Chuah Kwai Pin / 0348376
Digital Photography and Imaging / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Exercises
LECTURES:
Week 1: Intro
For our first week's introductory class, we were given a brief of what Digital Photography and Imaging module is all about. Our first lecture explained to us why it is crucial to learn Adobe Photoshop.
The Importance of Photoshop for Graphic Designer
1) To express our creativity
> It leads us to an open door of countless opportunites, and the more we discover, the better we recognise our own capabilities
2) Create graphic design
> Other than creating aesthetic, eye-pleasing visuals, it is also useful for creating website formats and even for formatting of business cards, posters and so much more.
3) Restoration of old Images
> This software can also bring back old photos by using healing brush, clone stamp as well as patch tools to make it new again
4) Integrate graphics with text artistically
> It is common to find images combined with significant messages, and Photoshop has great adaptabilities which helps convey the messages in its preferred impact.
5) Make use of brushes
> With a choice of more than thousands of brushes, it is very convenient and saves a lot of time when creating the artwork.
6) Change photo colour
> With the image editing tool, transforming colours of images and adding effects to bring out a distinct appearance are made possible.
7) Rectify mistakes in photographs
> Using the Photoshop tools, it is possible to conceal weak points and heighten the aesthetic allure of the photos.
We also learned about the times before Photoshop was invented and how photograph was manipulated manually back then.
As included in our module name, we were also given the definition of Digital Imaging. Digital imaging converts the printed text, artwork, and photographs into digital images using a scanner of imaging device. It also consists of different techniques and its specific purposes including removing details, inserting details, photomontage and false captioning.
Week 2: Introduction to Composition
For this week's class, we were introduced to the basic compositions that we must be familiar of in order to produce great works.
1) Focal Point
> Helps viewers' eyes naturally settle on the important pieces of you design first.
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| Fig. 1.1 Focal Point |
2) Scale & Hierarchy
> Drawing attention toward and away from certain elements, signifying their importance to the communication.
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| Fig. 1.2 Scale and Hierarchy |
3) Balance the Elements
> To master asymmetrical balance, think of each element as having a 'weight' to it.
> Smaller objects 'weigh' less, heavily textured elements 'weight' more than flatly coloured elements.
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| Fig. 1.3 Asymmetrical Balance |
4) White Space
> 'Empty space' to balance up main focus of a composition.
> When used strategically, can help boost your design's clarity and overall look.
> Balance out busy parts with space to help your design breathe.
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| Fig. 1.4 White Space |
Rule of Thirds
> Process of dividing an image into thirds.
> Imaginary grid yield nine parts with 4 intersection points, and when placed at the 4 intersection points. it produces a more natural image.
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| Fig. 1.5 Rule of Thirds |
Golden Ratio
> Fosters organic and natural-looking compositions that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
> Creates and appreciates sense of beauty through harmony and proportion
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| Fig.1.6 Golden Ratio |
Week 3: Introduction to Photoshop 2
For this week's lecture, we were introduced to lasso tool, pen tool and layering.
Lasso Tool
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| Fig. 1.7 Lasso Tool |
> When you click on Lasso Tool from the toolbar, there will be 3 different tool options
- Lasso
- Polygonal Lasso
- Magnetic Lasso
> Great to use with graphic tablet because it can give better flow when drawing and making selections
Pen Tool
Pen Tool
> Used for creating path from scratch by adding points and dragging the tool. The fewer the points, the smoother the path will be.
> Can be used to create extremely precise shapes and paths.
> Can be used to create extremely precise shapes and paths.
> Commonly used to make selections although it was not natively made as a selection tool.
Layering
> Different images stacked on top of each other and can be used without affecting another one to make adjustments.
> Can use layers for non-destructive editing. It will never destroy the original image.
> The layers contain all the extra information and / or images you want to add to the original file.
Week 4: Introduction to Photoshop 3
In this week's lecture, we learned about adjustment layer and filters
Adjustment layer
> A group of super useful, non-destructive image editing tools that add colour and tonal adjustments to your image without permanently changing its pixels
> A group of super useful, non-destructive image editing tools that add colour and tonal adjustments to your image without permanently changing its pixels
> You can edit and discard your adjustments or restore your original image at any time.
> When you add adjustment layer to your image, a properties panel will appear and allow you to modify your adjustment layer, which modifies your image
1. Brightness / Contrast
> When you add adjustment layer to your image, a properties panel will appear and allow you to modify your adjustment layer, which modifies your image
1. Brightness / Contrast
- Makes adjustments to the tonal range of your image.
- Brightness slider: adjusting the highlights in your image.
- Contrast slider: adjusting the shadows in your image.
2. Level
- Modifies tonal values by adjusting the levels of shadows, midtones and highlights
- One of the most used tools in adjustment layer panel.
3. Curves
- Lets you adjust as many points as you want throughout the entire tonal range of your image.
4. Exposure
- Lets you adjust exposure levels with 3 sliders: Exposure, Offset and gamma.
- Exposure: adjust highlights of the image
- Offsets: adjusts mid tones
- Gamma: adjust the dark tones only
5. Selective Colour
- Selectively modifies the amount of a primary colour without modifying the other primary colours in your image.
Filters
> Using filters to edit photos is an essential element that can change colour, add blue, or create completely new image effects.
> Photoshop offers a virtually unlimited variety of filters for this purpose.
> Photoshop offers a virtually unlimited variety of filters for this purpose.
