YEAR FOUR - VISUAL IDENTITY ASSIGNMENT

Your last year in CyberARTS is meant to prepare you for admissions to University/College programs or apprenticeships, internships or starting your own business if you're really bold and brave.

You need to begin thinking about your portfolio requirements and what you might need to add to your current work to 'beef' up your existing portfolio.

But FIRST, you will design a logo and visual identity system for yourself.

Create an identity for your 'company' - whether you want to sell your own artwork, or be a video game designer, you should have a logo, a business card and a graphic identity system that helps you visually define you setting you apart from others doing similar things.

• Read through this article on Branding, Identity and Logo Design 

In particular, take a look at the list of visual devices you can use to identify yourself.

Understand the difference between a brand, an identity and a logo and begin to think about how you will create the foundation of your brand.

Look at the first three links at the bottom of the page - all except the one on finding a logo designer. You'll be designing your own logo.

Submit an initial proposal by Monday November 3rd - on paper (to submit to Ms. Silverman) 

AND be prepared to discuss your ideas with the class.

Your classmates may be able to offer some feedback and great ideas.

Requirements:

A company name (could be your name - doesn't have to be fancy)

A logo (could be typographic, pictographic, abstract pictorial, or combined image/text)

A stationary system (letterhead, business card, envelope)

A flyer (to use as a template to announce upcoming shows or to send out/leave places to advertise your services)
An animated logo (make it move in Flash or After Effects - 10-15 seconds max)

At least two other types of visual (and/or audio/smell) devices (apparel, packaging, messaging, video etc.)

Final Deadline: Monday Dec. 1st

Keep in mind you are also working on your independent photography project coming soon is your Major Independent Project...

Start juggling!

PHOTO BASED ART - PHASE ONE (Year Four)

For your photo-based independent project, consider the following two artistic questions:

1. How can I express the theme Black and White + One through photo-based artwork?
2. How can I explore using the medium of photography in a way that stretches my current knowledge and understanding AND suits my interpretation of the theme?

In class we began to brainstorm and deconstruct the meanings of Black, White and + One. Use this as a starting point and continue exploring until you find a way to express this theme that feels right to you.

Design Process - 
Step One: Understand the objective!

Step Two: Research 

• Continue to explore the theme and also to explore possibilities. 
• Search for contemporary photography and photo-based art or photo-based digital art. You can choose motion or audio-visual work, a documentary series, portraits etc.
• Research the technique you are interested in exploring further.

Step Three: Brainstorm

Sketch, jot down notes etc.

Step Four: Test and Analyze

Try out your photo technique and see if/how it works. Then try your idea out and see if it needs any tweaking or adjustments.

Due: Friday October 10, 2014
Please show me your initial research in your sketchbook AND post a minimum of two paragraphs in a blog post as an initial proposal for your project. Each paragraph should address each of the two artistic questions.

HTML Basics - Year Four

In the 1059 folder on your desktop, go to the PickUp folder.
Find Ms. Silverman - CyberARTS - Year Four. Open up the html WITH Dreamweaver.

That will give you the code and you can replace the image (YOUR IMAGE), with your animated gif file.

You will save your finished coded file as index.html as well.

Living Movie Stills - Year Four!!!

In your handout, I suggested that you check out IWDRM for inspiration.

You can also go to Tech Noir for more inspiration of great living movie stills.

Also known as Cinemagraphs

This seems to be a pretty good blog as well and it might help you create your cinemagraph.

Here's another How-to blog about making cinemagraphs.

Please google this. If you look up "creating cinemagraphs in Photoshop" you should find tons of links.

Year Four Photo Project Artist Statement

Please write an artist statement for your photography project that explains your concept. This should be appropriate for the gallery show at Lakeshore Arts. Please format this on an 8.5x11" page with your name at the top of the page as a heading. Below your name please write the title of your project.
Also, if you have more images in your series, but were unable to put them in the show - please add thumbnail images of all the images from your series.

Consider the following information: Your inspiration, concept/message/theme, chosen medium/technique and reasoning behind that (i.e. why you decided to digitally manipulate, or use black and white, or use HDRI etc.)

Submit to Ms. Silverman by Friday. Also, this should be posted on your blog with copies of all your images, including the title of your photo series - the blog should be titled Personal Photography Project.

Animated gif to web page - Year 4 Tech

1024x768 is the minimum standard screen size that we design for on the web. Design your web page layout in Photoshop - recommended dimension of 900x600 pixels to fit ever so neatly in a browser window. Then you can use Dreamweaver or hand coding (if you dare) to create your "index.html" file.

Check out this 3D Facade mapping

This is one heck of an advertisement for LG Optimus one. Impressive. Perhaps we can create something like this for the outside walls of LCI. Amazing inside...

Video Pre-Production

Please prepare and hand in the following documents by the end of the class on Friday March 26, 2010:

1. Story Outline/Proposal

In a few paragraphs, summarize your idea for your video. Who are the main characters? What is the main focus of the video? Is there a conflict and resolution? Narrative arc? Also add any other details that you think are important - technical requirements, music and sound, etc.

2. Storyboard

Using the templates provide, or you can make or download your own, create a storyboard of your video idea. This will give you a visual picture - scene by scene - of your video and should include music, dialogue, sound fx, voiceover, and a description of the visual scene including specifics about lighting, setting and type of shot (C/U, MS, LS etc.)

3. Shot List

Using your storyboard to guide you, create a shot list that groups similar scenes together. You should be shooting the same locations on the same day. Include in your shot list any required materials, props, talent, costumes and equipment for that shooting day. Also include any permission that may be required to shoot (i.e. inside buildings, or on private property, or permission from people) and be sure to get the permission well in advance!

