Thursday, February 25, 2010

ART TECH 2: POD CRIT ASSIGNMENT

1. Create JPEG files of your artwork thus far. Make sure they are 72 or 96 dpi, and RGB color.

2. Open the PodCrit.doc file in the Shared Art Technology folder. Reflect on the questions posted there. Type out your responses, they will be the script for the audio track on your Garage Band recording.

3. I recommend you record separate vocal and music files in Garage Band, to import into your iMovie slideshow. Then you can duck the vox up or down if needed, independent of the music.

4. Record music and vocal tracks in Garage Band. Mix them down to Mp3 format. (Share > Export to disk.)

5. Assemble your pictures and audio in iMovie. I do not recommend using iMovie HD for this assignment.
BRUSHES N STUFF SAMPLER
Create a letter sized Photoshop document. Experiment with the tools discussed in the Brushes N Stuff Photoshop lecture. Use at least one tool mentioned in each type layer of the document--At least one thing from each of the following topics:
1. COLOR TOOLS
2. BRUSHES
3. PATTERNS
4. SPECIAL EFFECTS

You can download a ton of cool patterns and brushes at http://www.brusheezy.com/

Print your final sampler, then write down which tools you used on the back.
Make sure your name is on it!

If you finish your sampler today, create a design for the Doodle 4 Google contest.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Doodle 4 Google

http://www.google.com/doodle4google/
Fabulous Prizes!
FINISHING YOUR MOVIE POSTER

1. Print a copy of your poster and do the MOVIE POSTER REVISION worksheet.

2. Revise your poster according to your thoughts and the feedback from your peers.

3. Open the MOVIE POSTER FINISH.doc in stepstushare. Do the write up for your project and follow the procedure listed for saving and submitting your poster file.

4. Submit a PDF of your movie poster to the MOVIE POSTER PDFs folder on stepstudrop.

5. Read Chapter 3 in Basics of Design. Do the corresponding Mini Quiz 3 worksheet.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

EMPHASIS AD ANALYSIS

1. Find a partner.
2. Select a magazine advertisement.
3. Place the ad on a sheet of drawing paper.
4. Identify its GOAL and AUDIENCE. (What are they trying to do, and who are they trying to reach?)
5. Identify the point of EMPHASIS in the ad. Clearly mark it on your layout.
6. Name two techniques for effective emphasis listed on pages 27,28 and 29 your text that are used in the ad. Clearly mark it on your layout.
7. Do you think the ad is effectively reaching the demographic they hope to target? Explain why or why not in 1-2 sentences.
POSTER REVIEW and REVISION

EMPHASIS/VISUAL HIERARCHY
One of the key points of criteria with this project is that there is a clear VISUAL HIERARCHY to your design. This means there is a distinctive point of EMPHASIS, which should be the most important element in your design, along with secondary and tertiary ACCENTS that support/enhance the design. Chapter 2 in Basics of Design is all about emphasis--several tips for creating an effective point of emphasis are listed on pages 27, 28 and 29 of your textbook.
EMPHASIS TIPS: http://www.forumone.com/blogs/post/hierarchy-designs-pecking-order


SELECTING AND COMPOSITING
Your poster should consist of a minimum of five separate images, which should appear to be a cohesive composition. Take time to look at your selections. Are they smooth? Does the image blend in with the rest of the composition, or does it appear to be ripped out and slapped-in? If your selections have jagged edges, relocate the source file and try again. If you feather your selections by 2 or 3 pixels, it will give the edge enough blur to blend better.
FEATHERING TIPS: http://www.awdsf.com/courseware/photoshop/ps1_selections.htm

TYPOGRAPHY
Type can make or break a design. It is the part of a project that relays the most information to the viewer, so it needs to be concise and legible. Think about the function of a poster. It needs to catch attention, sell something, and communicate relevant info--all in the less than three seconds the average person will devote to looking at an ad--and that three seconds or less usually occurs from a distance of ten feet or more! It is fine to use a fancy font for the title of a film--but then you should switch to a typeface that is easier to read for the other info.
TYPE TIPS:
http://www.articlebuster.com/2010/02/5-poster-printing-typography-tips/

REVISION:
A. Print a copy of your poster.
B. Respond to the following questions on the form provided:
1. Name one way your poster demonstrates strong VISUAL HIERARCHY, SELECTING/COMPOSITING or TYPOGRAPHY traits OR one way the poster strongly meets the assignment criteria on the poster rubric.
2. Name one way your poster can be revised to better demonstrate VISUAL HIERARCHY, SELECTING/COMPOSITING or TYPOGRAPHY traits.

B. Then get 2 peers to review your comps and answer the same questions listed above Have them write their responses on the form provided.

C. What advice from your peers will you follow? Why?

D. What advice from your peers do you disagree with most? Why?

Thursday, February 11, 2010

POSTER PROJECT
Your task is to create a movie poster. The poster must be made in the style of a real movie theater poster. The movie represented in your poster must be of your own creation. Do not make a poster for an existing movie.

GENRE: COMEDY or ACTION

GOAL: To inform people about and convince them to see the movie.

AUDIENCE: PG-13 moviegoers.

EXISTING SAMPLES: http://www.movieposter.com/ Look at a bunch of movie posters. Try to identify the point of emphasis, and the secondary/tertiary accents in the VISUAL HIERARCHY of the design. Think about how you will achieve this in your design.

POSTER CRITERIA:
1. 6 inches x 9 inches @ 300 DPI

2. Clear VISUAL HIERARCHY. (There should be a point of emphasis, and secondary/tertiary accents.


3. Your poster must incorporate a minimum of 5 separate images that have been worked into a cohesive image in Photoshop. You must include a movie title and other relevant movie text information.

