AnJoe Lite:Web Designers’ log

Day 2: Design layout research1. Deciding on the theme: 

Like any other projects I’ve been involved in, I have so many different ideas mixed up together.  My past web projects I’ve undertaken started out like it and ended up like it as well.  In the end, it looked horrible. My most recent project, U.S. Bowling LLC, had an overall theme.  The theme was, well… bowling alley. It kept me on track in terms of keeping over all look and feel of the site consistent.

What underlying theme should I go with for AnJoe Design? As of right now, I have no idea.  I’m going to start my research. One website I love to use during my design stage is CoolHomePages.com.  No I’m not browsing the site to steal other people’s design, I am looking for inspiration. Studying each websites’ theme, color layouts, designs.  There is fine line between inspiration and plagiarism.  We all need to check ourselves not to cross that line.

The name AnJoe is only understood by a few. In Korean, this word can roughly be translated into “Sit down”. In other language? Who knows. Here is a quick background on the title. Anjoe is a name I came up with which combines by girl friends’ name, “Annie” and my name “Joe”.

On our one year anniversary, I was contemplating on what to get her. This is a special relationship and I wanted to get her something romantic. After thinking long and hard, I figured jewelry would be the best way to go. Annie is very particular about her jewelry and not knowing this at the time, I purchased a silver necklace with five circles in increasing size. I was very proud of my selection.

Next day, I walked over to her house, knocked on the door and found myself looking at the beautiful girl standing before me. She welcomes me with her bright welcoming smile, and gives me a blue ray disk of UltraViolet. My first thought, OH MY GOD, I can buy Play Station 3. My second thought, this girl is awesome!
She welcomes me in and says to me, “I have another surprise for you”. And she walked out with Play Station 3 console, which she paid full price for.

I was Stunned.

Who WOULDN’T BE?!?!

I just figured, it was my duty to name this gift that represents us. The name has evolved from a name of a gift into something greater. AnjoeDesign

I was watching TV one day and came across a commercial that caught my attention. It was the HP laptop commercial with Gwen Stafani.  What caught my attention wasn’t the commercial but the phrase.

“Creativity, it’s just that simple and it’s just that hard”

Isn’t this the most liberating phrase you’ve ever heard?  It gave me sense of hope. It gave birth to my confidence and motivation to open up my closed and shredded artistic side. AnJoe Design is the result of my new goal.   

I look forward to presenting my work to the world.  Some may see it as garbage and ignore it, spit on it, or even ask to remove this website completely. It is my hope that I can reach people who will embrace my showcase as “being creative”.  One day…