The Digital Portrait

Up Next:

Expression of the Human Form

The Digital Portrait

What makes a successful portrait?

What can artists convey through portraiture?

Self Portraiture

Self-Portrait, Judith Leyster, 1630

Self-Portrait, Gustave Courbet, 1843

Self-portraits are representations of an artist crafted by the artist themselves- drawn, sculpted, painted, and photographed.

Self-portraits have been around since the earliest times, but became more frequent in the mid-15th century when better and cheaper mirrors became available.

_______________________________________________________

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Things to Consider what Capturing the Human Form:

• Who is your subject? What do you want to say about them?
• What's going on in the background?
• Pay attention to lighting- do you want a silhouette? side lighting? subtle lighting? What kinds of moods will different lighting create?
• Think about clothing. Clothing can make or break the mood/effect of a photo. Same goes for props.
• Do you want a candid shot or a traditional portrait? Candid shots can create emotions and stories that a traditional shot can't.
• Cater to your subjects personalities!
• Keep in mind... a portrait isn't always a face... just usually :)
• A portrait can also be a SERIES of portraits... nobody said you have to tell a story with only one shot :)

______________________________________________________

PHOTOSHOP:

(like this one? :) There's a tutorial here if you're driven!)

Things to Consider When Processing Your Photos:

• Photos can use a touch up in photoshop 95% of the time. Even if it's just a minor lighting adjustment.
• Filters can be used to bring out elements of your portrait that help to tell the subject's story.
• We know how to select objects, put things in new layers, and fill in the color of certain areas. This technique can be used to make a poster-like effect like the last one by Shepherd Fairey above.
• You can change the backgrounds, or add in other props, but make sure they're adding to the portrait and not taking away from it...

________________________________________________________

YOUR ASSIGNMENT: 

Create a collection of portraits, including at least 1 self portrait, using any or all of the tools we have learned about so far. This includes the tricks we learned about photography AND photoshop! (A "collection" is at least 6.... although you may choose to do more)

• At least 6 finished portraits
• at least 1 of the 6 should be a self portrait
• portraits can be abstract representations, artistic representations, traditional representations, repetitive representations... if you're not sure if something counts, just ask!
• portraits should be QUALITY photographs taken by YOU with good lighting, composition, and technology (don't use crummy cell phone cameras... some are high quality- make sure you know the difference).
• portraits should undergo some kind of photoshop process, whether it be lighting/color alterations, background changing, filter application, or intense layering.
• At least 1 portrait MUST use layering.

Due on Flashdrives at the end of class on

Monday, May 20th.

(all 6 images)

iPod Silhouettes

Our Next Project will be creating our own iPod-like silhouettes. I say iPod-like.... because you do not have to include the iPod. You're picture can be about something else, like the one below "iRead"

Step ONE:

• What is your "iPhrase"
• Pick something that interests you- iDance, iRead, iPaint, iLaugh, iBackbend, iShootHoops....

Step TWO:

• Take some photographs!
• You'll need a figure standing in a specific POSE, in front of a bare background. If you have too much stuff in the background it will be difficult to trace your figure with the selection tool.
• Take between 5 and 10 photos of different poses. You'll want options!
• Have a prop- what is your picture about?

Step Three:

• Upload to your computer. Demo on Thursday/Friday in class.

We will have a finished product of THREE images. So if you pick, iDance, there will be 3 different silhouettes all about dancing.

VIDEO TUTORIAL HERE (for any who likes to do things on their own and ignore me) :)

Filter Project

Yesterday, we learned about the filter gallery in photoshop.

Today and Wednesday we will be completing a project using these tools.

You will be applying filters (and other effects if you desire) to TEN high quality ARTFUL PHOTOGRAPHS. 

• Do not use random photos of celebrities/pets
• You may use internet photos- as long as they are larger than 1000 x 1000 pixels and ART photos- not snapshots, memes, etc.
• You may use 10 photos that are The Same- or 10 that are different- that is up to you.
• You may use your own photos- once again, make sure they are ART photos.
• I would like you to use 10 DIFFERENT FILTERS. do not use the cutout filter 3 times and the Neon filter 7 times.

Your 10 filtered photos will be due On your flashdrives (as separate files, named with the filter used: CutoutJarred, StampJoe, StylizeSarah) at the end of class on Wednesday.

