Themed Word Gets A Workover

For our final project we used Adobe Flash to create an interactive slider of sorts to reveal the original letters of out themed word.  This seemed to be the simplest of the projects as it was simply following a set of instructions.

My Themed Word

I really enjoyed creating a themed word.  One of the things I liked best about this project was being inspired to get out my camera!  I took pictures of moss in my yard to complete this project.  This themed word was created using Adobe Photoshop and my photos..  Overall I am pleased with the result although there are a few things I would do differently next time around.  I also have pictures of popcorn in case I am ever inspired to try this again!

Photo Gallery

I had a bit of trouble creating my photo gallery, thanks to my instructor it was fixed.  For this assignment we used galleria and html.  I am pleased with my final product.  I used photos I took while in DeCoursey Park in Puyallup.

Website Design - Here We GO!

Well, altering my first website design using a template was fun!  I enjoy this kind of artwork but am not totally pleased with my results.  There are a few things I would have liked to change that I wasn't sure how to without getting really deep in the layers of this design.  I am excited to play with templates and get more creative.  I used WIX to create this home page. 

Online Tutorial

Assignment 14 was to complete an online tutorial.  I chose a tutorial that taught me how to create swirls and swooshes.  The tutorial URL is:  http://www.tutvid.com/tutorials/illustrator/tutorials/swirlsAndSwooshes.php.  I enjoyed this project and learned a few techniques along the way.  I am happy with my design I created using Adobe Illustrator.

My Spider Using 3D-Coat

This assignment proved to be another challenge for the week.  I braved the snow to get to campus to begin my 3D-Coat challenge.  I brought it home and after MANY attempts to download 3D-Coat onto multiple computers I failed... Off to school early in the am to, hopefully, finish this project.  I was bummed that I wasn't able to finish my spider at home. 
Round two at the school proved to be much better, I really enjoyed working with this program and would love to be able to play with it and become proficient with it.  Fun project and my result is, in my opinion, so so...

Radio Wave Animation

Adobe After Effects continues to baffle me.  I created a radio wave animation in class and have tried to duplicate it at home without success.  I will have to keep trying and see what I can do.  Better notes might help, although I thought I took pretty good ones.  This is a work in progress... to be continued...
Well it is finished.  I am still not pleased with my final product but after many hours of working on it, rendering, and re-rendering I am calling it good. 

Flashcards for Communication.

Assignment 11 found our class challenged to create flashcards for use in communication with residents at Western State Mental Hospital.  I had fun creating these flashcards and was pleased with the result.  I would have made a few changes, but I think these will work... I used Adobe InDesign and Illustrator to create my images.

My Vinyl Sign

In this assignment we were to create a vinyl sign using, first Adobe Illustrator, then the Roland Cut Choice software.  We were to use a minimum of two colors not including the background.  I chose to use five colors and created a sticker for my daughter and her three best friends.  They have been "bests" for about twelve years now and call themselves the "MAMA Sisterhood."  Each girl has always had a "color" that represents them and such is reflected in my design.  I enjoyed this assignment and feel it went well.

Slam Cover

I was really excited to create a cover for SLAM magazine and I thought I had a great idea for it. I thought I could use bold colors to create a graffiti type cover. I spent a small amount of time in an alley with my daughter taking pictures of bricks. Funny thing, Friday night at work the topic of discussion with a few of my customers was the best place to take pictures of bricks! I wonder h


ow many people get that excited to have a discussion about bricks! Saturday morning I was in the alley they suggested (sketchy eh?) taking my pictures. There were at least ten different types of bricks, old and new to choose from. A fun morning for me! Anyway, I used these images as a guideline for creating my covers but the one I like best is the one in which you can't see the photo... hmmm. I learned that I am not a graffiti artist but I wish I were, very cool artwork out there! I used Adobe Illustrator to create my artwork and am pleased with the results. I hope I win!

