Skyline Project

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

Use the Shape Tool in Adobe Illustrator to construct geometric forms representing buildings in a city skyline.
Apply the Direct Selection Tool to modify shapes, creating windows, rooftops, and other architectural details.
Understand and demonstrate the relationship between visual art and technology by using design software to create digital art.
Collaborate and critique peers' work to refine their projects.

Materials Needed:

Computers with Adobe Illustrator installed
Projector or smartboard for demonstration
Handouts or slides explaining key Illustrator tools (Shape Tool, Direct Selection Tool)
Example skyline designs for inspiration

Create a new page on your portfolio and call it Skyline
Select a city that you want to focus on.
Find an image of that skyline and save it to both your Google Drive and your portfolio.
Find 5 facts about your city and add them to your page.

1. Introduction (10 minutes):

Begin by showing examples of city skylines (both real and stylized).
Discuss how shapes are foundational in creating architectural designs.
Introduce the tools: Shape Tool (rectangles, ellipses, polygons) and Direct Selection Tool (modifying anchor points and paths).

2. Demonstration (15 minutes):

Live demonstration on the projector:
1. Create basic building shapes using the Rectangle Tool.
2. Add rooftop features (e.g., triangles for peaked roofs) using the Polygon Tool.
3. Use the Direct Selection Tool to adjust anchor points and customize shapes.
4. Add windows and doors using smaller shapes.
5. Experiment with color fills and gradients for a polished look.

3. Guided Practice (20 minutes):

Students follow along to create a basic building using the demonstrated tools.
Provide real-time feedback as they work.

4. Independent Work (30 minutes):

Students design their own skyline, incorporating at least:
- Three unique building shapes
- Details like windows, roofs, or textures
- A color palette inspired by a real-world city or their imagination

5. Peer Review and Reflection (10 minutes):

Pair students to present their skylines.
Partners provide constructive feedback on creativity and technique.

Use your Artboard Tool to make your artboard fit around your image.

On your Layers Panel Click the empty box next to the eyeball on Layer 1 to lock it.
Create a second layer. This is the layer you will be focusing on for your project.

Using your rectangle tool and your black and white arrows you are going to create shapes over each building.
- On your Properies Tab you can lower the opacity of buildings to make them see through to see where the angles should be.
- You can check your work by hiding the first layer and seeing your progress on the second layer.

When your buildings are complete you are going to hide Layer 1 and edit and adjust your buildings be visually pleasing. At this point it is ok to add buildings, change heights.

Edit your colors and opacity for the desired effects.

Creating You Background

Using your rectangle tool, create a rectangle that covers the entire area where the sky will be. Then go to Object > Arrange, and send it to the back.

Repeat this step for the ground.

Adding a Gradient to Change the Time of Day

To change from a solid color to a gradient, you are going to select the middle color icon underneath your color selector. By clicking this, your gradient options will automatically show up.

The dots under your gradient are called gradient STOPS, double clicking on them changes the color. If you click under the gradient slider you can add colors. If you add a color you do not want you can click on the dot and drag it down to take it away.

Select your gradient tool from your left hand toolbar to click and drag to change the direction of your gradient.

Repeat this step multiple times to create different versions of your city. Save each different version as a jpeg and add it to your portfolio.

Creating a Refletcion

Select all of your buildings and group them. (CTRL+G)
Copy and paste and align it exactly on top of the original buildings
Take the top of your select and drag down until your buildings flip
Lower the opacity of the bottom buildings to create the reflection illusion.

Expirement with your text tool to add the name of your city and facts to your document.

Student Examples

Standards Addressed

Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework (Visual Arts):

(2.12) Demonstrate the ability to use a variety of materials and tools to create a finished work of art.
(3.10) Apply knowledge of visual composition elements (e.g., shape, line, balance) to design artwork.
(5.12) Analyze how digital tools can enhance artistic expression.

Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Framework:

(6-8.DTC.a.2) Use digital tools (e.g., graphic design software) to create original works for a specific purpose.
(6-8.CT.a.5) Modify a digital project using editing tools to enhance its function and aesthetic quality.

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