Video storytelling - Sequencing...

This is a posting for CyberARTS, but all comm tech students are encouraged to read it. Any information you can get and explore is always a help, whether your main interest is graphic design, photography, video, animation etc.

Instructions for Year One CyberARTS class:

1. Click on the following link on video sequencing. Read through the posting and take some notes about the most important points in the article. What are the main points that this person is stressing about shooting video? Please add a new post to your blogs with the link to this article and a summary of it's main points (you can write it in point form).
2. Explore a minimum of two of the many links on this blog. Read through, watch, think, and write. I'd like you to do the same for at least one other link. Add a new post, put the link of the URL to the site you are learning from and write a brief summary that indicates the main points that you learned from it and whether or not it is worth checking out.
I'm hoping that by the end of this, you will all have explored some different sites and you can check each other's blogs to learn from one another - read summaries and see if other links are of interest and/or worthwhile.

So, to recap - you should have two new postings by the end of the period. Read through the first one and post a brief summary of the most important points about video sequencing on your blog. Include a link to that site. Your second posting should be a summary of a link from that site that you found interesting. Include the link in your post as well.

This should give you a really good start to video and will help with the planning process for the CyberARTS promo video and showcase.

See you tomorrow! Good luck.
Ms. Silverman

TGJ 2O1 - Visual stories in Photography

The photo essay or visual story is a unique way to tell a story and explore a particular subject in depth, using the magic of photography. Click the following links below to research more.
Go to the following wikipedia site and read through the information on the photo essay.
And then check out this site on 5 photo essay tips and read through the information.
Also, take a look at Jan Sochor's photo essays. Notice the variety of images used to tell a complete story about a place, situation or theme.
And finally, this site simply called The Photo Essay.

Your Assignment:
We will be documenting the lakeshore area through photography. Once you have researched the photo essay and taken a look at some documentary photography, think about a subject that you might like to focus on for your photo essay. Don't be afraid of the "mundane". For this assigment, the ordinary can be extraordinary. Find the story in the details of your subject. It could be anything from a crossing guard to the local corner store. It could even be a study of a street corner, or a building. Study your subject using a variety of camera angles and shots. Use your proximity to and distance from the subect as a zoom lens to get wide, medium and close-up shots. You should be portraying your subject in the context of the environment, as well as through close-ups and details to tell the whole story. Once this assignment is finished, we should have a variety of pieces that make up a whole. As a class, we will decide what to do with the finished products - make a book, a website, a display (or all three).

Write a brief paragraph describing your intent for this assignment. This must be discussed with your teacher and approved before you can take a camera out. You may need more than one day to shoot. That's okay. If you shoot one day and find gaps in your story, feel free to go back a second day - if your subject is okay with it.

Always ask permission if you are photographing a person. You can't possibly get the required close-ups if you are trying to be a spy. Be up front about what you are doing and be patient. Wait for the person to relax and forget about the camera so that you can capture them in a more natural light - doing their everyday things.

Captain Sabine - Toronto Island Ferries

This is a photo story of a woman named Sabine Quast, currently the only female captain on the Toronto Island Ferries. In fact, Sabine was the first woman ever hired by the Toronto Island Ferries, back in 1986 when she began as a deckhand and soon worked her way up to Captain. Over the years there were other captains who were women, and other women who worked on the boats, but she's the only one who stuck around.

I spent the last three days at a phenomenal workshop at the Toronto Star that was taught by Robb Montgomery,

TGJ 2O1 - Photo Collage Assignment

Okay you grade 10 Technology Communicators, here is your mission - if you choose to accept it (and by the way, you have to accept it. It's an assignment!):

Using the photos you took on Friday, or the photos other people took (you have access to their folders too - let's not get too possessive about the work here, you'll have plenty of time for that later), create a visually compelling collage with a pre-determined theme.

Specifications:
Size: 8.5" x 11" @ 300 p.p.i (Make sure you set the resolution when you set your file size)
Images: Use one main photo (Choose a quality image that has visual appeal)
Minimum 7 photos including main photo


Artistic Question: How do I create a compelling collage that expresses a particular theme and is compositionally balanced and visually pleasing?

Step 1. Read through the article "Secrets to Creating Compelling Photo Collages", by Helen Bradley. (Click on the link "secrets to ..." to read the article - or go to http://www.adobepress.com/articles/article.asp?p=438833)
Step 2. Browse through the photos that you took and also some of the photos that other took and begin to think about and plan a photo collage with a specific theme. As the article suggests, try to choose one photo that will be the main photo of your work and base your theme around this photo. Use the other photos (feel free to manipulate them in any ways you need to) to compliment the theme and help accentuate the main photo.
Step 3. Gather your photos and follow the instructions in the article. (Gather more than you will need)
Step 4. Using the photos you gathered (please save them all in a folder marked Collage in your home drive) begin by creating a background and create your collage.
Step 5. Write about your collage and justify your design choices in terms of composition and visual expression of theme.
Step 6. Due by the beginning of class Friday October 9th, 2009: Ready to present to the class and discuss.
Please drop .psd file into drop folder and call it "yournamecollage.psd"
Save for web once you have saved the psd file and add it to your blog with your written description and justification. (Describe your theme, your concept and your design choices and how they help to express your theme).

