Taking your collage one step further

This week's project is going to be your first real "project" of the semester. I hope this project will yield some great work, worthy of hanging on the boards outside the classroom.

We are going to do another collage project. This time you will be using ALL the techniques from chapter 5 through chapter 9. I want you to spend some time thinking about it.

I want you to start with chapter 5's lesson and think about color theory. What colors will you choose to use for this project and why? Chapter 6 talks about creating line art and using flat graphics in Adobe Illustrator. What sort of line art and flat graphics will your collage contain? You MUST include at least ONE clipping mask in your project at a minimum. If you want a great grade, you will want to include MORE than one! You will use chapter 7's lesson on resolution to make sure you have HIGH QUALITY images to use in your collage. Any image you use must be at least 300ppi in the full size you intend to use it. NO upscaling! This rule applys for your clipping mask images, too! You will use the exercises in Chapter 8 to adjust the tonal range of your photographs, adjust the curves, sharpen the images, etc using Adobe Photoshop. After that, you'll use the knowledge you gained in chapter 9 to compile multiple images into your final collage. You MUST use layer blending modes in some form in this project. And remember, you can combine chapter elements! Perhaps you'll want to create a clipping mask around a photo and THEN use a blending mode on it!

This project will require some thought and planning. So, you will start by making a DETAILED sketch in your sketchbook of your composition. That means you'll need to pick your photos first, or at least know what sort of photos you want to use, so you can include drawings of those photos in your sketch. Your sketch will be due at the same time your project is due. You will have the entire week to work on these and they will be due next Monday.

HOMEWORK:

• Create a detailed sketch of your collage in your sketchbook.

• Create a collage in Adobe Photoshop using ALL techniques from Ch5-Ch9.

• MUST include some type of color theory. (You will be asked to explain your choices.)

• MUST include DRAWN line art (not live traced) and at least ONE clipping mask around a photo.

• MUST include full-size, high resolution (300ppi) photographic images.

• MUST include some form of altered tonal range, sharpness or curves in ALL of your photos.

• MUST include a MINIMUM of FIVE photographs in your collage.

• MUST alter at least some of the photographs using layer blending modes.

In order to get an "A" on this project, your collage must contain everything listed above. These projects are due on Monday, March 28th. You will have the entire class time during both classes this week to work on these. Make good use of the time and impress me with your projects!