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Weeks 4 & 5: Projects & Objectives

9/19/2018

Tasks we'll be working on this week:
502 - Identify the properties of vector and raster images.
505 - Utilize a basic functions of a vector-based drawing program.
509 - Utilize use of input, output and storage devices.
510 - Utilize different file formats correctly.
511 - Organize and manage digital files.

Now that most of you have completed the Geometric Portrait project in Adobe Illustrator, I'd like to see you work on a project that is based on primitive shapes you can find in toolbar. Rectangles, Ellypsis, Polygons, Stars are part of many of the graphics that designers create. Choose one of the projects below for your next project. If you click on the graphic it should open a tutorial for creating the graphic you selected. Make sure to save your work frequently - every five minutes is a good idea.

The files below may help you understand how the pen tool works. It is recommended that you complete these practice files before attempting the unicorn image:

illustrator_pen_exercises.zip
File Size:	4680 kb
File Type:	zip

Download File

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Week 2-3 Projects & Objectives

9/10/2018

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Tasks we'll be working on this week:
502 - Identify the properties of vector and raster images.
505 - Utilize a basic functions of a vector-based drawing program.
509 - Utilize use of input, output and storage devices.
510 - Utilize different file formats correctly.
511 - Organize and manage digital files.

The next project we're going to be working on will utilize Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator is a vector graphic program that creates very clean lines and allows for unlimited scaling without any loss of quality. It is used for logos, posters and highly detailed drawings.

For this project we willl be using one of the following tutorials. Don't hesitate to ask questions if you need assistance with this. Your choice as to what method you wish to use. These step-by-step directions will guide you through the project. Click on the image below to launch the tutorial:

Drawing on a grid

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Week 1: Projects & objectives

8/27/2018

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Welcome to the 2018-19 school year! I am looking forward to working with you over the coming months and to help you reach both personal and career goals. My returning students have a wealth of talent and many of our new recruits have shown me some great work that they've done before arriving in our program. I'm proud to be your teacher and I love mentoring young artists. It's what I do

We are project based. We have a number of tasks that the state of Pennsylvania requires students in this program to master. These tasks can be viewed in the 50.0402 Task List header above on the right. We gain these skills through the use of projects that we do in our lab. I will list the tasks we're working on every time I post a project to this page. What all students should be aiming for is independent mastery of these skills. In other words, can you do these things without assistance from the instructor? If you put 100% effort into these projects, you'll be 100% successful!

This site will be how I communicate with all of you as a group.
Create a bookmark for this page. You should be visiting this site at least twice a week. I will share files, videos, links to great sites and I will list what you should be working on while you're in the CommArt lab. Anything highlighted in blue is a clickable, linked resource. Take some time to look over the following sections of this site:

Shield Calendar - dates for yearbook deadlines
Knowledge Base Sections - technical terms, videos and links to learning everything a graphic artist should know!
Home Page - it's where you are now. This is set up like a blog. Newest posts on top.

Lab Procedures - I have a few simple guidelines for working in our lab:

Be on time with your uniform on.
Be ready to work.
Treat each other with care and respect.
Treat our equipment like you own it.
Let yourself fail fantastically!
Document your work through your portfolio. Save Everything!

What's new in our lab this fall? Below is a list of some new equipment/features that we've added over the summer:

Adobe Creative Cloud: Our license now allows you to download the apps to a home computer or laptop for as long as you're enrolled in our program. You will be using your student gmail credentials to access the software both here in our lab and any remote location.
Photography area:
- We've upgraded our portrait lights substantially. We no longer are relying on batteries to power our main lights in the portrait studio.
- New blue backdrop for this year's portraits.
- We've been given a PIxelstick for video and amazing light painting techniques. (See samples in slideshow above.)
- Two additional 50mm prime lenses have been purchased for our cameras.
- Cyanotype Materials - this will be a project that we work on this year. (see samples above)
Art Supplies: Charcoal and Conte Crayons, new artist papers and illustration boards, new markers, pens, and drawing supplies.
Lab: Promethean Active Panel - we'll be using this projector replacement every day!

Tasks we'll be working on this week:
201 - Operate equipment incorporating ergonomics.
502 - Identify the properties of vector and raster images.
507 - Utilize basic functions of a raster-based image editing software.
509 - Utilize use of input, output and storage devices.
510 - Utilize different file formats correctly.
511 - Organize and manage digital files.

