In the Artist's Studio: Graphic Design Projects

10/3 Black and White Typography Drawing

Medium:sketch pen, Bristol, tracing paper

Project: Start off by creating a contour drawing. Give the drawing dimension by adding typography. You choose the subject matter, the letters and the particular font/fonts you want to use. There are endless possibilities.

Line- Fonts contain different thicknesses of line. Work with different sizes of text to depict space. Create larger lines with the combination of letters/words.
Shape- Manipulate text to create shapes that create a main subject.
Mass- Use text to create dimension. The tighter the text, the darker it will appear. In contrast, the more space between the text, the lighter it will appear.
Positive/Negative Space (White Space)- The positive space is where you are placing the text. The negative space is where you leave the white of the paper. Think about what areas you will leave white, in order to create contrast in your work.

Elements and Principle Terms to think about:

Line, Shape, Mass, Contrast, White Space

examples:

10/10 Logo Design

Project: Every company has a logo that is simple in form but complex in concept. Each logo communicates a certain idea to the viewer and portrays a certain feeling. What if, instead of school transcripts and resumes each individual had a logo that illustrated who they are. Create a black and white logo for yourself that emulates you.

What is unique to you? Your personality, traits, strengths, hobbies etc.
What are you trying to communicate to the viewer?
Use font and imagery that embodies and conveys your ideas.

Graphic Design Elements and Principles:

Line, Shape, Proximity & White Space

Introduction to Color

A Splash of Color

Project: Manipulate a black and white photograph you have taken to include one color to create a focal point.

Color- utilize one color to create emphasis. How do the different colors change the feel/mood of the image?
Shape- your photograph should include a variety of shapes. What shapes will you emphasis when you add color?
Balance- your photograph should be balance when it is black and white as well as when color is added. When deciding the placement of your color think about the composition so that your photograph stays balanced.
Contrast- contrast will be created when a color is added, but also include contrast within the values of the black and white photograph.

Steps:

Drag/open image in Photoshop
Image-Adjustments-Desaturate
Image-Adjustment-Brightness/Contrast- Move Contrast
History Brush Tool- Erase area of color

Elements and Principle Terms to think about:
Color, Shape, Balance, Contrast

examples:

iExpress

Project: Create work that parallels that of the itunes Advertising campaign. Work in collaboration to illustrate/depict the traits of the girls at NAHA. There should be one concept that ties all of the images together. Ex: Althetics, important personality traits, etc.

Directions:

Meaningful pose: Use your body to create a meaningful pose to express your iword/iphrase so that your silhouette will communicate the meaning.
Photographing Poses: Photograph on a single colored background
Creating a silhouette: Use photoshop
Use text and images to effectively communicate your idea. Think about placement, image, color, text, proportion, placement, orientation and add other silhouettes if desired.
Tutorial: http://iphotoshop.blogspot.com/2006/12/apple-style-banner.html

Graphic Design Elements and Principles:

Color, Movement, Space, Placement, Proportion

examples:

The New Line

Project: Design the top sheet and bottom sheet of a pair of skis or snowboard.

Directions:

Research designs by looking at different companies such as Volkl, Rossignol, Burton, Line, K2 etc.
Use a full page to complete a design (either by hand or on the computer). Keep/print as a single page for both the top and bottom.
If your image is not already on the computer scan your design into the computer to manipulate it into the proper shape for your product.
Print out an image of your product along with a short description and reason why you designed what you did. What did you want to emphasize about the ski/snowboard through the design? Who is your market?

Graphic Design Elements and Principles:

Line, Shape, Mass, Texture, Color, Balance, Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, Contrast, White Space

Tournament Poster (Go Winter Hawks!)

Project: Design a poster for a home tournament that illustrates and evokes the feelings of a hockey game, while also including necessary information (time, date, location, teams, etc.)

Directions:

Research posters from a variety of different events (athletic events, musical events, theater events, etc.)
Keep a list of elements that comprise a successful poster
List all necessary information to be included in the poster
Sketch a layout
Create your poster
Distribute your posters out into the world (at school, Jay Peak, in town, etc.)

Graphic Design Elements and Principles:

Line, Shape, Mass, Color, Balance, Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, Contrast

Juxtaposed Images

Project:Juxtapose two images within one composition to convey an idea.

http://visualnews.columnfivemedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/steps.jpg

"Using old photographs and duplicate shots at their same location over 60 years later, Jo Teeuwisse has created images that juxtapose time and political climate from a bygone era with today. Showing just how much time has changed, the original images in these photographs were taken before, during and after the Nazis occupied Amsterdam."

-http://www.visualnews.com/tag/juxtaposed-images/

"This is a beauty, the smoke stacks with each other and the houses to note the similarities and differences, not forgetting the clouds of smoke with the clouds in the sky."

- http://katyzzz.hubpages.com/slide/Understanding-Juxtaposition-in-photography/861737

Graphic Design Elements and Principles:

Shape, Color, Balance, Contrast

Inverted Mask

Directions:

Find two large images online:
1. One will form the mask (pick one with an all-light or all-dark background to make your life easier).
2. One will be the background, visible through the mask (an image with lots of detail all over is best).
Open image A and complete these steps:
1. Desaturate the image.
2. Run the Threshold adjustment.
3. If your background on this image is all white now, go to the next step. If you background is all black, invert the image.
4. View the Channels palette, the Ctrl-click on the RGB channel.
5. Save the file with any name you choose (you will not turn this one in).
Open image B, then go back to image A.
Use a selection tool to click-and-drag the marching ants selection into image B.
In image B, complete the following steps:
1. Change the Background layer into a regular layer.
2. Save the file as lastnamefirstinitial-inv-mask-art.psd.
3. Add a layer mask to the layer.
4. Unlink the layer mask from the layer, then move the layer mask into an interesting position.
5. Paint out any unnecessary bits on the layer mask using black.
6. Add a layer below this one and fill it with white.
7. Save the file.