Christian H.
West House
Topic: Digital Art (Graphic Design)
Essential Question: What is most important for an artist to be successful in the field of graphic designing.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Service Learning

(1) LIA Response to blog:
Literal
• Total Time: 51 hours
• Suheil Baddour (sue-heel bah-door)

Interpretive
Out of the many hours I spent volunteering there, I was tasked to do many things. Apply vinyl, prepare posters, work on banner, help design business cards, and occasionally fix a computer or two. Doing such a variety of tasks helped me understand that a graphic designer must know more than strait out designing.

Applied
My EQ asks "What is most important for an artist to be successful in the field of graphic designing?" Knowing a variety of task and the different aspects of the designing process just occurred to me as I type this exact blog. I might add it as my third answer if at all possible. Its an important answer because without knowing how to do other task, you'll be stuck doing only one job (such as only hand drawn design, newsletters, brochures, or business cards).





(2) Confirmation of Contact Person, Contact Phone Number, and 50 hours completed

*His email signature*

Signature

Monday, May 9, 2011

2 hour Presentation Rough Draft

Introduction
EQ
What is most important for an artist to be successful in the field of graphic designing?


Classroom Theme
3 laptops (one for sideshow presentation and 2 additional for activity), classroom computers with photo-shop, poster from Creative Expression with EQ, projector, tutorial packets, RED BULL!

Sponge Activity
  1. The activity: I will have students watch promo-videos of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I will have them write down which one they like the most, and how (for what) they would use that program.
  2.  Materials needed and process: I will download the three promotional videos and play them on my laptop. 
  3. Relation to answer: My best answer is "Effectively use, application and technical understanding of graphic designing programs." The video shows the top 3 graphic designing programs.
 

Introduction
I'll start by introducing myself and my senior project topic. After that, I'll ready my EQ and have one of the students explain what they think a graphic designer is. I'll explain it in more detail by quoting top designer's and then quick a quick overview of the main topics we will be covering.


Foundation
My main foundation will be to show different kinds of work of designing, including some of my own. Mostly I will show some advertising, band logos, and video game concept art.


Body
Answer 1: Effectively use, application and technical understanding of graphic designing programs. 
  • For this section, I will begin by presenting the three different programs that I showed in the video. I'll explain the technical aspect aspect of how each one works, how they are different, and how they are effectively AND ineffectively used.Since this is my best answer, I will take a slightly longer time talking about it.(25-30 minutes)

Answer 2: Include and work with the client in every step of the designing process.

  • I will be going more into the career aspect of graphic designing for this answer. This goes with a different kind of success, more of a financial success. I'll give real life examples from my service learning. (15 minutes)

 Foundation Activities
Answer 1 Activity
  1. A step by step photoshop tutorial
  2.  I'll first go over a step by step tutorial for Adobe Photoshop (how to do it and tips) as well as show them from my laptop how to use some of the tools, then I'll leave it up on the board and print out a packet for them to review. It will be a very simple task, only photo manipulation. They will each have a picture and be applying different filters to show how to quickly change a photo and give it a whole new look and feel to it.
  3. All the computer in Ms. Melogno's  room, and two addition laptops. Also a packet for everyone for reference on the tutorial.
Answer 2 Activity
  1. It will be a "command and draw" activity.
  2. I'll have the oldest person in the pair think of a landscape. They will be telling their partner how the landscape looks like in their head and describe it to them. The other pair's job is to try and draw what they think their partner thinks on a piece of paper as accurately as possible.
  3. Pencil, paper, and small folder to cover what the person is drawing (this is so they dont make hand gestures to the paper and point out where they want specific things)

Conclusion
Best Answer: Effectively use, application and technical understanding of graphic designing programs. 
  • I'll explain that even with good people skills or colaboration with your clients, without knowledge of how to use the designing tools, you are no better then them to design anything.
Three Meaningful Sources
  1. John Clifford
  2. Suhiel Badoor
  3. What is Graphic Designing by Quentin Newmark
Product
I gained a new possible career path. This is significant to me because I like it and it can one day help support my standard of living as well as happiness because it is a hobby.


