Art 219 Assignments Spring 2009

art 219 main page

 

I am in the process of updating these assignments. Please only focus on the current assignment for accuracy of assignment parameters. You can find due dates on webCT.

 

if you've never used a Mac, you can get a good basic introduction here

Assignment 1 Simple Composition

Matt Null

Matt Null

Create a new document that combines several images as layers into one composition that adheres to one concept or idea. Make the document at least 1000 x 1000 pixels in size. You can use your own images or images from the internet. Save this document as a JPG and upload it to this assignment in webCT. Make sure you name your file properly (lastname_219_A1). In the text box in webCT, write a breif description (one paragraph) of what tools you used and what you learned in this assignment.

 

here's some tutorial links that you may or may not find useful:

Assignment 2 Image Repair

Read pages 101 - 146 in you text.

Bring an old photograph to class. Scan it at high resolution (at least 3000 pixels on one side) and fix it up as best you can. You may need to correct its color, levels, and retouch it a bit. You'll be learning about making image adjustments, possibly using filters, and the various paint tools in photoshop. Extra points will be given for successfully removing an unwanted object or relative from the image (really). Save the original file as a jpg and the retouched file as tif, then put them in an appropriately named folder (along with a project write-up) and upload them to my server.

tuts...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assignment 3 Digital Darwin

Read pages 146 - 179 paying especially close attention to the try this boxes.

This project is conceptually simple - create a new creature in Photoshop. This can be anything from an animal hybrid, something impossibly cute, or a scary monster. Using the skills you've acquired so far and developing few more, you must make the image visually convincing. There should be no visual clues that the photograph is a construction. Other project criteria:

  • Your creature must be situated in its natural habitat (swamp, sewer, house, street, forest, zoo, science lab, alien landscape, Applebees, etc.)
  • The final composite image should be 3000 by 2500 pixels (overly scaled-up images will not be accepted)
  • Your source imagery must be your own, or from public domain sources
  • Make a high-quality 10" x 8" ink jet print with the provided materials in the lab
  • In your write-up, name your creature (a common name and a scientific name) and describe its behavior, life, food etc.

Submit a zipped Photoshop file to this assignment (make sure the file name is correct "lastname_219_A3.zip". Write a brief, but well-written description of what you have done to make the image, what you have learned, what you had trouble with, and what you might do differently. This statement is to be a grammatically accurate and a formal description or your work. Do some research in physiology and evolution.

Tuts...

some examples

Assignment 4 Rotoscoped Self-Portrait

Since Photoshop does video compositing now, I thought I'd have my beginning media students create some motion pieces. The above video shows some of what they're creating. (Quicktime 34MB)

Photoshop is not just for still images. In this assignment you will take at least a ten (10) second video of yourself using the iMac’s iSight camera and Photobooth, iMovie or Final Cut Express and manipulate the video in Photoshop to express an aspect of your personality. You can be doing anything you want in the video (staring, dancing, talking, crying, sleeping, etc.), but the video must be manipulated in a way that demonstrates use of compositing through layers, keyframes, and frame-by-frame painting. The video should be uploaded to my server, name properly as a quicktime file. The video should be left at it's original size (640 x 480), and use the H.264 compression scheme. If your final file should not be over 30MB. If it is you're compressing it improperly.

Tuts...

 

Assignment 5 Harmonic Abstraction

Joshua Lowther

more examples here (PDF download)

Drawing basic shapes (organic geometric, and/or a mix), create a tryptic (3 images) of abstract compositions that follow 3 specific color schemes, and draws inspiration from abstract artists such as Malevich, Kandinsky, Lissitsky, Hofman, Rothko, Miro, Kline, Frankenthaler, etc. Use Adobe's Kuler for assistance in obtaining your color scheme. Consider the difference between the positive and negative space. What emotions can you invoke through color? Try changing the color scheme after the forms have been made. In your write-up describe and justify your chosen colors and schemes, for example, "I chose to use primary colors in a complementary scheme..." or "I chose subtle, cool analogous colors..." Print these out as high quality individual prints and we'll hang them in the hall.

 

Crista Björnson

Assignment 6 Vectorized Self-Portrait

Create a vector-based self-portrait. Using the photographs we've taken in class as a guide, make a vector-based self-portrait with Adobe Illustrator. The object of this project is to be as visually detailed and honest as is possible while using only strokes and shapes. Illustrator-based effects such as blurs, blends, and gradients are not permitted. Strokes and shapes - that's all. Your primary tools in this project will be the pen tool (and its subtools), the pencil tool, and, possibly, the brush tool. This must be printed 13" x 19". Do not forget to upload you ai file to my server before the due date. As always, include a write-up that describes both your creative process, and technical efforts in this project. Be sure to zip and name your submitted file according to standard protocols.

more examples here (PDF)

 

Assignment 7 Kinetic Painting

Using similar compositions and design concepts from assignment 6, create a kinetic painting in Flash. You will design a starting composition that will flow to various states, and then start over (this process must appear seamless). You can simply copy the composition from assignment 6 or create a new one. This project will familiarize you with the Flash's timeline and keyframe concepts. At the end of the project you should have a firm understanding of how shapes and symbols are created, manipulated, and animated. For your project submission, please include the source fla, an swf file, and a Pages or Word file that is a brief write-up that describes your creative process, what you learned, and what gave you difficulty. Place all of this in a folder labeled "lastname_219_A8" and upload it to the 219 drop box on my server. So if your name is Bill O'Reily your submission would look like "O'Reilly_219_A8".

Getting started:

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/flash/articles/flacs3_createfla.html

drawing and painting in flash

understanding the timeline

Shape tweens

Motion tweens

Assignment 8

coming soon...

Assignments 9 & 10

Using InDesign create a PDF portfolio of all the work from this class (using still frames from the time-based works). Then create a Keynote or Powerpoint presentaion of your work from this class.

Due on the day of the final for this course.