Nature Man Photoshop Challenge Project

      When I first received the image of the man, I wanted to do something that involved images of the four seasons.  My idea changed when I realized I couldn't include all four seasons in my project, so I decided to make it woodland themed.  I started by adding the photo I wanted on the suit jacket.  I lined it up properly and created a clipping mask.  Then, I added an overlay effect.  I repeated the same process for the hair and the shirt.  I also used a brightness layer to make the suit jacket's color more vibrant.  The end result did not turn out the way I had hoped, but I still think it looks okay.  I was hoping for the hair to look like it had mountains coming off of it and to look more blended.

Basic Photo Editing in Photoshop

     Photoshop: It has many tools, but not a lot of people know what they are or how to use them.  In this lesson, I had to view tutorial videos and follow them closely to learn how to use the Content Aware Fill, Patch Tool, Clone Stamp Tool, Healing Brush Tool, and the Spot Healing Brush.  It took awhile to complete, but here are the final products and what I have learned from this lesson.

Content Aware Fill

      There were four images that I practiced using the Content Aware Fill on.  Pretty much the same steps were followed on each.  I learned that you use the Content Aware Fill for covering up small blemishes in photos that you do not want.  You could use this tool to get rid of unwanted titles of book in a photo, or to get rid of chips in the wall in the background of a photo.

Patch Tool

      When learning to use the Patch Tool, the image I was working on was a picture of a father and his daughter.  The father had an undesired logo on his shirt that he wanted to be removed.  In order to do that, I used the patch tool.  I used the Patch Tool to sample a piece of his shirt to replace the unwanted logo.  You could use this tool to get rid of unwanted items in the background of a photo.

Clone Stamp Tool

      The picture I used to practice was of a girl modeling a coat.  The coat had some tags on it that needed to be removed.  I used the Clone Stamp Tool to copy sections of the coat and paint them over the tags.  It took some time to get used to because it kept copying unwanted areas, but once I got the hang of it, it was relatively easy to cover up the tags.  This could be used for covering transparent areas in the background of a photo.

Healing Brush Tool

      For the Healing Brush Tool, I used the same image as I used for the Clone Stamp Tool.  I had covered up the tags in the image with the Clone Stamp Tool, but I still needed to add texture to the area.  I used the Healing Brush Tool to copy the texture of the coat and add it to the edited area.  You could use this to add texture to a sweater to make it look fuzzier than it actually is.

Spot Healing Brush

      The photo I used to try this tool out was of a young boy.  He had been plying outside all day and had mud speckled across his face.  I learned that you use the Spot Healing Brush for getting rid of blemishes.  I used this brush to get rid of the mud speckles, making the areas affected by the mud look like the clean parts of the boy's face.  You could use this tool to get rid of acne as well.

Portrait Collage

      In this part of the project, I used three separate photos.  They were all of the same woman in different poses.  My task for the last part of this project was to create a collage of the three pictures using the skills I had learned from using all of these tools.  I think the project went relatively well, though I did have some problems extending the sky in the background.

e9 Final Exam

      The project assignment that we had was to create a product and design a company as well as a website, commercial, logo, and animation.  This project took all of our time in quarter 4.  Some challenges we faced were working in a group, difficulty with software, and planning.  Along the way, I learned more about using Premiere Pro and more about animating in Adobe Photoshop.  Some feedback I got on the commercial was that, in the future, I should not have someone unseen offscreen talking to the character on screen.  I am, for the most part, happy with the work I have done in quarter 4.

Logo

      I used all of the class time allowed to complete this project.  When I finished early, I checked in on and communicated with my team to see the progress they had made.  I also offered to help with anything they were behind on.  Outside of class, I researched the software we have been using.  I also worked on learning about graphic design.

      I think my strengths are in graphic design and animation.  These are the strands of e-Comm I enjoy most, but they are also the strands in which I am most experienced.  To maximize my strengths, I work on my own graphic design and animation projects at home.  I think this is helpful, because I can find new techniques.

Ad

      I think I need to improve in the video strand of e-Comm.  I can work on leveling my shots, steadying the tripod, and using different angles.  During this project, we all worked together to get the shots necessary to complete the commercial.  Editing the video footage was the easiest part of the commercial.

      My favorite part of this quarter was getting to go through each strand of e-Comm again.  If I were to do this quarter over again, I think I would change the logo and color scheme.  I learned how to work better in a group and how to make more complicated animations in Photoshop.  A goal I would like to set for next year is to make my projects more complex and neater.  Overall, I think this was a fun and interesting project to do.

