2.12.10 - Making a plan, finishing strong

Warm - Up (15 min)

Q.O.T.D.:

1. With only 2 periods left to work on your project, what still needs to be done or what changes do you need to make in order to get the best grade possible? Use your teacher and peer review feedback to answer.

2. How can you prioritize these things? In other words, what is the most important thing to do first? What will change your grade the most (progress reports are next week, this project is the biggest thing on your list)? Make a list and check it twice. This is your plan for the next 2 periods.

P.O.T.D.

Part 1 - Reviewing the Timeline (5 min)

Good news, we were early to peer review.

Bad news, not everyone has a draft to review.

Part 2 - Looking at the Leadership Skills (30 min)

Use the leadership skills posters around the class to write about how your project uses the following three leadership skills.

1. Creative Expression
2. Communicate Effectively and Persuasively
3. Manage Projects Effectively

Notice how each leadership skill has a number of bullet points. Not everyone's project will hit each bullet. Write full sentences for each bullet point that this project does address. If your project used other leadership skills, mention them as well.

Post to your blog when finished.

Part 3 - Begin Final Revisions (50 min)

This is your chance to work on the first thing on your list. Feel free to ask for help from your teacher or a classmate. There's only 2 periods left!

1.12.10 - The End of the Beginning

Warm-Up: Survey (30min)
Please answer the following questions and send to me in an email. You don't have to copy the questions but please number your responses.

my email address is: morgan@envisionacademy.org

1. What did you enjoy most about DMA this semester?
2. What did you dislike the most?
3. What were the expectations that you had for this class? Did it live up to those expectations?
4. What is the most important thing you learned in this class?
5. What is something that you did or learned that wasn’t important?
6. What are you good at in DMA?
7. What could you improve on?
8. What could your teacher improve on?
9. What do you wish this class did more of?
10. What do you wish this class did less of?
11. Do you find this class harder or easier than other classes? What makes it that way?
12. Were there any assignments that were difficult for you? What about the assignment made it difficult?
13. What do you think of blogging? Is it something that you would consider doing outside of class?
14. What do you think of computerized testing? Is it easier or harder than paper based? Why?
15. Did you turn in any late work this year? Why did you turn it in late? Please be specific.
16. What is something that you would like to see in future DMA classes?
17. What is something that you would like to see removed from future DMA classes?
18. Do you think you are more skilled on a computer than when you started this class? Why do do you think that is?
19. Please write any other comments you have here.

Part 2 - Announcement (5 min)
No work accepted after Tuesday. Furthermore, the only thing that can be handed in at this point is your final project and its reflection. If you have not exported your final exam yet please do so NOW.

Moreover, I am not planning on waiting for people to show up after school so if you need some help please make an appointment.

Part 3 - the portfolio (45 min)
We are DMA so we should be able to help those actors and painters upload and submit their work. All of your projects should go into the online portfolio, whether or not you wish to use them for your BGP!

GO TO:
http://www.envisionschools.org/portfolios/password.php

distribute usernames + passwords

1. log-in
2. change password to something that you already use or is easy to remember
3. Add profile photo (your photo of the day, or similar professional image)
4. create a new artifact (name: Top 5 Technologies Prezi, Sanburg-Jacobs M., Express Creatively, 2009)
5. Write a one sentence description of the project ( e.g. "A zooming presentation of the top five most influential technologies in my file.")
6. Copy and paste second draft of reflection to reflection box.
7. Attach a link to your prezi to this artifact

Use any remaining time to study or complete missing assignments. See you at success day!

1.5.10

Warm Up - 10min

POTD
QOTD:
Have you ever taken a final exam B4? What study strategies did you use? Were they effective? Who taught you how to study? Do you feel uneasy about tests? Why do you think that is?

