Postcards

Kate Postcard

For the Kate postcard, I chose four pictures that describe me. I also used a clipping mask to insert the pictures into the text, I learned how to format pictures so that they look good with a final product. I wan to explore more using the clipping mask tool.

Winter Wonderland/Holidays Postcard

I created a Winter Wonderland Postcard and Holidays Postcard because Winter is my favorite time of year! I chose pictures from morguefiles and arranged them in Photoshop to create the final product. I adjusted the opacity of the snowflake to make it blend in more. I also cropped the leaves and placed them on either side of the photo.

My Brand

I am developing my story with images by including patterns and pictures that represent my personality. For example, in my 'KATE' postcard, I used a picture of the ocean because I love travelling and being active. I included the pattern on the T because it is very bright and fun, which is how I want my brand to be. When others think of me, I hope they picture a sensual individual who exceeds their expectations and also has the creative edge to do so.

Scribble Tutorial

I did the Scribble tutorial using Adobe Illustrator. It was fairly simple to create. I first added a new fill and made it black. Then, I stylized the fill to scribble. After doing this, I added to the roughness and thickness of the scribble. Then, I saved it as a Graphics Style so that I will be able to use it again!

The tutorial site can be found here: http://vectips.com/tutorials/turn-any-font-into-a-sketch-font/

Believe It or Not?

What was the intent in creating this website?

The goal in completing this project was to display the ability to create a website with multiple pages. We were also given the chance to present our creativity with the styles that we linked to our website. Other tools were also utilized. Including the date tool used in the footer and the source code to link websites. 

How did I prepare?

Before creating this project, I looked over the possible "hoaxes" to get an idea of the material that I would be working with. I then set up my styles and outline for my website. I also viewed the videos on Edmodo and looked over the PDF files explaining how to complete the project. After this, it was time to begin! While creating the project, I kept the Edmodo videos and PDF files open. This made it very helpful to finish the project in a timely manner. After completing the project and ensuring that I had included all of the necessary information in my website, I revised the styles and fonts to better fit the theme of my overall website. 

What did I learn?

Over the course of this project, I learned many valuable pieces of information. First, I learned that you can enter a date in the footer by clicking Insert>Date. You can also link another website or document to your own website by using the source code. Here is an example of one of my sources: Source: <a href="http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/virus.asp"target="_blank">Snopes – Virus Hoaxes &amp; Realities</a>. The last piece of information that I learned was how to input a picture into the side margin. You can do this using the following code: <img src="realorhoax_temporary_logo.png" alt="Logo" style="width:245px;height:215px">. 

How was this website created?

This website was made using software from the Adobe Suite known as Dreamweaver. In Dreamweaver, you are given many options regarding the type, size, and look of your website. My Hoax Website happens to be HTML 5, which is the latest form of HTML in Dreamweaver. 

How was collaboration used during this project?

For this project, there was not much that was needed to be done using collaboration. For the most part, it was done individually. Every once in a while, I would ask my classmate sitting next to me for an opinion on the styles. I managed my time and was able to complete the project on time. 

What would I do differently?

If I were to create this project again, I would make my own logo in Photoshop to give it a personal touch. I feel as though it is very important to express your personality through your creative work. I would not change the order and structure of my website because I am very pleased with the way that it is organized. It is simple and could be understood easily by a user. 

To make my next website even better, I will use the ability to place a picture in the side margin. I will also be able to create a table or "list," as it is called in the code, to link multiple HTML sites. I found a website called w3schools. It can be found using the following link: http://www.w3schools.com. This site is very helpful with a wide range of information pertaining to web design and coding. These abilities and resources will really enhance my next website. 

I am very proud of my Hoax website because I was able to efficiently and effectively display information that may be useful for others. 

Red Apple Shadow

In order to extract the apple from the original image, I used the Quick Selection tool. I drew an outline around the apple and then I refined the edges. By refining the edges, I eliminated the possibility of a pixel fringe. A realistic shadow was created when I used the free transform tool to create the shape of the apple. Then I used the black-to-white gradient on the apple shape. After adding the gradient to the apple, I adjusted the opacity to make the shadow more realistic.

Frozen Text

I did a firefly/Frozen text tutorial in Photoshop. The tutorial for this was very easy to follow. I made a brush using the brush tool in Photoshop. Then I downloaded the font. After typing my name using the font, I applied the brush to it. I'm really happy with how this project turned out!
Tutorial:
http://textuts.com/simple-fireflies-text-effect/

Land of the Unknown

How?

I created the Flying Mountain Tutorial in Photoshop. In addition to the rock, I added a moon and butterfly. I learned that in Photoshop you are able to edit an image in a separate file and drag it into another file to create one picture.

With?

This project was very layer heavy. Several layers were altered and merged together throughout the process. A layer mask was used to merge the desaturated layer. The content aware tool allowed me to select part of the sky and bring it forward to make it look like the cloud is in front of the flying rock. The quick select tool allowed me to select only part of an image. Surprisingly, the rock in this photo came from an image of an island. The blending mode tool was used to tone down the vibrance of the bright sky. This gave the picture an eerier effect. The refine edge tool was used to soften the edges of the images. The Hue and Saturation tool allowed me to tone down the vibrance of the image. 

Why?

Before making this project, I knew that I wanted to make it very mystical and mysterious. I think that the moon and butterfly really add to this effect. I resized the size of the butterfly to really make it stand out. I learned how to use several mask layers to create the exact effect that I was aiming for. I also learned more about Photoshop and used several short cuts to make the process smoother and easier. I also used my classmates to help inspire my ideas. Next time, I would add a waterfall on the rock because I think that would add to the mystical touch. I would continue with the mystical theme because it really goes with the mystical theme. From this experience I will continue to use similar masking tools to enhance my projects.

Photoshop and Illustrator Sphere Tutorials

The sphere is a universal symbol with numerous meanings. It is two vertical lines bent to form one complete circle. A sphere symbolizes totality, wholeness, originality, and infinity. 

When I began this sphere project, I first practiced them in my sketchbook. After making the tutorials in both Illustrator and Photoshop, I saved the Illustrator file as a .ai and the Photoshop file  as a .psd. Overall, the tutorials in Illustrator were much easier. The Photoshop tutorials were completable, but they took a much longer time to complete. Also, in Illustrator I could change the color or shape of an object at any time. In Photoshop, I had to change the color or shape of the object in the beginning. In Illustrator, I could use less tools to complete the tutorial. In Photoshop, I had to use more tools to complete the tutorial.

I learned from the Photoshop tutorial how to use the smudge tool in order to give the sphere a fuzzy effect. I learned from the Illustrator tutorial how to create a glare on the sphere in order to make it more life like. 

I want to learn more about glares (light sources) and shadows in order to continue to make my creations life like. 

"A circle is never just a circle." ~Mrs. Lofquist

Links:

Illustrator:
http://pixelrockit.com/create-stylish-3d-shapes-with-adobe-illustrato  r/

Photoshop:
http://4-designer.com/2013/09/3-minutes-to-make-a-hairy-ball/#.VE5wCtykV4M