You will also be asked to post your Favorite- the ONE you think is the most well done, in a Blog post, with a SELF CRITIQUE. Please answer the following questions:

• What do you think is most successful about this piece?
• What do you wish you could change?
• What was the most enjoyable part of this project for you?
• Did you find anything about this process challenging?
• Do you think you will use these filters in the future for anything?
• How do you feel about your digital art skills so far?

Due Wednesday

Warhol Assignment

BLOG:

• Create a Blog Post about ANDY WARHOL OR POP ART
• Include at least 3 photos
• Include IN YOUR OWN WORDS- a paragraph or 2 about the subject.
• Due Thursday 4/11 (Per 3) Friday 4/12 (Per 4)

PROJECT

• Choose one of YOUR OWN PHOTOS
• Create 6-9 altered versions of this photo. (9 or more if you are taking the easy way out!)
• Combine images all into one document for printing
• Due Thursday 4/11 (Per 3) Friday 4/12 (Per 4)

Altered Colors and Andy Warhol

The Digital Art world is limitless. We've explored scanners, blogs, wordle creating websites, cameras and photo touch ups. Now, let's make actual pieces of art.

This week we will be exploring the world of color.

Color Theory

The three Primary Colors are Red, Blue and Yellow. Primary colors are the 3 basic colors that all other colors can be made from.

When you're creating a work of art, or altering one, it's important tho think about which colors will look good with each other. This is when knowing about Complimentary Colors will come in handy. Complimentary colors are colors that suit each other, look pleasing next to each other. They reside across from each other on the color wheel.

For example, you'll notice that Red & Green are across from each other- Christmas colors! Not for no reason!

Secondary Colors can be made using 2 Primary colors. Yellow + Red = Orange.

Tertiary Colors can be made by mixing a Primary & Secondary color. Orange + Yellow = Yellow Orange.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andy Warhol

It's very likely that at some point in time you've seen something by Andy Warhol. Perhaps his most noticeable work of art is probably his images of Campbell's soup cans and Marilyn Munroe.

Around 1960, Warhol had decided to make a name for himself in Pop Art. Pop art was a new style of art that began in England in the mid-1950s and consisted of realistic renditions of popular, everyday items. Warhol began with Coke bottles and comic strips but his work wasn't getting the attention he wanted. In December 1961, Warhol gave $50 to a friend of his who had told him she had a good idea. Her idea was for him to paint what he liked most in the world, perhaps something like money and a can of soup. Warhol painted both.

Unfortunately, Warhol found that he couldn't make his paintings fast enough on canvas. Luckily in July 1962, he discovered the process of silk screening. This technique uses a specially prepared section of silk as a stencil, allowing one silk-screen to create similar patterns multiple times. He immediately began making paintings of celebrities, most notably a large collection of paintings of Marilyn Monroe. Warhol would use this style for the rest of his life.

Warhol's signature style is bright unnatural colors and repetition. His colorful icons were often displayed in a series.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Using knowledge of the Color Wheel & Andy Warhol, we will be creating colorful artworks by altering our photographs in PhotoShop.

Start by choosing one of your favorite photographs you took last week.

Open this photo in photoshop and make sure it has good Contrast. Contrast is a strong difference in lights/darks/colors. You can fix this in PS if the photo doesn't already have it.

Tools to use to alter the color palette:

• Paint Bucket tool
• Adjustments --> Hue & Saturation --> slide the Hue bar
• Color Replacement Tool! This one will be your best friend if you want to keep lots of details.

Create at least 6 different versions of the same image and combine them all as one image.

We will talk about how to combine images into one later this week.

Eye Levels

Composition Trick Alert!

You can change the entire feel of a photo just by changing your point of view.
Lay on the ground to get a BELOW EYE LEVEL photo
Stand on a chair to get an ABOVE EYE LEVEL photo
Rent a helicopter (or a spaceship) and get an AERIAL photo!
Or, sometimes, standing at your regular height and getting an EYE LEVEL photo is all that's needed.

Examples below...

Aerial view of the East Coast (this is also a NIGHT photo!)

At regular eye level- who doesn't love penguins?

Below eye level. Worlds tallest and smallest dogs.

Another below eye level- this is also a WIDE ANGLE photo

This is WAY Below Eye Level- poppies

Above Eye Level- This photographer used a Fisheye lens, that's why it looks like a bubble!

Photography 101: Framing your shots

I could type a ridiculous long blog here, but I would want to steal everything from this blog:

JOURNOGRAPHICA: Basic Photo Tips: Framing Your Shots

So why not just click that link and explore? :)

The Rule of Thirds in action

Please create your own Blog post on THE RULE OF THIRDS.