GRAPHIC DESIGN II
Graphic Design 2,   Pr. Ellen Baryshev
Professor Ellen Baryshev    ellenbaryshev@gmail.com.
Professor Ellen Baryshev     ellenbaryshev@gmail.com
CLASS / HOMEWORK

 

WEEK 13
1. PHOTOSHOP ANIMATION
Part 2: Video Timeline
You will learn:
- Video timeline
- Importing video
- Editing videos: cutting, combining, rearranging, enhancing quality, colors, etc.
- Animation from stills and from videos
- Video layers
- Onion skin
- Using mask in animation
- Transitions
- Audio
- Export video as MP4

2. Exploring and practicing timeline animations
(Files are in the dropbox Animations Practice folder)
Notes:
- To import a video: Layer>Video Layers>New Video Layer from File
- To change Position option to Transform – convert a layer to smart object
- To change rotation point of an image – click the default center point and drag it to the needed position
- To create markers (to write comments or synchronize sound with movement):
1. On the timeline menu button click Comments>Edit Timeline Comments
2. To see comments: click Show>Comments Track


3. Discussion of the storyboard for the Animation Project

Video Timeline tutorials

Video Timeline
Article: Import video files and image sequences
Videos:
Beginning Timeline Animation in Photoshop
Candle Flame
How to make things move in Photoshop. Motion graphics basics
Robot moving eyes
Character animation (He is not very professional, but the project is interesting; and it is useful to follow the logic correcting mistakes)
A Simple Looping Animation
Hand drawn animation with onion skin
Editing and cutting videos
Editing videos (color corrections, etc.)
Problem: unable to extend duration of video layers in Photoshop Solution


Adobe CC Animation video
Animate backgrounds made with Generative Fill


Sound
Note: it is better to use public domain sounds.
Free sounds (You need to register, but it is free and fast)


How to add Audio to an animation in Adobe Photoshop
Adding sound to frame animation (convert it to timeline animation)
Combining video clip and imported sounds. Creating markers and comments
Editing sound, fade in/out, legal use  (practical example)
YouTube to MP3 audio


Saving MP4 file
Render video to mp4


TO SUBMIT
Practical #5:
Choose either example from the dropbox Animations Practice folder: Crocodile Dance or Scream.
Use the Photoshop started file there to continue with the animation; make that animation as you see it in the corresponding MP4 file; insert the sound
You are welcome to improvise

Animation Project

Start your animation; create around a half of it.
WEEK 12

1. PHOTOSHOP ANIMATION
GIF animation is a great way for ideas communication; it is a simple but powerful emotional connectionwith the audience.
Fun and quirky gifs can help brands and companies to create a significant relationship with their audience
It is used for web graphics and logos, online animations, it is a popular way to post online memes, humorous clips spread by social media users, newsletters, personal greeting cards, etc.
They’re quick to create, don’t require too much technical know-how, and can easily spread across social media sites
10 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Gifs In Your Marketing

There are two ways to create an animation: Frame Animation and Video Timeline

Part 1: Frame Animation
You will learn:
- Working with frames
- Make frames from layers
- Frames: copy, paste, reverse sequence
- Stills animation
- Tween animation: position, opacity, effects
- Export animation as GIF
And more

2. Exploring and practicing frame animations

3. ANIMATION PROJECT:
Create an animation in Photoshop with subject of your choice
Suggestions:
- An advertisement for a company website with the subject of your choice.
- An animation for a newsletter
- Technical illustration
- Product ad
Etc.

Examples:
Some email marketing examples
Animated logos
Animated Illustrations
Some more examples are in your dropbox folder

Also, these are not ads, but could be ideas for some:
Fish-Eye-Boat
Pencil
Loading animations
Google for more examples


Requirements:
- Image size very approximately 700x700 pixels but can be elongated; resolution is 72dpi.
- The graphic should be clean Illustrator style (but it depends on a subject).
- Animation should be between 5 and 10 seconds.
- It should convey some story, not just appearing/disappearing objects
- You can create images yourself in Illustrator or find images on the internet
- Add audio for extra points.