Downloads of the day:
- Favorite Magazine or Book Cover (for review, optional if you already did one)
- a barcode

Part 1: Final Exam Update - 10 min
- Distribute Test Questions Study Guide
Format
part 1 - multiple choice (all questions may be on test)
part 2 - project based (prezi + photoshop & illustrator)

Part 2: Prezi Review 20 min
- Logging in
- Creating New
Zooming in/out
Place
Media
Text
Frame
Line
Path
Screenshot

TASK:
Create a basic prezi that incorporates the following:
text
frames
lines
media/image
a path

TAKE A SCREENSHOT (CMMD + SHIFT + 4) AND POST TO YOUR BLOG

Part 3: Complete Magazine/Book Cover or review/study for test - 60 min

Last week was: Too strict with the Magazine cover. The whole finding fonts part and trying to match up the pixels was way too intense.

Instead:

---------REMOVING BACKGROUND------------

Use photoshop to remove the background from your cover model (yourself). Export the image as a gif to preserve transparency. (review for test)

- take a picture of yourself in photo booth
- drag your image to the desktop and close photo booth
- open image of yourself in photoshop
- in your toolbox double click the hand tool
- make a duplicate layer

- in your layers window mute the bottom layer (turn off the eye)
- (optional step: go to Image>adjustments>Levels and adjust your lighting)
- from your toolbox select the magic wand tool or quick selection tool
- with your magic wand or QST click on the background of your image, if you want more of your background to be selected, INCREASE the - - TOLERANCE, or use the quick selection tool and short bursts to select more of the background
- delete your entire background, you should see the checkered background representing transparency.
- (optional step: in your toolbox use the crop tool to remove some of the extra space around your portrait.)
- Time to save. Go to File>Save for Web & Devices
- Change to GIF and SAVE to your desktop (DO NOT CLOSE PHOTOSHOP, just minimize it)
you can now drag your saved image into your Illustrator document at any time!

------------------------OPEN YOUR MAGAZINE COVER IN ILLUSTRATOR--------------------

Before you add that image to illustrator let’s first open your mag cover in illustrator and set up some guides.

- drag your mouse from the side and top ruler to create a new guide line (blue line)
- drag these above, below and to the side of any text that you see on your magazine cover

---------( OPTIONAL ADD A BACKGROUND COLOR)----------

- from your toolbox choose the rectangle tool (m)

- choose a fill color

- draw a rectangle that covers your entire background

-------------------------FONTS AND TEXT---------------------------

Look at the fonts used on the original cover. What colors, sizes and how many different styles of font were used? Use the same or similar styles on your cover. You can choose to use real headlines from current events, or fake one that you just made up!

-----------------FINAL TOUCHES-----------------

- add your bar code
- add the Price, issue and date

12.16 Covers of Covers

Warm-up: 15min

P.O.T.D.

Q.O.T.D.: what is your favorite magazine? Find an image of the cover and post to your blog - this will serve as your inspiration for today's big ol' assignment.

Part 1 - Using a grid (20min)

Open your image in illustrator. Use the rulers to create a grid that will enable you to create a similar structure.

Part 2 - Finding the font (10min)

Use Cmmd + shift + 4 to capture an image of the you want to know the identity of.

Upload your screen cap to the following site: http://new.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/

Part 3 - Put it all together (40min)

Match the original style by adding the following elements (where appropriate):

1. cover model (use photoshop to remove backgrounds)
2. background (use a filled rectangle to
3. title (find the font and use it!)
4. blurbs (use the correct font and layout)
5. price (where does it go and how much?)
6. UPC (what? where?)
7. date (where? when?)
8. volume number (where? which?))

SAVE FOR WEB AND DEVICES AND POST TO YOUR BLOG WHEN DONE.

12.14 - Reflection and viewing

Warm-up 15 min

1. P.O.T.D.

2. Qs.O.T.D.:

Reflect on your first year of high school (or first year at this high school). Answer in complete sentences.

1. What is one thing you have learned in this class?
2. What is your strength in DMA?
3. What is your weakness?
4. Do you need help to complete your assignments?
5. Do you feel that you can help others?
6. What do you think your teacher's strength is?
7. What could he improve on to make the class more successful?

Viewing - Helvetica 75min

Download the questions and answer them with a partner for credit.

