text layout.

They show a picture for every class description. Is this artwork done by students for companies? Or is it just artwork from companies they will be studying, or both?

2. Patterns of Sequencing

All of the pages have same background that try to get across a certain message, as illustrated in the bottom border that keeps changing. Ex. "Your future is here..."

They all include contact information on every page

Generally, links are provide on most pages

Sequence of colors in correct order is red, purple, gold, gold, gold, green, purple (sequence gold three time in a row?)

3. Patterns of Omission

Calendar of events (college sites generally have this option)

Picture of college

The course descriptions don't include who teaches the class

Admission information

Who is head of this department?

4. Anomalies to Patterns (questions about anomalies)

Why are gold, purple, red, and green used with black in the website? Why these colors?

Why not use more colors? Some are repeated.

Why are they using mostly gray text instead of the normal black text? Using gray draws our eyes away from text and just at the colors of the border. Is the border what they want you to see the most?

Biggest question: WHAT'S WITH THE LITTLE SQUARES? This goes for two sets of squares. Below text in the "gold" links they have three squares side by side, like someone took a chunk out of the background. In the student's work area, there are a bunch of little squares. When you put your mouse over each of them, they each display a student's artwork in the blank space in the middle of the page. However, the picture displayed is not the same as the square. Why do this? The squares are different, but have multiple copies of each other. Altogether there's about nine different designs of squares, but all artwork displayed is unique.

All professors have many years of experience in the field, are these all of the professors, or just the cream of the crop?

All the professors have glasses. I doubt it matters, but I find it humorous.

5. Patterns of Relationships

There is a lot of information pertaining to contact info. They teachers are asking you to contact them. They have two pages with their contact information. A page with just web addresses and phone numbers and another page with with that plus a fax number. They are all smiles, giving you that welcoming, "we'll gladly help you" appearance.

They invite you to visit the college or to have them visit your high school art class.

They show relationship with companies in logos or pictures by the course descriptions, in the professors' profiles, and in the opportunity page ("major" companies).

There is a student quotes page, presumably of positive feedback on the college.

Summary and Interpretation

The style of this website reflects what type of college it is, which of course it wants you to see that. It is colorful, with an abstract border (looks like paintbrushes being splattered randomly). This makes you see the college as artsy and edgy which is probably what your looking for as an art student. You wouldn't want to see an art school site in black and white with nothing but plain text. That would show a lack of creativity. However, there is a fine line between artsy and crazy. The site couldn't be so colorful and abstract that you couldn't understand or navigate it easily. That's why I question the choice of gray text. Is it because it's different? Or is there some other purpose I do not see. The college is obviously trying to recruit student. It gives contact information on every page, they even say "We would be happy to visit your school. If we can help in any way please contact us and we will work out the arrangements." They want to be seen as helpful. This is a recruitment website that is trying to reflect it's area of study through it's layout and colorful displays.