Today, we will learn how to create some color schemes and add them as assets to an XD project. We will also learn to set some character styles so that they can be re-used in your projects. We will do this by creating a "design" art board for your project. Follow these steps:
First open up a new project in Adobe XD.
Setting up colors.
Next, with a web browser, pick out an image that contains swatches by searching through some web color palettes.
When you find a color scheme you want, drag the image into XD. (you may have to download it to your laptop first.)
Next, create a new art board that is a bit larger than the normal phone size, and add five or six circles to it.
Select a circle, and then use the eyedropper next to the fill option in the properties window to color the circle. Select the eye-dropper, and then click on the color swatch. Repeat this process to bring six colors into the circles.
Next, select a circle, and then open the Assets window (icon on lower left) and add the color as an asset. Use the + for Colors in the Assets window. Repeat this process for all of your colors.
For more detailed instructions, you can watch this video.
Setting up character styles.
Next, add a text box to your design art board for large headings.
Enter some text for a heading, and then adjust the fonts, size, color, placement, etc.
Create additional text boxes for a level 2 heading, for body text, and for any other text items you are likely to need regularly. Adjust their characteristics as well.
Finally, add these items to your assets as Character Styles.
For background on typography, you can look over some of the basic concepts discussed here.
Borrowing From Others.
The final design move we will learn today is building upon the work of others. XD allows you to open designs that have been developed and shared online, and then integrate those elements into your project. Try these steps:
First, do a google search for XD mobile templates. Explore the sites that have free templates available and locate one or two that seem interesting or that relate to your project.
Once you have downloaded a template, open it in XD. If any of the artboards or elements seem of value, you can click twice to select the artboard, and then paste it into your working project.
Adobe also has some of these ready made materials, so you can always explore their resources and download this zip file with predefined wireframes.
Once you have worked through these three aspects of building out your designs, you can use any remaining class time to work on your app. For homework, continue to develop your project.
For homework, 1) complete the activities above, and 2) respond to this posting. In your response, write a few sentences spelling out the argument you will make using your app and a few ideas for the strategies you will pursue.
Comments
Feminism App
My plan is to make an app that argues why everyone should be a feminist. It is a springboard concept that will include my own arguments, TED Talks, links to feminist theory articles, etc. I want it to feel like an app that the NYT, Washington Post, or NBC would have, a journalistic vibe. I also want it to include, if possible, a quiz at either the beginning or the end that shows whether a person is actually participating in feminist thought without even realizing it. My aim is to make feminism accessible and relateable through the app.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/05d18442-aec8-4a5e-7704-7deb10b01bc5-73e0/
Pronoun App
I would like to make an app that argues the importance of pronouns in our modern society. It will include my own arguments, videos online, and different online articles/components. At the end, I would like it to be able to include an option for people to go to their Twitter and/or other social media and add their pronouns to their bio.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/ee8b5ed3-460c-4818-5f63-954d007828ff-98ba/
App Project
I would like to make an app that argues that marijuana should be decriminalized in order to help create equality in our society as African Americans are often targeted for low-level crimes such as the possession of marijuana. I will also cover issues about how prisons make money when they have more people behind bars, which is one of the reasons why certain people/politicians don't want to legalize it. It will include videos, my own argument, and different online articles. I would like to include some interactive element, but I'm not sure what yet.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/53b2a553-79fa-4b29-625e-654a1272739a-2583/
https://xd.adobe.com/view…
https://xd.adobe.com/view/827df241-d2fc-40c4-4d1c-5e935fe5cbaf-f44c/
I want to create an app that presents an argument through the use of the app (the second option in the assignment).
I was thinking of creating an app that argues that fake news is difficult to spot.
I would do this by including different headlines/articles and making people choose if it's fake or true. I might also include tips on identifying fake news.
Internet filters in school
For my app, I will argue against internet filters in schools and will do this by having the user try to click on links and having them all say they can't go to that site. Even for sites that may be school-related. And then I'll show the user how to get around these filters in school and how these filters don't deter the students from using these websites.
App Project
For this project, I would like to create an app that argues for lowering the legal drinking age to 18 years. I will incorporate articles/videos that support this argument as well as my own opinion.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/a5f9ef3d-21f2-436c-7cc4-332950145851-d3c8/
App Topic
For my app, I want to argue that young children should not use social media, and why the age limit should be set at 15 years old. I will create a simulation of the user going through social media posts, trolls, and other components of social media that make social media not suitable for children below 15 years old. I can make a fake social media site that simulates the social media experience.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/9f934723-c676-4518-60ac-b5970c4889ae-e9a2/
App
For my app, I would like to make an argument that argues why high levels of screen time can be dangerous. I want the app to walk through a series of time consuming tasks that are a complete waste of time before getting to the end and explaining how mindlessly the user was sucked in. I may do a game format that involves repetitive and addicting clicking for a set amount of time.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/580fb5cd-fdf6-4a07-639c-6c3626cc7db4-2e3e/
I would like to argue that…
I would like to argue that people believe things they read online without the appropriate amount of skepticism or expectation of evidence. To do so I could give several examples of real and fake stories, and ask the user to mark whether they believe them or not. At the end I could give a score for how many fake stories they believed to be true and vice versa.
App
I would like to create an app that presents a range of news stories from different political perspectives to give the user a balanced intake of opinions. I will obtain articles that are about the same subject but of different opinions, such as a left-leaning story from BuzzFeed and a right-leaning story from Fox News about Trump's border wall. I will aim to have my app direct users to news stories with the different perspectives and from different sources but relating to the same topic. I hope this will prove to show that users are open to hearing different sides when they are made easily available.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/1bb2bb99-f680-4ea1-5cb6-02398e0c45c8-6d83/
App
For my project, I'm going to try to do a "spot the fake news" app. I think I'll use a comedic touch to it, such as the topic of "Florida Man" and make it interactive as a "what didn't the Florida Man do?" I'll use local news sources to get my true news, and sources such as the onion to give fake news. After two or three rounds of spotting the fake news, I'll try to then develop strategies to spotting fake news, and ways to combat it.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/ecde406d-cb24-40e4-6f91-a9e0fe0c328d-9aef/
Wed. 16 Daniel de Marchi
I am thinking on doing something related to climate change for my app. I want to go and browse some pro climate change articles, websites, and other web based media to get a sense of how people are presenting these ideas and what choices they are making w.r.t. their sources, images, arguments, and layouts. I also assume we need to provide a link to our results for the day so here it is.
https://xd.adobe.com/view/0961cbd3-685a-44f9-7329-ea9cb828ba04-7f50/