Friday, October 30, 2015

Oct 30th Lab

Animation:

Create three different animations:

1 straight ahead, exported as a continuous loop
1 pose to pose, exported as a seamless continuous loop (first and last pose identical)
1 typewriter effect, exported so that it only plays once, and then stops

Export each image as an Animated GIF, and upload to your web site, using the <img> tag.

Include 50 words on each image:

What elements and principals of art did you use? What feeling were you attempting to portray, and how did you achieve this?

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Saturday Oct 24th Lab - Midterm Review/Animation

Midterm Review:
All of the Lecture Slides and midterm review questions have been posted to Blackboard

As requested, here are the slides from class.
Don't use this as an excuse to not study the lecture slides and Lynda videos.
This is only a sampling of the types of questions that may be asked. Get to know the lecture slides and lynda videos as well as you can.

Slides


Animation:

Straight Ahead:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjLANKAjJQc&feature=youtu.be
Pose to Pose
http://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/create-flash-animations-entirely-in-illustrator--vector-3254

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Oct 17th Lab - Color

Color Assignment:

In the color lecture we discussed the cultural, expressive and compositional uses of color. In the lecture that introduced the elements of art and the principals of design we also discussed how these concepts are important for developing visual design.

Based on this create a separate logo for three of the 2016 presidential candidates. Each logo should not only be visually distinctive but also express the salient and unique features of the character of each of the three 2016 presidential candidates that you have chosen. The logos should be visually legible at a range of sizes i.e. look readable at both a small business card scale and at a large billboard scale.
  • Choose three of the 2016 presidential candidates and create a logo for each one.
  • Each logo image should be exactly 400x400 pixels.
  • The logos should be presented on your website.
  • On your website you will also include a minimum of 100 words for each logo explaining the qualities of the candidate and how your use of color communicates those characteristics. In the same text you will also name which elements of art and principals of design you also used and how you are doing it.
  • Your logo must be made from abstract shapes. You absolutely can not use any text, characters, or identifiable objects in the creation of the three logos.*



For this assignment, we will be using Illustrator.

*You may use text, but it must be converted to paths and creatively enhanced/embellished/altered to portray the character and political platforms of the given candidate. Original imagery created with abstract vector shapes in Illustrator must be a prominent aspect of the design. You may not import or copy pre-existing imagery or text.

In the next lab, I will be collecting the original Illustrator files, and all of the above should be posted to your web sites.

A few current logos and criticism
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/07/31/which-2016-presidential-candidate-has-the-worst-logo/

Examples of current candidates (with snarky commentary)
http://observer.com/2015/06/the-2016-u-s-presidential-candidates-logos-ranked/

Recommended Watching: 

Getting Started:

Drawing Basic Shapes:

Transforming Objects:

Working with type:

Saving for web:


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Oct 10th Lab

Type Face Assignment: Due Oct 17th

As discussed in class the way type is used has a fundamental impact on the meaning of written words. Type can be used to highlight the expressive aspects of the written words and/or to make it more legible. For people seriously thinking about typography both aspects are very important to consider.

• Photograph three bad examples of typography in public space. E.g. Outdoor signage. Keeping in mind the examples given in class these images should be photographed in such a way that we can clearly see both the type face and the space it exists in. Each image should be 1000 pixels wide in their largest dimension.

• Write 50 words for each example explaining why you think the type is used poorly and how it relates to its context i.e. the space that it is in.

• Upload the three images and the text for each to your website.

• Using Photoshop you will either improve the pre-exsiting type or you will add entirely new type to the image in a way that looks as photographically realistic as possible. Each completed image should be the same size as when they were originally photographed.

• Write 50 words for each image explaining how your adjustments are both an improvement and appropriate to their specific use in the space.

• Upload the three revised images and your text to your website.

Required Watching
In the set of Lynda Tutorials called:
Photoshop CS6 Text Workshop with Tim Grey
watch the videos in chapters:
2. Basic Text Appearance
3. Advanced Text Appearance
Photoshop CC 2015 One-on-One: Fundamentals 
watch the videos in chapters:
5. Introducing layers.


Recommended:
Using the perspective crop tool
Scaling, Skewing, and Rotating with Free Transform
Non-destructive transformations with smart Objects 
Removing unwanted details with Content-Aware Fill and Patch


Keep in Mind:

The Elements and Principles of Design
Line, Shape, Form, Color, Texture, Space, Value
Pattern, Contrast, Emphasis, Balance, Proportion/Scale, Harmony, Rhythm/Movement

The overall sentiment of the typeface: 
Happy, Sad, Exciting, Formal? Does the typeface match the message?

Alignment
Does the overall composition fit into a grid pattern? Does it use the rule of thirds?
Is the overall composition symmetrical? Balanced? Off-center? Clean? Messy?

Does this serve the purpose of the message?

Example1 - Straight
Example2 - Slant