Digital Skills-Photoshop Tutorial

In an attempt to further better my skills in Photoshop, I felt it necessary to complete an online tutorial to both, learn new skills and reinforce those skills that I have recently learned. This tutorial covered many of the skills I had previous been taught such as clipping and layer masks, adjustment layers, levels, gradients etc, but also showed me new skills, using the pen tool to cut out shapes, the uses of different blending modes and using shapes in more creative ways.

Digital Skills-Week 2

This week in my digital skills sessions, we looked at layer masks, the useful rule of 'White Reveal, Black Conceal' (even if it is rare I remember that the correct way around), gradients, adjustment layers, the pen tool, blending modes and the warp tools.

Clearly I was not overly focused on the actual aesthetic outcome of this exercise, I more used this to acclimate myself with some of these unfamiliar tools. Using clippings masks, I was able to arrange the different photographs of people in this overlapping fashion. The gradients are fairly self evident, and the adjustment layers came into play when reducing the saturation of the photographs. Using the pen tool and the brush tool I was able to create the heart shape, despite being pretty unsuccessful, that process definitely has potential the more practice I have with it.

Using the skills we had learned from the previous exercise, we were tasked with replicating a piece of work one of the lecturers had prepared with the added task of using the transform tool to try and place it in situ successfully. This was a great success for me, not because I am pleased with the end result, but more that I was able to recall the skills I had recently learned and was able to apply them in a practical exercise.

Digital Skills-Week 1

After the Christmas holidays and some weather troubles, we are now starting out next brief, Digital Applications. Quite different from my previous modules this year, the way this brief will work is that, each twice a week will, as a class, will be taught several techniques in Photoshop and Illustrator which we will screenshot and annotate in an InDesign template that we have been provided with. This template, come the end of the module, will be printed and handed in for submission. 

For this first week, we looked at many of the basic tools used in Photoshop, and how and where to use them. Fortunately for me, I am not very proficient with Photoshop so this was a great learning experience for me.

Firstly, we were taught a range of skills for touching up an image, adjusting levels to change the intensity of the darks, lights and midtones, using the burn tool with a soft brush to make the lips darker and selecting areas like the teeth and using the the hue and saturation colour channels to change the colour pixels in that area.

We then looked at using blending modes and gradients together to change an image more dramatically.

We looked at using the replace colour options to change the colour of a background without changing the shadows present or going anywhere near the brush tool.

We were then shown how to create the popular over exposed look by changing the levels of an image dramatically.

We also taught how to use clipping masks in a basic way and the were taught about the 'Colour' blending mode, a mode which only effects the colour pixels in an image.

After that we were shown the basics of creating our own brushes, and that the brushes panel, however daunting it may first seen, is actually quite simple to navigate.

Next we were shown how to use the Magic Wand and Quick Selection tool to remove an object or shape from its background so that it can be moved separately on to a new document or manipulated on its own.

Lastly, using many of the techniques we were shown, we created the basic elements for an Absolut Vodka poster.

Final Packaging Designs

In the end then, I was able to digitally produce 3D visuals of my packaging ideas, incorporating the base packaging and the logo ideas I developed.

Due to the packaging itself being so basic at first glance, I thought that the uneditied version of the Phonica logo placed at the centre of the box would suit it best with only the addition of the black border to give the packaging more impact. I also showed how the packaging would be unveiled to reveal its contents in a more interesting way then just tearing the box apart. This packaging would be lifted to reveal the stand and vinyls/CD's inside.

The alternative to the above packaging, the idea, as previously mentioned, was to have the choice between these two packaging designs depending upon the want/need for the stand or not. After some testing with the chosen logo alterations, I found that this design suited the packaging more then others. I also added the line and dot that are present on the Phonica logo to the spools that the strings wraps around which I thought helped to further represent the company on the packaging.

Keeping in line with the Phonica style of a fresh, clean look, I the outwards fading Phonica logo with nothing else. As with the other designs, this black and white look keeps in line with the Phonica website which is very simplistic and contemporary in terms of colour palette. This packaging was the basic idea for the speakers that are available on their website. While the actually speaker packaging will no doubt come in several sizes, in my experience, the boxes tend to be a similar rectangular cuboid shape, as such I designed one packaging design that can be scaled to fit the different sizes. I also showed, once again, how the packaging will be opened, revealing the delivered item and peripherals that come with it (thank you cards etc).

Lastly, I created the final packaging designs for the artwork packaging. Once again using the original Phonica logo, but in a more unusual way. Having the 'n' in 'Phonica' placed across the divide in the packaging, I used the dots beneath it as finger holes to easily open the packaging once the tape had been removed. Doing so would show the artwork, secured in a tray with small divets for easy access. On the inside of the doors to the packaging, like the speaker packaging, would be any additional peripherals secured by two corner tabs so that they are not loose during transportation.
Overall I am pleased with the actual packaging ideas, the execution however is something that has let me down I feel. Having spent too long on development, I have let myself down in the actual presentation of the final ideas due to lack of time. While the packaging is going to be black and white, the way I have constructed the final pieces has left them looking somewhat unfinished. Hopefully I will come back to these in the future and will learn from this time management error of mine.

Final Piece No.1

As you can see, I have successfully completed the first of my magazine covers for Little White Lies magazine. Fortunately for me, I was able to create this piece using only a few of the tools available to me on Photoshop.

