Creative Cloud:Text and Image Layout - In-Design 2 Page Spread

This Creative Cloud session we looked into generating layouts and refining our skills across a 2 page spread in the adobe program indesign. We were asked to select an image of our choice for the excise and I decided that I wanted to use an image of something I was really interested in. Due to the recent release of the game Fallout 4 I decided to choose an concept art image of the Brotherhood of Steel armour. With this image we were shown ways of altering the its appearance, this was done by utilising both photoshop and in-design together converting the image to a bitmap. When the photograph had been converted a number of effects could be applied to the image creating different visual effects.

Monochrome Textured Effect

RGB Colour Effect

Monochrome Effect

CMYK Colour Effect

We then looked at composition and text editing. This involved placing an image into the title, in this case the fallout 4 title, using the same image I had previously bitmap edited. This title had also certain letter elongated in illustrator giving a unique impression to the page. For good measure I added the pip-boy mascot for the fallout games onto the page. 

Afterwards I used the same pip-boy mascot and place him into a bulk place holder writing text. However by clicking the image surrounded by text icon at the top of the program, this enabled the icon to influence the text placement. I place him many times to see the overall effect this button had on the page. I am not a fan of this feature as I like to have my layouts clean and divined.

While focusing on text placement we was show the how to make text follow a particular path, this was done by firstly creating a path pattern using the pen tool and increasing the stork of the line. I then inserted text on the line, creating its path. I thought that this was a useful tool in creating unique page layouts, adding some creative flare to a magazine page.

To better understand composition we was show how to add rulers and grid guides, it was said that it is best to divide a page by using 12 likes, this is because it has the a good amount of divisible lines allowing for almost any paragraph with. We then created three paragraph each at three bars wide and make each paragraph varied lengths.This was show to us so that we could understand how to make standard text look more appealing, within a layout.

The final thing I was shown was how to use layer effects in indesign, this feature is also in photoshop but I didn't know how to apply this with this program. This was accessed through by opening the effects window and using the drop down menu to create certain layer effects over a background image. This image was created by creating an orange back and applying the multiply effect on top of it.

Overall this this was a very enlightening tutorial as I now understood how to make images look more creative in indesign rather than needing to depend on photoshop to do simple tasks. Increasing my potential production speed during projects. 

Practical Drawing Interior Space

This week our practical drawing class with john consisted of interior drawing. This was the complete opposite of my last lesson with john, as we focused on wide open spaces. This week was about understanding interior environments, focusing on perspective. I wasn't very good at this, however I used a basic line style of drawing, using different coloured sharpies for each scene. I wanted to explore the idea of looking outside from an interior, giving a much more enclose feeling but having a glimpse of freedom.

This area was a drawing for the perspective of the practical studio area where we have many of our group tutorials on a Friday. With the late windows I began to use them like a natural frame, focusing my detail within the my makeshift canvas. From my perspective I could only see the roofs, so I was limited to what I could draw, and I didn't want to focus on my interior surroundings.

This quick sketch focused on little areas of inside objects, and had quite an abstract theme.

Overall I am not very happy with the outcomes of this drawing session and I would like to get better in future so that I can better integrate drawing into my graphic design studies, as I see it as a useful skill to have for the foundation of ideas.

Creative Cloud Suite: Josef Muller Brockmann In Design Poster Reconstruction

This purpose of this session is to reproduce Josef Muller Brockmanns most iconic international design movement posters. This was done to introduce those who have not had much experience with in design before, so that they can get acquainted with the software. I have had much experience in the past with this software so I found the session rather easy and not quite difficult. However as I have been looking at Brockmann for my sense of place project, I found that this was a welcome introduction to generating this particular design movement.

Although the idea of this was to reproduce these posters, I decided that I would change a few elements to make them more personal and distinguishable from Brockmann's originals. I did this by changing the original font and some minor colour changes for backgrounds. I think that this was a good choice to make, as it allowed me to experiment with colour and text.

Practical Drawing: Object Drawing

This practical drawing session with john was about improving our skills of drawing and understand drawing with perspective. The task which was set for this was object drawing. We were set given a number of scenarios where objects were displayed together, and we had to draw the objects from our current perspective. I found this task quite hard as I know that I am not a particularly good drawer and struggle with gather a correct perspective. However I attempted at capturing what I saw in-front of me. I decided that I would go along with any mistakes that I made and draw in fine liner as I would quickly shade any darker areas of my drawing. I think that this turned out okay, but I understand that I need to improve.

So that I could improve I started drawing some objects with pencil and setup my own little display with a meal deal I purchased at the student union. I wanted to focus on getting the outline right to begin with, so I began sketching my displayed objects. Overall I thought that I had a nice perspective but struggled getting some detail within my drawing.

Photograph Of Object Drawing Scene (Meal Set)

With my next sketch I began to focus on one particular object, a can, looking at understanding detail. I picked a can as it was a easy shape to draw and I could better concentrate on the detail with some shading. I decided to focus on the top of the can as that was the easiest with detail.

Photograph Of Object Drawing Scene (Can)

Overall I thought that this weeks object drawing task was very difficult for myself to understand perspective in drawing. Though that I believe that the outcomes were not completed very well, I do understand my strengths and weakness much better about myself. I will hope to improve my drawing skills thought the year, and use my strengths to my advantage.

Motion Graphics: Season Finale "Fish"

This was my final motion graphic process and production session with Sara. My final task was to produce a 10 second animation of a sea creature, this would then be put together with the rest of the groups material as a collaborative showreel, showing off our work together. I decided that I would create a fish swimming in the ocean.

However I decided that the design of my fish would be rather graphic and geometric, having a different aesthetic to other sea creatures other people in the group would make. This allowed my design to be simple, and would allow my fish to make slightly exaggerated movements. When designing the fish I wanted many features to be animated. such as the tail, eyes, mouth and bubbles, which would give the fish a more character. However, I needed to keep in mind that for myself to animate these areas I needed to put them on individual layers.

Once I was happy with the completion of my fish, I began animating him in after effects, creating all the movements. This process was quite easy and allowed myself to really take my time to polish the movements so that they did not look jumpy.

Fish Animated from Jordan Harnett on Vimeo.

Once I had created all the static individual movements for my fish, I then needed to create a movement pattern to span 10 seconds in length. I thought that by giving my character a detailed movement, I could express his personally though, by making him quite shy. The idea was have the fish move quickly from one side of the screen to another, having him pop out occasionally in the cameras view. To achieve this I also wanted to make the fish smaller and larger throughout the movement animation so that it would play with perspective and insinuate that the fish was moving closer and further away. With all these technical composition ideas into place I would hope that my fish displayed quite a frightened emotion and seem quite shy.


Fish Movement from Jordan Harnett on Vimeo.

After this we then exported our fish to Sara where she combined everyones fish in to a little show reel. To my surprise this worked really well, because I thought that they would be many inconstancies in everyones skill level, but this worked out to have a rustic charm to it.

Overall I am very happy with the outcome of my final fish finale, I think that the fish was of good quality, however looking back I do think that they could have been some aspects which could have been better, such as the background and the possibility of adding some sound effects and background music.