11-29-10 Holiday Cards

Your final project for this class is something I hope to see amazing things from. It is going to look like an easy, quick project, but I want you to dig deep into your creative bag of tricks and dazzle me! The final project is a HOLIDAY CARD. It is something all of your parents, friends, family, etc. will appreciate and it will say something about you as a designer. But you know me. There are always lots of rules:

• You can NOT use the colors green or red.

• You can NOT use holiday clip art of any kinds (photos or vectors.)

• You can NOT simply draw (no live-trace, either) holiday stuff and slap it on the card.

• If you want a Christmas tree on the card, you'd better have a REAL creative way to show it.

• Typography must play a large role in the design of your card.

• You can NOT use the colors green or red. I know I put this in here twice. I really mean it!

You will use InDesign to lay out this card.

Finished size will be 4.25x6 when folded.

Your document size should be 8.5 inches wide by 6 inches tall. You will need TWO pages.

If you are using Photoshop for your images, make sure your files are 300ppi at actual size.

You must design at least the front of the card and one inside panel (like most greeting cards.)

These will be due by the end of the last class on Monday, December 6th.

11-22-10 Editorial page layout

This week you'll be working on laying out your mock articles in InDesign. As requested for homework last week, you should have 1) come up with an idea for your article, 2) made at least five rough sketches, 3) tightened up at least two of those sketches into reasonably developed page layouts and 4) gathered up all the text and images needed.

I'm not going to constrain you to a single page for this layout project. If you would like to make a spread (industry term for two pages together) then you are more than welcome to do so. I think you'll find that sometimes it helps to have two pages to work with rather than just one. Here's a word of advice: Don't try to over think your article. It doesn't have to fill every square inch of the page. Sometimes, negative space can be good.

Try to throw yourself some curve balls and see how you can challenge yourself. I don't want all of these projects to come out looking like the demonstration I walked you through last week. Be creative and try to come up with something a little different. Look around for inspiration is fine as long as you don't copy something directly.

You'll have all of tonight's class to work on these projects and you may even want to spend some homework time to finish them up. Remember, this isn't a race. The first one to finish doesn't win. Honestly, sometimes it's quite the opposite. Take your time, try to accomplish what you detailed in your sketches and then sit back and look it over. Think about what it may be missing. Figure it out and get back to work on it. The devil is in the details with page layout. I will be grading these based on the amount of time, thought and effort I feel you've put into them. Don't rush through this project or it will reflect badly on your grade.'

One last thing. There will be a QUIZ next Monday to test your know-how. Study your sheet of InDesign tools and make sure you know how to lay out a page in InDesign as this quiz will require you to turn in a sample layout made on-the-spot! Ask questions in class if you don't understand something!

HOMEWORK:

• Finish up your page layout(s)

• Be ready to turn them in at the BEGINNING of class next Monday.

• Be studying your InDesign tools and make sure you understand how to use them to lay out a page.

• Quiz next Monday (November 29th) on tools AND laying out a test page!

11-15-10 Adobe InDesign

This week we'll start working in Adobe InDesign. Adobe InDesign is the industry-leading page layout software. It can do just about anything you can imagine (page layout-wise) and then some. We'll start with the basics this week to get you working with importing and formatting type, learning about paragraph styles, placing images and more.

I want you to be thinking about great page layouts this week because next week you're going to have to work on your own! And don't forget, great page layout begins with sketches! So dust off those sketchbooks, cause you're going to need them!

First, I want you to look through some magazines and find some great examples of page layout. This does NOT include ads! You must find 3 examples of editorial content (articles) that you like and bring them, or a copy of them, to class with you next Monday.

Second, I want you to start sketching some ideas for cool page layouts. I want to see at least five rough sketches and then I want to see you tighten up two of those into highly developed layouts. You'll use these to create your page layout in next week's class.

Third, I want you to come up with an idea for an article to lay out. When you decide on a topic, you can find text to use on Wikipedia (or wherever you'd like,) but you'll need multiple paragraphs of body copy. You'll also need to find some appropriate images to use with it and also be thinking about what sort of font would work well. Maybe your headline needs to be a bold font? Or a script font? Or a grunge font? All of that is up to you, but your choices should reflect the type of article you are laying out.

Be ready to work on your layouts during class time next week!

HOMEWORK:

• Bring in 3 examples of articles with page layouts you like

• Make at least five rough sketches of layout ideas

• Refine at least TWO of those ideas into tighter drawings

• Decide what type of article you want to lay out

• Get a text file of your article to bring with you

• Bring appropriate images to class

11-8-10: Technical difficulties

Well, due to unforseen technical difficulties, like my car needing an emergency serpentine belt tensioner replacement (shown at left), I won't be in class tonight. However, I encourage you to use your time wisely and stick around during class time (if we could persuade Miss Chipps to be our lab tech) to learn a little about Adobe InDesign.

