Digital Imaging Module Assessment - Hero Shots

To test our abilities with Photoshop and our understanding of Design Fundamentals we were required to produce (design & create) 5 "hero shots" to fit into the 5 web pages (supplied)

Second Attempt  with more emphasis on 'Euphoria'

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 12 Populating a Wire Frame

Working with an existing wireframe, we were required to choose a web page theme of our choice (Tasmanian Beaches) and fill in the gaps which means providing:

• an original hero shot (using your camera) with accompanying text over the top
• 4 big thumbnails
• 12 small thumbnails
• background to sit behind the footer

Would really love anyones feedback on this :)

First Attempt:

 

Second Attempt: I changed the background to a photo of sand, which provides a less dominant effect than the drift wood.

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 11Shooting Motion

The goal here is to maintain the subject in focus and blur the background or in the case of the water, make it look like silk. 

 

 

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 10 PNG logo

Make a logo, make it a .png image with transparency, place it on a web page and take a screen shot.

 My first attempt had too many "jaggies" haha.  So here is my resubit after I changed the mode to RGB... OOPS!!!

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 9 Making Backgrounds for Web Pages

1. Find 3 examples where a background image has been used on a website. Take a screen grab of each, save them as .jpgs 50 quality 800px wide.

 http://www.hbo.com/

This HBO (Home Box Office) website is an American cable television site.  It is highly interactive and promotes different movies/documentaries/comedies etc everyday.  That picture background changes daily.

I like the gradient around the outer edge of the page, which helps to distinguish the face as the focal point, ie the eye is drawn in to expression on the mans face.  This website is rated as one of the top 15 sites of 2011.

http://www.marcecko.com/#/

Another interactive website,  I like it how the image moves around the page.  I also love the image of Marc standing against the wall with all the framed pictures surrounding him.  Each of these pictures are links, which is definately more appealing than a simple list of links.

http://heathholdenphotography.com/

Heath is a good friend of mine, and someone I look to for tips on taking photos.  His images are amazing, I  just adore the way he captures a story with every photograph!  I love his website, it is simple to use with a classic and classy look and feel.

2. Take your "tell-a-story-with-a-flatbed-scan" image and change it to make it into a web page background using Method 2 (where the image receds into the background colour). Save it as a jpg 50 quality 930px wide.

 This is my flat bed scan from LA # 3

I used the gradient tool set on 'foreground to transparent' and just clicked in maybe 2cm drifts along the outer edge of the image.  I'm thinking now that using a grey rather than black may look better, but I got the effect I was after for now.  I also did a layer mask incase I want to change it later.

3. Make a background for a web page using method 4 (1920px wide jpg, a few pixels tall, save as 100 quality).

The photoshop part of this was really easy, to obtain this effect I used the gradient map.
I found it a little tricky trying to overwrite the original bg.jpg file but got there in the end :)

4. Make a seamless tile using method 5. Save as .jpg or .gif, whichever gives you the best quality for the lowest file size.

 

As you can see i used purple grapes :) I saved it as a jpg file, it's the lowest file size and gives a great standard of quality considering.

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 8 Web Image Formats

Aim: To take 10 photos that reflect the notion of 'being green'. 

I originally had 10 pictures, but was naughty and removed 5 as I felt these photos were more significant and told a story alone.  

We then had to experiment with formats (jpg, gif and png) and compare the image qualities and files sizes of each.  I found the png format proved a higher quality picture, but was also the largest file at 2.78MB.  The images became slightly distorted when using the gif format, and the file was 1.04MB.  My default format of jpg proves to be the best comparison with a reasonable good picture at only 362KB, which is what I have uploaded above.

 I wasn't happy with the original 'being green' so I changed the layout a little.  Still not completely happy, but with more practice, I'll have another go in the future.

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 7 Combining images using layer masks

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 6 making selections & combining images

Method: Download the image of Kathy's car into Photoshop, select the car using the quick mask method and paste it into an unusual scene 

I picked a photo I took while 4x4ing the Mount Bulla area.

I found this very very challenging to get started but once I watched a few youtube tuts I kind of got the hang of it.  Not completely satisfied, but with more practice I'll perfect it one day :)

Design - Promote Your Blog

Blog promo re-submit :)

Design - Promote Your Blog

I loved doing this...love being creative, making up silly little poems and playing with type, making shadows and with this activity I found the 'bevel and emboss' tool which gives it a 3D effect...
Whoo hoo!!

Loads of fun, has helped give more insight into how I can use Photoshop...Now I can't wait to show off whenever I do party invitations :)

Design - Learning Activity # 8 - Grid Layouts

Two magazine layouts that adhere to a grid layout

Two magazine layouts that don't appear to follow a grid

This is one of David Carson's that was hinted by Chris to checkout.  I love the way he used type to depict the shape of a face.  Although the typing could possible follow a horizontal grid, there is no verticle grid as it follows the side of the face.

This is a layout  from one of my favourite magazines called LINO.  It is actually developed by a collection of short non-sense articles from a news paper which have been layered and thus created a very effective poster, which is part of a poster series. 

Two examples of my choice that adhere to a grid design.

A classic example would be an architectural design of a house on paper...I realise I didn't get the best photo of this house (it was a quick snap as I felt rude) to justify the grid, but I just think its a great design.  The windows at each level follow the same suit and also with the pitches of the roof, the angles etc.  

With the exception of the dust, dashboards in cars are a classic example of a grid design.

Design - Learning Activity #13 Poster Design

Task: Choose a quote and design a layout based on it. I used photoshop and the quote "Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow" Swedish Proverb

Digital Imaging - Learning Activity # 5 Adjustment Levels

Photos with low and bright lighting

 Before

After

Before

After



Design - Learning Activity # 12 Good and bad type

Five good type use in logos, signage, graphics etc

A great restaurant, with simple advertising.  It's tasteful as per their meals, and readable.

I designed this for my parents business.  I think the type is welcoming, readable and with the smaller text I changed the type completely as it did not require the same attention.

'Disney' & 'Pixar' have such a distinguished type where the individual letters are modified, but not over done.  They also relate to both adults and children, as per their terrific movies and short films :)

I really like this type, the colours and mirror image create tasteful variety

The controversial change from 'Futura' typeface to 'Verdana'!! Many type critics were not happy with the change!  But, I don't mind it, the broadness of the letters increases legibility and it has proven to be cost effective for Ikea as this type works well with both digital and print media.

Five bad type usage

This is an advertisment in the local Advocate newspaper.  Although they're trying to portray a 'fun' time, I think they have completely over done it with so many different types.  I find it very busy and 'bleh' and it grabbed my attention for all the wrong reasons.

Even doing flyers on a budget can surely be resulted with a little more creativity than this! How BORING!! Plus I find it difficult to read the smaller writing.  

What does this say ? 'Quamby', right hmmmmm...  It looks like they have done the type using strips of electrical tape and yes the 'Y' has turned into a 'corner', clever or cliche ?

Yes it's simple, readable etc but certainly not appealing to me.  It is boring type and certainly does not fit with the great brand that it is.

Awesome brand, my favourite camera to use, yet such a boring text!  Sure it has a great bold background, and their latest logo has white rays through it, whoop de do!!

The Nikon corporation states that the new logo is "a symbol designed to help reconstruct the Nikon brand so that it better meets the needs of our current era"...sure!

Design - Learning Activity # 9 Sketching Layouts

 Using a ruler and grey lead pencil, sketch 3 layouts using a grid system.