Ruby Throated Hummingbirds

during my initial research into animal migration i came across hummingbirds- which i was surprised by since there incredibly small and have a very small wingspan i didnt think that they actually migrated. again they fly exceptional distances for such small birds which is why i wanted to include them in my website/ibook content.

Ruby-throats aren't well adapted to cold temperatures; they have a tough time below the mid-20s which is the reason for their migration, the colder temperature harmful to them as well as the insects that they feed on.Most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds winter between southern Mexico and northern Panama. Since hummingbirds lead solitary lives and neither live nor migrate in flocks, an individual bird may spend the winter anywhere in this range where the habitat is favorable, but probably returns to the same location each winter. 

Ruby-throats begin moving north as early as January, and by the end of February they are at the northern coast of Yucatan, gorging on insects and spiders to add a thick layer of fat in preparation for flying to the U.S. Although hummingbirds may fly over water in company of mixed flocks of other bird species, they do not "hitchhike" on other birds. Some hummingbirds land on offshore oil rigs or fishing boats to rest. 

Before departing, each bird will have nearly doubled its weight, from about 3.25 grams to over 6 grams. For a hummer that just hatched, there's no memory of past migrations, only an urge to put on a lot of weight and fly in a particular direction for a certain amount of time, then look for a good place to spend the winter. Once it learns such a route, a bird may retrace it every year as long as it lives.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.co.uk/animals/birds/ruby-throat-hummingbird/

http://www.hummingbirds.net/migration.html

Green Darner Dragonfly Migration

i'd already researched monarch butterflies and was suitably impressed with how far they could migrate, so i wanted to research other really impressive migrations and came across dragonfly migration specifically the species green darner, they migrate far greater distances than the monarchs which i thought warranted some further exploration.

Dragonfly migration stretches between 14000 and 1800 kilometers.

Migration takes place in large swarms. In the swarm there is no actual leader, just many of the same insect traveling together.

One of the interesting features of dragonfly migration is that it seems to follow the passage of cold fronts. It has been noted that even in two separate geographic areas, two separate swarms of dragonflies began to migrate in response to the same cold front.

The migratory patterns and apparent decision rules of green darners are strikingly similar to those proposed for songbirds, Migrating Green Darners have even been recorded in the Gulf of Mexico on oil platforms.Green darners do not fly until all fat reserves are used, but rather fly for shorter times ensuring continuous fat availability even after migratory flights.

Dragonflies, have difficulty being active when the air temperatures are cold. The Green Darner, however, can shiver its wings and the large flight muscles in its thorax produce so much heat that the insect's temperature may rise to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

This very large dragonfly has two different strategies for surviving Minnesota winters. Some common green darners migrate south, just as many birds do. Once in the south, they breed, lay eggs, and then die. Their young then hatch and migrate back to the upper Midwest in spring. Their second strategy is to lay their eggs in the north, and have their larvae spend the winter beneath the ice of our frozen ponds. They then emerge in spring.

http://www.loudounwildlife.org/HHMigrationDragonflies.htm

http://www.nps.gov/miss/naturescience/greendarner.htm

http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/2/3/325.full

I book design research

i finally feel like ive got more of an idea for my visual style after researching interactive and responsive websites and i certainly plan on using the same style for my i book. i dont have an ipad so researching i books and what they looked like was reliant on images that i could find on google, some ebook pages and what ive gleaned from i books author. essentially the ibooks themselves are a lot like mini contained websites and they have some intriguing interactive elements that i can use to make my content more engaging.

http://accesstechnews.blogspot.co.uk/2012_01_15_archive.html
ive noticed that large background images create some interesting backgrounds, something that i plan on using in my website anyway, and that a landscape positioning was most commonly used. i'd like to manipulate a scroll across style and have my videos pop out into a mini screen with the main page along with my image gallery, since i have designed some patterns i'd also like to place greater emphasis on them so i plan on using my patterns as frames and borders ( much like my website but perhaps more so within the ibook) the content would also be placed centrally rather than to the side and i'd love to iclude some kind of animation ( perhaps a butterfly flapping its wings or something along those lines).