Our class tonight was going to be going over the basics of Adobe's page-layout program: InDesign. Just because I'm not there, doesn't mean you can't learn about it. Have a look at this series of video tutorials from Adobe's website. You'll only need to watch episodes GS-01 through GS-07. We won't be messing with the later stuff in our class, like adding interactivity, motion or outputting for the web.

So, get acquainted with InDesign so you can hit the ground running next week when we start working on our first InDesign project!

For those of you who needed to turn in late work, you just gained an extra week. So everyone had better be caught up by next weeks class!

HOMEWORK:

• Watch GS-01 through GS-07 Adobe InDesign video tutorials.

• Bring in all unfinished work to class on 11-15-10

Regional Job Openings

Just letting everyone know of some Regional Job Openings in the area. This information was passed along to me and I wanted to share it with all of you.

11-1-10: Your homework is your make-up work

All pre-mid-term make-up work must be submitted by next Monday, November 8th. For this reason, I am not assigning any new homework this week. If you are are caught up on all your work, you get a week of not having to worry about homework. If you have not turned in assignments, this is the week to get them done.

I will NOT accept late pre-mid-term assignments after November 8th. They will go down in my gradebook as a permanent zero. Nobody wants that, so get them all made up and turned in at the BEGINNING of class next Monday. You've had 10 weeks to get them done, so no excuses!

It's HALLOWEEN week!!!! Let's do something fun!

Halloween is upon us! Now is the time to use your creative skills to make something spooky, scary and fun! This is going to be a fun assignment with very few boundaries, so let your minds go wild!

Your task is to create some sort of Halloween imagery. It could be a flyer to a Halloween party you are hosting or attending. It could just be a graphic designed to scare the bejeezus out of others! It could be a fun Halloween illustration! It could be a Photoshop zombie self-portrait or an Illustrator zombie self-portrait!

You are free to use any software you would like and there are no size requirements. The only thing I'm requiring is that it fit in somehow with a Halloween theme. So, knock yourselves out with this one!

These will be due at the end of class on Monday, November 1st. So, I want you to have at least three ideas sketched out in your sketchbook by (the beginning of class) next Monday. If at all possible, try to have your digital work started before class next Monday. At the very least, bring all of your images and sketchbook to class, so you'll have everything you need to get started.

Happy Halloween everyone! Have fun this week and most importantly, be safe!

HOMEWORK:

• Make at least three different Halloween imagery sketches in your sketchbook

• Come up with an idea for your Halloween imagery and start digitizing it

• Use ANY software you want

• Use ANY subject matter you want (keep it at least PG-13 though. . .)

• Most importantly, use your IMAGINATION!

10-18-10 Finalizing your logo designs

This week in class we will be talking more about techniques to use in Adobe Illustrator to help with your logos. We will go over the type tool, shape tools and other items you'll find essential to your logo project. Tonight's class will primarily be work time and one-on-one instruction as you continue to work on your designs. Your finished logo designs will be due at the end of class on Monday, October 25th.

For your homework, I want you to do some more research on logos. Look around at items you use every day and see what techniques are used to create them. I'd like you to bring in five examples of logos you like, and be prepared to tell us what attracted you to them. You can bring in digital logos or you can bring in products, posters, etc. that show the logo you are talking about.

HOMEWORK:

• Bring in five examples of logos you like (digital or hard copy)

• Be prepared to work on your logo designs in class

10-11-10 Logo Design

We see logos all over the place. Have you ever stopped and thought about the people who create them? How about the creative process they go through? Well, you will now. Our next project will be LOGO DESIGN!

Logos can be simple. Logos can be complex. Most importantly, logos need to make a statement. It isn't the method of logo creation that is important, instead it is the impact of the logo that determines its success or failure. Some logos are type heavy and some are image heavy while many balance right in between. In any case, you'll be looking at logos closer than you ever have before.

The first thing I'd like you to do is to go out in the world and take a look at some logos you see often. Really take a long, hard look at them and think about what went into creating them. Try to be thinking about why the designer used that specific font. Think about how the graphic (if any) works with the composition of the logo. Think about what you might have done differently. Now, in order to understand logos, you'll need to actually make some. So, for the first part of this week's assignment, I want to you to draw some logos in your sketchbook. I want you to choose THREE different logos and draw each of them, taking a full page for each, in your sketchbook. Take your time and try to make them as accurate as possible. These sketches will be GRADED.

