The digital media course was precisely what I expected. The interesting and informative lecture classes, hands-on lab classes, with easy to follow tutorials and the creative projects, allowed for a great semester.
The lecture classes were very informative and provided myself with excellent background information about the programs and history of digital media. I think the use of the lecture classes was very important through the semester. I believe this because the classes built a knowledge of facts to coincide with the use of the program.
Lab class always seemed to challenge my creativity and put to use my technology apt skills. I found that the hardest part for my lab projects was finding my inspiration. I find myself scared to create new ideas and projects, but this class really pushed me to think “outside the box”.
I loved seeing and everyone finished projects. The pride, and relief of having finished each project always allowed for an interesting critique class. The passion each of my peers had dedicated to each project was very motivating to want to do well.
I do wish we had received marked rubrics and constructive criticism earlier from each of our final assignments. To not have any feedback to apply to the next project was difficult because I was not able to improve on those things that needed developing. I find that I personally take marks very subjectively, as the projects seem to be marked subjectively as well. To once have loved Flash and to have enjoyed spending hours creating an animation, only to receive a below average mark, with no rubric has created a once loved program to one of displease. I hobby making animations and editing photographs, and take much pride in every one of my final projects, because, I believe they were completed with enthusiasm and whole-heartedly. It is hard to see a project you are completely proud of, be under appreciated from someone who is supposed to encourage a career in Digital Media.
That expressed, I have loved working on each project. My understanding of each program was re-enforced through the tutorials and assignments.
The most important thing I am taking away from this course was that technology doesn’t always co-operate the way you want it too. There is no way to tell the computer exactly “I want this shade of pink,” or “I want this movement”, but there is ways to problem solve technology by practice of the program or forwarding or undoing and digging through each action. It took much practice and experimenting to get Photoshop filters to work the way I wanted, or movements in Flash to happen perfectly. At least there is an “undo” key.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Adobe Photoshop
I love taking photographs. I love capturing moments and freezing time. I love being able to see those moments and remember the memories. But sometimes, the photographs don’t always turn out as the moment did.
Sometimes, the flash doesn’t work. Sometimes, red-eye can’t be ignored. Sometimes, pimples seem to stand out more than a smile. It is for this reason that I have come to love not only taking photographs, but also editing them using Adobe Fireworks.
This semester in our Digital Media lab class, Adobe Photoshop was introduced to us. This common, easy-to-use, graphic editing software has seemed like a tool that parallels with the capture button on my camera.
Adobe Photoshop is an editing software program that allows users to expand, explore, manipulate and create images to come alive. The architect of Photoshop was a graduate engineering student. Photoshop allows users to erase, re-define, and organize elements of old photographs as well as re-construct new photographs. Many visual inspirations are built using Photoshop. Large advertising companies use Photoshop to make solicit products and events.
Using Photoshop users can apply many tools to create the perfect picture. Some tools are the vector tool. The vector tool is used to draw shapes or characters. The filter tool is used to allow images to appear with accented features, or the text tool to bring words into a shot.
Photoshop today has allowed me to make posters for school events, as well as joking around with family, like putting my brother’s head on Elmo’s body.
Sometimes, the flash doesn’t work. Sometimes, red-eye can’t be ignored. Sometimes, pimples seem to stand out more than a smile. It is for this reason that I have come to love not only taking photographs, but also editing them using Adobe Fireworks.
This semester in our Digital Media lab class, Adobe Photoshop was introduced to us. This common, easy-to-use, graphic editing software has seemed like a tool that parallels with the capture button on my camera.
Adobe Photoshop is an editing software program that allows users to expand, explore, manipulate and create images to come alive. The architect of Photoshop was a graduate engineering student. Photoshop allows users to erase, re-define, and organize elements of old photographs as well as re-construct new photographs. Many visual inspirations are built using Photoshop. Large advertising companies use Photoshop to make solicit products and events.
Using Photoshop users can apply many tools to create the perfect picture. Some tools are the vector tool. The vector tool is used to draw shapes or characters. The filter tool is used to allow images to appear with accented features, or the text tool to bring words into a shot.
