Assignments

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Lecture Calendar

Text Book:
Inside Photoshop 7.0 by Bouton. New Riders, 2002. ISBN: 0-7357-1241-7

Final - Due Dec.13 2:10-4:40 PM

Objective: To use Photoshop 7.0 to try to achieve specific special effects on your image. Feel free to integrate files created in any other program like Illustrator, Painter, or made using any third party filters that you may have.

Description: Research your assigned artistic period. Write 1-2 pages describing its characteristics, representative samples and relevant artists. Then include one or two pictures of samples of art from this period with your text.

Part of your essay has to address the following question:

Do you think that looking athistorical sources or representative artistic styles for inspiration is important when doing digital art? Why or why not?

Finally, create an original piece of work utilizing the techniques and specifics of your assigned period as guides. Your goal is to try to emulate this period using digital tools and filters. Print all this, including the text and samples, and turn it in on the specified date.

Presentation Format: Printed and stapled. The original piece of art has to be printed on a letter sized paper in color. QUOTE YOUR RESEARCH SOURCES!!! I do not want you to copy the information word for word, but rather read it and analyze it before you write it down.

Here are some links for ideas on artistic periods:

Art History Resources on the Web (VERY GOOD SITE!)

Art Movements and Periods

About.Com Artistic Styles and Periods

Assignment 3 - Due November 18

Do the tutorial on Chapter 5 (p.223) on using the Render Lighting Effects Filter to create a background texture.

Bonus Points: Make your name appear as part of the texture. You can do this by either typing in black or white directly into the textre channel, or writing it in with a brush.

Objective: To make a collage/montage using any of the photoshop techniques learned in class (masks, layer blending, special effects, filters, photo resotration, etc.) and other creative resources such as scanning and using your own material. Please be creative and try to represent your topic as strongly as possible. You may use things that inspire you personally or take a more global approach.

Presentation Format: You will turn in a 35 mm slide made from your photoshop digital file. I will also need a printed version of your collage on a letter sized paper (good quality print). The specifications for setting up your document are as follows:

-PSD file at 150 dpi or better (depending on the power of your computer)
-1:1.5 ratio, which means that you can make it 1:1.5 inches, 2:3 inches, 4:6 inches or 6:9 inches. Remember that you will have to print this on a letter sized paper also, so consider a size that you can alter easily.
-RGB color setting

I will *not* accept late assignments in this case so please make sure you finish on time to have the slide processed.

Description: The main topic for your midterm is "Sins and Virtues". You either have a Capital Sin or a Virtue, so please do some research on your topic before you start. Choose imagery that is strong and representative. You are required to create the main subject on your own (which means that you can't just take a picture of a creature/object and stick it on the collage as the main point of attention, you may use pieces of other things though to recreate something). The bottom line... get creative :-)

Assignment 2 - Due Monday October 7

Objective: Practice Selection Options in Photoshop

Presentation Format: Print out the final versions in (doesn't have be in color) and turn them in at the beginning of next class with your name on them.

Description: Read Chapter 3 and do the tutoriasl page 128 (Combinig Selection Modes) and 136 (An Exercise in Pane).

Extra Credit: Change the Tuxedo color of the first exercise making it look natural. How did you accomplish this?

Redesigning the Dollar Bill (or the $20).

Objective: To use Typography as a Design element and not just for plain text inside Adobe Photoshop. I would like you to experiment and play around with the new features on your own so I can assess your level of expertise in the program.

Presentation Format: You will turn in a printed version of your project, cut to size and pasted to the opposite side to make it look like a bill as much as possible. You are required to print it in color. If you don't have a color printer at home, make arrangements to print it in the Multimedia lab with my help or the help of one of the lab techs.

Description: Using a traditional bill as inspiration for layout and format, redesign both faces of the currency. You don't have to stick to the original idea as far as color, elements and style goes. Do keep the same size and more or less the layout so we can tell that it's new currency. Imagine that this bill will be used in the future, so think up some orignal elements, color schemes and materials for it. Use the type tool and photoshop and experiment with the new Text Warp and Layer Styles in the 7.0 version of photoshop.