The next thing you're going to do is start creating a logo for an imaginary company. You can choose between these businesses:

• Jack's Poker Parlor

• Bud's Rose Garden

• Three Circle Marketing

After you've picked your company, I want you to start sketching ideas in your sketchbook for a possible logo. I want to see a LOT of these. Remember, sometimes you have to draw the bad ideas to get them out of your head to make way for great ideas! That means, I want to see a MINIMUM of 20 sketches for your logo ideas. You are encouraged to draw more than 20, but fewer will result in a poor grade. Yes, these sketches will be graded also.

HOMEWORK: (in your sketchbooks)

• Sketch three different existing logos (full page each)

• Pick your imaginary company

• Sketch 20 (or more) logo ideas for your company

• Be prepared to start digitizing your logos on 10/18.

• You MUST pay for your sketchbook by 10/18 or I will collect it and you will receive a grade of "0" for BOTH assignments. There is no reason to slack off paying your $3.25 for these sketchbooks. Pay up!

9-27-10 Make yourself into a Na'vi

First, I need to address the fact that I will be unable to make it to class this evening. However, Ben and Tina have assured me that the Earp Lab will be OPEN for you to use during our regularly scheduled class time. So, I figured I would let you use this time to start practicing for our next assignment. As I told you last week, we will be photoshopping yourself into a blue-skinned na'vi from the movie Avatar.

As your homework required, you should have brought a photograph of yourself with you to class. If you need to scan a photo, scanners are available in class to do so. Since I can't be there to give you a tutorial lesson on this fun photoshop lesson, I've found you some YouTube videos that will allow you to follow along. Watch all four of these and feel free to practice learning the techniques needed to complete this project. Don't worry about having your na'vi transformation done by next class, as I will help you complete them when I return next week. Also, don't get overwhelmed with the details. These tutorials get pretty in-depth with photo retouching and it may go over your head. Don't worry! I basically just want you to get acquainted with some of photoshop's tools like the liquify filter (it's a FUN tool!) and changing colors using the hue/saturation adjustments. Go through all four of the tutorials, they are only 10 minutes each, and start playing with your photos.

When I return next week, we will have our QUIZ (so keep studying - an extra week means no excuses for bad grades!) and then work on our na'vi projects in class. I'm really sorry I have to miss tonight, but use your time wisely and I'll see you next week.

YouTube tutorials for photoshopping yourself into a Na'vi:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

There are plenty of other tutorials on transforming yourself into a na'vi on YouTube, so after you watch these four videos, watch some of the others to see different techniques.

9-20-10: Important stuff. Please read.

1- All of you have received your sketchbooks by now but only a few of you have paid for them. PLEASE bring your $3.25 (in cash, with correct change) to class tonight if at all possible.

2- There will be a QUIZ on Monday, September 27th. Study your handouts on Photoshop's tool pallette and understanding resolution. The quiz will have multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank and matching questions. You must know this stuff well in order to pass this quiz. STUDY! I will be going over some possible quiz questions in class tonight, so if you don't understand something, ask about it!

3- Not all of you have emailed me using your preferred email address. If you have not done so, please do so A.S.A.P. so I can have an up-to-date email list. You can mail me at: tjthemaxx (at) cox.net

4- You will need (another) photo of yourself for next week's class. Please try to make this a nice quality photo if possible. A school photo or other portrait will work fine or you may take a current photo if you would like. Must be high-resolution, so no camera phone pictures! I will be bringing a digital camera to class tonight if you want a new photo.

5- Come to class tonight prepared to finish up your "styles and effects" photoshop assignment and turn it in. We will be talking about these at the end of class.

Photoshop layer styles and effects

We've talked about layer styles and layer effects in photoshop, but now I want to see you experience them first hand. Your homework this week will involve you taking one (or more) seemingly "normal" photographs and really making them spectacular using Photoshop's unique layer styles and layer effects. Take what we've gone over in class and dazzle me! You are free to incorporate typography with your photos if that helps in your design.

I want to see some wild and crazy photoshopping here! If you think it looks good, DO IT! If you want to look up additional techniques to include in this assignment, I encourage you to do so. Just be prepared to talk to the class during critique about your methods and how you learned them. After all, the purpose of the class is to learn and I'm not the only teacher!

We will be using some of the Image Size Dialog information you learned in class to create a specific size for your document. See the details below.

Homework:

• Pick one or more photographs

• Use the Photoshop layer styles and layer effects

• Typography is allowed if you want to include it

• Use ANY photoshop technique to make this image

• Final document size must be 10"x 10" at 72 dpi

• DAZZLE ME!

Be prepared to turn in your finished photoshop document by the end of class on Monday, September 20th. You will have next week's class period to work on this project but it MUST have been started before then for you to receive full credit. I will be checking on your progress at the beginning of class. Utilize your lab time!

