Fourth Quarter Exercises

For this Fourth Quarter you must complete the following exercises (EIGHT IN TOTAL):

• Two poster exercises per instructions in iLife05, in the Photoshop Folder under 4Q Exercises. For ideas check the "Posters" folder in iLife05 - you can try to imitate one of those posters. You can even select some of the images and text on some of them.
• The students who didn't do the "Using Blending Options" Exercise must complete it this quarter. See exercise below.
• Exercise No. 4 (check iLife05 - under 4Q Exercises). You can call this one "Favorite Word."
• Complete the Art Poster Exercise on page 14-19 in the Photoshop Textbook.
• Textbook Exercises (Mrs. Feld will let you know which ones and guide you in class).

Those students who don't have a B+ Average, must take the Final Exam.

On March 31st we worked on the following Textbook Exercises from Chapter 3: Page 3-26 (Portrait) and 3-27 (Marathon Contest). If you were not able to complete them, due to computer problems, please do so as soon as possible and save in the Server. I should be able to find them. You should have a "Fourth Quarter" Folder under you name in Digital Applications  (your class folder in the Server); where you will put all the Fourth Quarter exercises.

On April 1st you will work on the exercise on page 3-29 individually. Even though the textbook says it's a Group Project, I want you to create your own. You can find the PS 3-13.psd document in iLife05 (in the DataFileforStudentsPS folder, Chapter 3). Save it as "Total Sportz." Find images in Google or another search engine and place them on the background of the Total Sportz photoshop document - at least four images. You may also create a "Feathered Vignette" like you did in the "Marathon Contest" Exercise.

Those of you who haven't done at least one "Using Blending Options" exercise, must do it as soon as possible. On Friday, April 3, I'll show you how to use this technique (of blending two images together) by doing a quick exercise in class - using the SmartBoard. You can check Chapter 7, Lesson 3 - pages 7-14 through 7-17 to review this technique of blending pixels.

Thanks for your cooperation!

Using Blending Options

We already learned how to use "Blending Options" on text in Photoshop. I want you to learn to also use it on images. Below is an example you can do to practice this new technique:

Tropical Umbrella:

1.  Connect to iLife05 > Go to the Photoshop Folder > 3Q Exercises and select the Red Umbrella JPEG and the Hibiscus JPEG. Open both in Photoshop (making copies for your desktop or picture folder).

2.  First, check the image size of the umbrella picture - when the picture is smaller than 1,000 pixels, the resolution of your picture will be of lower quality - so I suggest that you increase the image size to 1,000 pixels (width). You go to Image > Image Size. Then, to be able to work better on your exercise, just press Command-Minus (Apple + Minus Sign) until the image is to your liking.

3.  Select the flower with the Magnetic Lasso Tool and drag it to the umbrella picture. Place it on top of the umbrella. You may want to use the Free Transform Command to turn the flower around until the image is at the desired angle.

4.  Close the eye (visibility icon) on the umbrella layer and trim your flower a little bit using the Eraser Tool. Especially making sure you don't see dark edges.

5.  Then you can go to Blending Options (either double-click on the right-side of the hibiscus layer or go to Layer > Layer Styles > Blending Options).

6.  Select the Drop Shadow and at the bottom of the Layer Style window play with the sliders. First, choose Red in the "Blend If" option at the bottom; then, move the bottom slider's white triangle (Underlying Layer) to the left until your flower is enclosed in the umbrella. Photoshop will merge the pixels of the flower with the pixels of the umbrella.

7.  Move the white triangle on the top slider (This Layer) to the left just a little bit until you find your desired effect.

8.  Try changing the Blend Mode, if you wish. I suggest "Luminosity" but you can try different ones.

9.  You can even move your flower if you choose to do so. Select the move tool and the hibiscus layer and see what happens.