Animation

 

Second animation

CSS and CARP Design

The Project

For this project, we were given a template to use in Dreamweaver.  We had to redesign the webpage using a list telling us what CSS styles to add.  We had to use CARP in order to redesign the webpage.  The software we used was Dreamweaver.  We have used this software before, so I was already a little familiar with it. 

The Process

To start out this project, we had to download the webpage without any CSS styles.  Then, we followed the instructions on a paper and a video, telling us what styles to add.  Through this project, I learned how to use Dreamweaver better.  I also learned what CSS styles were and they are used in HTML.  

Conclusion

In conclusion, this project taught me how to better use Dreamweaver and CSS styles.  I think that this project helped me to get more comfortable using the software.  If I were to do this project again, I think I would do most of the project the same.  If I were to do something differently, I would change the color scheme slightly. 

Before CSS styles

After CSS styles

My Personality Type

When we took the personality quiz, my personality type was an INFJ.  My statistics showed that I am an introvert, intuitive, feeling, and judging.  I have a moderate preference of introversion over extroversion.  I have a slight preference over intuition over sensing.  I have marginal or no preference of feeling over sensing.  I have a moderate reference of judging over perceiving.  Some notable people with the same personality type are: Plato, Gandhi, Thomas Jefferson, and Mary Wollstonecraft.

I think that this describes me pretty well.  I thought that I would be considered more introverted.  Something that is "Right on" is that I am quiet, caring and sensitive and I listen to and try to solve other people's problems.  Something that wasn't as accurate is that INFJs trust their ability to read others well.  I do not trust myself to accurately read someone.

One article said that INFJs enjoy doing art, playing/listening to music, and reading.  This all applies to me.  I think one of the reasons this is true is because of my introverted personality trait.

I am usually either the leader or the person that can do pretty much whatever else is needed of me.  I don't think that my personality type is  leading type, but I think that they are the kind of person that can do whatever people need them to.

I think that in the past, people have mistaken my introverted personality as me just being lazy.  I have been told by people to "toughen up" when I have difficulty public speaking.  I have learned that I have the least common personality type.

Lion/Otter/Beaver/Golden Retriever

For the second test that we took, my highest column was column 3.  That means that my highest personality type is a golden retriever.  I think that it is mostly accurate.  I am loyal, sensitive, caring, work well with a steady work pattern, and have only a few close friends.  My second highest column was column 4.  This means that I am also a beaver.  I think that this is more accurate than the last column.  I think that there is a right way to do things and I always try to do things that way.  I am creative, take my time, and need reassurance.  I also have unrealistic expectations for myself.

A Project to B Remembered (AB Sequence)

        

The Project

For this project, we were put into teams and tasked with creating a video  showing how a person could get from point A to point B in a creative way.  First, we made an outline of what we wanted to include in our video.  Next, we went out and filmed the shots that we needed.  Finally, we edited the shots into the final video.  I am very proud of one of the shots that we took.  We took the camera up to the second level of the school and filmed over the railing.  Then we made it black and white and added text so that people would know that it was meant to be a shot from a security camera.  I think it turned out pretty well.

The Editing

The editing for this project was pretty simple.  We filmed most of our shots in the correct order, so there wasn't much rearranging to do.  We wanted this to have a mission impossible theme, so I chose some music that I thought would be found in a spy movie.  To extend the last shot, I took a screenshot of a frame in the video, then extended the time length of the picture.  The most challenging part of the editing in this project was modifying the music.  I wanted to extend the last note of the song, so I cut the note from the song and slowed it down while keeping the pitch unchanged.

Team Aspect

I think that we worked relatively well as a team.  There was some bickering, but we eventually resolved all of the disagreements that we had.  I'm not used to working in teams and especially not in teams of people that I am not familiar with, so I think that this was a good experience.  In my next team project, I am hoping there will be less disagreements.

Printing Out Videos

Creative Process

For this project, we had to create a video showing how to print a document.  We were paired up with a partner.  First, we drew a story board outlining what we wanted to be in our video.  Next, we took photos of ourselves acting out the outline that we drew.  Then, we went back and took videos of us acting out the scene.  

Roles

My role in this project was the camera operator.  I recorded all of the videos for the scene.  I learned how to keep the camera steady and how to not wash out my video with background light.  We used ipads to record the videos and Adobe Premier Pro to edit them.  I had to use technical skills to operate the camera and edit the videos.  As partners, we has to communicate and work together as a team in order to get our ideas across to each other.  We demonstrated leadership by acting as directors and keeping each other on track and focused.  Finally, we used project management when we decided what ideas to use and where we would film.