12.11 - Exhibition Poster!

Warm-Up (15 min)

1. POTD
2. Q.O.T.D.: Looking back at the last few weeks of class what has been the most interesting activity we have done (see previous blog posts to go back in time)? What has been the least interesting?
3. Vocab - test postponed till next week.

Part 1 - Examples of great/amazing/anti-bootsie poster design (15 min)

Choose one poster out of these links (or link that you find on your own) that you think you could replicate (ask your dear leader if you can’t find one). Please post to your blog.

1. http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/02/25/breathtaking-typographic-posters/

2. http://veerle.duoh.com/blog/comments/
winners_of_the_what_is_graphic_design_poster_competition/

3. http://wellmedicated.com/inspiration/50-amazing-gig-posters-sure-to-inspire/

Part 2 - Line (20min)

Using the pen tool

Stroke

Stroke color

Bending

Part 3 - Make the Poster (50 min)
Create your own poster based on your example (that you just posted to your blog).

1. Open a Print Document in Illustrator. Choose Letter size (8.5x11 INCHES)

2. Color mode CMYK
3. Use your typography skills in Illustrator(altering text) AND photoshop (altering images) that we have used in class.
4. Change the text from your example to the following:

Truth Be Told
Lower Division Exhibition
December 17th, 2009
6-8pm
Envision Academy of Arts and Technology
1515 Webster St.
Oakland, California

REMEMBER, NOT ALL INFORMATION WAS CREATED EQUALLY! CHOOSE THE IMPORTANT TEXT THAT YOU WANT TO STAND OUT, THEN MAKE IT STAND OUT!

Post to your blog when complete.

12.9

Warm up (10 min)

POTD

Find an example of "negative space" and post on your tumblr

Vocabulary

Part 2 - create a form with letters (30 min)

1. Use Illustrator
2. “Text Form”, Web, 900 pixels x 900 pixels
3. Use Helvetica font
4. Through altering the letters in the word for the thing you choose (e.g. jaguar, pill, cheese) to create a form of that word.
5. This form should be recognizable to viewer.
6. Consider the shapes letters make with their POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SPACE.

POST TO YOUR BLOG WHEN COMPLETE

12.8 - Typography and U

Warm Up - (15min)
POTD
QOTD: Can letters be art? Look for an example on the interwebs and post it to your blog for today’s warm up.

Vocabulary:
typeography
bold
italic
positive space
negative space
color
case
kerneling
justification
scale

Typography Intro

What is it?
Where is it used?
Why is it important?
How can we use it?

Time for some awesome keynote!!!!!!!!!

Part 1 - Working with a given text (30min)

Use Adobe Illustrator create this project
“Text Project 1”, Web, 900 pixels x 900 pixels
Using a single set of text, create 9 different variations following the 10 rules of typography.
Arrange the type evenly on a 3x3 grid
Choose a line or two of the text to emphasize.
You may use ONLY ONE FONT.

Here is the text:

Truth Be Told
Lower Division Exhibition
6-8pm
Envision Academy of Arts & Technology
1515 Webster Street
Oakland, Ca.

POST TO YOUR BLOG WHEN COMPLETE

12.4 - Completing the Cover + Exhibition Posters

Warm - Up (15 min)
Task OTD:

Complete downloading your 3 symbols of wealth and power (with high contrast backgrounds and not cut off on the sides) and save to your desktop. If you already have these, move to the next part of the warm-up.

P.O.T.D.
Vocab review


Vocabulary Test (10 min)
GO TO: Classmarker.com

SIGN IN BY: Download Usernames HERE

I WILL GIVE YOU THE PASSWORD.

Part 1 - Complete Album Cover (45 min)

(Students will be able to transform objects in PS)

1. Review last two steps - diamond + gold text, magic wand (10 min)
2. Transforming (5 min)
-Scale
-Rotate
-Skew
-Distort
-Perspective
-Warp
-Rotate
-Flip

Work + Export time (30min)

Part 2 - Exhibition Poster Making (50min)
(Students will use multiple programs to create a multimedia poster)

1. (PS) Old paper (see part 2 of this tutorial) - Construct in PS and save As JPG and open in Illustrator.

