Digital Media 10 / 11 - Fall / Winter 2024

Welcome to the course Digital Media 10 /11

It is so great to have all of you in the course! We have so much to do and to learn. It is hoped that by the end of this course, you will have a comprehensive set of skills in new media and design. We will focus on developing our creative side with great scope for personal expressions while also being grounded in a strong technical foundation. Our course will take us from Photoshop to graphic design, to video editing skills, to architectural renderings, to advanced desktop layout techniques to achieving excellent in report creation. There is really no limit here to the digital learning we can accomplish, 

I look forward to a great semester! :)

Create a one Drive share link - create an 'on line' spreadsheet for sharing course assignments 

Hand In Folder for Digital Media 10 / 11

Link to access 'creative cloud' and Adobe Suite at home 

(please install - Adobe Photoshop / Adobe Illustrator / Adobe InDesign / Adobe Premiere)

Digital drawing tablet driver install link

Module # 3 - Digital Drawing Techniques and Introduction to Animation fundamentals

Adobe Fresco / Adobe Animation CC 

In the next section of the course, we will be learning some new digital drawing techniques in order to incorporate them into our Animation sequences. Specifically, we will be using Adobe Fresco to create practice our skills with background drawing / perspective drawing / and character studies. We will then, use some of our best examples to help us with Part III - introduction to movement with Animate CC. 

Part I  - Drawing Essentials with Adobe Fresco

Instructions: 

In our first segment, we will practice 'scene' creation with the goal of using many of these in our future animation productions. We will be creating a series of 'canvases' depicting various enviroments (urban, rural, other?). (5 scenes). Please experiment with background styles and approaches (watercolour brushes or paint brushes or just a thick pencil ) 

Out of your FIVE background scenes please complete these in the follwoing way: 

One - "one point perspective scene" / One "two point perspective scene / One "three Point persepctive scene - Perspective drawing explainer . Each of these differing scenes can be best described by the number of 'vanishing points' at each 'Horizon Line'. The techniques involved allows you to make a 2 D environment appear to be 3 D with increased 'depth of field'. Try your best and be sure to incorporate the above techniques with both landscapes and with buildings. You are welcome to create these more as a pencil sketch. Colourizing the first three is NOT required. 

Background scenes 4 and 5 should be more 'experimental' with one being made with the use of the watercolour palattes while the other is predominately made with the brush tools. You can of course, mix and match if that might help. 

Part II - Drawing Character Faces - both humanlike and animal form...

In the next segment, we will practicing our drawing techniques to help us to create a diverse range of faces, people and even animals. You may use the resources provided below or search for your own guidance and inspiration. 

Please complete FIVE pencil sketch character 'heads' / one animal / and one full 'head and body' concept (A TOTAL of 7).  It is hoped that we will be able to use some of these when we move on to animation in Part III. 

Instructions for making characters and faces  (use Paint 3 D) / how to draw faces (front view) /  how to draw faces / How to draw Animals 

Resources 

Perspective drawing basics / one point perspective drawing / learn to draw for beginners / 

Part III - Animation Fundamentals - Animate CC 

In our first look at animation style and techniques, we will be using Animate to create a ball bouncing sequence. This will allow us to start to learn more about the Animate software and how one opens and creates a basic animation project (please see PDF attachment below for further assignment details. 

Here is the PDF outlining our first assignment / a set of how to instructions 

Examples of this style of animation / Squash and Stretch in animation

Concepts covered: 

Perspective drawing, character drawing techniques, layering, creating objects, filling objects, creating backgrounds, tweening, movement on the ' two's ', a case study of 'natural' movement, introduction to sound effects library, drawing with a tablet, tracing objects in Animate CC. 

A 'natural' bouncing movement trajectory. As animation is, in effect, a study of "realism" we need to understand in great detail how objects actually move in space and time. In this example, we can see that the ball not only does a "squish and a stretch" but the object also moves at different rates in different speeds depending on the location of the object in the "arc". As the ball drops to the ground, the ball picks up speed while the reverse is true on the return. The final bounce is of course lower until the ball rolls to a stop

To add in 'easing' to your project please select this link - This allows for very subtle but important motion trajectories that allow for changes due to effects of gravity and object spin and movements. 

To export your finished project as an MP 4 file - you will need to use H264 format and then use the video 'media encoder' to get the correct output! 

Adding sound to your project: (do at the end)

In order to add sound to the project please take a look at these instructions / Edit sound clips part II / free sound clips / my library of sound clips

Adobe's Official Animate sound site resource

All about sound Animate CC - how to synchronize sound effects and timings

You can use Audacity to adjust the sound properties: 


Student Project Sample folder

Animate CC - workarounds 

1) To get Sound to work on Animate CC please do the following:

Open up Adobe "Audition" - import sound file / Save As - change to 44100Hz playback of 16 bits - MP3 format - then import into Adobe Animate 

Course Module # 2 - Photoshop fundamentals

Due to changes in the licensing arrangement all of you will have a specific paid Adobe Suite license for the semester. I am crossing my fingers that you are able to login starting on day 1. 