Conclusion
I'll end it by thank John Clifford, whom I invited to come, and allow any and all questions to be asked about graphic designing in general.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Independent Study 2

1) Log


Piece Title Date Start Time  End Time        Time (hours)       Total Semester 2 Overall Total






42:32:00           103:52:00


Semester 2












Good & Evil 2/26/2011 9:40 PM 11:20 PM 1:40 16:30

4/8/2011 2:00 PM 8:45 PM 6:45

4/10/2011 10:25 AM 6:30 PM 8:05

Closeup 2/27/2011 8:05 PM 9:02 PM 0:57 0:57

Kevins Car 3/2/2011 9:10 PM 9:50 PM 0:40 0:40

Johny Rodger 3/3/2011 10:50 PM 11:50 PM 1:00 1:00

Smoke Effect 3/6/2011 6:15 PM 7:13 PM 0:58 6:03

3/7/2011 3:45 PM 8:50 PM 5:05

Le Portrait de Petit Cossette 3/13/2011 8:00 PM 10:00 PM 2:00 6:45

3/14/2011 7:45 PM 11:00 PM 3:15

3/25/2011 9:30 PM 11:00 PM 1:30

Vector Flower 2/28/2011 3:10 PM 6:20 PM 3:10 6:37

2/28/2011 7:10 PM 10:37 PM 3:27

Gradient Mesh (Vector) 4/4/2011 6:15 PM 7:45 PM 1:30 4:00

4/8/2011 4:30 PM 7:00 PM 2:30

2) Evidence
Fading Smoke
Le Portrait de Petit Cossette
Good & Evil
Closeup  
3) L.I.A.
Literal

(a) I, Christian Hernandez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 42 hours of work.
(b) The work I completed this semester is in the same category as my first semester Independent Component, but at a much more advance level. This is due to using more advance techniques and filters.

Interpretive

Creating these images is not an easy task, nor a short one. The work I did defines the significant parts of being a  graphic designer, using creativity to turn one or multiple images into a single enhanced picture.

Applied

One of my answers for my EQ is effective application of programs. For the evidence part of this blog, I used Adobe Photoshop to create the images. This is an appropriate application because Photoshop is specifically for photos. For those titled with "vector" I used Adobe Illustrator, which is used to create outlines and images from scratch.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Fourth Interview Questions


Interview 4 questions
1.       What is most important for an artist to be successful in the field of graphic designing?
2.       How would you define art?
3.       What are some different kinds of graphic art that you can think of?
4.       How would you define an artist?
5.       How would you define a successful graphic artist?
6.       How important is overall artistic skill (drawing, creativity…) when it comes to being a graphic designer?
7.       (shows picture and asks for feedback)
8.       (shows picture and asks for feedback)
9.       (shows picture and asks for feedback)
10.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
11.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
12.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
13.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
14.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
15.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
16.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
17.   (shows picture and asks for feedback)
18.   What is the best way to deal with color blindness for a graphic artist? (since we’re both colorblind)
19.   Should a graphic designer be familiar with how the printing system works?
20.   Would an artist be more successful having their own business, or working under someone?

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Creative Expression

The senior project requires that you express creativity in some way. We ask that you study one of the many art disciplines as a part of answering your EQ. And at some point, each student will show their creative expression exhibit.

(You're basically doing an art project that's relevant to your senior project.) Please answer the following:

(1) What type of art could you study to help improve your understanding of your senior project topic (*this requires you to research different types of art).

-My senior project topic is art. Its creating visual images on the computer for either marketing purposes, for production, or advertisment. Companies also have artists create visual appealing patterns and designs for clothes or anything else that can be printed.

(2) Give me ideas of what you could do or make for a creative expression presentation.
- I wanted to do a video tutorial on one of the art pieces I have done. I plan to get a free video screen recorder and record myself re-doing one of my art pieces from the beginning step by step. I will either add captions in the video, or do an audio commentary.
- This covers making a video to present something that is already artistic by nature. The video involves editing, as well as audio commentary or visual caption on screen.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Product

My product so far is a possible career choice. Before, graphic designing (mostly just photo-shopping) was a mere hobby. By taking it as my Senior Project, I have excelled all of skills to the next level and began to implement career skills in my work. Most I do photo-manipulation, but that too is a job on its own.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Presentation 2 Final Draft: Graphic Design


EQ: What is most important for an artist to be successful in the field of graphic designing?

