November 2018, December 2018 and January 2019

By now you should be very proficient in the use of most of the Adobe Photoshop CC Tools. If you have any questions regarding the Move, Rectangular and Elliptical Marquee, Magnetic Lasso, Magic Wand, Polygonal Lasso, Brush, Eraser, Paint Bucket and Custom Shape Tools, please let me know.

You can start experimenting with the Gradient Tool, the Type Tool, the Eye Dropper Tool and the Crop Tool (I will teach these tools in class).

November's Essential Vocabulary is the following:

Typography (Leading, Tracking, Kerning, Hierarchy); Serif, Sans Serif, Display Fonts, Opacity; color (color theory - the color wheel - color harmony - color palettes - color schemes), hue, saturation, value; monochromatic, analogous and complementary. To check COLOR PALETTES go to: Color Palettes (click link).

December and January's Vocabulary is:
Surrealism, René Magritte,  Salvador Dalí, Rafal Olbinsky, Marcel Caram, branding, visual (brand) identity, images, advertisements, consumer, logos, magazine covers, magazine ads, book covers (and their importance).  You will also learn tips for designing effective posters and advertisements, and magazine covers and book covers.

For Exercise 4 you are creating art for the theme "Our Creative Garden." I will select the best ones for the "Echoings" Literary Magazine. Remember the techniques you already learned in class to create something interesting and attractive. 

We will also create an advertisement in December, and will try to imitate some of René Magritte's and Salvador Dalí's work. We will learn about "Surrealism" and try to look into our unconscious minds for inspiration. The Surrealists sought to channel the unconscious as a means to unlock the power of the imagination. Many surrealist paintings are based on dreams and the artists' imagination. We will learn about Magritte and Dalí and other surrealist artists, and look at some of their work. And you will certainly use your imagination to create a "surreal" piece of digital art. You will complete three or four Surrealist works of digital art.

"Surrealist art often uses dream imagery to show the inner workings of the mind. Have you ever had a dream that your teeth were falling out or that you were flying? Surrealists used images like this in their art to create instinctive meanings the viewer would not need rational thought to understand.

Surrealists also used symbols as a method of telling a story. Symbols are objects that stand for ideas, events, or emotions. For example, a smile can be a symbol of happiness; an image of a heart can be a symbol for love.

Surrealist artists used collage. A collage is a work of art created by using images not normally associated with one another. These disparate associations were meant to make the viewer question previous rules of art and popular culture."

From: What is Surrealism? (click link).

If you have any questions,   please feel free to ask me.    Other surrealist artists you can check (to try to imitate their work) are Marcel Caram, Rafal Olbinsky, and Frida Kahlo. Check: Google Classroom for the Presentation on Surrealism  (I will show you and  we  will discuss  in  class),   the  PDF  on  creating  effective  posters  and your assignments. GET INSPIRED, GET CREATIVE!

TEST: You will have a TEST ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2018 regarding the following vocabulary: Typography (Leading, Tracking, Kerning, Hierarchy); Serif, Sans Serif, Display  Fonts. Study: 1. What is Typography? 2. What are Serif Fonts? 3. What are Sans Serif Fonts? 4. What are Display Fonts? When do you use them? 5. Which fonts should we AVOID? Why? 6. Can you combine Font Styles? 7. What is Kerning (in Typography)? 8. What is Leading? 9. What is Tracking? 10. What is Hierarchy in Typography? 11. What is Bad Kerning? 12. Review examples of "Bad Kerning." (YOUR HOMEWORK) and 13. Why is it important to pay attention to Kerning? 14. Why is alignment important in typography? 15. Why does font size matter? 

CHECK TO REVIEW AND STUDY: Typography and Color (click links).  You can also find these videos on this Blog under  "My Favorite Links" on the right side.    You may also want  to check  the  Branding & Identity video  as well as the Power of Images video. All these videos are essential to understand Graphic Design.