Frame Animation tutorials

Instructions: Creating frame animations
Videos:
Animation from still images
Tweening animation Ball animation (watch till 6:20)
Wiggly sketch movement effect (bull)
Working with text effects
Walking character, animation from layers
Changing colors

Note:
To open several prepared images fast and create animation:
- File>Scripts>Load Files into Stack
-Click on Create Frame Animation button
- In Animation pallet menu (at the right) click Make Frames from Layers option

Animation Project

Read this article: GIF Marketing
Look at email marketing examples
Think about the subject
Make a storybopard - several thumbnail sketches - the first frame, the last frame, and several in-between frames
Storyboard examples
WEEK 11
1. Photoshop Smart Object
A Smart Object is a Photoshop layer that contains all the information of a normal layer, but it will allow you to perform non-destructive edits.
Photoshop Smart Objects Explained in 2 minutes

Benefits:
- Smart object preserves the original quality and resolution of the image data;
- You can perform non-destructive transformations to an image (resize, rotate, skew, distort perspective, etc.) without losing any of the original image quality;
- You can apply non-destructive filters that can be changed or removed later;
- You can add separate masks to filter adjustments;
Photoshop Smart Filters Explained in 2 minutes
- You can embed vector images from Illustrator and similar applications, without needs to change to pixels first;
- If you have duplicates of an image, you can edit one and have all the duplicates updated automatically. (If you want an independent copy, make it with "layer via copy")
- You can easily replace a smart object content (creating mockups, for example)
- You can nest smart objects

Problems:
- The layer is protected inside of the Smart Object container and therefore its pixels cannot be directly edited.
If you try to use a tool such as the Brush, Healing Brush, or Clone tool on the Smart Object Layer, an icon indicates that the tool won't work (but there is a way around)
- Smart Objects can significantly increase your Photoshop file size.

Picture frame for poster
Note: first – convert white rectangle to smart object, then distort it if needed

2. Final discussion of the Art Style Poster
Project revision
A revision constitutes a change or variation to an initially presented—or in-progress—design concept, and is typically a change of less than 1/4 of the design. A revision is simply meant to be a modification or correction to progress toward the final design. It can be as simple as changing a few details, or major changes such as the correction of a design direction.

 

WEEK 10
Non destructive methods: masks
1. Layer Mask
Layer masking is a nondestructive way to hide parts of an image or the whole layer without erasing them. You can edit a layer mask to add or subtract from the masked region. The areas you paint in black are hidden, the areas you paint in white are visible, and the areas you paint in shades of gray appear in various levels of transparency.
Short video: Get to know layer masks

Useful shortcuts:
D – default colors in color picker (black and white)
X- change foreground and background colors
Alt/Option + Layer Mask button click makes a reverse mask
Alt/Option + click on the mask icon will show it
Apple
Honey
Dripping

2. Quick Mask mode
The Quick Mask mode is a powerful Photoshop feature that allows you to create a temporary mask effect on your image rapidly. It's commonly used to create precise selections, enabling the separation and manipulation of specific image areas.

Useful shortcuts:
Q convert selection to quick mask and vice versa
Double click on Quick Mask tool to see Quick Mask options (to change its color or choose areas to mask)
Useful tip: Brush tool click then Shift click makes the straight line; also works with quick mask
Car

3. Channels, removing background with channels
Channels consist of grayscale images that store information about the different color components of an image, such as red, green, or blue (RGB images) and Alpha (transparency) channel
Plant

4. Clipping mask
A clipping mask is a group of layers to which a mask is applied. The bottom-most layer, or base layer, defines the visible boundaries of the entire group.
Cat
Spot
Wolf
Forest

Photoshop Masks tutorials to study

Layer Mask
How to make a layer mask from a selection
How to use Photoshop layer masks for beginners video with thorough explanation (32 min)
How to refine a layer mask
How to combine images with a layer mask
Dripping Effect with layer mask

Quick Mask mode.
Quick Mask mode
Refine Image selection with Quick Mask Refine Image selection with Quick Mask
Channels and Quick Mask Mode
Channels, remove background

Clipping Mask
Simple Clipping Mask
Creative typography with Clipping mask (more at the right)


Art Style Poster project

Finish the project for a grade; dropox submission

 

WEEK 9
1. Color and tone (how light or dark something is)
Video Color
Graphic designers have to know and wisely apply color theory because colors play a vital role in design and everyday life. It can draw your eye to an image, or trigger an emotional response, or communicate something important without using words at all, and much more.
But we have to be aware that our brains percept colors and tones differently depending on different citations and factors.
Some examples:
Color perception illusions
Lightness perception illusions
Checker-Shadow Illusion Explained
More Lightness Illusions
Adobe Kuler site is helpfull for designers

2. Working with colors in Photoshop
Adjustments and adjustments layers (continuation)

- Match Colors
Painting Jean-Baptiste Greuze - The Laundress
Detergent
- Match and replace colors
Madonna and Child
Baby Carseat
- Hue Saturation adjustment layer for changing one color
Model in green
- Color lookup
Woman
- HDR (high dynamic range) toning

