Week 7- Illustrated letterforms

 My word was Ghoul.


This was one of my favorite exercises. After sketching pages and pages of text and typefaces with a ghoulish feel I picked images to re- create the word. I had to change the size and direction of some whilst altering others more so to make the letter stand out.




                     

                        

I really enjoyed this exercise as it was fun to do. It also helped me stretch my thoughts to include text which i sometimes forget about.

This was a combination of some images I drew from Worcester Cathedral's ancient archives and other drawings I made. I inverted the colors to try and create a different feel to the image and also changed the ghouls to red. I think it works nicely.

Week 6

This week we started to use illustrator. It helped a great deal that the tools were similar to Photoshop. It got a bit confusing as I got carried away at one point. But didn't realise I was still in Photoshop and not in Illustrator!

After this hiccough I carried on but then completely forgot to follow the task sheet!

After a bit of rescuing I settled down and gradually got the hang of some of it. Feeling totally inept next to my friend as she produced a wonderful first piece. I wanted to throw my Mr. Potato head out the window. Especially when trying to give him black hair and instead turned his whole head black! But I got there in the end. It was just basic ellipses and pencil tool using layers like Photoshop and some imagination.

Mr Potato Head 

After choosing an image to scan in I started to add layers and began to experiment. I began by digitally colouring the hoody and adding shading then. I moved onto making the jacket funky and picking the right shade for the hair. I was really happy with the finished image.

This glam 1920's man was my next subject. I scanned in the black and white photo and started to adjust features and remove elements that were not needed. I spent time layering colours and experimenting with different colour combinations that would work for shadows etc.. I even gave his hair a pattern, which works well I think. He may beg to differ though. I can't wait to do this again as I really loved it. 

A big improvement for me although I am in no way a techy, I feel as though I am less concerned about my technical know how now and feel more comfortable to try new processes.

Week 5

At this point we are half way through the module and I feel as though I have come a long way. I feel more comfortable with using Photoshop and less intimidated by my lack of knowledge. I think that I have a good grip of the layering system and know how to use some of the basic tools to adjust images.


So far each week the repetition of the setting up and saving of files is becoming familiar and nearly second nature. I have however moments where I lose myself and forget how I need to progress to the next stage. Even after playing around sometimes I still haven't worked it out. I revert back to my notes, which occasionally help, but sometimes I feel a bit left behind as the others race ahead. Maybe I over think things not sure. Or maybe it's because others seem to 'get it' way before I have. 





This week we covered Giffs or is it jiffs as the Americans pronounce them.


A giff /jiff was to be produced from an image of something that has movement attached in a mini animation kind of way. After looking at the examples I couldn't wait to get started so much so, when I was inputting my information I got carried away.


I made the animation side of things more complicated than it needed to be and so needed help! After some rescuing I proceeded to start another.

I thought I understood the process but obviously forgot a few bits. I understood and carried out the first parts of the giff with no problems. I carried out the movements by putting them onto different layers. I knew I had to merge the layers at some point after this was done. But wasn't sure which ones with which. I still struggle with this a bit.  

                                       

A mad old twitchy witch!

  

Second Giff was a strange little creature dancing.



             



I am really happy with my Giffs. Although I know I could have blended the background behind the moving parts a bit better I am delighted with the little creature.  

It was suggested I should work on another one maybe simpler, which I attempted at home after the evenings lecture and the following morning. I got so far and despite looking on Lynda.com supportive notes and my notes I still couldn't fathom why I couldn't get this one working. Part of this punk lady's hair is meant to lift up and down slightly Toupee like! I will have to try and work out where I went wrong.