Project Work this week:
My Passions Collage-using Adobe Photoshop's ability to work with photos and words, tell me who you are by creating a collage that represents you and what you passionately care about. Veteran students might want to repurpose older works into this project. Let me know if you need help getting images from your phone to your computer.

Yearbook Work:

Yearbook Cover Design
Portrait Test Work with new lighting
Develop prototype pages for CTE area pages.

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Weeks 31 & 32: Projects & Objectives

5/3/2018

Competencies this week:
402 - Apply appropriate color schemes to generate design solutions.
503 - Demonstrate basic use of page layout software.
505 - Demonstrate basic use of a vector-based drawing program.
507 - Demonstrate basic use of image editing software.
801 - Operate digital camera and accessories.
803 - Demonstrate use of lighting.
804 - Demonstrate ability to physically stabilize camera.
805 - Demonstrate how to download and manipulate digital images.

Project Work for this time frame

Upload finished menu project to your portfolio. These were due 4/30!
Year in Review Magazine Project
Cinemagraph Photography/Video Project

Year in Review Project

Log onto your students.cciu.org email account and use the link to access the shared class folders
Locate the folder with your name.
Upload at least 5 works that you think are examples of your best work this year.
PSDs, JPGs, TIFs, AIs, and PNGs will work if they're high resolution. InDesign files should be exported as PDF files for quality printing.
Write an artist statement using MS Word or Google Docs about your favorite piece. Explain why you like the work, what application or media you used and what did you learn from working on that work of art.
By May 9th, all files should be in your folder including your artist statement.
Create an InDesign letter-size document, .375" Margins, 28 (facing pages) and begin the project by laying out a 2-page spread of your own works and your artist statement. Create paragraph and object styles to get a more uniform look throughout your publication. Be sure to look at the sample books before your begin to get some ideas.

Cinemagraph Project - Cinemagraph Samples

How to Videos:

Weeks 29 & 30: Projects & Objectives

4/13/2018

Competencies this week:
306 - Produce color illustrations using various media.
402 - Apply appropriate color schemes to generate design solutions.
503 - Demonstrate basic use of page layout software.
505 - Demonstrate basic use of a vector-based drawing program.
507 - Demonstrate basic use of image editing software.
906 - Participate in critiques of commercial art projects.

Projects for this time frame:
Spring Informal Graphics - We have been asked to help decorate for this year's Spring event. The theme for the event is Paris by Moonlight.

One idea that we have is to create a replica of the Louvre Museum in our front lobby. For this, we can create paintings in the style of those hanging on the walls at the Louvre. I have purchased several canvases for this purpose. We'll be working mostly in acrylic paint for this portion.

Another possibility is to use the tiling site we used a few weeks ago to create large prints of the many sites that are famous in Paris. Locations like the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Cafés, Google search Paris landmarks for ideas. These prints will then by hung. Keep the scale reasonable.

Due date for this project is May 4th as we need to make sure we have enough prior to the event.

Restaurant Client Project - this project requires you to use your imagination and create your own restaurant. It can be any type of restaurant you'd like. The stronger the theme of the restaurant, the easier it will be to come up with ideas for your designs. Imagine you are working for a client and you must meet some deadlines. Below is a timeline I'd like to you to adhere to for this project:

April 18th - email me the name of the restaurant you're going to be creating for.

April 25th - Logo Study with color palette. Post to your portfolio.

April 30th - Web-research what other designers have created in a similar design situation for similar menus. Gather the text for your menus. You will need to key in the information in a Google Doc file by this date. Do a small amount every day. When finished, share your Google Doc with me mrtucker@students.cciu.org

We'll be doing two critiques - one of the logos that you create (due April 25th) and another of your finished menus in May. You will be using Illustrator and InDesign for the bulk of this project and it is required to work in those programs. Photoshop isn't used for logo design or heavy type formatting that are common in menus.

