Subjective Shapes
This project aimed to create a series of "subjective" graphic icons using six shapes and one complementary color scheme. The shape builder tool and stroke property were the two main components used to create the first part of this composition. Although students were advised to keep each icon symmetrical, I decided to alter some of my icons and use my creative perception to make a variety of icons.
The final part of this project consisted of choosing one subjective icon and organizing it into a four-part layout. Each part contained the chosen icon with different alternations based on the background color. In this part of the project, students used the stroke property to enhance the visual appeal of their icons.
I chose this specific icon to experiment with because it reminds me of a butterfly. As an individual whose favorite season is spring and who simply loves being in nature, butterflies play a major role in the environment. Finally, this project gave me the opportunity to familiarize myself with the shape builder tool, guidelines, and stroke property, allowing me to create a well-balanced composition.
Path Challenge
The goal of this project was to use the pen tool and its appropriate properties in designing various objects. Students also had the option of using fills to color each object.
My favorite object is the teddy bear because it reminds me of gift-giving, which is something I enjoy participating in. The most difficult object to create was the mask because you needed several small paths to make the object look clear and concise.
My biggest takeaway from this project involved the use of layers and groups. Organizing my work using separate layers and groups helped make coloring each object much more efficient.
Design Brief: Zoo
For this particular project, students were given a scenario in which they had to create a colorful graphic animal theme for The Bronx Zoo. In this animal theme, the challenge was to design a Colorful Polygonal Animal using an image, as well as polygonal shapes and triangles to recreate the animal. Students were also given the opportunity to use any tools that were taught thus far and use their best judgment to decide which tools best fit their needs.
I chose to recreate a toucan because they're very colorful, vibrant animals that aren't appreciated enough in the zoo. Additionally, I used to pen tool for the majority of this project because it was the most efficient to work with in terms of creating different shapes.
The most enjoyable part of this project was seeing each piece of the toucan come together to form the bigger picture. Lastly, something I need to work on for next time is managing class time to complete the project. I will do this by setting goals that outline what I will complete by the end of each period.
Hues Crazy
Students were able to select one image out of those that were provided and recreate the image using swatch collections as color themes, as well as the Live Paint Bucket tool. Students were also instructed to enable the image trace option using the Grayscale setting, and use the Color Guide Palette to establish harmony within the design.
I selected this particular image because I love the spring season, and flowers play a major role in its emergence. I decided to use a variety of bright and pastel colors because I wanted to create a soft, yet simple design.
I had a lot of fun playing around with different color schemes for this project, but it was also a major challenge. I had some difficulty deciding which colors looked best, which took up a lot of my time. Next time, I will select a few colors to incorporate and use those throughout my design; this may work to minimize any problems from arising.
My Seasons
The objective of this project was to create two landscapes using the Paintbrush tool, based upon two of our favorite seasons. Students had free range in the colors they chose to use, but needed to pay attention to harmony within their design.
My favorite seasons are spring and summer, and so I decided to paint a landscape of a sunset during both times of the year. For the spring season, I decided to use pastel colors to demonstrate a sense of delicacy. On the other hand, I used darker colors for the summer season to convey boldness and elegance, specifically through the use of shadows.
The most important thing I learned while working on this project was how various brushes can work to enhance a design. For example, for the summer landscape, I used both the calligraphic brush and the bristle brush, which helped to create a painting-like effect on my design.
Movie Pictogram
This project required students to select a movie of choice and create a pictogram that embodies its main theme. The only limitation on this project was keeping a black and white color palette, in order to make the pictogram design the dominant element.
I chose to create a pictogram for The Polar Express because it has always remained my favorite movie growing up, and the train is very symbolic to the movie's message. Before beginning this project, I sketched a design of a train with some inspiration from the internet. Once I was satisfied, I took a picture of my design to upload into Adobe Illustrator, and used both the pen tool and the blob brush tool to recreate my sketch. I also used the width tool to adjust the stroke within my design.
My favorite part of this project was using the blob brush tool to write "Believe". The blob brush tool is one of the most useful tools in that you can adjust the angle and roundness of the brush, and this allowed me to create a readable, yet flowy effect.