I'm putting together a web site for Goodbye Bikini Island and as per my usual standards I'm going for simplicity. Usually I write the HTML myself in a text editor, but this time I thought it might be cool to do something a little more direct, simple, and honest...
When I have to put together a web page for whatever project may call for one I like to make them "by hand". That's just my term for coding the HTML in a basic text editor like Notepad.exe rather than using a web page design program or a WYSIWYG editor. I think I prefer working this way because I started putting together pages back when the Web was first becoming popular, and at that time your only choice was to write them this way. It's stupendously difficult and ineffective. But, that's me.
I thought for Goodbye Bikini Island it would be more fun to do something literally by hand. To draw a web page on notebook paper that a user can interact with like a traditional website. It's hardly an original idea, it's been done a number of times, probably by other bands. But what the hell? To make it even more ridiculous, but fun, I'm going to draw the graphics myself. I'm no artist, nor do I have any real knowledge in the field of graphic design, so this should end up as a special kind of mess.
This is what I hope the home page will sort of look like. It's a little cramped and messy, but the gist is there.
Here's some sketches of the block type for the image links and some doodles of atomic explosions, an "indie twee" UFO and for some reason, a ghost.
A larger drawing of the explosion. I never knew how hard it was to draw an atomic blast in black and white and not make it look like a tree. Beneath that is a sketch of my elementary UFO/Hamburger-craft-type thing.
The "Blog!" image link! Also, below that is Bloo! the blogging ghost. A ghost that blogs, that is, not the ghost of a blogger.
Designs of the title. The 'Goodbye' is a little anemic compared to 'Bikini'. And the 'y' and 'e' look like they're from a different typeset. Heh. Like I said, I'm not a graphic designer. I'm sure my ham-fisted font work will drive them crazy. In the unforeseeable circumstance that they ever stumble across this blog.
*That's* more what I'm looking for in a 'Goodbye'! Also, notice that the 'Island' can't decide whether it wants to be goofy or pointy. My skills of an artist. [eye roll]
That's most of the work I've done so far. I'll keep posting the progress as the site comes along. Any feedback is appreciated, but bear in mind that I already know my kerning is terrible. Now then, I've spent way too much time posting and talking about these sketches. I need to get out and go grocery shopping at the outdoor market in this freezing cold. Hooray for Saturdays.