using the pop out screen's like the one above could be useful in incorporating captions, references and extra short facts.

http://www.bestinteractiveebooks.com/2012/02/the-guardians/

http://eideard.com/2012/01/19/apple-reinvents-the-textbook-with-interactive-ibooks-2-for-ipad/

the page above is one of my favourites, i love the logo and the font as well as the simple black background which really offsets the each section, i also really like how each aspect is separated by sharp photographs which gives it a very fun appearance - ideally i'd like to place my navigation with myself con tainted buttons at the bottom of the page and again i'd like some form of popout scroll along photo gallery.

Pattern Research Orla kiely

once i had generated my font styles for my headings and logo i knew that it would be prudent to design some patterns that i could use to generate borders, headers and footers within both my website and i book. because i wanted to make both have a very vintage retro style i decided to research some print designs that had a very retro vintage feel.

http://www.jennyonthespot.com/sponsored/orla-kiely-meets-method/

orla kiely had had a very retro vintage style and i really like how simple her repeated shapes are and how some of them interlock together.  the pear one was one of my favourites mostly because there was a lot of emphasis on on shape something i feel is key to making an effective pattern. all of her designs are inspired by nature which mirrors my own theme ( i wouldnt consider using her patterns because they dont fully link to my topic, but i would like to generate some of my own in her style).

the flower design isnt as crowded which isnt as overwhelming (something to take into consideration when designing my own) and i do like the simplicity of each repeated shape again something that i will take into consideration.

i looked at the print above because i wanted to see how animals could be used within a pattern each bird is simple and the only separating factor was the colours of each. again the design is very crowded but the bold elegant soft edged shapes ensure the style and visual appeal.

http://printpattern.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/orla-kiely-aw-2012-preveiw.html

Elle Edwards- typography,logo research

during my logo typographical research i came across some of Elle Edwards' designs which i felt had a really bold and simple style that i would also like to try and use.

these ice cream flavours are presented in a very lighthearted and fun way the two tone colours and silhouettes that frame each flavour match the phrase and i really like the cherry compote design since it uses the cherry shape to elucidate the flavour. mostly i think it is the contrast between the swirly text and block shape backgrounds that makes the designs so effective ( they are also contained within the shapes which keeps the lines and edges very clean).

i love her own logo above which is again very reliant on directionality, the blue colour really contrasts against the background and leads the eye to ellie designs phrase. the ellie font contradicts the designs font and i plan on using two different typefaces within my logo, one for Migration and another for wonders of nature since my topic is migration i want to place more importance on that as a phrase in order to make it the main focal point. again the simple colour palette really elucidates the design and i love the bold outline on the seagulls head which separates it from the background.

http://ellieedwardsdesign.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/

favourite logo/ design styles so far...

after my initial research into typographic logos i opted to look into typography that used silhouettes and mini designs to generate one image, i had a vague idea of how i wanted my typography to look but i knew that i also wanted to add in extra shapes and details to instigate some intricacy. 

http://favim.com/image/100340/
 i liked the design above because i loved the fluidity of the type which also matched the phrase, the phrase as one continuous line is a little hard to read but it mirrors the line which retains the overall continuity of the design. i wouldnt consider it for my own design but i like its simplicity and felt that it had a very vintage feel which is a theme that i am using as a basis for my website.