Tiger

3. Discussion of the Art Style Poster project

Study colors

Article How we perceive colors
Complementary colors that we see - experiment
Complementary colors that we see - another experiment
Book Graphic Design Basics Chapter 8, THE DYNAMICS OF COLOR

Photoshop tutorials

Changing Colors In Photoshop (several ways)
Changing Colors In Photoshop with Hue Saturation adjustment layer (short tutorial)
Color lookup
HDR toning (Short)

HDR toning
Color replacement tool

Art Style Poster project

Make 50-80% of the project

 

WEEK 8

1. Graphic design and design principles
What is Graphic Design?
Design principles

Design principles:
There are basic and important rules of graphic design - the principles of design, which are applied by good designers to design products. It’s a set of concepts that makes a designer a true professional, who’s able to provide an excellent design with great efficiency.
Usually at least several principles are applied to a single design piece.


Design principles list:
Composition (static, dynamic, vertical, horizontal, diagonal)
Alignment and grid
Balance
Contrast
Emphasis, dominance and hierarchy
Flow (Eye movement)
Gestalt (especially figure and ground relationships/positive vs. negative space)
Harmony
Movement
Proportion and scale
Proximity
Repetition (can create pattern)
Rhythm
Unity vs. variety (unity among variety)
White Space


Some examples of applied design principles:
Typographic poster “I don’t design logos”
Composition (static)
Alignment and grid
Balance
Contrast
Emphasis, dominance and hierarchy
Proportion and scale


Movie poster “127 Hours”
Composition (dynamic)
Balance
Contrast
Emphasis, dominance and hierarchy
Gestalt (figure and ground relationships)
Movement
Proportion and scale
White Space


Movie Poster

Alignment and grid
Balance
Contrast
Emphasis
Repetition
Rhythm
Unity among variety


Parthenon (a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece)
Repetition and Rhythm


Radio Station Event poster
Repetition
Rhythm
Pattern


Poster
Alignment
Balance
Contrast (direction)
Movement
Repetition
Rhythm
Unity among variety
White Space

 

Ad for Tires Plus (auto repair services)
Eye direction (among others)


M.C. Escher, Angels and Devils
Gestalt (especially figure and ground relationships)
Composition (diagonal)
Balance
Contrast
Emphasis, dominance and hierarchy
Proportion and scale
Repetition
Rhythm
Unity among variety


Enjoy work of M.C. Escher: http://www.mcescher.com/Gallery/gallery.htm   

 

2. Illustrator
- Image trace and live paint
     Images for practicing:
     Flower
     Rose (with gaps)
     Dragon

3. Art Style Poster project

Study

Illustrator
Illustrator Image Trace
Illustrator Live Paint
Illustrator Live Paint 5 Pro Tips

Graphic Design
Article The Principles of Design and Their Importance
Video (3.5 min) Introduction to Graphic Design - Design principles
Video (3 min)  The Principles of Design - practical examples
Video (14 min) Principles of design with examples
You can use this book to refresh your graphic design knowledge:
Graphic Design Basics

Art Style Poster project

Carefully read the project text
Make at least 3 pencil sketches with different ideas

 

WEEK 7
1. Photoshop
Transformation tools
Liquify Tool
Body
Face

2. Problems solutions in Strange Scale Photomontage project

3. Discussion of Anymal Hybrid project

Photoshop tutorials, study and practice

How to Change Facial Expressions in Photoshop with the Liquify Tool
How to Use The Face-Aware Liquify in Photoshop
Cool Liquify Effect
Using the Liquify Tool for some creative things
More tutorials at the right

Transformation tools

Animal Hybrid project

Finish project for grading, keep it in the dropbox

 

WEEK 6

1. Photoshop:
- Layer palette: lock options
- Burn and Dodge tools
- Blur tool
- Sharpening Images with Photoshop's High Pass Filter (Filter>Other>High Pass, change layer mode )
Man
- Adjustments and adjustment layers
Car
Castle
Eagle
Red eyes
- Liquify
- Puppet Warp for retouching
Woman


2. Discussion of Photoshop project two, ANIMAL HYBRID

Study tutorials

- Burn and Dodge tools
- Blur tool
- Sharpening Images with Photoshop's High Pass Filter
- Adjustments and adjustment layers 1
- Adjustments and adjustment layers 2

- Removing braces from teeth using multiple tools
- Lose weight with Photoshop: Content Aware, Liquefy, Patch and Clone Stamp tools