Also included in Test: primary and secondary colors, hue, saturation, value, the color wheel; monochromatic, analogous and complementary colors and learn about the importance of choosing the right colors for your graphic designs and publications (you don't have to know about Split Complementary, Triadic and Tetradic color schemes). Why does color play a vital role in design and everyday life? How do we know which colors look good together and which ones don't? How do we achieve Color Harmony? The handout on "Color" with 13 questions will be included! The Test will be a Google Form.

FIRST QUARTER CONTINUES... Abstract Art & Collages

By now you have already learned a lot about the image-editing application, Adobe Photoshop CC. Congratulations! You have done a great job! You have learned the importance of working with layers in Photoshop. With Photoshop you can create original digital artwork, or edit existing images, adding filters, changing colors, adding images or shapes, retouching and enhancing photographs, etc. You can create interesting compositions that can be used in Graphic Design and Web Design. You started to learn how to use "Blending Options" by going to the "Layer Style" window, double-clicking the right side of your layers. You will practice the "Blending Options" more this month, how to use the Drop Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, Bevel/Emboss, Gradient Overlay, Pattern Overlay, Stroke, etc. PRACTICE THIS OVER AND OVER!

A reminder: What is Photoshop? It is and extremely powerful application (with a wealth of tools and commands) used to enhance and manipulate photos and create original digital art work. It is also used to touch-up photos and create high quality graphics. You can use it for almost any kind of image editing. Many professional photographers and designers use Photoshop. 

ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR LAYERS AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE SELECTING THE RIGHT ONE! Remember that you can change the order of layers, name them and put them in folders. Your Layers' Panel should look organized. This month I will pay more attention to how you are organizing your layers and saving your work in your folders.

You will learn the following vocabulary: Photoshop, Layers, Filters, Copyrights (Ethics & Integrity), Pixels, Megapixel, Miutimegapixels, Resolution, Bitmaps, Interpolation, Pixelated, Picture File, Picture/File Formats (JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF), Compression (and review of terms and Commands learned in September). Abstract Art, Alexander Calder, Juan Gris, Wassily Kandinsky, and Piet Mondrian.

You will also learn: How to use the Magnetic Lasso Tool, the Type Tool (to enter text) and the Custom Shape Tool. How to convert images to Black and White. You will also learn how to create your own patterns to add them to shapes,  backgrounds, and other (images, custom shapes, etc.).  You will practice creating straight lines to imitate Calder's work. 

Layers:

Layers in Photoshop are like individual sheets of clear plastic that are in a stack. When you select a layer in the Layers Palette (or Panel), that layer is "active." Only one layer can be active at a time. The name of the active layer appears in the title bar of the image window. Changes affect only the "active layer" even though you view the whole image in the image window. You may find it useful to hide layers while working in Photoshop. All you have to do is click on the "Visibility Icon" or eye on the left side of the layer. You can also rearrange your layers and change their names. You can also create folders to add groups of layers and organize the Layers Panel better, even add color (to the layers and/or the folders). I want you to start organizing your layers well, so that it becomes easier to find the images and layer contents better. 

Filters (on the Menu Bar):

Filters provide a quick and easy way to change the overall appearance of your image. They are different visual effects that you can apply to your images/photos.

Homework due Monday, October 15: What is Abstract Art? (I need two to three well-written double-spaced paragraphs in Google Docs that you will Share with me about the definition of Abstract Art in YOUR OWN WORDS!). Also: Name at least six abstract artists and their contributions to the Abstract Art Movement (their beliefs, their work, the importance of color, etc.).  Add at least two pieces of their artwork for every artist.

Test: Wednesday, November 7, 2018. This test will include the vocabulary mentioned above, including what are Copyrights and why are they important? Also the homework on Abstract Art - What is Abstract Art? (be able to name at least three abstract artists and mention some of their contributions). Please review the commands too - all of them (by the end of the month you should know all of them). Check Google Classroom for the two PDF's to review for this Test. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Examples of Abstract Art:

 Calder:

 Mondrian:

 My versions:

You will create your own Abstract Art and you will also try to imitate the work of Alexander Calder, Juan Gris, Piet Mondrian, and Wassily Kandinsky. Go to Google Images and check their work for ideas.