(A) Introduction
1. Describe a general overview of your presentation
-It is mainly going to be a power point presentation on who my service learning is and tie it back to my EQ and defining what graphic designing is.
2. Purpose or objectives of your presentation (aka the thesis of your presentation)
-To show my peers what graphic designing is.

(B) Body (back up your purpose with 2-3 major points)
1. Major point 1: Give examples made my graphic designers. I am doing this to show that they are hired to create pieces of art for something specific (movie poster, book cover...) (6 min.)
2. Major point 2: Go over my piece "Northern Lights", and how it helped me take a huge first step. (4 min)
3. Major point 3: Show who my Service Leaning is and why he helps me. (5 minutes).
*For each major point in the body you plan to discuss, put in parentheses how long you think you will present on this topic
4. I am going to tell every person to design a rough draft of a movie poster on a piece of paper. I'll give them a movie genre (drama/romance) with the actors and directors (Keanu Reeves and Kate Beckinsale) and the plot of the movie.
5. How will this activity help the students understand the major points you already covered?
-The first major point covers how a designing is given a piece to do, and given the requirements and wants and needs form the client. They have to meet all of these and bring it all together to be appropriate with the content of what they are presenting or advertising.
-The second point shows the steps I took in design a piece myself. How the actual piece came together and what I had to think of in order to get to where I wanted to.
-The third point has to do with the gathering of the overall knowledge I gained from the past two points.
(C) Conclusion
1. Summarize the essential points and discuss how this is connected to the EQ.
-Point 1: One of my answers to my EQ is meeting the needs of your client. By showing actual works of art and advertising from real designers, I am giving real life examples of what works well and what doesn’t.
-Point 2: This is mostly me going through the process of designing an art piece. Practice is very important to any career, but it doesn’t directly reflect on any of my EQ answers, but to the EQ it does because skill is essential for success.
-Point 3: This is one of my main fountains of knowledge when it comes to the entire field of graphic designing. This is for my own personal use as well as getting answers to my EQ.
2. What was your most important source for this presentation and why?
-Definitely my service learning. He helped me come up with 2 different answers for my EQ. Plus he give me help on how I should continue forward in my own practice for this career.
*You need to also reference research as you are presenting the introduction and body.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Independent Study 1

I, Christian Hernandez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents at least 30 hours of work.

The following photographs were not completely made by my own hands from scratch. The only piece that is done entirely by me is "Northern Lights". I used Adobe Photoshop CS5 to change, organize, manipulate, and add on to these pictures. I have over 60 hours of me on my computer working on these peices, and although there are more not posted, these were the ones that I have decided to post as evidence of my working.


Defend your work and explain how the significant parts of your component and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.

My Senior Project requires that I explore many different aspects, techniques, and applications and creation of digital art. Since I started off my project with absolutely no experience

Applied

How did it help you answer your EQ? Be specific and use examples.
Demon Hunter Persona- Header
Footer



Elfen Lied-Cry Blood


Tori
Demon Hunter Skull (Red)


Digital Art/Other Poster

Beautiful Eye Reflection
Northern Lights



Magical Forest
Red/Purple Eye
Night Eye

Third Interview Questions

What is most important for an artist to be successful in the field of graphic designing.
  1. How would you define a successful graphic designer?
  2. How important is drawing skill when it comes to creating a piece of advertising?
  3. What are the most popular jobs (and employers) of graphic artist?
  4. What form of graphic designing do you think will be the most popular in the future (gaming animation, movie posters, food labels…”
  5. How would you define a freelance graphic designer?
  6. How many years of education are usually required to receive the necessary skills and knowledge to be a freelance designer?
  7. What are some of the biggest problems an artist might face?
  8. What are some good ways for an artist to replenish their creativity?
  9. What are the different wages for different kind of designer (ex: video game designer vs. movie poster creator)
  10. What other occupations might appeal to a person with the same skills as a graphic artist?