Begin the process I simply opened up the document I was provided with by D&AD in Photoshop, this gave me the Little White Lies logo where they wanted it to be as well as the correct sized document. I then opened up the scanned image of my illustration into Photoshop and moved it across to this document. Using the Burn Tool, I made all of the dark parts to the image slightly darker, including the hair and glasses. Then the only real change I made to the image was to add a filter to it, in this case I used the filter named Cutout, messed around with the options and created the image you can see above. I then scaled the image leaving some bleed. Finally, I edited one of the fonts I had already made for the magazine and placed it where I found most suitable.

I feel this piece shows some great progress on my behalf. I have managed to create a piece that I am pleased with using illustrations which I have previously been unable to integrate into other projects. I think another point to mention is that the moving from the comfort I am used to in Illustrator into the uncertainty of Photoshop shows development of my confidence and skills. While you could argue that my lack of skill in Photoshop halted the potential that this piece has, I am without a doubt aware that Photoshop is where I needed to put in the most practice in order to learn the ins and outs.

Digital Skills Lecture- Swiss Style Poster

This poster is the result of another extremely informative Digital Skills lesson inwhich we used both Photoshop and Illustrator to create this Swiss styler poster. In Photoshop we focussed on manipulating the image, this involved tools such as Gaussian Blur, adding noise, changing specific colour channels, and using many different blending modes on many different layes in order to create an aged appearance. After this, within InDesign, we focussed heavily on layout, taking the image we had created on Photoshop, setting it out as you can see above, and then manipulating the set copy by changing features such as the font and tracking.

This Digital Skills lesson provided me with much insight and a better understanding of both Photoshop and InDesign as well as the knowledge to use tools I previously knew very little about, such as the Marque tool for example. As with previous Digital Skills lectures, I will annotate the Screen Prints I took throughout the lesson and add them to my Digital Skills folder.

Project 3-Ministry of Sound Poster

At the beginning of this project, we were given a choice between designing posters for the Ministry of Sound 'Saturday Sessions' or designing a spread for the Typographic Circle. As you can see, I chose the former. My reasoning was that the Ministry brief would offer much greater freedom in terms of imagery whereas the Typographic brief would be more focused on layouts. As you can see from my previous posts I have attempted to vary my creative methods using tutorials and graphic tablets. Due to this diversity of ideas I feel I have produced reasonably final pieces that matches this brief in most respects. I say most as I did not stick to the provided colour palette, I simply felt that the colours chosen were not ideal for the poster designs, for example the purple provided was far to dark which I felt did not coincide with the Ministry of Sound vibe.

My idea of the separated logo is the center piece of these posters. This was one of my most original ideas for this project, the intention was to split the logo up so that it was still recognisable on the individual posters, but would conjoin to create the complete logo if the posters were presented together. I successfully manages to create this effect as well as chance the colour scheme per poster to, what I felt was the most sensible options. I felt, keeping this element consistent throughout the posters I was able to signify them as a series, which was part of the brief. One element of these posters which only came about towards the end of the project was to include a bold, defined to pronounce the month the poster is representing. This was another part of the posters which remained consistent throughout, only  the colours of the fill and outline changed slightly to best fit the individual posters. One other, less noticeable feature I added towards the end of the project was the date headings on the posters. While subtle, I find this feature really helps to the consistency of the posters. My strengths for this project I feel lie in the creativity each poster contains, the way the draw in your eyes, and in terms of colours chosen. My weaknesses I feel lie in layout, I am not 100% happy with the layout of my posters, I feel, on review, that I may have focused to heavily on the imagery and making that stand out that the text is lost slightly.

Project 2-Puffin Book Cover

 

For this project we had a choice to decide between designing a front cover for 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest' (Penguin Books) or 'Grimm's Fairy Tales' (Puffin Books). I was instantly drawn to the Brothers Grimm idea due to the darker nature of the fairy tales. After some research on book covers and on the fairy tales I began my idea generation process with scamps. After this, I found I was more drawn to the silhouette ideas, particularly the witch, and the idea with the tall trees to the top right of the scamps.

Next I developed the most promising ideas with more detailed sketches in my sketch book attempting to use more unusual media, such as marker pens, cardboard, biro, felt pens and watercolours.

I also developed some of my ideas on Illustrator in order to get smoother edges and bolder, cleaner colours.

Clearly this method helped to significantly improve the quality of my silhouette idea, giving a much deeper black, far cleaner edges, and a selection of text fonts to choose from. Using the tools Illustrator provides I was able to construct the idea to the left all from scratch, however I felt the chaotic nature of this idea of this idea was quite overwhelming and so produced a disappointing piece.

In the end, I decided to go with the idea of the tall trees with the stalking wolf. This idea was scanned in from my idea development in my sketch book and then developed almost entirely on Illustrator. The pen tool was the most heavily used tool which helped to create all the shapes from the trees and wolf to the title and stars. I used 'Handwriting-Dakota' for the text on the spine and back copy. After the pen tool created the shapes and the pencil and oval tools created the final details, I moved the piece into photoshop where I added a simple gradient which I felt really transformed the look of the idea. As with the previous project, I feel my real weakness lies with a lack of skill in both Illustrator and Photoshop, I feel I will have to seriously begin to practice using these programmes till I am at a point where I feel more comfortable using the more unusual tools, in particular, I would like to be able to add gradients and texture efficiently. I would say my strengths for this project lay in my preparation, I significantly improved how much research I did which lead directly to the ideas I was able to produce.