Assessment:
Theme is visually evident
Composition is balanced
Visual hierarchy helps tell a story (Where do we look first, second, third...)
Visually pleasing design
Main photo stands out and is visually compelling
Evidence of having read article
Multiple, organized, well-labeled layers
Manipulation of photos (re-sizing, cropping, masking, blending etc.)

Good luck! You can post questions here as comments at the end of this posting.
Ms. S.

TGG 3M1 Elements and Principles of Design Poster Assignment

Every graphic design assignment requires a different approach, format, and concept. Every assignment should be approached by developing a concept that will be developed through your design process. A concept is a well-developed thought, the primary idea on which your message will be based. The word format refers to the surface or substrate on which the design elements are placed. It is how you want your viewer to see your message, whether it be two or three-dimensional. But no matter what format or concept, every design will consist of one or more of the basic elements of design. Successful designers organize these elements into dynamic relationships that are visually effective and understandable to a target audience. The relationships are the principles of design. Think of the elements as the ingredients in a recipe and the principles as the directions – how much of each ingredient, how hot the oven is, how long you cook it for etc. Depending on which website, book or instructor you refer to, you will probably find varied information about which are the definitive elements and principles of design. Most information out there will tell you that there are anywhere from 5 to 8 elements of design and about the same for principles. Either way, they are the building blocks of design and you should be familiar with them.

Objectives:

• To learn about the elements and principles of design in a practical as well as theoretical way
• To learn about poster design, visual hierarchy and layout
• To learn about collaboration, group process, negotiation and working in a design team
  

Your assignment:

Your assignment is to research and learn about the elements and principles of design that you will be using during this course, and create 2 posters that display them in an informative and visually effective way. Please use your own words and your own illustrations. Your posters must have the following components:

Size: 10”x16” (vertical or horizontal format)

Headings: Must state elements and principles of design and information should visually connect to each heading. Also each elements or principle should be clearly labelled.

Visual: Each element and principle must be clearly described with a visual example. Your format should be consistent throughout this assignment: i.e. boxes (if used) should be consistent in size, line width, colour etc.

Written: Each element and principle must be clearly described with a written description that defines it and explains its uses. Colour and layout are up to you. I am looking for an informative poster that is clear, easy to read and visually pleasing to look at! Do not submit something that you have not edited for grammar and spelling!

Handing it in:

1. Please submit your finished work to the LCI drop folder with your names (or group number) in the file.

2. Please post your finished work to your blog(s) under the heading Elements and Principles of Design.

3. Add a written statement to your blog that explains your design choices (discuss your layout, colour choices, size/width of boxes, placement etc.) and provides references to the websites or books you used.

Due: Friday October 2, 2009 - Rough layout of posters. Meet with whole class to show and critique
Due: Friday October 9, 2009 - Final posters. Show to class and discuss design choices

Everyday Object Vector Assignment - TGG 3M1

When you have completed both your vector tracing and your freeform illustration of the object, create a few of each using colour. You can try one colour, two colours, or many colours. Avoid using gimmicky swatches and styles, like leopard print or rainbow.

Your first one should be dynamic, show variety in line type, quality and width. Be precise with your lines and vary the blacks and the whites in the illustration. Your second illustration should be more free and loose and should express more emotion. Your colour illustrations do not have to be realistic colour only. Try being abstract with the colours. Think Pop Art like Andy Warhol. Look it up if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Make sure you save your work in the illustrator format. It should have your name in the file and .ai at the end. DO NOT ADD ANYTHING TO THE .ai! namevectortrace.ai and namevectorfreehand.ai, and namevectortracecolour.ai etc.

Your next step is to post your illustrations to the blog and write a brief paragraph about them. 1. From Illustrator, save your illustrations under Save for Web (as a jpg) 2. From your blog, create a new post. Write a paragraph that describes the process you went through to create your illustrations, what tools you used, what you learned, which illustration you think turned out the best and why. 3. To add an image, find the icon of the picture in the New post window and browse for your saved jpg files.

Welcome Back!

Welcome to Comm Tech!



Whether you're in a grade 10, 11 or 12 class, this is the place where you will receive information from me and be able to post some of your work so that everyone in the class can see it, make comments about it, and learn from each other.


Your first task is to create your own blog.

1. SET-UP: go to http://www.blogger.com/ and follow the instructions to make a blog. You will need a gmail or hotmail account to do this.

2. ANONYMITY: Use a name that has nothing to do with you to maintain your anonymity. This is a public blog and anyone can see it. You have the right to protect your privacy and since this is a school-related blog, everything you post on the site should be school-related and it should not have your name on it.

3. LINK: Once your blog is set up, add a link from your page directly to the class page.
Go to LAYOUT, then find ADD A GADGET, scroll down to LINK LIST. Add a link to the URL:
http://lcicommtech.blogspot.com/. You can name it Comm Tech, or Class Page or whatever suits you that will identify that this is your Comm Tech class page.

4. Add a comment at the bottom of this posting that gives me your URL (that's what appears in the address bar for YOUR BLOG), your display name and which class you are in (TGJ 2O1 or TGG 3M1). That way, I'll add your blog to the main page and everyone will be able to access it from the main page.

Good luck with your first task! Please don't hesitate to ask for help when you need it!