Digital Surrealism Written Analysis

When you have finished your digital surrealism work in Photoshop and have approval to print, you are ready to write your artist statement/analysis.

Discuss the following for your artist statement.

1. Discuss your concept. What was your intended message? Explain the meaning behind the images you used and any symbolism that was embedded in your image.

2. Explain your procedure from beginning to end. Begin with your sketches and thought process and take us through the technical aspects of completing the work. Include information about how you used Photoshop. There should be evidence of knowledge and understanding here!

3. Explain what your learned while completing this project - both technically and conceptually (if applicable). Also discuss whether or not you are satisfied with your end result. Why or why/not?

PSA Analysis

PSAs (Public Service Announcements) have been used for years in video form to get messages across to the public from the government, social service agencies and community organizations. Usually the message sent is one of social justice, equity, fairness, health, and other messages of social "good". Before you begin working on your own PSA, you need to view some others and analyze what makes it so effective.

1. Find a PSA that you think is really effective in getting it's point across. In other words, it is persuasive and really makes you think about the issue in question. It is also quite clear what the issue is about.

2. Embed the video into your blog posting by copying the embed code and pasting it in "edit html" mode.

3. Watch the video you choose and write an anlysis based on the following 3 questions.

1. What is the main focus of the video? (i.e. the impact of prejudice, discrimination, systemic discrimination, racial slurs?).
2. Describe how the video gets this point across.
3. What techniques are used in the video to help convince the viewer of the point of the video. (Look at shots, music, content, text, voice, voice-over, sound fx etc.)

Please post this assignment in your blog by the end of the period Wednesday Dec. 1st.

Joey Lawrence - photo and video

Check out this guy's website and blog. Joey Lawrence is a Canadian photographer and videographer living in Brooklyn. His work is amazing. Ms. McFadyen discovered him last year. Explore and enjoy. He offers lots of information about how he does things. Check out his halloween in Brooklyn series on his blog.

Long but interesting

Here is a long but interesting video on how to use coloured pencil to create vivid drawings. Enjoy!

Optical Devices

Follow this link to find a post about Optical Devices. You will find a short blog assignment there too. Enjoy!

Using Photoshop to blend images

When attempting to do anything in Photoshop or any other computer application, one of the best resources is right under your fingertips. LITERALLY!!! That's right, the computer. The internet. ONLINE! There are so so many fantastic (and not so fantastic) tutorials out there that are just waiting for you to learn from them.

Your task right now is to find one that will be useful to you for this digital surrealism project and share it with your colleagues.
1. Find a tutorial that you can use and that works well. (Remember that we are using CS2 at the moment and so your tutorials should be for this version of Photoshop)
2. Read through it and try it out with some sample images.
3. Post your results and give the following information in your posting
a. The before/after images
b. The link (hyperlinked!) in your posting AND start a links list if you haven't already and add this link to the links list. Make sure you title it effectively so readers will know what it is.
c. Was this tutorial easy or difficult? Elaborate on why/why not?
d. Did you need to make any modifications in order to make it work for you?
e. Would you recommend it to others?

Here are a few that I have found, that you can take a look at just to get you started.
Blending Advance Pshop techniques
Letting an image edit itself (using blending modes in Photoshop) This one touches on the use of blending modes, as opposed to stiching or merging images together, however it's very useful and can help in editing the photos in the first place and getting the most out of your work.
Blending two images together (Youtube how-to video. Part 1)
This is Part 2
Part 3
These are just options. I haven't viewed all of them, but as you can see, there are many tutorials out there. If each of you finds one that you find useful, and shares your information, we can all learn and have access to a lot more learning!

Please add this to your blog by Friday the 12th at the end of the day.