- Puppet warp
- Puppet Warp - For Retouching


Tutorial to submit: Removing Braces

For this assignment watch both tutorials, they complement each other

Video: Remove Braces in Photoshop 1

Video: Remove Braces in Photoshop 2

After that, remove braces from the teeth on this image:  

Teeth with braces

Save the file into the dropbox, as always


Photoshop project 2 - Animal Hybrid

Make at least a half of work done.
This tutorial will help you dealing with an animal fur (especialy the first part):
Removing background from hair (and fur) – with Select Subject and Mask, from tree - with Color Range tool, from car – with pen tool.
Also, watch again Quick Selection, Refine Edge - work with hair

And, some easy Photoshop Animal Hybrid videos

Crocodile-frog
Cat-monkey
Dog-bird
Lion-squirrel


Reminder:
Image size – letter size minus margins (8x10.5 inches);
Resolution – between 150 and 300 dpi;
Using high resolution and not pixelated images;
No extra layers;
Layers should be named; etc.


Dropbox submission

 

WEEK 5

Content aware vs. Generative fill
Canton Tower

Generative fill – insert an object
- Make a selection with rectangular marquee tool
- Enter prompt in the Contextual Task Bar
Sea (for pirate sailing ship)


Change an object
Woman holding …

Woman Change hair to Red yarn, fish net, etc.


Combine images with Generative Fill
Sky
Forest


Move and regenerate an object made by Generative Fill
- Use the Sea image
- Enter prompt: very big fish
- To reposition: right click on a generate layer and convert it to a smart object
- Click Remove Background


Generative Expand
- With crop tool selected, click on Generative Expend (upper right corner)
- Click OK (or check box)

Elephant
Bear


Reflection
Fishing cat
Kitten
Dog for reflected puddle


2. Final discussion the Strange Scale Photomontage project

3. Photoshop project two:
ANIMAL HYBRID
Procedure:
Find two (or 3) high resolution images of animals and, using all learned so far tools and techniques, make a believable (though unusual) animal-hybrid.
Put your new animal in an appropriate habitat, don’t forget about the light source, casting shadow, etc.
Here are some students' examples

Reminder:
Image size – letter size (8x10.5 inches);
Resolution – between 150 and 300 dpi;
Using high resolution and not pixelated images;
No extra layers;
Layers should be named; etc.

 

Generative AI tutorials

Generative fill
Generative fill (and reflection)
How to:
1. Make a selection with rectangular marquee tool
2. Enter prompt in the Contextual Task Bar

Combine images with Generative Fill

Move and regenerate an object made by Generative Fill

To reposition an object:
1. Don’t forget to Right click on a generated layer and convert it to a smart object
2. Click Remove Background

Generative Expand
How to:
1. With crop tool selected, click on Generative Expend (upper right corner)
2. Click OK (or check box)

Reflection


Strange Scale Photomontage project

Finish the project for a grade. Keep it in the dropbox.

Animal Hybrid project

Think about what animal you want to create
Find two (or 3) high resolution images of animals and put them into the dropbox

 

WEEK 4
1. Photoshop
Using tutorials while opening Photoshop
Photoshop healing tools:
Clone stamp tool
Healing brush
Spot healing brush
Patch tool
Remove tool
Content Aware tools

Practice:
Face
Sheeps
Beach 1
Beach 2
Beach 3

2. Discussion the Strange Scale Photomontage project

Study tutorials

Clone stamp tool
Clone stamp tool (clone source)
Spot Healing Brush and Patch Tool (watch till 3:20)
Healing brush tool, clone stamp with lighten mode
Remove tool
Content aware fill
Content aware move
More tutorials on youtube and in the books on Resource page

Practical assignment to submit

Make this woman 20 years younger

Strange Scale Photomontage project

Make 90% of the project. Keep it in the dropbox.

 

WEEK 3
1. Photoshop:
- Quick selection, layer mask, save/open selection

Sea
- More complex shadow
- Resizing images versus Resampling images
- JPG, GIF, PNG, WEBP file formats
Note: WebP file format - launched by Google, WebP allows websites to display high-quality images — but with much smaller (up to 26%) file sizes than traditional formats such as PNG and JPEG.
(You may require a plugin to create and edit WebP files using Adobe Photoshop or use WEBP Converter on the web)
- Undo, History and Revert in Photoshop

2. Discussion sketches with ideas for the Strange Scale Photomontage project

 