Photoshop today has allowed me to make posters for school events, as well as joking around with family, like putting my brother’s head on Elmo’s body.
Characteristics of Web 2.0
This week in class we discussed five different characteristsics of Web 2.0.
Characteristic #1
http://www.gowindowslive.com/Mobile/Landing/Home/Default.aspx?locale=en-CA
Dynamic content is the first characteristic of Web 2.0. Dynamic content is the ability to access the web on more than one platform. An example of dynamic content is Windows Live for Mobile. The ability to access Windows Live from your cell phone, computer, blackberry or other device qualifies it as characteristic one of Web 2.0.
Characteristic #2
http://www.country953.com/
The second characteristic is user contribution. User contribution is considered a website in which the user can apply their own input or content onto a site. An example of a website that allows for user contribution is the website for the radio station 95.3 Country FM. This radio stations website allows users to enter contests and add input to DJ’s blogs.
Characteristic #3
http://www.eharmony.ca/singles/servlet/registration?cid=55206&aid=1001&kid=GOG0033974536
Social media is the third characteristic of Web 2.0. Social media is considered as a website that allows users to network and communicate. Social media sites allow users to sign on identities and personas. An example of a social media site would be Eharmony.ca. This website allows users to sign up as singles and network for relationships.
Characteristic #4
http://www.addictinggames.com/index.html
Characteristic four is online applications. Online applications are qualified as websites that are run through the web instead of downloaded to a personal computers hard drive. An example of this is addictinggames.com. This website allows users to play video games online instead of having to download the game or program it onto the computer.
Characteristic #5
http://www.flickr.com/
The final characteristic of Web 2.0 is harnessing collective intelligence. Harnessing collective intelligence is the idea that users apply input like crowd-sourcing and tagging. An example of harnessing collective intelligence is Flickr.com. This website allows for photos to be tagged with more than one name.
Characteristic #1
http://www.gowindowslive.com/Mobile/Landing/Home/Default.aspx?locale=en-CA
Dynamic content is the first characteristic of Web 2.0. Dynamic content is the ability to access the web on more than one platform. An example of dynamic content is Windows Live for Mobile. The ability to access Windows Live from your cell phone, computer, blackberry or other device qualifies it as characteristic one of Web 2.0.
Characteristic #2
http://www.country953.com/
The second characteristic is user contribution. User contribution is considered a website in which the user can apply their own input or content onto a site. An example of a website that allows for user contribution is the website for the radio station 95.3 Country FM. This radio stations website allows users to enter contests and add input to DJ’s blogs.
Characteristic #3
http://www.eharmony.ca/singles/servlet/registration?cid=55206&aid=1001&kid=GOG0033974536
Social media is the third characteristic of Web 2.0. Social media is considered as a website that allows users to network and communicate. Social media sites allow users to sign on identities and personas. An example of a social media site would be Eharmony.ca. This website allows users to sign up as singles and network for relationships.
Characteristic #4
http://www.addictinggames.com/index.html
Characteristic four is online applications. Online applications are qualified as websites that are run through the web instead of downloaded to a personal computers hard drive. An example of this is addictinggames.com. This website allows users to play video games online instead of having to download the game or program it onto the computer.
Characteristic #5
http://www.flickr.com/
The final characteristic of Web 2.0 is harnessing collective intelligence. Harnessing collective intelligence is the idea that users apply input like crowd-sourcing and tagging. An example of harnessing collective intelligence is Flickr.com. This website allows for photos to be tagged with more than one name.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Finished Flash
My Artist Statement
I had been sitting on the bus when we reached the first stop and a woman with a dog got on. There was much tension and arguing from the back of the bus, while the woman with the dog and another woman bickered about an animal riding the bus. At the next stop a young boy got onto the bus and saw the dog. So excited and surprised a dog could be riding the bus, he announced, “A dog on the bus! How unusual!” This was the inspiration for my Flash assignment. I decided to adapt this idea into a children’s story. I have a giraffe and a cow riding the bus while a child sees the animals on the bus and says “How unusual!” The last scene completes the humour of the story. This time it is the child seen riding the bus and the animals surprised.
