John Klassen - Case Study

Objectives

To further your understanding of graphic communication practitioners

Task

Using the web, research and present a case study about John Klassen. 

The contents of the case study, written below, get more difficult as they progress. Complete as many as you can.

1. Biography - Include a few images from the illustrator and some interesting biographical information. (Read, digest and then write your findings. Do not copy and paste information from the web.) Describe the sort of work that he does and where his work can be seen. Get a picture of Jon Klassen, a map of where he lives etc etc.
2. Take a number of typical examples and write about why they are characteristic of the illustrator's style.
3. Research to see if you can find which other designers and artists the Klassen has been influenced by. You may have to read an interview to find this information. 
4. Consider the context. Find other designers that were working at the same time?
5. Using photos / drawings that you created yourself or images from the web, emulate the style of the designer that you are researching and create a version or your own. If you have already done one, maybe copy a piece of work.

Presentation

Produce your case study using a Google Presentation or your sketchbook. 

Checklist for assessment

Relevant images, in-depth research your own words (no copy and paste), accurate copy.

Time needed

5 hours

Deadline

To be confirmed...

John Klassen - Emulation Piece

WEAR HEADPHONES! WEAR HEADPHONES! WEAR HEADPHONES!

Tutorial features:
00.30 - What makes a John Klassen?
01.18 - What you need to get  ready...
02.30 - My attempt
02.48 - Start of tutorial
02.56 - Thresholding your drawing
03.35 - Importing big textures
04.00 - Blending modes
04.40 - Gradients
06.00 - Textures and layer mask
08.00 - Copying sections of texture
09.50 - Gritty texture / blend mode screen
10.32 - Extra elements (inverting)
11.00 - Textures with other blend modes

Objective
To increase your understanding of working with hand-made textures and hand drawn line in Photoshop.
To learn intermediate Photoshop - blending modes, layer masks and gradients

Task
Using the tutorial above, create a piece in the style of John Klassen from the view of your window. This is called 'emulating'.

Emulate = imitate: "hers is not a hairstyle I wish to emulate."

What do I need?
* Line drawing of your window and surrounding area (curtains, objects wall etc)
* Another line drawing of extras, this time in more detail.
* Access to Student Shared folder > 01Mrh > Graphics > Textures
* An image of a John Klassen work, for reference.

John Klassen - View from my window

For the next artefact, you will be working int the style of John Klassen.

Homework
Take a photo (or a few) from your window at home, stick it in your sketchbook and draw it. If you dislike your view... collage the view from photographs.

Task
Take a photo of the view from your window. Print off, stick it in your sketchbook
Draw it as a line drawing on a full page.

Deadline
At the start of the lesson, Tues 6th Dec

Michael Wertz - Desert Island Items - Overlay design 2

Michael Wertz - Desert Island Items - Overlay design 1

Objective
To introduce you to the concept of over-layering.
To improve your drawing skills
To introduce you to illustrator and artist case studies in order to broaden your analysis skills

Tasks
1. Make a list of all of the items that you would put in a suitcase to take to a desert island. What can you not do without?
This might include: food, digital devices, music, musical instruments, books, make-up, skateboard, etc etc.
Make the list look pretty in your sketchbook.
2. Make a slide or two on your presentation that is littered with images from your list. 
3. Draw them in your sketchbook. Draw them simple and no bigger than an orange.

Presentation

A couple of slides of your presentation full of images
Lovely sketchbook list 
Drawings pages of drawings from list 

Deadline

TBC

Cut out stencil spray

Lookey here: Spray Pinterest

Objective
To improve your skills when editing handmade images in Photoshop.

Task
Choose a musician, sports star, film star or somebody else who inspires you. Using an image sourced from the web, open in Photoshop and follow the first tutorial below. Ask me if the image is suitable for the task.

Presentation

On your presentation, put jpegs of your finished Photoshop examples. State which process was used underneath each.

Deadline
tbc

Below are two tutorials for creating stencil spray work.  They a taking a lead from the work of Miles
Donovan whose work you can see above.

Get comfy and concentrate....

Good example of presentation layout

Six Basic Photo Edits in Photoshop

Objective
To improve your skills when editing photos in Photoshop.

Task
Choose a musician, sports star, film star or somebody else who inspires you. Using and image sourced from the web. Complete the six 'basic photo edit' tutorials below.

Presentation

On two pages of your presentation, put jpegs of your finished Photoshop examples. State which process was used underneath each.

Checklist for assessment
Examples should be visually interesting and not just done for the sake of getting them completed.

Deadline
tbc










Light leaks: Open photograph  >  duplicate photo layer  >  Edit in 'QuickMask' Q  >  Choose 'soft' brush - Sq brackets  >  Paint on where light leaks should be  >  Release Quickmask 'Q  >   Select 'Inverse' cmd I   > Adjustment layer 'Curves'  >  Choose 'Red', alter opacity > try again with new adjustment layer and alter a different colour.

Photoshop colouring ideas

When you watch the tutorial, it will state that you have to make a full A-Z. Only do this if you are way ahead.
Within this tutorial:  copy layer   /   threshold   /   zooming in  /   2 methods for colouring  /   selecting with the lasso tool  /  copy and paste /  new colour layer  /   colouring with shift>backspace  /   select by cmd click on thimbnail

Black and White Scan into Photoshop

Hand Drawn Type - Quote Page

Objective
To choose a quote that you find inspiring, true, poignant, poetic or just plain cool.
To create a suitable typeface for your quote page.
To evidence your understanding of the expressiveness of typography.

Task
1. Over pages of your sketchbook, experiment with hand drawn typefaces that you have copied from the web or invented yourself. Make sure you have a 'full character set' (all the letters of the alphabet).
Work in black and white. Leave in your mistakes.

2. Find a quote. You could use a line from a song or poem if you wish. 

You will be scanning your pages in and Photoshopping them, so don't attempt to write out the quote all fancy yet!

Look on my Type Pinboard for inspiration... (HERE) 

Presentation
Sketchbook

Checklist for assessment
Pages of experiments, beautifully bustling and busy pages of creativity.

Time needed
2 hrs.


Deadline

TBC

Covering your sketchbook

Outcome
An original and beautifully covered sketchbook to be proud of. A signal to other that you are a magician.

Task
We are going to have some enforced fun covering our sketchbooks!!
Your task starts now.
Look around the web and collect stuff to stick on the front and back.
It will be a good idea if you create a Pinterest account and search there.
Think about collecting pics of bands, art, typography, texture, labels, patterns, stickers
etc etc.
Other than that, you could draw separate things and overlap them in a sticker-ish manner.
Also, I would recommend a label (hand drawn or on Photoshop) that includes your Name, GCSE Graphics, Book 1. Maybe even a 'if found please return to room 41' label.
When you cover your book, you need to cover the front and back, other than for considered design choices.
Could you please bring £4 for the sketchbook and 50p for the sticky plastic covering. FSM are free.

Lookey HERE for a link to a pinboard full of sketchbook cover examples... but you could really look anywhere for inspiration.