Software - Adobe Muse

This is Web Design Software with a difference!

It is not anything like Dreamweaver - Professional Web Design Software, but software designed for Graphic Designers! That says a lot!

It starts out looking easy, but when you get to the 'real stuff' is when it becomes 'quite different'.

You need to use this software, as it is the way things may well change in web design for the not so talented.

Next year you will seriously look at web design, to the industry standards, in Dreamweaver.

Think as Muse as being an almost Word design layout.

Though it's nothing like Word!

Example Template for the Storyboard: linked here in Word and HTML.

Example of the Index Page in HTML

You will need a topic.

You will create seven pages, including a Home Page.

You have three weeks - from week six to complete this task.

Your topic is your choice - so long it is educationally communicative. (Available for everyone to view).

First plan your small website in a storyboard - in Word. See the example above.

On each page (seven in all including the Home Page - (Index Page) show in your storyboard what you intent to do.

Then collect images and content (text) to support the images.

Images must be saved in a folder called Muse, where your pages will also be saved....DO NOT copy/paste!

Text content which you must edit can be placed in a Word document and edited in either Word or Muse.

Then and only then start building your pages.

You must have an Index Page,

Then six pages of content, with each page being content specific from the others, wikth headings. (Six separate titles).

Each page must have at least three images.

When preparing the pages, you will resize the images to fit.

Start using Muse:

The interface is quite basic compared to other Adobeprograms. It's purpose is to make things easy, but it has drawbacks later on, as you shall learn!

Open Muse, File New and make the page width the maximum of 960px.

Have a look at the six tools in the toolbox that are:

Move (arrow)

Crop

Text

Rectangle

Zoom

Anchor

Text Format

The Index Page

The Header goes in the top row (obviously). Select the Text Tool and draw a text box. Adjust the font height and font colour.

Insert an image/images - File Place and resize accordingly.

Use another text box to place the content.

Create the Links Boxes.

Colour your Header and resize - select the text, change teh font height and while selected colour the text (se the swatches window).

Colour your page - select the page and using the swatches colour in.

Insert your Home Page (Index Page) images.

Then your text content, using a text box to house the content.

You are going to need page links, but leave that until later.