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/aer?before=19
i loved the design above especially the typewriter font, a font that i am seriously considering for the main content of my website, and how it fits with the line design of the boat. there is a very hand-drawn line art style to the boat which i think gives it a fun element and i love how the anchor directs the eye up whilst the waves direct the eye to the text. again this isnt really a logo but once again i loved its style and how it integrated with the text on the side- it interlocks well which is something that i am seriously considering for my logo design.

i loved the rabbit poster i think its one of my favourite designs, but what most attracted me to the deign was its typography, each letter has been made to look like a rabbit (and although im not focusing on rabbits i am focusing on animal migration so it could be interesting to try and make my individual look like the species that i am focusing on) i  think the t is the best letter out of all of them because its a little subtler than the others more obscure which i find more interesting. i also really like the nest at the top and how the n and the t link to generate a nest like shape another possibility to consider.

this heading above has been made by the same person that created the rabbit poster above and i thought that it had a lot of possibilities, the m finishing in a tail was probably the aspect that i thought had the most promise. in regards to my own topic migration, certain species of fish are  migratory so i could introduce some form of fish tail at the end of one of my letters which would convey this. 

http://minouette.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/a-nest-of-rabbits.html

the screen shot above is the homepage of a designer ryan scherf which ive included mostly because i like the rustic washed out style, colour scheme and the dashed lines which frame the name and the blue line in the centre of the frame. the design is both fun and natural which correspond with my themes and i really like the washed out texture to the page, the typography at the bottom is clear and works well with the design. ive already researched on site that manipulates a hand stitched style which i am reminded or when i look at the dashed outlines on this page ( i plan to somehow incorporate this dashed style into my logo which i think will work to create the handmade style that i want my site to embody).

Typography Research for my Logo

after researching various websites to get inspiration for my own sites structure and style i began researching logos since i knew that my site's logo and its style would be key in ascertaining and cementing my website/ibooks overall visual aesthetics. since my logo would essentially be the words wonders of nature migration i opted to research nature inspired typography rather than logos which were more image based.

the typography above attracted me with its fluidity and i really like how the letters themselves flow into leaves and vines which really highlights the various shapes and directs the eye round the design. the one colour of green further displays the natural theme and i like how it contrasts against the cream  backdrop. the design is a little manic and over crowded but it think that this is redeemed through the use of interlocking letters which generate an almost contained design. ideally after looking at this design i would like to integrate this fluidity into my own typography logo, i would also like my logo's letters to morph into various natural shapes and designs that relate to my own topic to fully emphasise the theme.

http://vi.sualize.us/jungle_luca_barcellona_calligraphy_lettering_arts_typography_jungle_design_nature_picture_ryAc.html

mostly i like the simplicity of the typography above, the thin wire like lines direct the eye inwards to the type which ensures the type is the main focal point. the thin lines used help to integrate the smaller details within each which really establishes a delicacy. the spider webs correspond with the 'nature' text and i think that this simple black and white outline is actually really effective in generating interest although i dont generally like using a white background since it seems too bland (and would be too bland as a banner in a website unless a really vibrant colour was used for the rest of the page) but i have to admit that combined with the intricate almost handdrawn squiggles above it does work really well.

http://ztox.tumblr.com/post/18615243602/nature-typography-chris-drysdale

Again this is another example of text that links together (an aspect that i plan on utilising within my own typography design), i really like the textural quality of the letters themselves, the leaves aren't confined to the shape of the letters they spike outwards which helps to instigate a directionality, the smaller capital font used to add the other phrases contrasts in both size and style which helps to emphasise the main phrase. i particularly like the butterflies which fly round the edges of the letters which allows the typography freedom to breath although despite the lack of outline the letters are still legible which i should definitely consider when designing my own.

http://ztox.tumblr.com/post/18615243602/nature-typography-chris-drysdale

this design above is one of my favourites, i love the  containment of the design and the printed style that it manipulates, particularly in the objects that frame the outer edge. the fill letters keep the typography as simple as the design. i really like the sun in the background and how it differs in shade which is also picked out in the smaller details of the trees  placed on the outside if the outercircle. the trees that stick out from the edge also create a more interesting ridge and i  definitely plan to use a simple colour palette with one or two colours since it seems to be key to creating bold eyecatching designs. 