Weeks 27 & 28 Projects & Objectives

3/19/2018

Competencies this week:
505 - Demonstrate basic use of a vector-based drawing program (e.g. Illustrator).
507 - Demonstrate basic use of image editing software (e.g. Photoshop).
508 - Demonstrate intermediate use of image editing software (e.g.
607 - Demonstrate basic knowledge of printing processes.
801 - Operate digital camera and accessories.
804 - Demonstrate ability to physically stabilize camera

Agamograph Project:
This project should prove to be a real challenge, but you will love the finished product. I'm guessing that you've never created anything quite like this before. You will be creating a style of visual art that was conceived by the Israeli artist, Yaacov Agam. To learn about his life's work, watch this video below:

It's difficult to show Agam's work statically in a still photograph - the work requires movement on the part of the viewer. The term for this is kinetic sculpture. Below are a few past projects that simulates that movement:

Some tips for approaching this project:

Our finished working size for this will be 8" x 16" with 1" panels. That means that your drawings or images must fit an 8" x 8" area. You will end up with 16 panels that will hold both of your images.
This can be done analog (totally hand-done in any media) and then glued to your folded sheet. This would allow you to work on a larger piece if you wish.
To complete this in Photoshop you will need to know how to set up a grid, resize your image to 8x8, and how to make consistent 1" x 8" marquis selections.
Be creative with this. Contrast two things and don't be afraid to take risks.
We're going to be working at 150 ppi resolution for all of our images - we'll need to adjust our resolution for every image so that we're dealing with like measurement for all images.

Below is a sample image that I created in Photoshop several years ago:

Week 25 & 26: Projects & Objectives

3/5/2018

Competencies this week:
505 - Demonstrate basic use of a vector-based drawing program (e.g. Illustrator).
507 - Demonstrate basic use of image editing software (e.g. Photoshop).
508 - Demonstrate intermediate use of image editing software (e.g.
607 - Demonstrate basic knowledge of printing processes.
801 - Operate digital camera and accessories.
804 - Demonstrate ability to physically stabilize camera

Project 1: Photoshop Challenge
This week I'm going to give you some finished samples and a list of tools. The challenge is to figure out how to create your own using the given features. When you're finished be sure to post your finished results to your portfolio page.
The Photoshop tools/features you will be using will be:

Ratio
Crop Tool
Canvas Size/Percent
Option/Drag
Transform

PROJECT 2: NOCTI Practice Hands-On Test
This week you will have an opportunity to see a simulation of what may appear on the upcoming NOCTI test. A number of seniors and adult students are scheduled to take this test on April 9th or 10th. The PA Skills Certificate is awarded to students that score Advanced. This can earn you a college credit and could be the basis for possible clep opportunities when/if you're going onto college. In other words, this is an important evaluation! Take this opportunity to get comfortable with the more challenging aspects of this test.

Below are two files that we can use to go over some basic concepts before you attempt the practice test:

Remove/Straighten
Color Cast Photos

Creative cloud Updates

2/22/2018

Our lab was just updated to the most recent versions of the Creative Cloud. You should start using the 2018 versions of most of the programs whenever you can. They appear to be stable. Below I will be sharing how some of the new tools work. We will be working through several of the new tools every day for the next week.

Join Path Tool in Adobe Illustrator 2018

Breakout Game: STreet Art

2/20/2018

Street Art: BreakoutEDU Game
Game Entry Code: H41-V3F-9W6

Project 2: Abstract color project

2/13/2018

This project takes the Zentangle project to the next level.
The supplies you will need:

Black Sharpie Markers
Prismacolor Alcohol Markers
11" x 11" Card Stock
Curved Angle Templates

Basic Steps

Draw 4 pencil lines that intersect the middle point of the card stock.
Either freehand or using a template, draw curved lines into the cone shapes.
Use Prismacolor Alcohol markers to add basic color to the segments.
Use alcohol and blending markers to blend in highlights.
Scan finished work to your computer.

Use Photoshop to:

Pump color up with Levels Adjustment Layer
Add additional highlights using Dodge Tool
Add additional shadows using Burn Tool
Take your picture and place yourself into the finished artwork
Create a shadow of yourself to make it look more realistic.

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Weeks 4 & 5: Projects & Objectives

Week 2-3 Projects & Objectives

Week 1: Projects & objectives

Weeks 31 & 32: Projects & Objectives

Weeks 29 & 30: Projects & Objectives

Weeks 27 & 28 Projects & Objectives

Week 25 & 26: Projects & Objectives

Creative cloud Updates

Breakout Game: STreet Art

Project 2: Abstract color project

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