Hour of Code

Today in my 1st period Contemporary Media class, we were taught how to 'code', specifically Javascript. Coding is generic name for all computer programing language. For instance, there are web, app and computer software languages.

The Hour of Code is a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in different countries. Anyone, anywhere can organize an Hour of Code event.
One-hour tutorials are available in over 40 languages. As you can see to your right there are plenty of students enjoying and decoding websites.

I was one of the many students from the Edward Wenzlaff Education Center and one of the millions from around the world that participated in the "Hour of Code." The game I chose to code from was Minecraft. By dragging and placing blocks, I've created a set of instructions in a computer language called Javascript. This code tells computers what to display on the screen. Everything you see and do in Minecraft also starts with lines of computer code like these "moveForward();" This would mean to move forward in javascript (computer) language.

After finishing my 10 levels of programing, I was awarded a certificate for participating in the "Hour of code."  Overall I wasn't expecting to have this experience this week during my Contemporary Media class, however, coding is the basis of all contemporary media, especially for my generation in this age of 21st century technology.

3rd Quarter Illustration

We’re now in our 3rd quarter Contemporary Media class and we will be learning a new Adobe program called Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator is a program used by both artists and graphic designers to create vector images. These images will then be used for company logos, promotional uses or even personal work, both in print and digital form.
 There are so many tools and gadgets that i've learned for this assignment including how to take a screen shot on my computer. To take a screen shot you hold 'command+shift+4,' and there you have it you took a screenshot. Another tool i learned was how to click on a back round image for instance say i have a picture of a person and i wanted to illustrate the background i  would use the 'selection tool' to select the back of the picture, then continue in whatever i wanted to do with the background. i really think working in adobe illustrator is advancing my skills and helping me become a better illustrator.

Adobe Illustrator Progress

11/18

What is Getting Started:

Adobe illustrator is where hobbyist and artist use to draw in the computer. The two most important keys to adobe illustrator is it always has to be editable, and also scaleable.


GS-01: Using rulers and guide:

Precision is one of the most important things when it comes to vector graphics. 

Illustrator has tons of tools to create perfect graphics.

There is a ruler overlay that can be configured to use measurements other then inches 

GS-02: Using the basic selection tools:

The most important tool is the selection tool. Your way to tell the app what to do. There are three main selection tools  the selection tool, the direct selection tool, and  the group selection tool.

GS-03: Selecting artwork beneath other objects:

Navigate the stacking order in an Illustrator document by using the Selection tool. Select and isolate grouped objects and go into Outline Mode to view them more clearly. Learn how to select objects beneath the selected layer.

GS-04: Creating files for print:

Establishing an intent for artwork, considering the audience and destination, before beginning a project makes it easier to repurpose artwork later. Use New Document Profile settings to define size, artboards, bleed, and color mode for the document.

GS-05: The importance of modifier keys:

Understand the benefits of using modifier keys in combination with the drawing tools in Illustrator.

11/19
GS-06: Using the Blob Brush and Eraser:

the Blob Brush and Eraser tools perform pathfinder operations behind the scenes as you draw. Draw over existing brush strokes with the Blob Brush to merge the strokes. Select objects before drawing with the Eraser tool to erase only selected areas.

Using the new Artboards panel:

Use the new Artboards panel to name artboards and adjust settings of artboards in Illustrator.

Using enhanced art and pattern brushes:

Create original art or pattern brushes, and learn how to adjust segments of a brush pattern in  

Illustrator

  

Working with symbols more easily:
Explore ways to work with symbols in Illustrator, such as how to specify and control registration points, work with smart guides, reset a symbol's instance, and work with layer structure.

Creating pixel-aligned web graphics:
Use the new pixel-aligned feature to create web graphics that fit optimally with your finished product, and take a peek in Preview mode.

Using 9-slice scaling options with symbols:

Learn the 9-slice scaling method and scaling options in Illustrator, including how to preserve symbol instance proportions when scaling.

Using drawing modes:Learn how to use the Draw Behind and Draw Inside drawing modes to efficiently achieve various layer effects in Illustrator.