Photoshop tutorials

In addition to the previous class:
Select Subject in One Click - Select and Mask
Quick Selection, Refine Edge - work with hair
Quick Selection, Refine Edge: Extracting Person and/or Object Professionally
Layer mask
Work with layer mask (fish in bulb)


Working with shadows:
Shadow method 1
Shadow method 2


Not to have problems with printing, you need to know how to resize an image
Resizing images versus Resampling images (More videos at the right, if you need)
Changing Image and Canvas Size

File Formats:
Understanding the file format in Photoshop Very short intro to each one: PSD, BMP, TIFF, RAW, JPG, GIF, PNG (Watch till 7:10)
WEBP file format
Process of saving for web
Two ways for saving for web


Undo, History and Revert in Photoshop


Strange Scale Photomontage project

Start working on the project in Photoshop (keep it in the dropbox)
- Image size: 8x10.5 inches (vertical or horizontal layout)
- Resolution: not less than 150 dpi
- Do not use images with water marks
- Start with high resolution images

Grade will consist:
30% Creativity, originality, meaning expression
30% Work complexity
30% Photoshop skills
10% Photoshop file handing

 

WEEK 2
1. What we did not cover from the first class. Questions.

2. Photoshop
Basic Photoshop selection tools (continuation)
Select Subject feature
Convert Pen Tool Path into Selection
Eraser tools
Move Images between Files in Photoshop
Simple shadow

3. Demonstration to help with the first project: combining two images into one meaningful art piece
Images:
Tiger
Gymnast
Result: Gymnast and Tiger

4. Practice in class
Make this picture from these two images:
Dog
Child

5. Photoshop project 1: Strange Scale Photomontage
Bring 3 sketches with different ideas for the next class
There should be at least 3 sketches, but the more the better.

 

Study

Read Applying the Art of Design chapter, including the process of working on each project: research, brainstorm, thumbnails, roughs, comps, presentation.

Photoshop tutorials

Basic Photoshop selections
Basic selection tools
Select Subject
Lasso tool, feather (Kitten)
Magic Wand (including tolerance and Refine Edges options)
Magic wand with tolerance and contiguous options
Selection/quick selection (flower)
Convert Pen tool Path into Selection
Eraser tools  
Move Images Between Files in Photoshop: 5 Easy Ways
How to Move People & Objects from One Photo to Another


Practical assignment to submit

Yoga cobra pose

Combine 3 images in one file and make a composition as you see on the resulting picture; make a shadow under a gymnast. Don’t forget to name layers. Submit the work into your dropbox folder.
Files:
Cobra
Or you can use this Cobra
Gymnast
Desert

Result: Gymnast and cobra in a desert

Strange Scale Photomontage project

- Thoroughly read the project text (including CHIAROSCURO and SFUMATO parts)
- Make the pencil sketches with your 3 different ideas (minimum) in a neat notepad (be professional) and bring them to class. We will analyze your ideas and choose one to work further.
Note: project grading includes sketches

 

WEEK 1
1. Introduction and class rules explanation, class site, drop-box accounts

2. What are Vector and Raster Graphics?
- Bitmaps, pixels, resolution

3. PHOTOSHOP
- Photoshop Interface
- Working with document (to create, open, save and print)
- Saving images for print and web, file types
- Saving images for print, file types and size:
1 megabyte = 1,000 kilobytes = 1,000,000 bytes
1 gigabyte = 1,000 megabytes = 1,000,000 kilobytes = 1,000,000,000 (a billion) bytes
1 terabyte = 1,000 gigabytes = 1,000,000 megabytes = 1,000,000,000 kilobytes = 1,000,000,000,000 (a trillion) bytes
- Working with Photoshop panels (palettes)
- Basics: menu, tools, palettes
- Image size
- Canvas size
- Basic selection tools
- Crop tool

 

Study: Raster graphics, digital basics, resolution

Raster graphics
Image resolution and print size
Image resolution

Photoshop Intro
Photoshop Interface: create new file, open file, interface, zoom, undo, save file
Image size
Working with Photoshop panels

Selection tools
Feathering
Crop tool
Perspective crop tool (optional, but very cool)
Layers, very beginning

Practical assignment to submit

1. Use a photo and an image with a cartoon character or an illustration, which would not be difficult to extract from the background (better white).
2. Using the knowledge that you got in class and studied tutorials, put an image into a photo, delete the background of an image
You can crop the photo, if needed
3. Save the file, name it YourNameAssignment1.psd and put into your dropbox
My example:
My photo
Found cats illustration
Me with cats
Of course you do not have to use so many images, one would be enough
Me with one cat