About This Project

Project Overview

This project is a multimedia narrative designed to show off the skills I’ve been developing in this course, blending writing with visuals to create a responsive, engaging website. Since the project was assigned in October, inspired by the season, I decided to explore the history of pumpkin carving, tracing its origins through to modern-day practices. My goal was to create an easy to follow storyline, pulling together insights from different sources and condensing the research into something more accessible. To add visual depth and an added layer to the story, I used Creative Commons images that I felt matched each section.

For the technical side of this project, I used some AI tools to help set up the HTML basics and get a parallax scrolling effect going. The design choices, such as the visual hierarchy and layout, are all mine. At first, I had text boxes centered over background images, but I ran into some issues trying to get the scroll effect just right. Adjusting things was a bit tricky, and while it helped me build on my CSS skills, it also showed me areas where I could still grow to match the ideas I have in mind.

The scrolling effect isn’t as smooth as I’d like just yet, but this project has been a great chance to practice using visual hierarchy to guide viewers’ attention and bring the content to life. I’ve learned that pushing past my current skill level, even if the result isn’t perfect, is key to growing as a designer. This approach is helping me tap into new creative possibilities, and I’m excited to keep developing my skills to make future designs even more engaging.

Author's Note

The AI tools I used helped support and expand my ideas without replacing them, letting me turn my vision into a more fully realized web experience that I plan to showcase in my portfolio. Working with these tools also introduced me to new terminology for the effects I wanted, which made problem-solving quicker and more efficient.