You will also create collages, to practice adding different images in a Photoshop Canvas. Please type or write notes to remember important techniques you have already learned and others you will learn in class.

WELCOME TO DIGITAL IMAGING & GRAPHIC DESIGN

This course will introduce you to the general graphic design processes and techniques used by commercial and visual artists, including the principles of design, layout, color theory, composition and typography, using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign. You will learn to be creative and will produce digital works of art and interesting publications (like flyers, advertisements, posters, magazine covers, book covers, etc.). A basic understanding of computer applications is expected.

We will start learning some important terms (Graphic Design vocab "HW 2"): 1. digital, 2. art, 3. digital art, 4. digital imaging, 5. design, 6. graphic design, 7. graphic designer, 8. aesthetics, 9. composition, 10. focal point, 11. Web design, 12. branding and logos, and 13. typography. We will also learn the eight principles of a visual composition (find the definitions of the terms you don't already have): 1. balance (symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial), 2. proximity, 3. alignment, 4. contrast, 5. white space or negative space, 6. hierarchy, 7. repetition (consistency), and the importance of 8. keeping it simple! (You may find five or six or more principles of composition, you will learn eight). 

Check again the video and webpage on "Fundamentals of Design," and the video and webpage on "Layout and Composition" (under Favorite Links) to learn and understand more about these principles and the following vocab ("HW 1"): 1. line, 2. shape, two kinds of shapes (3. geometric and 4. organic), 5. form, 6. realism (realistic vs. 7. not realistic), 8. shadow, 9. texture, 10. balance, 11. symmetrical balance, 12. asymmetrical balance and 13. radial balance, 14. the rule of thirds.  Establishing hierarchy in composition is very important too, mentioned in the second video, so check it out please! 

You MUST understand ALL these terms very well!

There are mainly three different kinds of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial (I mentioned it twice in Homework I and II, because it is very important to learn these 3 kinds of BALANCE). I need you to understand the difference between the three. Look for examples online. Make sure to check Google Classroom OFTEN for important information, "notes," and assignments. Please save the Graphic Design PDF presentation in your "notes" folder, the Keyboard Shortcuts document, and two documents (Class Homework) with the vocabulary words you MUST know (I will mark it as done when you show it to me). Feel free to print any of these documents or to save them in your Google Drive. Thank you!

Check some of the links under "My Favorite Links" on the right side. Also check: Composition & Design (click this link) for more information on Composition, Design and the Rule of Thirds. Try to understand "the rule of thirds" in creating an effective composition - don't worry about the so-called "Golden Ration" just the Rule of Thirds.

TEST:  October 4, on this Blog Entry - Vocabulary mentioned above (Homework 1 & 2), and in Google Classroom and Power School, the Graphic Design PDF and the following: videos on "Fundamentals of Design" and "Layout and Composition" and these commands: Command-A, Command-C, Command-V, Command-R, Command-J, Command-U, Command-Plus (+), Command-Minus (-), Command-Z, Command-S, Command-N, Command-T, Command-D, Command-Shift-I, Command-Shift-4 and Command-Apostrophe ('). You will learn other commands later. Also add: What is Photoshop?  It will be included. You can find a definition online, in your notes, or ask me please! 

Make sure you check Google Classroom's Review4Test Presentation, your Homework (1 and 2) and the Fundamentals of Design and Layout & Composition (Videos and Webpages).

I hope you enjoy this class!

4th QUARTER & FINAL PROJECT

Yes! Time flies! It's hard to believe we are already on our 4th Quarter. This quarter, you will have two main exercises (the National Poetry Month Poster and the Vision Board exercises). After these you will start working on your Final Project (in lieu of a Final Exam). The Final Project consists of 10 parts, please check below and check Google Classroom.

In Google Classroom you will find the instructions as well as a Rubric, a PDF with a "sample project" and a PDF reviewing the project. For the Logo, the Poster, the Magazine Ad, the Newspaper Ad and the Billboard Ad, you will have different entries in Google Classroom to upload these items there. The Final Project (in PDF) MUST be uploaded under the Final Project entry.

