February 2012
1 post
6 tags
Busy Busy!
I don’t know what happened to the time, but almost already 1 month into semester 2! I suppose times flies when you’re having fun! So what’s been keeping me busy?
Well work the The Magdalen is never ending. One magazine ends, another ends. (Not to mention planning the next again magazine too!)
I’ve been doing some fun work with one of my older clients, Domenica More...
January 2012
1 post
“Only dullards crippled into cretinism by a fear of being thought pretentious...”
July 2011
2 posts
May 2011
1 post
Recent Work: Hugh Buchanan →
I’ve been doing more and more freelance Web Design recently, and here is my latest creation.
It’s the site for a Watercolourist Hugh Buchanan. Have a look, and let me know what you think.
If you are interested in hiring me, please do get in touch at f@finlaycraig.com
F
February 2011
1 post
4 tags
Dynamic CSS without using JavaScript
Let’s say you want some dynamic graphics on your website, but you don’t want to, or don’t know how to use JavaScript.
Well PHP might be the answer. The first thing I thought was, ‘How do a I get PHP into my CSS File?’. Well you don’t!
Inline CSS - most people hate it, but in this case, it can be useful.
<style>
#testdiv {
height: 50px;
...
January 2011
1 post
3 tags
Rankiac Review | Keyword Tracking, Link Statuses,...
If you wanted to find your website in Google, what would you search for? Possibly your sites name? Well that is one way of people finding you, but they are only going to find you that way, if they are actually looking for you. But if you want people to find you because of what you do, then you need to start thinking about your keywords.
Your keywords, or keyword phrases, are the words and phrases...
June 2010
3 posts
Embed Your Flickr Photos On Your Site
Here is any easy way to embed your photos from your flickr on your website in form which you can style. I’ll even show you how to intergrate this into the famous Lightbox plugin.
We are going to use a little bit of PHP here, so you’ll need end your files with .PHP instead of .HTML, .HTM, or .XHTML. Alternatively you can go behind the scenes a bit more at this post.
1. Embed Latest...
Downloading takes Forever!
Today has been a great day. Managed to get dug into some PHP in WordPress. What has been really interesting though is that I’m developing a WordPress site, but also using WordPress as my change log.
So for it’s worked really well as a change log. I can title posts, tag them, categorise them, embed code snippets and more. But what I an really looking forward to is being able to share...
April 2010
1 post
Embed Tumblr Into Your Website
In my exploration to learn on how to Embed Tumblr into my website, I came across the Tumblr API (Application Programming Interface). As I am no expert in coding, and having very little experience with PHP, XML etc, I wanted to find out how I could Embed Tumblr with the Tumblr API on a basic, and easy to use level.
If you’ve read my previous post on how to Embed your latest Tweet into your...
March 2010
2 posts
10 tags
Embed Twitter In Your Website
Recently Twitter has become the main outlet for Social Media on the Web, so it’s only logical that people want to embed twitter on their personal websites.
But what if you are one of those people who doesn’t want a nasty Widget on their site? Well here is the solution to embed twitter fast - 1 line of PHP:
<?php
echo...
6 tags
Adding a '.htaccess' File To Your Website
Now let me just start by saying I am no expert in Web Development, or programming for that matter. But I know a nice piece of code when I see it!
It was when I was experimenting with PHP that I learnt about the power of SimpleXML, and immediately thought how useful that could be for Twitter. So I wrote one line of code that would embed your latest Tweet in your website.
To get that working you...
February 2010
1 post
10 tags
The Really Really Easy Way to Host Your First Site
Are you trying to make your first Website, but you can barely even code, let alone host your website on a web server?
Well if that’s you then i’ve found the perfect, FREE, solution for you!
Head over to www.dropbox.com
Download and Install the free software. (This should place a folder called ‘Dropbox’ in your user folder. Usually can be found at eg /Finlay/Dropbox/)
...
January 2010
5 posts
“I am a firm believer that anyone can do anything, you just have to work hard...”
– As part of my Design Studies in the first semester of my 2009 studying at the University of Dundee, I was given the assignment to write my own G2 (Guardian Newspaper supplement) article.
I wrote about my experiences since leaving school.
I thought i’d share this with the world. So if you...
11 tags
Upcycling
Today in Design Studies we were given our latest brief - UPCYCLED STORIES
The aims of this project are:
• To deepen the understanding of the design process
• To develop the drawing ability of students to allow them to express their ideas more effectively
• To explore the roles of typography and storyboarding in design
• To develop the ability to create artefacts that communicate predefined...
13 tags
How to Effectivly Run a Group Project Online
Since starting my Interactive Media Design Degree in September of 2009, I have learned the importance of running group projects well. So today I thought I’d share with you the way I like to keep a project on track using two online tools.
1. GoogleWave
Imagine Email and Instant Messaging combined into one super communicator. That’s GoogleWave. It takes the best strengths from Email,...
December 2009
6 posts
Christmas with the Craigs.
First off - Merry Christmas to all!
I don’t know about you, but for me the meaning of Christmas has been dumbed down year on year. When I was young all I could think about what Santa was going to be bring me. But as year has gone by, Christmas has come to mean more and more to me.
For the first time in my life I didn’t spend Christmas in Edinburgh. I must say, it was slightly strange...
My Website is up! →
I’ve finished the redesign of my website!
Please drop me an email at hello@finlaycraig.com and let me know what you think!
F
7 tags
Learning to tackle the basics of Web Development.
The holidays have arrived and I am getting stuck in with my winter plan - mastering HTML and CSS! And it’s going great!
