Fall 2016: For students to refine their skills using Adobe Illustrator’s Pen Tool, my students accepted the challenge of the OMG project, as in “Oh my gosh, this is so challenging and time consuming!” But the effort is well worth the outcome.
In the past the theme has been to recreate a movie scene. This semester to mix things up, the theme was to recreate a god or goddess in modern society. Students researched Greek, Roman, and Aztec mythological figures to learn about their core characteristics, and brainstormed how to apply them in our current culture.
They photographed themselves, friends, or family as their models. Then they used that photo as a template to make a vector illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Tiny solid shapes make up the entirety of the photo to make a realistic representation. They spent about three weeks on the project. The process is like creating a digital painting! Below are some examples that were turned in. I also included the outline imagery of a couple illustrations to show the number of shapes that were created to make up the compositions. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results! These illustrations are sure to blow your mind!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
Huitzilopochtli by Moesha Wright(Outline of shapes)Apollo by Allie Hanson(Outline of shapes)Poseidon by Kaitlyn UptonAeolus by April PorterAphrodite by Bethany SmithDionysus by Gerald WicksKarpo by Mary Emily MooreHephaestus by Parker WebbDionysus by Ryan GuilloryHekate by Canaan GriffinHermes by Josie GoodmanNinkasi by Meredith MorrisDemeter by Morgan HeltonAphrodite by Taylor Knight
Fall 2016: In Intro to Computing, students learn the basics of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. In the past, their first project was creating an illustration based on an idiom in Illustrator. It was time to retire that project for awhile and try something new that challenged fresh ideas. This semester, I teach 3 sections of Intro to Computing for a total of about 40 students.
I am proud to admit that this new project was something I conceived on my own! For Creature Cartoon, each student pulled words out of separate bags– one for a physical trait, one for an action, and one for an emotion. Then they had to illustrate a unique creature that accompanied all those traits successfully in Illustrator.
After receiving their words, students brainstormed and submitted a series of thumbnails of their ideas, which were then narrowed down to their top three when I visited them in class one-on-one. Those three were turned into well-drawn comps that were drawn with Sharpies and Micron pens, and critiqued by their entire class. The best drawing was scanned into Illustrator, and vector shapes were placed on top. The focus of this Illustrator project was learning the Pen Tool and conducting organized layer management.
For even MORE fun, my students turned their illustrations into animated GIFs when we started the Photoshop segment. See how the GIFs turned out HERE.
Below are some illustrations that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
by Andrea Osby: joyful, shell, smell flowerby Ashley Rude: curious, climb, short legsby Austin Smith: bashful, antlers, upside downby Hannah Livingston: bored, talking on the phone, sharp teethby Kaitlyn Upton: angry, fly, whiskersby April Porter: webbed feet, anxious, floatby Bethany Smith: surprised, fly, beakby Brittany Riland: mad, long arms, swingby Chris Gates: sing, short legs, giggleby Gerald Wicks: excited, climbing, long tailby Laura Leigh Hicks: squishy cheeks, afraid, smell flowerby Mary Emily Moore: big eyes, broken-hearted, eatby Olivia Ketchum: happy, sharp teeth, readby Ryan Guillory: horns, exercise, lazyby Allie Hanson: long arms, calm, unicycleby Ann Gray Flowers: mane, bored, smell flowersby Josie Goodman: squishy cheeks, joyful, upside downby Meredith Morris: tentacles, mellow, floatby Morgan Helton: beak, sleepy, readby Ques Nevels: grumpy, webbed feet, skateby Sarah Ferguson: sad, jumping, shellby Taylor Knight: big ears, bashful, eat
UPDATE: See GIFs created later during the semester here.
For Intro to Computing’s final project, they built simple personal logos in Illustrator and constructed resumes in InDesign. This project was meant to create an awareness of how much or how little they have accomplished during their first years of college, as well as give them a little experience with logo development and InDesign. Many of the students had not typed a resumé before, and they found this project useful as they prepare to apply for part-time jobs and post-graduate jobs. The layout needed to be organized, easy to read, and fluid with a sense of style. Creating hierarchy with text was a new challenge to most of them.
Below are some resume examples that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website. Contact info is purposely fake for their protection.
Fall 2015 // 2 sections
by Abbey Rigdonby Alleigh Moffettby Carly Meltonby Jeffery Danielby Joanna Bauerby Katie Ericksonby Haylee UptonBy Justice Williamsby Lauryn Rodyby Maddie Marascalcoby Matthew Rogersby Rebecca VanHornby Sarah Cuevas
Spring 2016 // 1 section
by Cara Mooreby Conner Boothby Katherine Huangby Darby Taylorby Victoria Allgood
My students’ second Photoshop project was entitled “Pen & Pixel,” in which they had to construct a self portrait. It was a requirement to scan in textures, drawings, paintings, or items they could edit to become a part of the image. Many students demonstrated impressive concepts about themselves. Below are some examples that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
Fall 2015 // 2 sections
by Alleigh Moffettby Amy Farrarby Carly Meltonby Imani Smithby Joanna Bauerby Joseph Garlandby Katie Ericksonby Alex Caysonby Calli Nelsonby Lauryn Rodyby Maddi Marascalcoby Matthew Rogersby Sydney Armer
Spring 2016 // 1 section
by Abbey Goodmanby Connor Boothby Dion Colemanby Katherine Huangby Stephen Lathamby Taylor Darby
For my students’ first Photoshop project, I wanted them to think outside the box and create an “Impossible Reality”. They had to gather their original photography and make new photos as needed to compose their surreal image. The main artist of inspiration was Eric Johansson. He is an incredible Photoshop artist, but also kind enough to post photos and videos to demonstrate his entire process, which is great for beginners to see. Like Eric, they needed to produce an image that tricks the eye to appear realistic.
