After a summer of absorbing web techniques, from both my internship at DTP and Google research, I’ve successfully built two websites using WordPress as a backbone. And I feel pretty dang awesome about it, considering that is most likely better than 98% of my peers at Tech. One of those websites is this one; and the other is Underground Graphics.
Underground Graphics, casually known as UG2 [yoo-jee-too], is a student-led, student-based, and student-conceived organization at Louisiana Tech University for communication design students. With weekly meetings, visits to design firms, and trips to student conferences, UG2 has exploded since its creation in 2005. Annual visits to Mad Genius and its sister company Eyevox give members real-life interaction with cutting-edge designers, copywriters, illustrators, videographers, and all-around cool dudes. UG2 has also attended DSVC’s Student Conference for the past three years, where they were able to interact with a wide range of creatives and have their portfolios reviewed.
Being the club’s Vice President this academic year will motivate me beyond my previous duties as Secretary. And one of the first tasks was a new website. The previous site was Flash-based, making it extremely difficult to update and, therefore, greatly affecting the members’ activity. The initial concept for the new site was to use HTML and CSS for easy maintenance. But when I discovered WordPress’s potential while building my personal website, I switched gears on UG2’s site immediately.
Now, more than ever, members have an opportunity to interact and exchange design-related ideas outside of the weekly meetings. And I’m expecting to see a higher interest in design discussions at the meetings because of the content generated on the site.
Win win.
You did a great job on the site Geoff, and I and UG2 owe you a lot for doing it. That second paragraph was an extremely well written summarization of who we are. You might should put that up somewhere on our site. And I’ll send out a mad props to Ryan, for being our founding father, I know he posts on here sometimes.
I never doubted your web abilities, and I must say the ug2 site looks more professional than a lot of professional sites. I really dig the look of the logo as well. Great job.
not to be a naysayer, or anything. but shouldn’t it be UGsquared? or how about U2g? i’m trying to remember my geometry, but i’m having a hard time.
i’m just sayin’.
Yeah, I think it was originally planned to be that way, but the ‘2’ was as large as the other letters in the pseudo-logo at the time so it was read as UG2 instead of UG2. Talk to Ryan about that; he’s the founder.
And a more logical argument is that Underground is one word, not two. So it should technically be UG.
Hey don’t work me into this convo without me knowing!
But my response:
UGG was already taken (along with Copperplate Gothic).
Plus, I always thought the 2 worked nicely for 2 reasons… (1) the relationship design has with its creator – or the interaction between the two, and (2) what UG2 offers to the individual designer (motivation, resources/contacts, experience, etc) and what UG2 gets out of the group as a whole (recognition, credibility as a design group, etc); therefore, working 2-fold.
Note: Above Content = UG2 Mission Statement
Shit from the Bull,
Ryan
98% better than your peers? Where did you get that number from? I guess things have gone downhill since Ryan & Lindsey graduated. lol
It’s probably about the same. I was claiming that percentage about web-efficiency, not design altogether. The web program at Tech is weak; mostly, I think, because it is a required course, and the expectations of that course are that the student can develop Photoshop comps successfully. And most of the “coding” done in that class is done through Dw’s dialog boxes, and hardly ever switching to Code view. And that makes for sloppy code, and inefficient websites.
good luck to your design ideas and skills guys!