Introduction to Digital Imaging Spring 2007 Friday 12-2:45

Caryn Leschen, Instructor

auntviolet@earthlink.net

11-Class Course Outline

Course Goals

:: To successfully complete the first steps to acquiring a professional working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

By familiarizing students with Adobe CS2 Suite interfaces and terminology we will build a strong foundation for using these tools skillfully and creatively.

:: Each student will develop a strategy by which they can approach any digital imaging program and learn how to explore it. The goal is to become so comfortable with using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator that students can expand their skills in and out of the classroom.

:: Each student will begin a process by which they'll understand when to use Illustrator and when to use Photoshop, how to combine them, and when it's better to use traditional media. This is an individual process for every artist. From here, students begin to understand how to apply these skills to individual vocational goals in their chosen industry.

Class I | Introductions & Very Basic Illustrator Skills

Part 1 | Introductions

Lecture

:: Teacher Introduction

:: Classroom Rules

o ALWAYS BRING YOUR BOOK AND CD TO CLASS!

o Grading Policy, Rubric, Class Rules and Expectations

o How to submit your assignments (see HOMEWORK #1 handout)

Materials

Textbook

Illustrator CS2 for Windows and Macintosh

by Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas, Peachpit Press, 2005

Handouts

Please make a binder for this class and bring all handouts to every class.

:: Class Outlines

:: Rubric

:: Resources Handout #1

:: Homework #1 Handout

Supplies (suggested)

:: CD Rom(s)

:: Pencils, Pens—BLACK, NOT Ballpoints. Suggestions: brush pens,

fountain pens with cartridges, calligraphy pens, felt tip pens,

Pilot Razor points.

:: 9" x 12" Drawing Pad

:: 9" x 12" Tracing Paper pad or roll, black mounting board.

Classroom Exercise

:: Student Intros

Part 2 | Basic Computer Skills & Intro to Illustrator

Lecture/Demo

:: Computer Basics Mousing, clicking, windows, selecting, dragging, cutting, pasting, saving, naming, file formats, clipboard, Windows for Mac users, ALT-clicking

:: Illustrator Basics Vector vs. Bitmap, interface; toolbox, selection tool, pen tool, palettes, stroke and fill, a very few words about scanning and printing.

:: Page Basics How to set up a page for your homework file.

Homework

:: Read Pages 1-11, 14, 31-41 in Illustrator book

:: Practice using the toolbox.

:: Bring me a simple, childlike drawing of a row of flowers made in Illustrator. You'll get extra points for using as many tools in the toolbox as you can. Make it 11"W x 8.5" H (horizontal/ letter size paper). SEE SEPARATE HANDOUT

Presentation also counts; you may mount it or present it any way you like, but remember that the entire page is your artwork.

:: Watch Lynda.com Demos

Please watch the DIRECT SELECTION TOOL demo and CREATING AN OVAL demo at least once each. MAYBE TWICE! http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=12

:: Bring a digital photograph (.jpg or .pdf larger than 4" x 6" but no larger than 8.5" x 11") of someone's face — yours, a friend, a loved one—someone you know, preferably human, preferably facing forward (a portrait)—that we will trace over in Adobe Illustrator.

Class II | Beginning Drawing and Painting in Illustrator

Part 1 | Critique of Flowers; Toolbox Review; The Pen Tool and other drawing tools in Illustrator

MATERIALS:

:: Textbook Illustrator CS2 for Windows and Macintosh

by Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas, Peachpit Press, 2005

Critique

Critique of Flowers Homework.

Lecture

:: Quick Review: What we've covered so far in Illustrator

:: The Pen Tool in Illustrator

:: Reiteration of Classroom Rules [with emphasis on how to handle files]

o ALWAYS BRING YOUR BOOK AND CD TO CLASS!

o Grading Policy, Expectations, Conduct

o How to submit your assignments (see HOMEWORK #1 handout)

Handouts

:: Class #2 Outline

:: Resources Handout: Counseling, Library access, Lab schedule

:: Homework #2: Tracing Faces Handout

Part 2 | Tracing a Template: Using the Pen Tool on a Face

Classroom Exercise

:: Face Tutorial http://www.adobe.com/education/instruction/layers/vector_photo.html

:: Exercise Import a scanned image and make a layer template out of it. This will be practice for tracing your portrait for homework.

Lecture/Demo

:: Page Basics Review page setup for your homework file.

Homework

:: Read P. 109-110 + Chapters 12, 13 & 14; pages 151- 195 in Illustrator book.

:: Watch

o Pen Demo

o http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=12

o Face Tutorial http://www.adobe.com/education/instruction/layers/vector_photo.html

:: Vector Portraits

Bring in a digital photograph (.jpg or .pdf larger than 4" x 6" but no larger than 8.5" x 11") of someone's face — yours, a friend, a loved one—someone you know, preferably human, preferably facing forward (a portrait)—that YOU will trace over in Adobe Illustrator.

This is stage one of your midterm project. The Midterm Project will be a magazine ad for a fashion or cosmetics product: perfume, cosmetics, a hat designer, etc.

Final Art will be 8.5" x 11", so take the entire 8.5" x 11" area into consideration. The final ad will be 8.5" Wide x 11" High. Please work to these exact specifications, and mount your final printout on black matte board.

Important Illustrator Links

http://folioplanet.com/

http://www.theispot.com

http://www.budpeen.com/

http://budpeen.com/link.html (follow the links...)

http://www.pamorama.com/

http://www.torontoillustrators.com/index.htm

http://www.lambiek.net

http://www.jbradleyjohnson.com/ (more great links)

http://www.lambiek.net/vellekoop.htm

http://www.louisefili.com/

Class III | The Pen Tool and more Illustrator Skills; Layout and Conceptualization of a Project

Part 1 | Review & Critique

Handouts

:: Class #3 Outline & Homework Sheet

:: The Pathfinder Tool Handout

Critique

Portraits

Part 2 | Pathfinder, Layers, Compound Paths; Transform, Reshape,

Live Paint

Lecture/Demo

:: Pathfinder Tool Demo

:: Compound Paths

:: Dropshadow info is on page 317...use sparingly, please.

:: Thumbnails. Planning, presentation, copywriting, layout preliminaries

Homework

:: Read Pages 151-194

:: Bring in your comprehensive Cosmetics Ad proposals with copy and thumbnails: next week we will be using the text tools. Use your face artwork and add a CONCEPT. Block in where the copy will go. Write the copy.

Size/Specs:

:: Mounted on Mat Board or Illustration Board w/ 2" ADDED on top and sides, 3" ADDED on the bottom; final total size: 12.5" W x 16" H (double spread 21" W x 16" H).

:: 8.5" H x 11" W (one page spread) or (extra credit) two-page spread 17" W x 11" H

:: Bring final art on a with you disk too.