Below are some examples that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
Fall 2015 // 2 sections
by Abbey Rigdonby Alleigh Moffettby Amy Farrarby Carly Meltonby Imani Smithby Katie Ericksonby Phoebe Fitzgeraldby Alex Caysonby Haylee Uptonby Katherine Mooreby Lauryn Rodyby Maddie Marascalcoby Nicolette Johnson
Spring 2016 // 1 section
by Cecilia Lemusby Abbey Goodmanby Connor Boothby Gerard Woodsby Katherine Huangby Stephen Latham
For students to refine their skills using Adobe Illustrator’s Pen Tool, my students accepted the challenge of the OMG project, as in “Oh my gosh, this is so hard and time consuming!!!” But the effort is well worth the outcome. The objective: Recreate a movie scene with your own models and photography. Then use the photo as a template to make a vector illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Tiny solid shapes make up the entirety of the photo to make a realistic representation. They spent about three weeks on the project. The process is like creating a digital painting! Below are some examples that were turned in. I also included the outline imagery of a couple illustrations to show the number of shapes that were created to make up the compositions. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results! These illustrations are sure to blow your mind!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
Fall 2015 // 2 sections
O Brother Where Art Thou by Katie Erickson
The Hangover by Abbey Rigdon22 Jumpstreet by Alleigh MoffettThe Good, the Bad & the Ugly by Amy FarrarThe Hobbit by Carly MeltonMean Girls by Isabelle CottrellBreakfast Club by Joseph GarlandThe Other Woman by Kenan SimpkinsBreakfast at Tiffany’s by Phoebe FitzgeraldLove & Basketball by Tykia JosephNightcrawler by Alex CaysonShutter Island by Becca Van HornLegally Blond by Calli NelsonCool Hand Luke by Haylee UptonMulan by Justice WilliamsPrisoners by Matthew RogersPrincess Mononoke by Nicolette JohnsonFried Green Tomatoes by Samantha SumrallSherlock Holmes by Victoria Martin
Spring 2016 // 1 section
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Cara MooreFight Club by Cecilia LemusPhantom of the Opera by Connor BoothAnne of Green Gables by Katherine HuangScream 4 by Dion ColemonReservoir Dogs by Stephen LathamHarry Potter by Victoria Allgood
In Intro to Computing, students learn the basics of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. For their first project, they had to choose an idiom (raining cats and dogs, hit the hay, you are what you eat, etc.) and construct an interesting, successful illustration. Brainstorming processes such as mind mapping and forced connections were introduced. Then they had to submit a series of thumbnails of their ideas, and narrow down to their top three. Those three were then turned into rough comps that were drawn with sharpies and micron pens, and critiqued with their entire class. The best chosen sketch was scanned into Illustrator, and vector shapes are placed on top. The focus in Illustrator was learning the Pen Tool and layer management.
Below are some illustrations that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
by Abbey Rigdon: Pinching Penniesby Alleigh Moffett: Whatever Floats Your Boatby Carly Melton: Sleep Like a Rockby Imani Smith: Easy as Pieby Joseph Garland: Eat Like a Birdby Katie Erickson: Broken Recordby Phoebe Fitzgerald: Eye Candyby Alex Cayson: Get Off Your High Horseby Becca VanHorn: Sick as a Dogby Samantha Sumrall: Quit Cold Turkey
At this point I would intend to feature the Idiom Illustration student work from my Spring 2016 classes, but I was unfortunately on medical leave. I am thankful my art department colleague and Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Suzanne Powney was willing to step in to instruct my Intro to Computing class while I was out.
For Intro to Computing’s final project, they built simple personal logos in Illustrator and constructed resumes in InDesign. This project was meant to create an awareness of how much or how little they have accomplished during their first years of college, as well as give them a little experience with logo development and InDesign. Many of the students had not typed a resume before, and they found this project useful as they prepare to apply for part-time after-school jobs and post-graduate jobs. The layout needed to be organized, easy to read, and fluid with a sense of style. Creating hierarchy with text was a challenge, as they have not taken typography classes yet.
Below are some resume examples that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website. Contact info is purposely fake for their protection.
by Heather Hardmanby Reagan Huffman, pg. 1by Reagan Huffman, pg. 2by Morgan Linnettby Sarah Tewolde, pg. 1by Sarah Tewolde, pg. 2
My students’ second Photoshop project was entitled “Pen & Pixel,” in which they had to construct a self portrait. It was a requirement to scan in textures, drawings, paintings, or items they could edit to become a part of the image. Many students demonstrated impressive concepts about themselves. Below are some examples that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
by Ali Meelerby Sarah Tewoldeby Randi Watsonby Morgan Linnettby Justin Mayfieldby Heather Hardman
For my students’ first Photoshop project, I wanted them to think outside the box and create an “Impossible Reality”. They had to gather their original photography and make new photos as needed to compose their surreal image. The main artist of inspiration was Eric Johansson. He is an incredible Photoshop artist, but also kind enough to post photos and videos to demonstrate his entire process, which is great for beginners to see. Like Eric, they needed to produce an image that tricks the eye to appear realistic.
Below are some examples that were turned in. All have aspects to be improved upon for their portfolio, but overall I was very pleased with their results!
* I have permission from my students to promote their work on my website.
by Ali Meelerby Justin Mayfieldby Heather Hardmanby Randi Watsonby Morgan Linnettby Tré Braswellby Sarah Tewolde