Open a NEW PS DOC

Name it: POSTER PAPER

Choose "Web" Preset

Set width to 600 PIXLES

Set Height To 800 PIXLES

Press OK

Go to THIS LINK in a new tab

2. (ILL) Use of text (copy and paste the text below to add to your poster)

COPY AND PASTE EACH LINE SEPARATELY FOR MAXIMUM CONTROL.

Envision Academy of Arts and Technology

Truth Be Told Exhibition

December 17th

6 to 8pm

3. (PS) Use of Images - Save as JPG and open in Illustrator

- Use MAGIC WAND & TRANSFORM TO ALTER IMAGES.

12.1,2,4 - The Album, The Remix

Create your own album cover. Or remix an album cover to No Limit style. Add diamond & gold text, images of rich stuff and add some lens flares to get your new album out in Texas in 1993.

Warm up - 15min

QOTD:What things symbolize wealth? List at least three.
What things symbolize power? List at least three.
What is your dream pet? List one.
Using google image search download high quality images of these symbols you just named. Save them in a folder on your desktop.

POTD

Vocabulary:

1. transform
2. warp
3. bevel
4. emboss
5. gradient
6. contour
7. rotate
8. horizontal
9. vertical
10. distort
11. perspective

Lesson - Create your own No Limit Records Pen n Pixel style album cover
(advanced photoshop techniques - building up skills for portfolio project)

Examples:
http://images.google.com/images?q=no%20limit%20records%20album%20covers&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

This photoshop lesson is made up of three basic parts

1. Creating iced out text.
2. Removing backgrounds from images.
3. Transforming smaller images to fit your overall image.

Part 1 - creating some iced out text (45min)
(advanced photoshop techniques)
Go to the following link to find the tutorial for creating diamonds and gold text (or diamond n gold anything!).
http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutorials/diamonds/diamonds.htm

SAVE!

Part 2 - Removing Backgrounds and Colaging (30min)
(review of intermediate technique)

Open in Photoshop the six images of wealth and power you downloaded yesterday. We are going to remove the backgrounds of these for your pen n pixel album cover using the MAGIC WAND.

Last time we removed backgrounds, we used the QUICK SELECTION TOOL. The MAGIC WAND is located on that same toolbox spot (quickkey = w).

Using the magic wand has some options. The first option we’ll look at is the TOLERANCE.

TOLERANCE can be set from 0 - 255. The lower your tolerance the fewer different color variations will be selected; the higher the tolerance, the more colors will be selected.

So, if you are trying to get part of a blue sky background removed and there are slightly lighter and darker portions of the sky that are NOT being selected, you should INCREASE the tolerance. Conversely, if you are trying to select a dark background and your hair keeps on getting selected as well, REDUCE the tolerance.

Actually, we did this before the break on our postcards. Here is the link:
http://lddma0910.blogspot.com/2009/11/1120-background-replacement.html

SAVE!

Part 3 - Transforming images to fit. (15min)
(review of beginner technique)
We did some of this also last week. However we can also warp, distort and change perspective by entering the free transform mode THEN right clicking on the image.

SAVE!

EXPORT FOR WEB AND DEVICES AND POST ON YOUR BLOG WHEN DONE! SAVE THE PSD DOC TO YOUR SERVER!

11.20 - postcards

We need to get going if we want to get to our super secret project. To get there we need more Photoshop practice and skillz.

Today, after we finish our inspirational posters, we will work on two techniques to get rid of boring backgrounds, and ad funky fresh ones.

Warm up - 15min

1. QOTD: What is your paradise? Where would you like to go for a vacation? Is there anyone famous who you would like to met there?
2. Photo of the day.

Part 1 - 25 min
Finish inspirational posters. See last blog for instruction.
Examples. Complete in class.

Part 2 - Making a postcard to your fans (45 min)Replacing background with magic wand and/or quick selection tool.