Nature websites

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/

after all of my initial research into websites i wanted to finish my research by exploring a website whose content vaguely  related to out own theme natural wonders, so i looked at the bbc's nature website. the site above used sharp photographs as and  a green colour on their type face to establish a 'natural' theme, separating each of its sections through the use of square boxes and a two column layout,  the banner at the top of the frame highlights the top navigation which has a left side position on the page. simple button colour changes when buttons are hovered over gives the site a sense of interactivity and i really like the image galleries which accompany each article, something i plan to place within my own website. to me the bbc site is incredibly professional it manipulates clean lines, the white background is unobtrusive and the page is very simple and accessible (and though i do plan to keep the structure of my own site very simple and use a two column layout like this one) i think that the site itself  is bland, its style doesnt  engage me- its subject matter has a lot of scope and it seems as though this isnt being fully utilised. in my own website i plan to use a much more visual style to ensure interest and to offset my content, since my site is aimed at A level students i feel that the overall engagement of my audience to my site is going to be reliant on its visuality.

Favourite Interactive Websites that could inspire my i book...

i mostly really like the simplicity of this site its a simple scroll along site- the navigation is placed centrally within the frame allowing the sharp photographs on each to dominant. there is a great amount of contrast in colour which helps to keep the text clear and understandable. and even on the home page the central positioning of the navigation ensures the overall accessibility as well as generating a clear organised structure. 

http://www.deepend.com.au

http://50problems50days.com/problem?day-22-forgotten-stories&back=%2F

the site above is one of my absolute favourites, its both vintage, fun and acts like a journey each badge opens up a smaller screen which conveys part of the story, it has its own navigation - circles at the bottom of each screen to navigate to each part underneath the main heading sometimes there are videos, sometimes there are images or basic drawings and designs . main arrows at the side of each also allow for navigation. the site itself is almost like a really interactive sketchbook and i really love how each idea or subheading if you will correlates to a specific place. the faded colour scheme has an incredibly vintage quality to it which is further stipulated by the badge icons. any content is really only evident though captions which appear when hovered over ( something that i'd like to include within my i book) and in brief understandable sentences that narrate the various subsections and mini screens. in regards to my i book i do have sections of video ( for the monarch butterflies at least) and i think it would be really cool to have these videos and images open up in some kind of mini screen accessed by some kind of button or icon.

http://kikk.be/2012/
the website above advertises a design festival and the various speakers and their biographies, mostly i love the home page with its moving background- various feathers which gradually float down the page which has an incredibly vintage feel. the creams and blues have a great contrast which is something i should consider for my own colour scheme.  i want mine to have a very natural handmade feel and i want my colour scheme to mirror the animals that i focus on as my content. 

http://www.racket.net.au
i mostly liked the art style to this site, the main page has a particularly arty feel to its very hand made which is something i want to replicate. it was also one of the sites i have researched that i think is one of the simplest, there is a basic two column structure to the content which is something i plan to use within my own pages with elegant frames that help to separate images from the background, a large image on the right also dominates the page. there is a very clean style to the design which gives it a certain amount of elegance again its the simplicity which makes it incredibly effective something i'd like to replicate. The navigation is at the bottom of the page (something i plan on using) and i like how the logo is hidden against the main background image.


http://www.chrisjockey.com/espaniol/home.html
http://www.interactiveanddesign.com

Vintage style websites

After looking at websites inspired by nature i noticed that a lot of them had a very vintage quality to them so i opted to do more research into that area in order to establish a possible website style for my own site.

On the site above i mostly just liked the font and the simplicity of the black and white colour scheme, it didn't really contain any photographs but the decorative borders compensated for that since they were almost images themselves. a simple scroll down navigation mirrored the simplicity of the website style (something i am considering for my own website) columns give the content a newspaper like style which is further congruent with the black and white colours and the circus font.
http://www.starvingforethics.com

The website above was one of my favourites, each page had a different background but the main red twirly object remained a constant throughout, they had a very steampunk kinda theme and i love the posters which create the navigation and move when hovered over. the arrows also alter when hovered over they change colour which directs focus another aspect that i could include within my own site. the bright red of the main podium contrast against the faded background and i liked the sense of depth within each page which is generated by the moving background.
http://www.sensisoft.com

