Adobe Illustrator

How to Use the Pen Tool.

If you missed seeing this in class, please click on the above link to watch this tutorial on using the pen tool. We will be starting our graphics unit with the pen tool in Illustrator. It's a great tool to know and understand how to use.

Poster Analysis - Elements and Principles

Step 2: Analysis of a poster design - to be presented
AND please hand in your worksheet for your group.

Look HERE for some beautifully designed posters
or HERE at my pinterest board of fantastic posters.

or take a look through this blog called Gentle Pure Space. It's lovely.

Don't spend too much time looking, because you do need to do your analysis as well.

1. Choose one fantastic poster or design that really speaks to you/your group. Try to find something that has a variety of elements and principles to discuss.

2. Using another blank chart, begin listing any and all elements and principles of design that you see in the image. Write them down as a group - have one person do the writing, but all of you should be doing the looking and the thinking. Make notes about how each of the elements used in the poster helps to create the principles of design.
 i.e. the thin, wispy, curving lines help create movement in the poster by leading your eye around the image. OR the vibrant use of bright red against the neutral gray coloured background creates a strong point of emphasis

Group Evaluation:

(Thinking/Inquiry)   /5
Notes - thorough and evidence of understanding of elements and principles of design

(Communication)  /5
Clear and well-spoken - shared between group members - thorough and well thought out.

(Knowledge/Understanding)  /5
Overall evidence of knowledge and understanding of definitions of each of the elements and principles and ability to recognize and explain them when seen in a visual design.

Analysis: Due Thursday Sept 11, 2014 to present in class.

The Elements and Principles of Art and Design

The Elements of Art & Principles of Design from jdavis76

The Elements and Principles of Design are the foundations of design, whether it be in the print industry, photography, illustration, advertising, animation, video and film, web, fine arts, graphic design etc.

Once you know and understand these basics, you will gain the ability to control where your viewer looks, and when, or in what order! And then, the WORLD!!! Or at the very least - unbelievably cool looking posters, logos and other designs...

Once you have seen the powerpoint presentation in class, or if you missed it, find it HERE, fill out the handouts either by hand - or on the computer (whichever you prefer). Or you can see it right here from the blog post, if the link isn't working, or vice versa.

Elements of Design and Principles of Design Handouts 

Due: end of class on Tuesday, or first thing Wednesday morning - handed in.

Welcome Year One CyberARTists!!!

First post assignment

1. Make sure you send a comment at the bottom of this post with your URL (that's the www.blahblah.blogspot.com) and your first name only.

2. Post your typographic identity

3. Find new post and add the title at the top of the post. Typographic Identity should be the title.

4. Add a picture by clicking on the picture icon in the menu bar. You should be able to add a jpg or png easily. Just browse to find where you have saved it.

5. Choose the size for your image (probably medium is fine for now. Too big starts to take over and too small isn't large enough to be visible.

6. Write down a few sentences that explains why you made the choices you did. Essentially what you did in class in front of everyone - why you chose the words you did, colours, shape and font.

That's it!

Congratulations. You've made your first blog post!!!

Now relax and have a great weekend.

Wayfinding Systems - Welcome back Year Fours!

Welcome back Year Four CyberARTS Digital Media students.

Good luck on your first project to improve/create a usable and clear wayfinding system for LCI.

Here is some additional information that you might find helpful.

Understanding Pictograms

Simple. Clear. Reduced to basic function and visual understanding across cultures and language.

Visual examples of great pictograms

Artist Statement for Culminating

Your artist statement for your video self-portrait should cover the following:

Conceptual ideas, visual symbolism and meaning
Technical aspects (pace, timing, composition and camera shots, editing, sound)

Discuss the choices you made in style of imagery (still, video, animation...), types of shots (close-up, wide shots, focus/blur, depth of field), pace, soundtrack and choice of words (text vs. spoken).
Explain and justify your choices both in terms of technical quality AND meaning - expression of you.
Explain any visual symbolism or meaning you intended by using particular imagery or any of the above visual and audio choices you made.

Artist statement must be typed 1-2 pages

Video self-portrait

The Self-Portrait

VAN GOGH. (1853-1890)

THE IMPULSIVE AND TEMPESTUOUS FRIDA KHALO (1907-1954) . “I PAINT MYSELF BECAUSE I AM SO OFTEN ALONE AND BECAUSE I AM THE SUBJECT I KNOW BEST.” SHE ALSO STATED, “I WAS BORN A BITCH. I WAS BORN A PAINTER.” ROCK ON!

GUSTAVE COURBET (1819-1877). THIS SELF PORTRAIT IS ENTITLED “THE DESPERATE MAN”. COUBET WAS A REALIST GENIUS IN 19TH CENTURY FRANCE. FROM THE MASTERS MOUTH: ” I AM FIFTY YEARS OLD AND I HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN FREEDOM; LET ME END MY LIFE FREE; WHEN I AM DEAD LET THIS BE SAID OF ME: ‘HE BELONGED TO NO SCHOOL, TO NO CHURCH, TO NO INSTITUTION, TO NO ACADEMY, LEAST OF ALL TO ANY RÉGIME EXCEPT THE RÉGIME OF LIBERTY.’ CAN YOU SENSE HIS UNFLINCHING COMMITMENT TO EXPRESSING HIS ARTISTIC FREEDOM IN THIS PIECE?

(images and text from 

http://eyesofodysseus.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/mirrors-in-oil-self-portraits-by-the-great-masters-part-1/)

Some examples of Video Self-portraits

Visual poetry - Inferior

Visual poetry - No I.D.

Design Yourself

Dissimule - Hidden