Mini Art School: Word Portraits Exercise and Comparing Two Competing Web Sites

Word Portraits Exercise




Here is the word portraits exercise. I have uploaded the different words made from different fonts to Voice Thread which I reviewed for Mixed Digital Media Critique. I uploaded the pages, pictures, added my voice, and some drawings to get more of a feel for what Voice Thread can do. This Voice Thread did not cost me anything to do. On my screen cast review I said it costs $60.00. It does cost money if you want to set up accounts for students but it looks like you can do some yourself without paying.


Comparing Two Competing Web Sites

I looked at two competing websites, one for Coke and one for Pepsi. Whereas the readings said to consider the competitor’s advertisement and do something in contrast, I think these two websites are very similar. Both use the basic colors of their products for the basic colors of the websites. For Pepsi, the can is blue with it’s logo in red, white, and blue and the website is predominantly blue with white and red. The logo is at the top. For Coke, the can is red and white and so is the website with some blue and their logo in white lettering against the red is also at the top.

Both websites have a narrow margin at the top with the logo or product name and areas to click for registering, and to go to other information.

Both have large margins on the right and left – Pepsi’s is blue with animated bubbles and Coke’s is white with some blue sky at the top. Then both have a horizontal rectangle in the middle at the top with three columns underneath. Pepsi has even columns and Coke has one larger column with a picture with two smaller columns on the side.

Each section in each column in Pepsi’s rotates when you push it and creates a 3D affect. Coke’s large rectangle at the top and each column leads you to another website when selected.

The focal point of Coke is the large horizontal rectangle at the top with the bold red and white lettering. Actually when you first click on the site there is an old picture in black and white that says Friend in Need, Given em a coke and a cactus and you can click on it to send someone a coke icon on Facebook. Coke’s logo is in script and they have a bolder font with a lot of white font on red background. There are tags and links to social networks as with Pepsi’s.

Pepsi leads you in with a picture of The X Factor show and title and presented by Pepsi. Your eye goes here first and then down to the columns below. Tags are to the side. The bubbles give it an airy and whimsical look as well as remind you of soda bubbles. The font is contemporary and the colors remind you of the product.

Both websites have quite generous margins on the left and right and then three columns in the middle with the top horizontal rectangle covering all three columns. Your eye goes to this rectangle and then down to the other information.

I think both websites are striking. I don’t think the black and white as the lead in to the Coke site is very striking and I think it looks better once it goes to the red. I really like the Pepsi site with it’s mixture of colors and in particular the bubbles that are in the margin as it is visually appealing and also reminds you of their product.