Tag Archives: InDesign

Computer Graphic Design

Fall 2014 – Final Project – Papercraft Personalities

Objective:

Students will use all of the skills they have acquired throughout the semester to make a very simple form of papercraft that represents them and their personality.

 
Student-Friendly Learning Target: 
I can produce a papercraft figurine using InDesign and Photoshop.
 


Link:
  • none
Topics Discussed:

  • InDesign Page Layout
  • Digital Photography
  • Photoshop Image Manipulation
  • Principles of Design
Assignment:

Phase I – Designing the Product
To begin, you will need to connect to Student Temp Files> Marmolejo DTP 1-2>Student Pickup Folder>Final Project 2014 and look for “Student Papercraft Template 2014.pdf”. Open this file and examine its contents. You will notice that there are eight white spaces that need to be filled. You will need to place this file in Indesign and use it as a template to create a papercraft figurine of yourself. Use the InDesign tools to draw photo frames the same size as these white spaces and get ready to take some pictures to fill them with.

To get your photos, choose a partner and check out a camera. You will need to take eight pictures of your partner: one portrait, two profile shots (left and right), a shot of the back of their head, and four full body shots (front, back, left and right). Use the maroon or brick walls in the hallway outside the room for an ideal neutral background. Remember your rules for taking great photos as you take these pictures. See me when you finish so your photos can be loaded into your computer.

Next, adjust your photos in Photoshop (remove the background and replace it with a color or pattern of your choice) and save them as individual .psd files. Place these in your Indesign template in the appropriate photo frames. Resize, crop and position them proportionally (no squashing or stretching) so they look correct. You now have a papercraft figurine of yourself.

Phase II – Marketing the Product
Using Photoshop and Indesign, design a logo for your papercraft figure, as if it were a product you were selling. Think of the logos on dolls and action figures for inspiration, and remember the principles of C.R.A.P. as you plan your design. Use at least two different fonts and include either your first or last name (or both, if you choose) in the name of your product. Place this logo prominently on your papercraft page.

Phase III – Accessorize!
Using your favorite image search engine on the Internet, find at least four pictures that represent your favorite things. Make the backgrounds of these pictures transparent and place them on your papercraft page under the headline “Accessories”. Scale the accessories so they are proportional with your figure. These will be accessories for your papercraft figure.

Final Phase – Assembly and Delivery
Make sure all of your page elements are arranged according to the principles of C.R.A.P. and place a copy in the CGD 1 Final Project 2012 folder on the server. I will print out two color copies for you. Using a pair of scissors, cut out your papercraft figurine. Be sure to cut all slits before you begin folding it. Fold and assemble your figurine according to the instructions on the template. Cut out all your accessories as well. When complete, it should look like the examples in my window. Have your completed figurine and all four of its accessories assembled and under my Christmas tree before end of class on Tuesday, December 16th, 2014.

This is your final project, and will be graded based on the effectiveness of your use of the principles of C.R.A.P. in your overall design, the design of your logo, and the assembly of your papercraft figurine. You have more than seven full days of class time to complete this project, so please use your time effectively and wisely. Good luck and happy papercrafting!

Assigned: December 8th, 2014
Due Date: December 16th, 2014

 

Computer Graphic Design

Fall 2014 – 20 – Photo Poster

Objective: 

I can produce a professional-looking large-scale poster using my own photographs.

 
Link:
  • None
Topics Discussed:

  • Digital Photography
  • Page Layout
  • Principles of Design
Assignment:
Now that you have taken your photos, you will be going through several steps in preparation for creating a poster. Create a new 34″ x 22″ landscape document in InDesign and follow the steps below. A detailed instruction sheet can also be found in in the “20 – Photo Poster” folder in the Student Pickup Folder on StudentsTempFiles.

  1. Fix all your photos in Photoshop. Apply adjustment layers to balance the color, adjust the levels, etc. until you have a photo that you like.
  2. Give your page a large title headline. Call it whatever you like, but don’t use “Captured Moments” like the example on the instruction sheet uses. (That one’s mine.) Place a subheading under your main title headline that reads “Photography by <your name>”. Let me know if you need help remembering your name.
  3. Fit all your pictures on the page in a better way than the provided example. You must group them by subject and give a title to each group.
  4. Remember the principles of C.R.A.P. in all the designing you do. Design is what this is all about, so be creative and think outside the box.
  5. You must show that you understand what to do with this design. It is yours to create. Please do your best to make this poster truly special.
  6. When you are finished, place the InDesign file and all the pictures you used in a folder with your name on it, and turn this folder in to the appropriate drop folder on the server.
  7. Once you have turned in your files, I will print the poster for you in full color, tiled across four 11′ x 17′ pages. You will need to use scissors to trim the edges of the tiled pages, then tape the four pages together (like a puzzle) to produce the completed large scale poster.
  8. The full-size assembled paper poster is due Friday, December 5th, so make sure you give yourself enough time to finish your photography, the poster layout and the printed paper poster assembly (don’t waste time!)
Assigned: November 21st, 2014
Due Date: December 5th, 2014