4. Shooting Schedule

Once you have your shot list, you can create a shooting schedule with dates and times for your various shots.

5. Script/List of interview questions

If you are shooting a documentary, you will want to generate a list of 3-5 questions to ask the people in your video. Keep your focus in mind and think in advance of what the conflict/obstacles are that your individual may have overcome. Address this issue and find questions to ask that put this into context. Be as specific as you can.

If you are shooting just about anything else, you will need a script. This is a written version of your storyboard, with your dialogue clearly laid out and descriptions of each shot.

Here is an example of a script for a recruitment video for hospital volunteers. CLICK HERE.

6. Equipment/Materials List

This is your overall list of all equipment, talent, props, costumes, settings etc. that you will need. This will be broken down in your shot list so that you know exactly what you need for each shoot.

7. Title Page

This should include your name, my name, your class, the title of your project and the date.

That's all folks.

Please hand this in on paper to Ms. Silverman by the end of class on Friday March 26, 2010.

Videojournalism: Year Three

Check out the following sites:

10 Tips for Video Journalism
Visual Editors
Media Storm
Mercury News Photo (Great video stories)
Visual Journalist

Using the 10 Tips for Video Journalism, find 2 videos to view and critique. The videos should be found through the links from these sites and should all be shot in a video journalism style.

1. Go through the 10 tips as you watch the videos and comment on the video's use of each tip?
Where do they stray if at all?
2. What do you find some of the most effective elements of the video (look at cinematography - shots, lighting, environment. sound - fx, natural sound, use of music. interviews - how they're shot, choice of clips, how long do they stay on the interviewee?).
3. What if anything do you find not as effective.
4. What is your overall impression of the video? Are you captivated? Inspired? Bored? What mood or emotions do you feel?
5. What ideas do you have to improve the video - editing, interviewing, shooting, sound?

Also...if anyone is interested in applying to be part of a documentary video free workshop series for youth!!!! CHECK THIS OUT! Youth Films International Go to the Tell it like it is video applications. They say they'll likely accept applications until the 3rd of March. Do it!!!

Video making tips and tricks - SILVERMAN

Hello CyberARTISTS!



This posting is for both year threes and fours and will serve as either a refresher, or some valuable new information about some basic tips of video making.



Your Assignment:

Click the link HERE and read through the slideshow on Creating Video for the Web.

Take NOTES!!!

I want you to take about a page of notes that dissects the most important information from these 16 slides. We will meet on Monday to discuss your findings and discuss the basics of video making. This is good information whether you're creating an art video or a short documentary on a local hero. From here we'll divide and conquer (so to speak).



Your notes: Due Monday March 1, 2010.

Please submit them to me for marks. So make them legible!

Movie Trailer Download

For the movie trailer sound assignment, here is a Youtube Video that explains how to download a youtube clip on a Mac. Be sure to use Safari and not Firefox to do this. There are a bunch of pop-up notes that come up - pause the video and read them. They explain how to do it. You can also choose the HD option if you want to. If I could figure it out, you can. I managed to import it into iMovie and then extract the audio. From there, have fun!

Here's the link. Or, you can watch it below.

Work on this assignment for the next two days. Have fun with it and please read through the requirements of the assignment. There are extra copies on the table in the computer lab.

Ms. S.

The Art of Sound

Sound is a HUGE industry and holds many varied career opportunities. In the movie industry alone - whether it be small independent productions or massive blockbuster movies, sound production is technical, creative, artistic and crucial in making the visual in audio-visual really shine.



Here are some sites to explore to learn more about sound production and post-production and to find some technical information about microphones.



Videomaker.com - an online magazine dedicated to creating and publishing video

Filmsound.org - for the art of sound design for film

Equipment Emporium - an online resource for film and video production, specializing in production recording

Film Inside Out (iofilm) - here's an article on recording good sound for film and video in a blog called iofilm, on the art and craft of making movies

Good luck and remember to create an 11x17 (2 page spread) of your finished work - as though you were creating a buyer's guide for a magazine like Wired or some other techy magazine.

Due: Thursday Feb. 18, 2010

Additional reading: Here is a lick to an article called Sync Tanks that discusses post-production sound in depth. Please read through it over the next week or so and take some notes of the key points.
We will review it next Thursday before you show your final microphone buyer's guide.

El Anatsui at the ROM

This is looking to be an exciting semester in the CyberARTS program! It is time to dust off our blogs and get them up to date again.

Your assignments for Wed. and Thurs. are as follows:

1) Take a bit of time to update your blog. Rethink the design elements so that it is beautiful to look at while still being functional (easy to read and navigate). You may need to use your own time out of class to complete a redesign of the blog. If you change your address, make sure that you leave the new link in my comment box so I can update the sidebar.

2) El Anatsui! It is time to do a little digging into who this artist really is and why is there such hype around him and his artwork. If we are going to make art as a response to his work, we need to understand him and his message.

Read as much as you can about El Anatsui on the internet. Start with this link. While you are reading, make notes in a word doc and be sure to reference the webpage, date and author. (See your agenda for how to reference webpages)

3)Your Blog post will consist of several main sections:
a) Who is El Anatsui?
b) What does his artwork look like? Describe the stylistic characteristics of his work but also post or link to one or more images. Consider and discuss which design principles are significant or dominant.
c) What are some of the big concerns/ideas he is communicating through his artwork?
d) How do you connect to his work? What do you appreciate about his work? Does the work of art hold some particular attraction or personal association for you? You can mention your participation in the ROM project as well.

* Aim to make this post personal rather than a formal critique. Write your opinions and thought about his work. Enjoy!