4. Images must be public domain, creative commons licensed, or under your copyright, or copyright that someone has authorized for your use. Here are some good links for acceptable images:
http://www.everystockphoto.com
http://sxc.hu/
http://search.creativecommons.org/
http://freeres.info/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://morguefile.com/

5. You MUST include a bibliography of your image sources with your final design. Keep track of the websites you are getting images from by pasting links into a Word document.

6. Each person in class must produce their own poster. People may work in groups to come up with an action movie concept and title, and work together to find a nice collection of source images, but each person in the group must produce their own poster.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

ART TECH 1: Work Day

1. Finish the SELECTION SAMPLER and SAMPLE SAMPLER,if necessary.
2. Complete the Sewing Box Tutorial (Pages 3-7 to 3-23 in Photoshop textbook)
You don't necessarily need to use the tools the book asks you to--you have learned that there are many ways to make selections. A special note about this: The book will ask you to use the Quick Selection tool to select the thimble--if you are working on a PC, this tool is not part of Photoshop CS2. It was introduced in Photoshop CS3. Like with the Sampler assignments, write down which tools you used to select each item on the back of the printout. Make sure your name is on it. It is OK to work with a partner on this assignment.
3. Read Chapters 1 & 2 in Basics of Design and complete the worksheets that accompany the reading.
4. Turn in all work, as you complete it. See me if you have any questions.

Monday, February 8, 2010

ART TECH 2--YEARBOOK COVER ASSIGNMENT

1. Begin working on a design for the yearbook cover--we will hold a contest and use the winning design for the YB cover.

2. Document should be 11 x 17 and may be generated in Photoshop or Illustrator. As with the previous assignment, try to get a mix of vector and raster data in your composition.

3. Photos should be treated with the halftone filter.
Comic Book Theme Resources:
Comic effect tutorials: This Link Or This Link Or This Link Or just google 'comic book effect' and find one you like.

A Nice example of this treatment is the MRD Quad Squad website: http://www.madrollindolls.com/quad/index.html

4. Think about how your design can wrap around both sides of the cover.

5. Come up with a catchy title for the theme--like 'be your own hero' or something.

6. April has done some work with this already and can help others get started. Yes, she can. And by can, I mean she has no choice, since I am out of the building. ;)
EXPERIMENTING WITH SAMPLING

You have learned to sample pixels with a variety of tools in Photoshop.
Now it is time to start using your new skills.

1. Open the SELECTION_SAMPLER.psd document in the Art Technology folder on stepstushare.

2. Create a composition that is made out of samples from a variety of image sources. Images may come from the 'Sample Pix' in the 'Chapter 3 Lesson' folder on stepstushare, from the Internet, or from your own sources. You may also use the Photo Booth application to take a picture of yourself.

3. Use the type tool to incorporate your name into the design.

4. You must use at least two of the following types of sample tools:
Healing Brush
Spot Healing Brush
Patch Tool
Clone Stamp

5. Print your design.

6. Write down which types of selections you used on the back of the printout and turn it in.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

EXPERIMENTING WITH SELECTIONS

You have learned to make selections with a variety of tools in Photoshop.
Now it is time to start using your new skills.

1. Open the SELECTION_SAMPLER.psd document in the Art Technology folder on stepstushare.

2. Create a composition that is made out of selections from a variety of image sources. Images may come from the 'Sample Pix' in the 'Chapter 3 Lesson' folder on stepstushare, from the Internet, or from your own sources. You may also use the Photo Booth application to take a picture of yourself.

3. Use the type tool to incorporate your name into the design.

4. You must use at least three of the following types of selections:
Rectangular or Elliptical Marquee
Regular or Magnetic Lasso
Magic Wand or Quick Selector
Select via Color Range
Altered Selection via adding to or subtracting from it

5. Print your design.

6. Write down which types of selections you used on the back of the printout and turn it in.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

What is a Graphic Designer?
One of the most commonly known art technology careers is graphic designer. A Graphic designer works for a bunch of different businesses, organizations and people we call clients. Each client needs to communicate a certain message to certain people we call the target audience.

Graphic designers fulfill this need by creating print media like posters, logos, book covers and package design. But because technology is ever-changing so are the "things" the graphic designers are creating. Take, for example, the explosion of interactive media content being developed, such as video, games, and websites.

To learn more about graphic design, visit http://whatintheworld.aiga.org/

WHAT CAREERS ARE IN ART TECHNOLOGY?
Art Technology is the tools people use to develop print and interactive media.
A variety of careers exist that utilize art technology in a variety of ways. Students completing this course will develop skills which will familiarize them with computer software and studio equipment used in the Arts, Communications and Information Systems career field. More information on art technology based careers can be found at: http://www.mnvu.org/careers/viewCareers?id=03

Monday, February 1, 2010

Art Institutes Poster Contest Deets and Logos

http://www.artinstitutes.edu/competitions/poster-design-competition.aspx

This poster should show off the best of what you can bring to the table right now.
Try to create it with a combination of vector and raster data.

Poster Criteria:
1. Poster < 11 x 17 + @300dpi
Incorporates the “Life is Better With Art in it” theme
Includes the Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts logos.
0_____________5


2. In good taste—mass marketable
0_____________5

3. Original Artwork not Copied from ANY other sources. NOT Copyrighted.
0_____________5

4. Met Deadline of February 4.
0_____________5

5. Clarity
The student’s intention is obvious from the work in a convincing way.
0_____________5_______________10


6. Composition
The work suggests that the student has acquired an understanding of the elements of art & principles of design and can use them to create a work that is an integrated whole.
0_____________5_______________10


7. Craftsmanship
The works show a mastery of materials and techniques and are consistently of high technical quality.
0_____________5_______________10