Photoshop Introduction and Helpful Resources

Photoshop is a powerful design tool to help you to create unique and dynamic images. However, in order to get started, we need to learn about the core essentials of the program.  

Reference guide that explains layers very well!                        Please take a look! (Must read this link)

Excellent "official" reference guide for Photoshop                

PART A - Beginner use of layers introduction  

Introduction 

In this first course intro section we will be working off of the Adobe web site and using the three files offered here. Please download the zip file for this. You may substitute your own images if you would rather (be sure they are high quality) 

1) Replicate the Photoshop tutorial video (use zip file images) - and then reinvent them in your own unique style

Image one (rose) - change the colours on the pedals (Colour replacement tool / Colour replacement version II )  add an effect / change the contrast / cut the flower on to a second layer 

Image two (Red cliff) - select the rock face / change the brightness / change the "look" of the rock cliff in terms of lighting or colour or hue or saturation / select the sky portion and try to either replace it with a sunset or change the colouring the blue sky to make it a sharper contrast 

Image three (checker board) - use the colour fill option for the side of the image / cut a non checker square and place it over a checker / make a few other modifications of your choosing. 

Part B - Using the Rectangular / Elliptical Marque tool

Experiment with TWO images of a  set of 'child's building blocks'. PLEASE SEARCH OUT AND DOWNLOAD TWO OR THREE PRACTICE IMAGES

The image should have at least twenty different blocks to work with. 

You will use the following tools to adjust the blocks: 

Rectangular Marquee tool / Elipitical marquee tool / Quick selection / Magic wand (all use to select parts of an image)- in concert with the Adjustment options to adjust the blocks and recreate the image. 

Please read through this essential tutorial on the Rectangular marque tool explained here.  

Part C - Use of the new "Generative Fill" AI option in Photoshop 

Learn all about Generative image fill from this intro Video

Find TWO or THREE "high res" images of your choice...

Example only (use google 'tools' to find your hi res one) / other options

Part D -  Layer Masks versus Clipping Masks - An essential Photoshop skill! 

Please read this link which discusses this concept in great detail! (reference guide) 

A) Complete this layer mask activity - please choose TWO of your own high res images to use (please each on on their own separate layer! 

B) Clipping mask - use these instructions - super easy! - please choose your own images to work with! 

Part E - Create a Movie Poster Parody (ie Funny or ironical) / Event poster / other...

In this follow up activity to layer masking, we will using our newly acquired superpowers to make a Movie Poster with a more humour twist. In this segment we will be using our new skills with layer masking, clipping masks, making adjustments, working with layers and cutting and splicing several images into one.  (somewhat) Funny examples

Instruction Set from Adobe for Poster 

Making a Movie poster in Animate CC /  Making a Movie poster (older instruction set)

Criteria

Must include: use of both layer and clipping masks / use of 'adustments to hue - satuaration / quick selection / several layers of blended graphics / be 'funny' or informative :) 

 More examples / how to use colour replace tool 

Part F - Choose TWO Innovative Photoshop Projects 

In this next segment, you will have a chance to 'stretch out' your skills with Photoshop. You may follow a few of these tutorials but feel free to substitute out the photos and subjects. Please personalize but please READ through the tutorials before starting as I have not had the time to do them all myself! 

Choose an 'interesting project from this Adobe Link (choose ONE)

Second Project Link (choose through the list - please don't select 'beginner'  - only intermediate or advanced - Choose TWO


Unit Resources

Using the eyedropper to touch up images (colour matching)

Module # 1 - Explore Krita Brush Tool Suite and Compositional Ideas

Please download and install Krita if you don't have access

We are going to be 'course correcting' and starting with an excellent piece of drawing software called Krita. 

In our first segment, we will be exploring the use of the Brush tool

Use of the Brush tool - basics / The various tool suite explained / All about layers 

1 - Landscape(s) 

Environmental brushes / Texturing with patterns

In our first use of Krita, we will be using the diverse brush set to create a unique landscape(s). You may make more than one if time permits. Please explore the brush tip textures and various other features. You could try to create a lanscape with 'shocking' colours or contrasts (non 'realism') or you could create one with a soft blend of colours and tones. How this unfolds is up to you, please never shy away from your own personal creative ideas. This is an 'open ended' experimentation. 

2 - Self Portrait 

In the second of our introductory series, we will attempt to create a 'self portrait'. It could be completed with either the brush tools. You could colourize it or you could do it more in charcols and monochromatic (black and whites). 

You could take a 'selfie' of yourself and use it to trace yourself or complete more of an 'interpretive' composition. 

3 - Cubist style portrait use if at least FIVE different geometric shapes 

Realism to Abstract - where do your compositions fit into this continuum ?

Cubism - an early 20th century style 

Working with Krita perspectives  / Krita shape drawing 

In the last of our intro series, we will be creating one or two 'scene's in which geometry figures prominently. You could take it from a more specific 'realism' all the way out to an abstract representation of a place or object. 

Here is a step by step of the 'cubist' style