October 29nd: Working With Graphics

Plan for the Day

We've got a few things to do today, so below is a list:

• Reading Quiz #3 on Moodle2 (6:33-6:43 pm)
• Leading class discussion with Josh and Aisha
• Effective Repetition: ethos, pathos, logos
• Chapter 7 in Document Design
• Ethics and Visuals
• Mischievous Behavior with Photoshop--Starts at 8:15 pm!!!

Leading Class Discussion

Please direct your attention to Josh and Aisha, so they can lead us into our discussion on graphics.

Graphics

Some of you have been using graphics in your designs very well. As you might have guessed, I'm no artist, so my own designs are more "utilitarian" than say Robin Williams' designs or some of our more artistic classmates. Tonight I'll show you a few tricks with Photoshop that deal with manipulating graphics.

How might graphics evoke emotions in an audience or make make appeals to ethos or logos?

There are a few important terms for you to remember from this chapter:

• p. 201: Geon theory
• p. 207: Elevated zero point
• p. 208: Cropping
• p. 209: Copyright
• p. 211: Branding
  • UNCC's "Identity Standards Guide"
  • UNCC's "Stake Your Claim" Guide
  • Northeastern's "Graphic Identity"
• P. 217: Flow charts, Gantt charts, PERT charts
• p. 224: bitmap graphics and vector graphics
  • p. 224: Raster graphics
  • pp. 225-226: lossy compression
  • p. 227: Pixellation
• p. 236: CMYK and RGB

Let's jump back to Chapter 4 for a moment to discuss brochure folds and point you to places to help you think about your next assignment.

Ethics and Visuals

When creating visuals or, more likely, manipulating visuals, make sure you aren't distorting reality. I know we all remember Dove's Campaign for Beauty model's metamorphosis. Anyone know of other distortions?

• Ever heard of "Hitler's Pope"? Apparently, he never met Hitler, but this picture, through juxtapositioning, makes a case.

• This is typical of Washington, DC protests--remember, the camera "frames" the shots. I do realize this isn't Washington, DC, but it's typical of protests I've seen where the media, because of the limited camera view, make the crowd look bigger.

• Political photo doctoring or, more accurately, Orwellian propaganda.

While the above might seem like extreme cases, even minor touch ups can be unethical as the book points out.

Photoshop And Mischievous Behavior

In the spirit of Halloween, let's cause some mischief! I want you to create some graffiti using found images. Of course, you need to be somewhat tasteful considering you're manipulating an image, but you have some room. Here's a sign I like to mess with. Here are before and after shots of some digital graffiti on a church sign:

Before

After

Alternatively, (or do both, but don't neglect your workshop time) I want you to doctor an image somehow. I don't expect you to go to the lengths that Stalin and others did in the ethics discussion above, but, using the "Clone Stamp Tool" in Photoshop, you should remove a portion of an image, and, if possible, add something. Please provide before and after images.

This assignments are part of your webpage grade, so please don't put up anything that will embarrass you...or me!

Document #2 Issues

I'll turn back Document #2 next week, but, because I started seeing patterns early on when commenting, I decided not to write the same things over and over again, so review the list below for more information. Generally, your designs are VERY good. Some are excellent. Your discussion of how your document conveys its intended message, however, is lacking.

Below are a few general issues to consider:

• Ethos--describe your choices using the vocabulary from the course
• Your "feeling" or taste regarding a design element isn't as important as your being able to describe the rhetorical and/or cultural significance of the element
  • Why do you include what you include
• Explain your typeface choices
• If you stray from Robin Williams design techniques (no centering, no Times New Roman or Arial)
• Stay parallel
• Arial vs. Ariel

In anticipation of your next document, consider the following:

• Uniform, clear screen shots (paste them in Photoshop)
• "Basal" text--not the herb
• MS Word Document look...
• Stay parallel
• Use captions for extra-textual elements (Figure X.X)
• [Color] C=___ M=___ Y=___ K=___

Next week we'll discuss Ch. 8 in Document Design and Ch. 7 in the Non-Designer's Design Book will be for Nov. 12th. Both chapters discuss color. In your planning memos, I want you to explain your reasons for choosing colors. Don't just state what a color means based off some out-of-context web page or your own "tastes." Instead, you should let me know why a color means what it does. There are several interpretations possible.

• Why is blue calming?
• Why is yellow for sickness?
• Exceptions: Green for environmental stuff and Red for danger or love...those are pretty common, but state that your purpose for choosing them.

Those of you who haven't turned in these portfolio assignments will definitely want to get them to me ASAP.

Next Week

Next week make sure you read Chapter 8 in Document Design class next week (11/05). We'll be discussing color next week. Chapter 7 in The Non-Designer's Design Book will be for the following week (11/12). Also, you'll have your Document #3 or #4 Workshop next week.

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