Make sure the logo is in PNG form (to preserve the transparency). You will add the logo on your products, the poster, the ads and everywhere! You could have two: a simple one and one with the name of the company.

Read all the instructions carefully. Check below or Google Classroom for the instructions. ¡GRACIAS!

This is your Final Project and it is divided in 10 parts. You have SIX WEEKS to complete this project - so organize yourselves well to complete all the required sections (CHECK THE PDF AND THE RUBRIC ATTACHED IN GOOGLE CLASSROOM).

1. LOGO: What kind of company are you creating? In my example I created a sportswear company (you can do this or come up with a different company - let me know what you are planning to do). Think of a name for your company (get ideas online) and come up with a LOGO (the simpler the better), that you will create in Photoshop. Once your logo is ready, convert it to a PNG (with a transparent background) which at the end you will put it in a Word or Pages Document (like the PDF in Google Classroom) and you will tell me about your company. You could have two logos, 1) simple one to put on your clothing; 2) one with the company name spelled out besides the graphic. Save both as PNG's.

2. SLOGAN: Come up with a slogan for your company, a short phrase that you can use to advertise your products. You will add your slogan in your final document (like in the PDF attached).

3. YOUR COMPANY AND ITS PRODUCTS: Tell me more about your company and your products. Look at the PDF!

4. TAGS & BAGS: You will create tags in Photoshop that you can use for your clothing and shopping bags with your logo (slogan optional). Convert to JPEG's to add to your document later. Look at the PDF!

5. POSTER: You will create a poster (11" x 17" - 200 Resolution) - You MUST add your LOGO somewhere in the poster and it must be professional-looking. Convert to a JPEG. Look at my example in the PDF attached!

6. MAGAZINE AD: You will create a whole page Magazine Ad (of course the size depends on the size of the magazine). Research sizes - you can use the same poster but you must adjust the size, since the poster is much longer (which means you can move all the layers used in your poster to another Photoshop document and just adjust it). I used 9” x 11.74” - you can use 9” W x 11 or 12” H. Convert to a JPEG when done. Check the PDF attached, PLEASE!

7. NEWSPAPER AD: You will create a full-page or a half-page newspaper ad. The Philadelphia Inquirer is 11” x 22” full page size, you can use the poster and add 5” at the bottom to add extra information about your company, sales, etc. or create a half-page 11” x 11”. Convert to a JPEG. Ask for assistance if you need it and check the PDF attached.

8. BILLBOARD AD: I used 14” x 30” - normally Billboards are very large, 14 feet x 48 feet. A good size for this project is the one I used, but feel free to make it a bit smaller. The important thing when you create a Billboard is that it has to be attractive, it must attract the attention of people, and be simple, with essential information and easy to read. Convert to a JPEG when done.

9. SAMPLES OF PRODUCTS: You will create samples of your products (at least 4). You can find clothing online (sports blouses, pants, shorts, etc. and add your logo to them, and then place them in your Word Document or Pages Document). You can use the Warp or Perspective option under Edit > Transform > Warp or Perspective to change your logo and fit it properly on your clothing line.

10. COVER FOR PROJECT AND FINAL DOCUMENT: You will create a Cover for your Project (check PDF attached) - It must have the Title: FINAL PROJECT, Digital Imaging & Graphic Design, your LOGO, your name or names, May 2017. Add the titles: 1. Logo (add your logo as a JPEG); 2. Slogan (add your slogan); 3. Company & Products... etc. CHECK THE PDF ATTACHED AND THE RUBRIC TO GUIDE YOURSELVES. You will download the document as a PDF in Google Classroom (under Final Project). Ask me for assistance.

EVERYTHING (YOUR PHOTOSHOP DOCUMENTS) MUST BE CONVERTED TO JPEG's (or PNG for the Logo(s)! Keep EVERYTHING organized in a Folder with the name "Final Project." I will check that you did this - I don't want you to tell me you lost your work. Also, download EVERYTHING in your GOOGLE DRIVE! THANK YOU!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. 