The goal for my Flash animation was to make a video a child would like. My idea was to make a short animation, demonstrating multiple skills learned throughout the lab class. I had the intention that my Flash animation would be a silly video that could air in-between television shows, on a children’s television network like TVO Kids.
The program I used to create this animation was Adobe Flash. The easiest part of this assignment was creating my idea. After establishing my idea, I created a rough layout of time frames and the storyline. Once I went to work, I was unsure of the type of images I wanted to use. I decided it would be best and most child-like if I drew the pictures. I used the vectors tool, the pencil tool and the brush tool the most frequently. The brush tool was very handy, because it estimated your drawing outlines and then created a smooth curve, creating a more cartooned look. There were many tutorials explaining Flash in great-detail, and because of this I found little challenge. The hardest
part was creating a “play” button. I seemed to follow the tutorials step-by-step, but for some reason there was always a “script error”, resulting in defective buttons. It was at this point when I felt very frustrated. I thought it would be best if I left the buttons for another day. Sure enough, after leaving and coming back to work on the animation, I attempted once again to insert buttons. They ended up working perfectly.
This project really taught me about patience. While using Flash I learned that when something does not work properly again and again, it is personally best for me to take a step back and then approach the project from a new angle.
Building my animation was an admiration experience for those who work with Flash daily. I have seen animations since I was a kid, but never knew how much time and dedication constructing one required. My appreciation and respect for animators has positively changed from having been in their shoes.
I do believe that my Flash animation hits my target audience. I think the childish drawings, the fun music, the easy to read words, and the plot of the animation, all appeal to kids. My animation did meet my expectations and original intent. Overall, I am excited and proud of what I have produced.
I had been sitting on the bus when we reached the first stop and a woman with a dog got on. There was much tension and arguing from the back of the bus, while the woman with the dog and another woman bickered about an animal riding the bus. At the next stop a young boy got onto the bus and saw the dog. So excited and surprised a dog could be riding the bus, he announced, “A dog on the bus! How unusual!” This was the inspiration for my Flash assignment. I decided to adapt this idea into a children’s story. I have a giraffe and a cow riding the bus while a child sees the animals on the bus and says “How unusual!” The last scene completes the humour of the story. This time it is the child seen riding the bus and the animals surprised.
The goal for my Flash animation was to make a video a child would like. My idea was to make a short animation, demonstrating multiple skills learned throughout the lab class. I had the intention that my Flash animation would be a silly video that could air in-between television shows, on a children’s television network like TVO Kids.
The program I used to create this animation was Adobe Flash. The easiest part of this assignment was creating my idea. After establishing my idea, I created a rough layout of time frames and the storyline. Once I went to work, I was unsure of the type of images I wanted to use. I decided it would be best and most child-like if I drew the pictures. I used the vectors tool, the pencil tool and the brush tool the most frequently. The brush tool was very handy, because it estimated your drawing outlines and then created a smooth curve, creating a more cartooned look. There were many tutorials explaining Flash in great-detail, and because of this I found little challenge. The hardest
part was creating a “play” button. I seemed to follow the tutorials step-by-step, but for some reason there was always a “script error”, resulting in defective buttons. It was at this point when I felt very frustrated. I thought it would be best if I left the buttons for another day. Sure enough, after leaving and coming back to work on the animation, I attempted once again to insert buttons. They ended up working perfectly.
This project really taught me about patience. While using Flash I learned that when something does not work properly again and again, it is personally best for me to take a step back and then approach the project from a new angle.
Building my animation was an admiration experience for those who work with Flash daily. I have seen animations since I was a kid, but never knew how much time and dedication constructing one required. My appreciation and respect for animators has positively changed from having been in their shoes.
I do believe that my Flash animation hits my target audience. I think the childish drawings, the fun music, the easy to read words, and the plot of the animation, all appeal to kids. My animation did meet my expectations and original intent. Overall, I am excited and proud of what I have produced.
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