1. open photo of yourself (use your POTD)
2. duplicate layer
3. mute your bottom layer
4. select quick selection tool
5. choose new selection tool and change the brush size to 10pt
6. select areas around your head and shoulders (selecting less of the background is better than selecting part of yourself)
7. delete the selected areas with the delete button (be careful not to delete yourself!)
8. use history or undo to go back
9. select all
10. copy
11. use google search to find you paradise (try searching: beach resort, mountain lodge, beverly hills mansion, Indian slum)
12. download the FULL SIZE image of your choice
13. open that image in PS
14. make a duplicate layer of your background
15. paste your big ol’ head and shoulders on the background (you copied before, remember?)
16. use FREE TRANSFORM to make your head fit on the image
17. select the UNLOCKED background layer
18. go to FILTER > GAUSIAN BLUR adjust accordingly (the effect should look like you are in-focus and your background is SLIGHTLY out of focus, just like in a real photo).
19. use a soft eraser (reduce the opacity and flow to 40%, and the size to 10px) to brush away any hard edges around your head and shoulders)
20. add some cheesy "greetings" using your text tool
21. EXPORT FOR WEB AND DEVICES
22. UPLOAD TO YOU BLOG WHEN DONE AS "PHOTOSHOP POSTCARD"

Part 3 - Choose an item form the past 2 weeks of photoshop to review (15min)

options include:

• shoe
• makeover
• michael
• inspirational poster

11.17 - Shop Class

Warm-up - 15 min
1. Question of the day: What do you like about using Photoshop? What would you like to be able to do with this software? What is the most challenging thing about using photoshop?

2. Photo of the day

3. Vocabulary (write definitions and examples for each word):


1. tools window
2. history window
3. character window
4. move tool
5. hand tool
6. free transform
7. layers window
8. save for web and devices
9. marquee tool
10. lasso tool
11. deselecting
12. menu
13. smudge tool
14. liquify filter
15. magic wand tool

Part 1: (dis)-Inspirational Poster (40-60 min)

(learning new tools and techniques to use in project)
We have all been to the dentist’s office, right? (If you haven’t you should go, you probably have a ton of cavities!) In those offices, hanging on the waiting room wall, you, I, somebody, often

finds inspirational messaged posters. We’ve probably all seen the "footprints" one. Or the cat on the tree with the phrase “hang in there.”

Here is a step by step video for you visual learners out there. (press play, fullscreen on the menu, it's 5 min long)

Now it’s your turn to join in on the fun. Follow these easy steps and don’t forget to make

a fun, funny, or really inspirational title and message!

1. Open photoshop.
2. REGISTER LATER!
3. Before you open your new document, change the background color to black
4. Now, go open a new document
5. Name your new document “inspirational poster”
6. Choose “Web Document”
7. Change background contents to “background color”
8. Search for an image you want to use for your poster (try using different search terms or sites depending on your interest - remember this is for school! examples: funny animals, video game screenshots)
9. Drag the FULL SIZE image from your Internet browser to your photoshop canvas
10. Move your photo into the center using your move tool
11. Make your image bigger or smaller using “Free Transform.” Press “enter” when you get your image the right size.
12. Add a title - this should be short and give the reader the idea of what they are looking at.
13. Open your Character window (at the right side of your top menu window>character. This gives you access to fonts and font colors.
14. Choose white as your font color.
15. Choose Times New Roman as your font.
16. Use 50pt font and put CAPS LOCK on for your title.
17. Center your title with the move tool.
18. Back to the text tool, type in your message text below your title.
19. Center your text with the mover tool.
20. Change your font size to 18pt.
21. Make your frame (the white line around the image) select your rectangle tool (2 tools below the text tool) from the toolbar.
22. Choose black as your foreground color.
23. Draw a rectangle around your image, it should be slightly bigger than your image on all sides.
24. Move this new rectangle layer down on the layers stack, below the image (lower right corner of your screen).
25. Right-click the rectangle layer (shape 1). Select “blending options”
26. Check the last box, “stroke”. Click just to the right of the word stroke to bring up the options on the right-hand side.
27. Set size to 1px
28. Choose white as the color.
29. Choose “outside” for the position.
30. Press OK when done.
31. FILE > SAVE FOR WEB AND DEVICES
32. SAVE AS JPG OR GIF
33. UPLOAD IMAGE TO YOUR BLOG. Title “Inspirational Poster”