MARCH & APRIL 2018

This month you will continue learning and practicing Photoshop, and you will create a Magazine Cover and a Book Cover. Later on, probably in April, you will learn about Pop Art artists and create some Pop Art exercises, inspired by Andy Warhol’s work and other Pop Artists. You will learn about Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Yayoi Kusama (contemporary artist - the queen of polka dots), Keith Haring and others.

You will also create a poster for the “National Poetry Contest 2018” to practice techniques learned in class and review how to create effective posters. 

Websites to review: 

http://www.designyourway.net/blog/inspiration/tips-and-inspiration-on-how-to-design-a-magazine-cover/ and https://www.canva.com/learn/magazine-cover-design/ to learn how to create effective and attractive magazine covers.

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/general/10-tips-for-effective-book-covers and https://www.canva.com/learn/book-cover-design-50-amazing-covers-you-will-want-to-pick-up/ to learn how to create effective and attractive book covers.

HOMEWORK (in Google Classroom) - DUE 3/9/18:

When you are designing a magazine cover 1) What are the two key goals? 2) What is the "final" goal? 3) What advice would you give someone that is creating a magazine cover? (Mention at least four important tips). 

POP ART

Pop Art was a visual art movement that emerged during the mid 1950's. A sign of the times, the style focused on mass production, celebrities and the expanding industries of advertising, TV, radio and print media - shaping a new cultural identity in the field of art and design.

Pop art is characterized by brash, bold, colorful and humorous artwork. Pop Art incorporated many design elements, including different styles of painting, sculpture, collage and street art.

Pop art artists challenged the traditions of the art by incorporating imagery of popular culture.

Converse All Stars Retro (Andy Warhol)

Marilyn Monroe (Unknown Artist)

Other (Unknown Artist)

 My version - Shakira (K. Feld)

Shakira - K. Feld

Hands (by K. Feld)

Other (Unknown Artist)

David Bowie (Unknown Artist)

 Taylor Swift (K. Feld)

 Twiggy (Unknown Artist)

The Dukes of Dixieland by George Rodrigue (after Pop Art)

Look online for Pop Art examples. What do you see? How can you describe Pop Art? You will create some digital Pop Art in April. Get creative!

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2018

This month, and the next, we will emphasize the importance of ADVERTISING and why it is important for companies and organizations to work on their BRANDING and VISUAL IDENTITY. 

YOU WILL LEARN: What is “branding”? Why is “branding” important? What is “Visual Identity? Why is "visual identity" important? What are “logos”? Why are “logos” important? What is “advertising”? Why is “advertising” important?

Branding is what other people think—about you, your company, your product, or your service. Visual identity is what that brand looks like, from your logo to your color choices and so much more. A logo is what identifies your brand using a particular mark, type design, or both. The most effective logos tend to be fairly simple—something viewers will recognize and remember. Every element of a logo contributes to the brand identity, including the font choice, colors, and other imagery. A logo is a lot like a literal brand—it's how people come to recognize you and identify your product or service. Importance of color - color helps define a brand. Importance of typography. Importance of images.

What is branding and why is it important?

To understand branding, it is important to know what brands are. A brand is the idea or image of a specific product or service that consumers connect with, by identifying the name, logo, slogan, or design of the company who owns the idea or image. Branding is when that idea or image is marketed so that it is recognizable by more and more people, and identified with a certain service or product when there are many other companies offering the same service or product. Advertising professionals work on branding not only to build brand recognition, but also to build good reputations and a set of standards to which the company should strive to maintain or surpass. 

Branding is the process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers' mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.

Read more: Branding1, Branding2 (click the links please!). Also check the links under "My Favorite Links" on the right side for "Branding & Visual Identity." Thank you!

What is advertising and why is it important?

Advertising is the activity or profession of producing advertisements for commercial products or services. Advertising is the best way to communicate to customers. It helps inform customers (and potential customers) about available brands in the market and the variety of products and services useful to them.  We can advertise using different techniques and media types, through TV, Website, newspaper, magazine, radio and other ads (advertisements). Through advertising we communicate ideas and transmit messages ("our product is the best," "we have the best price," etc.)

