Blog Final: Visual Arts

My class proposal is for a Photoshop class, which would make it an art class but there's an english twist!

Assuming we have the resourses and the technology, the class would be provided with computers, a PS program (preferably a newer program. i.e: CS, CS2, CS3), and Wacom tablets. The tablets make it easier to work the photoshopping programs as it allows the students to draw as if with pen and paper. The class purpose would be to teach students how to utilize digital media, especially with how much it is used today. We would start with the basics like how to work photoshop (very important) and then we'd learn different techinques used in photo manipulations and coloring techniques.

In this class we would use such texts as PhotoShop CS2 in easy steps by Robert Shufflebotham or Classroom in a Book: The official training workbook from Adobe Systems.

Photoshop CS in easy steps recognizes this fact and is specifically designed to take you step by step in a logical, structured sequence to a detailed understanding of the software. It uses concise explanations and copious screen shots to simply and effectively create a clear, logical path to understanding and mastering the software.

The book focuses on key features and techniques designed to help you understand complex processes with the minimum of effort. The early chapters set a framework that will underpin your work with digital images, starting with basic colour theory, then introducing the working environment and a range of essential features that get you started working with digital images.

Further chapters cover image file formats, making and refining selections and there are chapters covering the essential painting and editing tools - including the new Colour Replacement tool.

More advanced areas of the software are covered with chapters devoted to working with layers, paths and the pen tool, channels and masks as well as colour correction techniques.

The final four chapters address the increasingly important area of web and multimedia images, covering features and techniques such as slicing, image optimisation, animation, rollovers and image maps.

Classroom in a Book is the official training workbooks that have been developed by Adobe's staff. The beauty of this series is that they assume you know nothing and work from there. Step-by step lessons are very detailed with impressive fine-tuning and complicated features explained well. The books come with a CD-ROM that has all files required to complete each example. Both the start and end files are provided so you know what you are working toward as you go along. Each lesson has screen shots of the example so you have that as a guide to keep you on track.

Of course, we wouldn't read these books cover-to-cover because, well, that would be pretty boring. Both of these books, though, would be totally relevent to the class study because they both essentially break down step-by-step the process of using PhotoShop. Another thing that would be particularly useful to this class would be tutorials including visual guides to lead the students through different techniques. Here are a few examples:

-Photorealistic puddles

-Blending images

-And the use of the Liquify tool

There are thousands of other tutorials out there to be found and a lot of them can be pretty useful in a jam. But as well as the boring, drab instructional books the students would be able to use a fiction/non-fiction book of their choosing. As a final project the students would then use their photoshopping knowledge to create a piece of art based off of the book they chose whether it be a character visualiztion, a poster, a concept used in the book, etc. I would want the students to be able to visualize the action going on in the text rather than the words on the page. And with the increasing use of digital media a little know-how about the program would be nice especially if a student is planning on looking in to a career in the digital arts, advertising, and other similar topics.