INSTRUCTIONS:
PRACTICAL:
Week 1 Exercise:
3 Graphic Design Work from Pinterest
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| Fig. 2.1 by Olga Khaletskaya |
This digital collage work done by Olga Khaletskaya was a well-expressed piece that contained a message which can be interpreted differently by every individual. At first glance, the use of analogous colours was what captured my attention as it was pleasing to look at. Looking deeper, I also notice the principle of repetition used for the woman in black and white and I think it emphasises on what the piece is trying to convey. "Listening from one party only results in brainwash which indirectly creates duplicates of the same individual."
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| Fig. 2.2 by Jaqualine Hall |
This digital collage done by Jaqualine Hall is impressive with the use of vibrant colours on the flowers. It is striking with intricate and fine details, making the flowers look almost real. Another detail to notice is that the flowers are very classical and vintage looking in contrast to the astronaut which appears futuristic.
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| Fig. 2.3 by Eugenia Loli |
Another digital collage work done by Eugenia Loli with interesting combination of nature and sleep. Honestly, I took a first look at this collage work and immediately thought it was brilliant. The highlights and shadows of the trees play a role in creating contrast to give focus to the girl on the pillow. Usually, we have a fixed perception that trees and grass are spiky and uncomfortable to lay on. However, this collage work makes the woman look so at ease and comfortable under those layers of lush greeneries.
Bezier Game: Pen Tool
Coming into BDCM, this was actually my first time using a pen tool. I was still very new to Adobe softwares and I heard that the pen tool is very important and useful when it comes to designing. With that in mind, I kept practising and replaying the game to familiarise myself with the pen tool.
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| Fig. 2.4 Bezier Game |
Week 2 Exercise:
Pre-Compositions for Physical Collage
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| Fig. 3.1 Physical Collage Pre-Compositions |
In preparation for our Project 1A, our exercise this week was to go onto Pinterest, search for some inspirations and come up with some pre-compositions for our physical collage. We were advised to get cut outs from magazines or any other physical printouts with interesting graphics so that we could use them in our collage later on. For my collage, since majority of my magazines are science related, I decided to stick to the same theme for all my compositions which was "Planets and Space".
Week 3 Exercise:
Introduction to Photoshop
For this week's exercise, we got to learn how to use the pen tool and lasso tool in Adobe Photoshop. To begin with, we had to download a set of images from the Google Drive given and open them in Adobe Photoshop. After that, our lecturer guided us on how to use the pen tool and lasso tool. We were also given advise on which tool is best suited when dealing with images of irregular shapes or with a busy background.
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| Fig. 4.1 Using Lasso Tool |
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| Fig. 4.2 Using Magnetic Lasso Tool |
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| Fig. 4.3 Using Pen Tool |
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| Fig. 4.4 Using Lasso Tool then Select and Mask |
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| Fig. 4.5 All 3 tables selected and masked into another picture |
Week 4 Exercise:
Introduction to Photoshop 2
After learning about pen tool and lasso tool in the previous week, this week we learned about adjustment layer and filters. We also worked on Project 2 at the same time while getting to know adjustment layer and filters. We were given 2 images, one on Shazam and another on Hearst Mansion. For Shazam, we had to select and mask it so that we could insert him in the Hearst Mansion.
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Fig. 5.1 Select and Mask Shazam
We were also given another image to try with, using the refine hair option and adjusting some of the details using a refining brush tool.
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| Fig. 5.2 Refining details |
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| Fig. 5.3 Edit of Shazam in Hearst Mansion |
Week 5 Exercise:
Double Exposure
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| Fig. 6.1 Double Exposure Exercise |
Week 6: Exercise
Recolouring Black and White
For this week, we were taught how to recolour black and white photos. We downloaded photos from the given Google Drive and extracted the skin and hair colours from existing pictures to recolour the black and white image. At first, the process took a little longer than I expected, but once I got familiar to it, it was more manageable to colour the rests of her features.
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Fig. 7.1 Recolouring B&W photo first tryout
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Intro to After Effects
In this week's class we were introduced to Adobe After Effects. We had to download a .psd file from a google drive folder, import it into Adobe After Effects and do some keyframe animation.
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| Fig. 8.1 Photoshop File before animation |
For my first try, I played around with the position, scale, rotation and opacity of the separate elements. At first I was very confused how to properly import the Photoshop file, but after some guidance, the elements appeared separately and I was able to use keyframes to animate them.
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| Fig. 8.3 First Animation |
For my second animation, it is similar to the first but I changed the rotation keyframe for the fencer to shorter duration to match other graphic elements. I also included Motion Blur and used Easy Ease for the keyframe animation so that the elements flow in smoothly.
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| Fig. 8.4 Enabling Motion Blur |
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| Fig. 8.5 Using Easy Ease for the keyframe animations |
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| Fig. 8.3 Second Animation |
Week 11: Exercise
Animation in Adobe Photoshop
After learning how to animate on Adobe After Effects during the previous week, we were taught how to do simple animations on Adobe Photoshop using time and frame animation.
The first 2 were created using timeline animation. Firstly, we mask the main subject. Then on the background layer, we expand the selected subject and fill content aware to remove the subject. Then we go into timeline animation and resize the background and subject using keyframes.
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| Fig. 9.1 Yowa levitating |
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| Fig. 9.2 Yowa levitating 2 |
For this yoga animation, it was created using frame animation. We also made use of puppet wrap to change the posture of the lady by a little so it looks like it is moving.
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| Fig. Yoga pose |
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