Conclusions

If I were to do this project again, I would change the location of the scene because lots of groups were filming in the library at the same time and it was a bit crowded.  I would keep the actions of the scene the same because they demonstrate how to properly print a document, which is what we were trying to show with this video.  In my next project I will now be able to keep the camera steady and navigate using Adobe Premier Pro.  I enjoyed this project because it was a good way to learn how to use proper shots, terms, equipment, and it gave me a chance to get to know a few people.

HTMLoveing This Project

The Project

This was our final project in the animation portion of e9.  For our final, we did a web design project.  We had to make our own HTML website.  During this project, I was able to learn about HTML, coding, and web design.

The Technique

When making this project, we first started out using a template.  The, we modified the template.  In the text for out first page, I inserted an elevator pitch that we had done previously.  Next, we had to edit a photo of ourselves.  To create the next page, we copied the home page and edited the content.  For the projects page I added my projects and the text from my other blog posts.  Finally, we recolored the web pages.

What I learned

In doing this project, I learned about HTML, coding, and web design.  I learned how to create links to different web pages and external sites.  I was able to put my knowledge of graphic design to use by picking a color scheme and font themes.  If I were to do this project again, I would use a different color scheme, elaborate on my projects, and set up the web pages differently.  I might also add more web pages.

A-dooring this Project

The Project

For this project, we were working in Sketchup.  We had to create a 3D model of a house we found online.  I was able to learn how to use several new tools.  This project also helped me to get use to working in 3D software.

The Technique

For this project, I used a photo of a house online as my reference.  To make the house, I used the rotate tool, the line tool, the push/pull tool, the color tool, and the shape tools.  I had to measure the shapes I was creating and make sure that they matched the dimensions of the house online.  I had to use the measuring tool in order to check my dimensions and set certain objects an equal distance apart.  I also had to make sure that I was placing the shapes on the correct faces.

What I Learned

This project helped me get used to working in 3D.  I learned how to set the dimension of shapes and navigate my way around the software.  I learned how to move things around and rotate the camera as well.  If I were to do this project again, I would choose a different design for my house.  I would also change the colors.

House Reference: https://www.houseplans.com/plan/800-square-feet-2-bedrooms-1-bathroom-country-house-plans-0-garage-15740

Roof Texture

Siding Texture

House Reference (Back View)

House Floor Plan

House Reference (Front View)

Ball-istic Animation

Bouncing Animation

For this project, we had to create an animation where a ball bounces up and down.  To create this, I had to make a background using the grass textured brush tool.  Then, I made a ball and copied it to several layers, moving it slightly on each layer.  To make it look like the ball was actually bouncing, I used the transform tool to flatten the shape slightly as it hits the ground.  After I created all of my layers, I put all of them into an animation timeline.

Rolling Animation

In this animation, I had to animate a ball bouncing in from off of the screen.  In order to make this animation, I had to learn about arcs of motion.  I used the same background as the one in the previous animation.  I also used the same ball.  First, I drew a guide showing the path that I wanted the ball to travel.  Then, I repeated the same process I previously did by created layers and moving the ball slightly for each new layer.  I then put all of the layers into an animation timeline.

Portal Animation

For this final animation, we got to choose what kind of animation we wanted to make.  Our only requirements were to make the ball bounce in from off the screen and have it do something random before the end of the video.  I chose to make my animation Portal themed.  To make the portals, I made two identical circles and put them on the background layer.  Next, I made the ball.  I made a circle shape and added the details.  I made a motion guide showing me the path I wanted the ball to travel.  I made all of my layers, moving the ball slightly each time, and put them all into an animation timeline. To make it look like the ball was going in and out of the portals, I had to erase small bits of it.

Ten-sational words

The Project

For this project, I had to think of ten words that describe myself and animate them to come onto the screen in four seconds.  The first thing I had to do was think of all ten words.  I included my name.  The words that I chose were responsible, artist, caring, competitive, strategic, consistent, violinist, fencing, workaholic, and empathetic.  After typing all of the words that I chose, I placed them on the work space where I wanted them to end up by the end of the animation.  Next, I created two key frames for each word in the animation timeline.  These key frames were where I wanted the words to start and end.  I had motion tweens or in betweens.  Tweens are frames in the middle of the key frames that show how the words got from start to finish.  In this project, I learned how to use key frames, motion tweens, layers, and the timeline.  If I were to do this project again, I would make some of the transitions smoother.