Part 2: For those finished with the poster here is a "Speed Review" - 45 min

(reinforce the technical knowledge necessary to using photoshop and completing project)
We are only going to get good at using photoshop if we practice! Budget your time here wisely. When you finish part 1, export and move on to part 2.

All three parts should be posted to your blog as "review 1,2,3."

Part 1 (15min)
Review layers, fill and color selection by creating a custom shoe.

(download the shoe form this link: CLICK HERE!)

Part 2 (15min)
Review layer masks and color balance
Use today's photo of the day and change the hair color. I love highlights!


Part 3 (15min)
Review liquifying, brush size, brush hardness, brush flow, brush opacity, layer masking, brightness/contrast, blur tool. Use the following photo:

11.10 Color Theory and Design

Warm - Up - 15min

Q.O.T.D.: What is your favorite color? What does this color mean to you?

P.O.T.D.

Vocabulary (copy and paste the following list to your blog. Find definitions and give an example sentence for each word - test on Friday).

1. Complementary
2. Primary
3. Secondary
4. Tertiary
5. Saturation
6. Hue
7. Contrast
8. Context
9. Chroma

Part 1 - A Bit About Color Theory (15 min)
Get ready to listen and participate!

Part 2 - Color Meaning/Symbolism Search (20 min)
Use the Color Quest form to find the meanings of black, white, primary and secondary colors.

Use google, yahoo, bing!, or any other Internet search tool to find meanings. Below are some places to start:

http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html
http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/color/a/symbolism.htm
http://www.crystal-cure.com/color-meanings.html
http://www.squidoo.com/colorexpert
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red

Part 3 - Using Color Theory to Design a Sneaker (50 min)

Use Shoe templates to create a custom sneaker. Write a reflection on the colors you chose.

Shoe Templates: http://pigmag.com/it/2004/07/09/official-sneaker-templates/

Instructions:
1. Select the layer you want to color from the layer palette.
(Do NOT touch the bottom layer)
2. Choose the desired color from the colors palette.
3. Use the fill function to fill that part.
4. Once done, flatten the layers and save for web in jpg (at least 60 quality).

5. Post to your blog with your reflection.

File>Save for Web and Devices > Image Size (400x__) > Apply > Save

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts:
Fill with Foreground Color: Alt+Delete

Reflection Quesitons:
What is the name of your shoe? What colors does your shoe use (primary, secondary, tertiary) ? What do those colors represent (red = anger, black = power)? What is the relationship of the colors (complementary, analogous)? What does the use of this color combination mean?

Extra Bonus:
Making your own template:
http://www.pixeldigest.com/shoe_template.html

11.5 Revise and Update

Warm-up 15min

P.O.T.D.

Q2 Vocabulary 1 (write definition and example sentence of each)

1. stroke
2. opacity
3. font
4. layer
5. header
6. web
7. print
8. pixel
9. ppi
10. rgb
11. cmyk

Part 1 (30min) Continue writing and rewriting your artist statement

see last blog post for questions and fill-in the blank helper.

Part 2 (35 min) Illustrator Intro

Use Adobe Illustrator to create a new header for your blog, using basic tools

opening settings (660 px x 200px, web, 72 ppi)

using text tool

using the move tool/resizing

the character window

Effects > Stylize (shadow, glow, etc)

11.3 - Reflections

We will be reflecting on our exhibition today. This is a step we do to look at the work we did and what went well and what didn't.

Use the questions and fill in the blanks to write your reflection rough draft:

Artist Statement & Reflection Questions

Artist Statement & Reflection Fill-In The Blanks

Please spell check and post your rough Draft to your blog.