adam holsten

The class assignment was to create an original responsive site. I chose to create a brand and responsive website for my Sister and Brother-in-law’s original beer. What I came up with was this Cate Family Ale site.

Click here to view the finished version of the site at http://adamholstendesign.com/cate_site/

The beer site, targeted a young knowledgeable beer drinkers, adjusts for tablets, mobile devices and everything in between

For this assignment, the class was tasked with creating a mobile version of one of our favorite websites. I chose to create a mobile version of my favorite brewery’s website. The Peekskill Brewery, The original site, www.thepeekskillbrewery.com

Below are three variations of the site that maintain the look and feeling of the original site but for the mobile platform. I did not simply shrink the original site down to mobile size, but I took elements or the original and optimized them for mobile use.

Here is a link to the finished product.
Peekskill Brewery Mobile Finished Site

For my Intro to Mobile development class we were assigned to create a sample portfolio app in xcode for the Iphone.

The portfolio app had to contain at least four separate projects, a contact page and an about page.

I separated the navigation into three different categories, “About”, “Contact” and “Projects”. Each Project page had black arrows on the bottom of each page to bring the user to the next project page.

The app is called Cthulhoid and is for Android systems only. The app itself is very useful, it has the full published works of horror/scifi writer H.P. Lovecraft as well as an assortment of his stories on audiobook.

The look of the app is very dark, almost too dark. On top of that, sections of the app are unnecessary (wiki, info & resources) or just don’t work (the “Map of Lovecraft County”).

Here’s a link to the original app on the Android market.

My goal is to redesign this app for IOS with an updated more Lovecraftian look and simplified menu system.

Here are sketches of my redesign.

Here is the final redesign.

The original design attempts to create a dark/scary atmosphere but comes off just dark. I added the squid elements to give it a more Lovecraftian feel. I kept the text from the original logo, cut out the “wiki, resources and info” pages, brightened the menu and simplified the “print and audio” pages.

Henry Rader and Son is a website I developed for Edward Rader a Jersey City sheet metal worker.

I developed the metal stamp logo and I also took photos and video of Ed for the website. His work samples and history photos are from his own collection.

The photo gallery is accomplished through lightbox.

www.henryraderandson.com

 

Passion, the app.

My class assignment was to redesign the look of a website that’s purpose is to market a mobile app. The site I chose to redesign is for an app called ‘Passion.’

http://upscaleriver.com/apps/passion.php

This app is quite terrible, and has landed itself on a number of “Worst app of the year” lists (that’s how I found it in case you were wondering). Its purpose is to measure how good you are at intercourse using “the iPhone’s distinct features such as the microphone, accelerometer and many others to determine an accurate score.”

I have never used the app personally and I don’t know of anyone that would. The website marketing the app is dull and unresponsive.

I started my redesign with a simple mood board.

After receiving some feedback from my class I decided my design need to be more fun and attractive. Below are the image I intend to splice and use for the redesigned website. The left image is the landing page. When the user clicks “Learn what Passion’s all about” the right half of the screen will scroll down to reveal the image on the right explaining the app.

Surrounded by a blue tarp, several blankets and bottles strewn about, two representatives of the Occupy Journal Square movement sat calmly in chairs behind a folding table yesterday afternoon.

Now in its third day, the Journal Square movement hasn’t garnered a fraction of the attention, or number of participants, as the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations in Manhattan. But the message is the same the government has to stop passing laws and giving tax breaks that make the rich richer while the middle and lower classes struggle.

“The point of me being here is to spread the truth that there is a very corrupt system controlling us and it needs to change,” said Miguel B., 24, who didn’t want to give his last name.

Like the protesters in Manhattan, some have taken to sleeping in the Journal Square Plaza. It isn’t as harsh as one might think, Miguel B. said.

The police are not arresting the protesters or even pushing them to leave, he said. “They have treated us pretty friendly for the most part.”

The homeless, who normally occupy the transit hub plaza after dark, are “kind of uneasy with us being here . . . because there’s more cops now,” said Paul M., 22, of Jersey City who also didn’t want to give his last name. But “the overall reaction has been positive because we’ve been feeding them.”

Paul M. is studying English at Hudson County Community College. When he saw the Occupy Wall Street movement expand to Journal Square he joined up. “It’s perfect, I get out of class and I come right here,” he said.

“I want a government that’s actually for the people, by the people and not by the corporations, for the corporations,” said Paul M. “I’m tired of being lied to.”

Occupy Journal Square provides Paul M. with the opportunity to share his views on corporate and political corruption. “I’m sick of what the political system has done to the educational system,” said Paul.

Before enrolling at HCCC, Paul studied electrical engineering at the University of North Carolina and now “I have $50,000 in loan debt and I can’t get a job.”

“And if I don’t keep going to school, I have to pay back (my loans) with a job that I don’t have.”

As for what the two men want specifically from the movement, “(I want) a government to care about its citizens and not only care about 1 percent,” said Paul. “I think we all matter and we all make this country a beautiful country.”

View the full post on nj.com

Posted Tuesday, October 11, 2011, 5:17 PM
Eric LeGrand, former Rutgers football player, was paralyzed from the neck down after a freak football accident. He spoke with students at MS #7 about his struggle to walk and future.
View the full post on nj.com

Posted Monday, October 10, 2011, 7:12 PM
The “Occupy New Jersey” demonstrators who protested outside the Goldman Sachs building on the Jersey City waterfront late last week have moved their rally to Journal Square tonight…
View the full post on nj.com

Posted: Friday, October 07, 2011, 10:04 PM

Nancy Caamaño, executive director of Hudson Pride Connections Center, will leave the center on Oct. 31.

During her tenure at the center, she has contributed to the organization’s advocacy for the Hudson County LGBT community and individuals impacted by HIV and AIDS, officials of the center said.

“I felt that the organization was at the perfect point where a transition could happen and I was at that point in my life where I felt it was the best time to pass the baton,” said Caamaño. “I wanted to see what’s next for my career and maybe go back to grad school.”

Taking over the leadership post is Jonathan Lucas. Lucas has worked as board treasurer and will step in as interim executive director during the search for a new executive director.

Lucas has background in accounting and marketing, having spent 30 years working at Pfizer pharmaceutical company.

Both Lucas and Caamaño were drawn to Hudson Pride Connections because of their desire to give back to the community.

“There were people out there who cared about a black boy who grew up in the west side of Chicago, and they invested in my education,” said Lucas. “I always felt that I needed to return that.”

Caamaño, a Newark native and first generation American, was raised by parents who were undocumented at the time. Both of her parents worked two jobs in order to send Caamaño to a private school, she said. Her educational success was also “because of Newark nonprofits,” said Caamaño. “I was able to attend their after-school programs and stay out of trouble.”

Caamano has spent her last five years at Hudson Pride Connections as the director of programs and executive director and obtained $50,000 from the Hudson County Department of Economic Development for energy renovation to the 100-year-old Victorian house Hudson Pride calls home.

Caamaño has given the center five areas of focus: Youth Connect, which serves LGBT teens and young adults; SAGE Northern NJ, which serves the needs of LGBT individuals over 50; HIV Linkage to Care, which links HIV-positive people into primary medical care; Community Connect Training and Education Program, which provides LGBT and HIV sensitivity and educational workshops; and the Hudson Pride Festival and Parade.

On Oct. 29th, the Board of Directors will host a Farewell Party at 32 Jones St. from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The event is open to the public.

Hudson Pride Connections will hold its Pride Festival today at Exchange Place. The march begins at 11 a.m., but Caamaño recommends participants start lining up at City Hall at 10:30 a.m.

Read the full post on nj.com