Assignment 8 - Creating Brushes

This assignment was to create brushes in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I really enjoyed this assignment and played with my images over and over. In photoshop I used photos and various brushes to create my brushes and in Illustrator I used brushes and shapes to create them. I did have a few rough patches, but, overall, I like my projects. I think it kind of feels like you are looking at a garden beyond an iron gate...
 














And in prep for my niece's birthday...

Finally Done With My After Effects Project! Yeah!

Well, it took a bit longer than I had anticipated but my After Effects Project is finished.  I had a few challenges, but with the help of my classmates I feel sucessful!  The assignment was to create a pop-up art project, deciding on photos was the most challenging part for me.  A reminder that I need to go on more photo shoots or just start taking more "daily" photos.  In the making of this project I used Adobe After Effects, Photshop, and Premier Pro. 

Lower Case Letter Assignment

Whew, this assignment was much easier for me this time around.  It was easier for a few reasons; first, I was more familiar with my VisTablet and the programs I was using, second, I created a font set that I have used for many years.  I don't know why I hadn't thought of using these letters when I created my capital letter set, but I will be redoing that part of this class for my own satisfaction.  I am pretty pleased with the outcome; I can't wait to see how the letters look when I am typing with them! 

My Funny Self

I hope you noticed, that when required to do so the gadget I added was that of funny cat pictures... Hope it made you laugh, I sure did when I saw it as an option!  ;o)

Creating Fonts - Capital Letters Get the Best of Me

My assignment of the day was to create a capital letter font sent in Adobe Illustrator, mission accomplished... In completing this lesson, I learned that I am addicted to brush options I found on the web and that this assignment wasn't quite as easy as it seemed.  I had the BEST idea and the BEST brushes when I started, so excited!  After attempt, after attempt, changing brushes and attempting again, I settled into a basic brush and basic letters, I was quite disappointed with my end result.  Although my letters will fill the requirement of the assignment, they don't fill my creative desires!  I will attempt this assignment again, on my own, for sure!  I used Adobe Illustrator, new brushes, Font Creator, and my VisTablet to complete this font set.

Artwork - Oh my!

Well, I have never thought of myself as much of an artist, but I think this piece turned out okay.  It is a "watercolor" of a picture of orchids that I took last year.  I learned how to import brushes (oh how I love brushes), a bit about Adobe Illustrator, and started using my VisTablet.  This proved to be a challenge as was controlling the brushes I used.  I did enjoy this project and look forward to learning more about the program and become a better user of the VisTablet.

Video Upload From YouTube

I thought it was strange that the first picture I uploaded onto my blog was that of a cat, now my second blog is a continuation of that picture as a video from YouTube.  Eeeeks!  I assure you I am not a cat lady!  
This video was created using new brushes I added to Photoshop from the web.  I tried to make the flowers and scrolling disappear using masking techniques.  
In the end, I felt as though I did an average job on this project.  I would have liked to have spent a lot more time on the details, making all of the flowers and lines disappear without removing parts of other lines.
Hopefully my next few blog posts will not include photos of cats!  In the meantime, enjoy my new video!  Hahaha!

Blogging for a Beginner

Hello, my name is Annie and I am a student in the Digital Design program at Pierce College.  I am taking classes at a slow pace, much slower than I would like, but fitting them in between family, friends, and work!  Some day I will have my AA and I will be SO happy!  Photography is my first passion and I would really like to get more involved in all aspects of that.  I have started by taking sports pictures for my daughters volleyball and soccer teams, senior pictures for family members and friends, and editing photos I have taken previously, but have found that I take many more pictures when I am pushed by my instructors.  This quarter I am taking just one class, but am very excited to be back in classes after taking two quarters off.  My first project was to use brushes and apply them to a photo (this one is of Sarah's kitty, Lillie), then mask it out in a Flash movie.  More difficult than I anticipated but I had so much fun finding brushes on the web and learned a few tricks about rotating them.  Flash continues to challenge me, but I will get through it!  For now, here is a photo of my first project.  Don't you just love swirls and flowers?!  I do!