I’m much further ahead than I thought I would be, which should hopefully leave me with some pretty challenging work by the start of next semester.
There are three tools that have got me to where I am.
Espresso from MacRabbit. This great HTML editor is clean and...
My Documentary Journal →
This is for anyone that has been following my wee blog posts about the Documentary I have been working on recently.
I have compiled all the posts into this pretty homage to Helvetica!
Enjoy.
F
Cut.
Although it felt like the documentary was never going to end, it has. On day on the challenge seemed somewhat scary - where we were going to take it was very unclear.
Within the first few weeks we experienced out first problems. Initially loosing a member was a difficult way to begin the project, but it only meant those of us who were left had to work harder. I think it’s fair to say we...
November 2009
14 posts
Oh the Editing.
I thought we were pretty far into the editing stages of our documentary - how wrong I was.
Sitting here in the front of an array of screens at 0.45 on a Saturday night, has brought home the the sheer scale of the task that we have set for ourselves. There are so many places that we could have cut back on, but we’ve have been extremely harsh with each other - only settling when we find a...
WatchIn the QMB pullin a latey!
WatchA latey in IMD :)
The Really Rough Cuts
Today was the grand unveiling of the classes Rough Cuts of our documentary - or as we coined it ‘The Really Rough Cuts’!
After completing our final interview with Mike, we dove straight into the editing, and began trudging through the hours of footage which we had to cut down. As we expected the editing did take some time, but we never expected the Rough Cut screening to creep up on...
No Technical Problems...How Unusual!
The final major day of production has come, and gone. Our final interview when with no technical hitches, and Mike’ answers were really interesting.
This second interview had always been a part of the documentary that we were very unsure about. We were not sure what direction our documentary was likely to take after the observation period. It was decided that we would leave the scripting...
Observing the Details
So we have reached the second part of our documentary - the observations.
The original plan about this part of the documentary was to give Mike some objects that he had never seen before, and to see if he could figure out what they were, and what they did. In turn, we were hoping that the audience would get a little insight into the way in which an Interaction Design student thinks, and the way...
Falling Into Place.
It really feels like ‘things’ are starting to fall into place with our design documentary.
After nailing down everything that we wanted to achieve in the documentary, we really had to nail the questions. Although we have been focusing a great deal on getting the quality of the production to the standard that we are proud of, we knew that what was said was on camera was a lot more...
Weird Things Are Hard To Find
When we first hit upon our great pivotal idea for our documentary, we thought it would be easy to fulfill. How wrong we were!
The plan was to find an ‘object’ that our interviewee, Mike, had never seen before. We were hoping to find something really obscure that you would really know what it was, if someone told you. The idea was to see if Mike could figure out ‘how to make it...
Testing Testing...1 2 3!
After the hectic rush to get the Documentary Plan and the AV Script, our brief presentation went well. We were a little concerned that our current progress wouldn’t compare up to that of the other groups, but as with before, we are pretty much level pegging.
During the class discussion a couple of points of interest where raised which we found quite useful. We thought we had put enough...
Make up your mind!
Up until recently, it has been easy enough to delay certain questions which we were just not quite ready to answer, but we realised the other day during a group meeting that those decision really can’t sit out in the cold any longer.
The main issues have really come down to pinning down the theme and style of the documentary. Within the group we already have some video experience, and are looking...
The Art of the Interview
In terms of progress for our Design Documentary, today has definitely been the most successful and insightful days yet.
This morning we had a look at the importance of producing an appropriate project plan in the initial stages of any video project (especially a Design Documentary!). We did this in a very interesting way though. As opposed to creating a plan for some made up project, we tried to...
One Day I Will Own This Sink! - LINK →
This just awesome. This will definitely feature in my dream home!
F
October 2009
7 posts
Progress is Progress
Progress is a great thing. Following a meeting earlier this week, we seem to be well set on the direction which we are taking this documentary.There is still a little bit out doubt about the success of the outcome though.
We are all finding it quite difficult to plan this out, as we do not really know where it is going to end up going. We have decided on how we are going to be kicking things off,...
Simple Beautiful Card Reader - LINK →
Go check out this card-reader.
I love it. It’s just perfect!
Windows 7 Student Mac OS X FAIL
People know me as an avid Apple fan, and I think people were quite surprised by all my chat of Window 7. I have to say though, I was genuinely excited to get my hands on Windows 7. After the epic failure that was Windows Vista, I knew that Microsoft would have to come back with something really good.
They delievered.
I can’t deny it - I like Windows 7. It runs amazingly on my iMac, and...
Ruddy Genius UK Plug Solution →
I must say, Apple have done an extremely good job with their latest iPhone charger for us UK users. However, they have done nothing to the MacBook (entire range) charger in years!
I sure hope someone in Apple buys this plug. Or at least gives her a job.
I want one!
The Introducion.
Hello and welcome to my journal.
Who am I?
My name is Finlay Craig and I am a first year Undergraduate student at the University of Dundee, studying Interactive Media Design BSc. (Also know as IMD).
Why are you in Dundee?
You know what, that is a very good question. I wish to answer it in video form. So please click the link below and hopefully the linked video shall answer any of your...
September 2009
4 posts
Wow...ok...it's Friday already!
Well I can’t believe it. Friday is, technically, here.
Just got in from the cinema. We all went to see District 9. And I’ve got to say, I loved it! I guess it is probably the last ‘night out’ i’m going to have with the guys this year - and it was really nice seeing everyone.
Time certainly has flown by, and I can’t believe my move up to Dundee is only hours...