Creating complex art with the Shape Builder tool:
Create complex art from simpler basic shapes by using the Shape Builder tool in Illustrator

Creating corner-aligned dashed lines:
Control various elements of dashed lines in Illustrator CS5, including line length, corners and gaps.

Drawing artwork in perspective:
Create new artwork in perspective in Illustrator CS5 by using the Perspective Grid tool. Create shapes and panes mapped to perspective.

Defining perspective grids:
Set up your document for perspective drawing by defining the perspective grid in Illustrator CS5. Learn how to change the grid settings.

Mapping flat artwork to the perspective grid:
Discover ways to map flat artwork into perspective in Illustrator CS5. Transform artwork by allowing automatic plane positioning and perpendicular movement of objects.

Cropping Images with Clipping Masks:
In this video you will learn a quick and easy method for cropping images in Adobe Illustrator CS6 and CS5. Using clipping masks allows you to retain the area of the image you cropped out as well as modify the clipping path later on.

Cropping Images with Opacity Masks:
In this video you will learn a versatile method for cropping images in Adobe Illustrator CS6 and CS5. Using opacity masks allows you to retain the area of the image you cropped out, modify the clipping path later, and use complex blending modes, transparencies, and knockout groups.

Positive Word Animation

For my final project in our Contemporary Media Class in the second quarter, my assignment was to create a positive word that was to be animated in a program called adobe flash. I chose the word "Vibe", because the first thing that came to my head was how I was feeling at that moment - and I was vibe'n.

I decided to make each letter on a separate layer so that I could animate each letter up and down independently. This was a fun and easy assignment that we completed in just 3 hours. Since we used a lot of the same tools used in our walking stick man project, I was able to accomplish this very easily. Because I know how long this assignment took me, I would be able to quote an animated text job for a client.

Flash Walk Cycle Animation

For the past three weeks we have been learning how to demonstrate the skills to animate a simple walk cycle using keyframes and motion tween on the timeline. For this project we had to use the adobe Flash motion program, doing so i learned a lot of useful, and helpful tools. There were about 30 steps involved in the process of making this animation, but today I will be demonstrating how to export a file to your desktop.

Learning how to export a file is fairly simple. Say you're done with project this would be the last step you would do. At the top of your screen there is  a couple of options you could choose from, but were going to be looking for the the option 'File' after choosing file its gonna open up a panel of a whole bunch of other options you're just gonna go down the line and look for 'Export'. After you click on export its gonna say do you want to export a movie export a picture or export a selection. We're gonna want a movie so our design will move, after doing so its gonna  bring up a window that'll say Save as, tags, where, and format. Then you'll save it as Walk.gif, under tags it will be left empty, under the where box you'll select desktop and for form your gonna choose animated gif. And thats how you export a file!

I'm really excited to have completed this project, because there were a lot of steps involved and I'm very happy that I stuck with it so that I can present it in my portfolio. Besides learning how to animate in Flash, i also now understand the physics and mechanics of the motion involved in a walk cycle.

What is Motion Design?

During this second semester in my Contemporary media class we will be learning about Motion design. Motion Design is a community of designers, animators, illustrators, and all types of digital artists. A group designed to connect motion designers, spur imaginations, help fix problems, provide constructive feedback, and literally anything else you can imagine. Motion is movement. Design is is to construct according to plan. Some examples of advertising, video games, apps cartoon movies ect.

Todays assignment includes researching and designing 2d motion design concepts. According to Wikipedia, Motion graphics are digital footage and/or animations technology to create the illusion of motion or rotatory and are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects.

Here's a great example, see how the picture looks like it was moving but then suddenly pauses? this here was a video on 2d graphic designing showing an example of what motion design is. (a moving picture)

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_graphics

What is Contemporary Media?

 In my new classroom i was asked to define contemporary media. The definition of contemporary is existing at the same time or present time period. Media is the plural of a word that came directly from the latin word data. So there you have it "Contemporary Media" is a form of present technology.

References:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/contemporary

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/media?s=t