Sketch Books

Prices have been set for the sketchbooks handed out during the last class. They will be $3.25 each and will need to be paid for using cash only. For those who missed last class, I have sketchbooks for you, too.

So, if everyone could bring in their $3.25 to class tonight, that would be spectacular. :)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

September 8th (TODAY) is the last day to withdraw from classes and receive a refund. Please be aware of this. If you withdraw after today, you will NOT receive a refund for your tuition.

Also note: I will be keeping strict tabs on attendance. Any student who misses more than 25% of the semester's classes will AUTOMATICALLY be removed from the class without tuition refund. This is a policy mandated by DCC and is out of my control. I will be taking attendance at every class. Please be aware of this.

One last thing: If, later on in the semester, any students stop coming to class (or have other academic issues) I am required to submit a continuous alert on those students. This will "flag" your record and will prevent you from registering for more classes AND will stop any financial aid from being distributed to you until the "flag" is removed.

These policies have been put in place to help save DCC thousands of dollars each semester. They are for your protection and your benefit. Please act responsibly.

Thanks for your time reading this. You are all now informed.

Self Portrait Project

For your first project, you will be using Adobe Photoshop to create a collage. This collage should say something about you. It will be a self-portrait, if you will. You will combine elements using layers, selection techniques, masking and other photoshop tools to create a visual representation of yourself.

As I said in last week's post, you MUST include at least one photograph of yourself in your project. Don't be embarrassed, everyone has to do it!

Choose your images, colors and layout carefully. The finished design should speak about your thoughts on graphic design and yourself. We will work on this project in class tonight (Aug. 30th) and you will have lots of time to complete it due to the Labor Day holiday next Monday. So, just a reminder, class will not meet next Monday!

Homework:

1- Finish your collage project over the next two weeks. It must be completed BEFORE you come to class on Monday, September 13th. Please bring a digital copy of your photoshop file with you to class to turn in.

2- Keep checking the blog for what to bring with you to class on September 13th for our next assignment. Checking this blog is a requirement for this class, so I need to be sure you're paying attention to it. If you don't check back here, you won't be prepared for class!

Homework - Due Monday, Aug. 30

First part:

Find three examples of graphic design that inspire you. These can come from anywhere: Magazines, packaging, stickers, newspapers, shoeboxes, ANYTHING. I don't care where you find it, if it inspires you, bring all three examples to class with you on 8/30/10. Now, don't STEAL anything to accomplish this. :) You'll be surprised what you can find in your own house! Be prepared to tell the class WHY it inspires you and what you like (or dislike) about it.

Second part:

Our first official project will be: Creating a collage representation of yourself. So what I want you to do is to be thinking of some images that might be used to describe you. Now, for the homework part: Bring 6-10 (or more, if you want) images with you to class. They can be prints or digital files. If you bring in prints, or other hard copy, we will go over how to scan them in class. You can also bring in digital files from your digital camera, images you have found on the web or any combination. These can be pictures of money, ducks, cars, cereal boxes, houses, or electric train sets, etc. If you think it represents you in some way, BRING IT TO CLASS! You will be graded on fullfilling these requirements! If you bring less than 6 images, your grade will suffer. If you bring more than 10, you're a brown-noser. : )

Here's the catch: At least ONE of these images HAS to be a photograph of YOU at some point in your life. I would encourage more than one, but that's up to you.

That's it! So bring your graphic design inspiration pieces and collage images with you to class on Monday and be ready to rock out with Photoshop!

First day! Aren't you excited?

Hello everyone! Welcome to ART 180: Introduction to computer graphics! In this class, you will learn the fundamentals of Adobe© products: Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. You will be creating a wide variety of projects that are designed to give you the vocabulary and technical skills needed to prepare yourself for other follow-up courses in this program. It is your goal to start building an understanding of computer graphics, as well as learning about the world of graphic design.

Before we go too far, I'd like you to take a minute to do the following things:

1) Take a moment to fill out the BUAD Curriculum Student Registration:

2) Send me an email from your primary email account so that I may add you to the course mailing list. Occasionally I will need to get in touch with you via email and would like you to send me an email from your preferred email account. You can email me any time at: tjthemaxx (AT) cox.net

3) Remember to check this blog often for assignments. All assignments will be posted here. Please come to class prepared to do the work I'll be asking of you. It may be necessary for me to cancel class on occasion. I will post the cancellation on this blog when that happens. Please do your best to check the blog before coming to class to see if there are cancellations, or special requests for class.

If you have any questions about DCC's fall schedule, you can find that information here: http://www.dcc.vccs.edu/Academics/Schedules/Fall10/CalendarFall10.htm

Thanks for doing all this boring stuff for me! I am looking forward to a great semester with all of you!

T.J.