This page has a very scrapbook style which i really really like and i think that i am going to use the same paper background, the paper creates a bland enough backdrop not to detract from the content but it matches the content style and emphasises the overall theme of the website.  i love the main logo banner at the top and i definitely want to make mine in a similar style although i plan to add a stitched style that i have already come across in my research. The side navigation bar gives most of the content priority on the site whilst remaining in view and in regards to considering responsiveness, when the size is decreased having the navigation in a separate box at the side would allow for it to fill the smaller frame without having to rearrange fully.
http://thenestonline.com

Migration Continued

i knew from my Initial Research that i definitely wanted to include a section on Monarch butterflies so i began my further research there.

Monarch butterflies that migrate have the average lifespan of 6-8 months, whereas the average lifespan of a monarch that does not migrate is 6-8 weeks.
Monarch butterflies are known for the incredible mass migration that brings millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs are the only butterflies that make such a massive journey up to 3000 miles. The insects must begin this journey each fall a head of winter which will kill them if they tarry too long.
Butterflies that emerge from the chrysalides in the late summer and early fall are different to the ones that do so during the longer and warmer days of summer. These monarchs are born to fly and know they must prepare because of the lengthy journey.
only monarchs born in late summer or early fall make the migration, and they make only one round trip by the time next years winter migration begins at least 3 summer generations will have lived and died and it will be the last years migrators great grandchildren that make the trip. These generations somehow know they way, they follow the same routes and even return to the same tree.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.co.uk/animals/bugs/monarch-butterfly/

http://www.travelswithtwo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/monarchcluster01.jpg

Monarch butterflies can fly in still air at a speed of around 50 kilometres (30 miles) per hour, and considerably faster with a tail wind. They usually fly close to the ground, but have been found as high as 3,500 metres (12,000 feet).1 They have been known to fly more than 600 kilometres (375 miles) over water non-stop in 16 hours.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/cm/v20/n1/magnificent-monarch

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9FPF_k4qaIBwtrOjzhDUwgCETEGznZXBO7i_N6cTIX4Abh7xbkhzTwSaREQnGUL6weHPZT0Dh4gRnBn_AeeSKIaY76VgbUWQteBWwN4NQ7Ggu4w3nGDfq3cZLeK49seHgC2bhkGGR_Q/s1600/monarch-butterflies-mexico_28112_990x742.jpg

Monarch butterflies know fall is here the same way that we do; they feel the chill in the air. While we adapt by putting on a sweater, the situation is much more serious for the monarchs. Temperatures below 55°F make it impossible for them to fly; temperatures below 40°F paralyze them. The monarchs originated in the tropics and can't live for long at temperatures below freezing.

At the same time that the air is cooling, the nectar supply that feeds the butterflies is dwindling. To survive, the insects begin migrating in late summer, flying with the wind to reach their winter homes.

Up to 100 million monarch butterflies migrate either to California or to Mexico each year. (This isn't the entire population. Some monarchs never make the migration.) There are more than 25 winter roosting sites along the Californian coast and about a dozen known sites in the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains of Mexico. In both regions, butterflies depend upon trees for their survival. The insects cluster in pine and eucalyptus trees along the California coast and in ovamel trees in Mexico.

Wintering monarchs cluster together. The end result looks like massive clumps of feathery orange-and-black grapes. Each butterfly hangs with its wings over the butterfly beneath it, creating a shingle effect that buffers the bugs from the rain and creates warmth. The weight of the cluster also prevents the butterflies from being blown away.

Butterflies stay in their winter homes until about March, when they begin a quick retreat to their summer homes, at times traveling as fast as 30 mph.

http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2000/09/092900_migrations.jhtml

http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/OAC2053.jpg

i found some very high quality photographs of monarch butterflies which i thought could be useful as possible background for my pages- i also have a video from a david attenborough documentary that explains and displays the process of monarch butterfly migration which i have cut down to the monarch section and plan to integrate into my page. ideally i think id like to keep the monarch section to one but i have enough for two so it depends on the other animal migrations i focus on.