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!