10.  You can change the opacity or lighten your work a little bit. Change the Hue/Saturation if desired. Get creative!

11.  Once the exercise is completed > Flatten the Image.

12.  Using the Color Range technique > select the New Umbrella (with Flower) and drag it into your favorite beach. (Find a beach picture in iLife05 or in the Internet).

13.  You can change the background (beach layer) using a filter of your choice.

14.  Save your work in the Server as Flower Umbrella as a JPEG and print for the Digital Art Exhibit.

15.  You may want to experiment with the other pictures in iLife05 using the same technique.

Third Quarter - Textbook Exercises

Before the end of this Third Quarter, I need you to learn about "Merging Layers," "Naming Layers," "Adding Layers," "Adding Color to Layers," "Duplicating Layers," and "Creating Layer Groups." You should also learn how to "Flatten" and image.

You already know how to organize your layers in the Layers Palette by moving them around (dragging layers below or above other layers). You also know how to add layers and how to delete layers, by dragging them into the "Delete Layer Button" (Trash Can at the bottom of the Layers Palette). Another way of deleting layers is to simply select the layer, click the "Delete Layer Button" and when the window pops up asking you "Delete the layer ...?" you can click Yes. To check other ways to delete layers you can check the Adobe Photoshop CS3 Textbook, page 2-9. You should also know by now how to duplicate layers.

Naming Layers: Photoshop automatically assigns a sequential number to each new layer name, but you can rename a layer at any time. You can go to Layer on the Menu Bar > select "Layer Properties" and type the name in the Name text box, then click OK; or simply double-click the name on the Layer, type a new name, then press Enter (Return in Mac Computers). You can check the Photoshop Textbook, page 2-9.

Remember that you can also add Blending Options to layers (not only to text). To add Blending Options you double-click on the right side of the layer or go to Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options.

Merging Layers: you can "merge" layers to combine multiple image layers into a single layer. First you select the layers you need to "merge" by using the Shift Key or the Command Key (press the Shift key to select a group of consecutive layers or press the Command key to select non-consecutive layers). Then go to Layer > Merge Layers (or press Command-E). Merging layers is not the same as Flattening layers. "Flattening" merges all visible layers (to "flatten" layers, you go to Layer > Flatten image - make sure that all layers you want to display are visible before you flatten an image!). Check the Textbook pages 2-8 to 2-11 and page 2-17.

We will do the "New England Fall" Exercise in Class (3/17/09). You can find these images in iLife05 under DataFilesforStudentsPS, Chapter 2. You will learn how to use the "Color Range" to select an image on a white background (page 2-14) and how to move it to another document; and also how to "Defringe" an image (page 2-15). On pages 2-16 and 2-19, you will learn how to organize your layers into groups; and how to add color to your layers. Follow instructions for this exercise on page 2-19. This exercise should be in your 3rd Q Exercises Folder in the Server.

A layer group allows you to organize your layers on the Layers Palette. A layer group contains individual layers. To create a "group" go to Layer > New > Group... (Layer Set in the Photoshop 7 Version). You can give your group a name and add color to this "group layer." You could organize your layers, so that all the Type layers (Text) are in one group (or folder). Then certain images can be in another group, and other images in another. The whole idea is to organize your workspace in the Layers Palette, since you could be working with a huge amount of layers. You will practice this and how to flatten an image in the textbook exercise "New England Fall" pages 2-16 to 2-21.

You should review the whole Chapter 2 - "Working with Layers."

March 18, 2009: You will work on the "Music Store" exercise on page 2-23. Please follow the book instructions and stop on No. 4 on the third column (under "Organize layers with layer groups and colors"). Save it in the Server under your Digital Applications Folder (3rd Q Exercises) as a PSD file. I need to see if you completed all the instructions. I will grade it as a Quiz.

Extra Credit Exercise: You may complete the exercise on page 14-19 "Art School Poster." Create a new Photoshop Document with the following measurements and requirements: 7.5" W x 10" H; RGB Color; Resolution 72; Background Color - your choice. Follow instructions. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask Mrs. Feld.