You also learn about "new" products and services through advertising. Companies and other organizations depend on advertising to introduce or remind customers (and potential customers) of their products and services. To try to convince them (and you) to buy their products or pay for their services. It is an important marketing tool!

Many companies would fail (go bankrupt) if they didn't advertise their products. Advertising educates people about the many products and services available out there. The consumer becomes aware of the many choices he/she has.

"Advertising is important for both new and existing businesses, as it helps to communicate important information to customers and is one of the first steps in building strong relationships. It raises awareness for different brands that are available in the market. Therefore, creating an effective advertising plan is essential in attaining objectives and goals."

You use advertisements to advertise. The goal is to grab the viewer's attention and try to convince him/her to buy the company's products, or to attend a certain school or college. Messages must be interesting and simple. The simpler the better! You want the ads to be memorable. Check these links for some examples of effective advertising: ADS1, ADS2, ADS3, ADS4 and ADS5. If these sites are blocked, you can check them out at home, or find other examples of good advertising.

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2017 (End of First Quarter - Beginning of Second)

By now you should be very proficient in the use of most of the Adobe Photoshop CC Tools. If you have any questions regarding the Move, Rectangular and Elliptical Marquee, Magnetic Lasso, Magic Wand, Polygonal Lasso, Brush, Eraser, Paint Bucket and Custom Shape Tools, please let me know.

You can start experimenting with the Gradient Tool, the Type Tool, the Eye Dropper Tool and the Crop Tool (I will teach these tools in class).

This month's Essential Vocabulary is the following:

Typography (Leading, Tracking, Kerning, Hierarchy); Serif, Sans Serif, Display Fonts, Opacity; Penelope Dullaghan, Jim Bradshaw, “Kawaii” images; René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Surrealism. Branding & Identity, logos, advertisements, color (color theory - the color wheel), hue, saturation, value; monochromatic, analogous, complementary and split complementary colors. Please check the following Videos (which I will show in class but will be included in a Quiz in November and a Test in December and in the Midterm in January 2018): Typography and Color (click links). You can also find these videos in here under "My Favorite Links" on the right side. Review the videos I already showed in class on Fundamentals of Design and Layout & Composition. You may also want to check the Branding & Identity video as well as the Power of Images video. All these videos are essential to understand Graphic Design.

For Exercise 9 you are creating a simple illustration; this is why I asked you to check the work of Penelope Dullaghan and Jim Bradshaw. You could also check Muxxi's work or simply enter "simple illustrations" or "Kawaii" in Google Images. Remember the techniques you already learned in class to create something interesting and attractive. 

We will also create an advertisement and a poster this month, and will try to imitate some of René Magritte's and Salvador Dalí's work. We will learn about "Surrealism" and try to look into our unconscious minds for inspiration. The Surrealists sought to channel the unconscious as a means to unlock the power of the imagination. Many surrealist paintings are based on dreams and the artists' imagination. We will learn about Magritte and Dalí and other surrealist artists, and look at some of their work. And you will certainly use your imagination to create a "surreal" piece of digital art. You will complete three or four Surrealist works of digital art.

"Surrealist art often uses dream imagery to show the inner workings of the mind. Have you ever had a dream that your teeth were falling out or that you were flying? Surrealists used images like this in their art to create instinctive meanings the viewer would not need rational thought to understand.

Surrealists also used symbols as a method of telling a story. Symbols are objects that stand for ideas, events, or emotions. For example, a smile can be a symbol of happiness; an image of a heart can be a symbol for love.

Surrealist artists used collage. A collage is a work of art created by using images not normally associated with one another. These disparate associations were meant to make the viewer question previous rules of art and popular culture."

(From: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-surrealism-definition-art-characteristics.html)

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. Below you can see two examples of simple illustrations that I created, two examples of my imitation of Magritte's work, one example of my imitation of Dalí's work, and one example of my imitation of Olbinsky's work. Also check the work of other Surrealist artists, like Marcel Caram, Rafal Olbinsky, Frida Kahlo, and others. Check: Google Classroom for the Presentation on Surrealism (shown and discussed in class) and your assignments. GET INSPIRED, GET CREATIVE!