Reflection of quarter 1 projects
These projects were not painstakingly hard, but each required careful attention and much effort to accomplish. Creating the wanted poster, the ten thousand dollar bill, the pop-out picture, and the magazine cover helped me learn how to use Photoshop better than I did before. Much research had to be done and the directions given had to be followed well so the effect would work with the images I selected. The final product of each project was more than satisfactory and making these products was enjoyable. The instructions were helpful and I always had help available so I was not worried about being unsuccessful. The steps were clear and Photoshop was easy to use when making these images and projects. After each project, I reflected upon the work to understand what I did and how I did it while looking for possible improvements that would make the final product better. Overall, this quarter was easy and fun because I learned new things about Adobe Photoshop CS6 and I now have a better understanding of how it works.
Pop out effect
To make this project I researched possible images to see what would work. After deciding to use this seahorse picture, I created a rectangular selection just below the necks of the seahorses and stroked it with white so it looks like a frame. I transformed the frame so it had a 3D look. I then hit "Q" on the frame and the background outside the frame so only what was in the frame would be revealed. I created a mask on the seahorses and allowed them to be visible using the refine edge tool. After, I added a gradient to the background to give the image depth.
Wanted Poster
This wanted poster was made by researching different posters and selecting one that appealed to me and my interests. I chose a western-themed one with a paper-like texture. I increased the size of the poster using content aware tools so I could fit myself in the poster. I also made myself look like a brownish black-and-white color by using a B&W mask and using Tint with the color of the poster. I faded the bottom half of myself by using the eraser tool with a large brush and making it very soft.
$10k Dollar Bill
To make this I took myself and desaturated my appearance and created two sets of waves to go across my face. One would go up and down and the other would go left and right. I created straight lines using the filter gallery and then made them wavy by using the wave distortion. I then colored my self according to the colors of the dollar bill. I placed myself into the bill and made a mask so only my face would show in the center of the bill. I positioned myself so my face was clear enough to see and added my name with an arc effect.
Magazine Cover
This magazine cover was made by researching different covers and selecting one that appealed to me and my interests. I chose a mathematical theme and placed several math-related images in the cover. I increased the vibrance on my self but I painted over my face with a black brush because it was kind of orange. I placed myself in front of some graphics but also behind some too. This gave it a sense of depth and made it somewhat dynamic.
Portfolio Picture Creation
With the help of my teacher as well as my classmates, I was able to create this image with little trouble by editing it in several ways until I was satisfied with the results. I first selected myself out of the background using the quick select tool and used refine edge to make a cleaner selection. I then retouched the photo of myself using the spot healing brush tool to remove any blemishes visible. For brightening the eyes, I made a crescent-like selection and made a transparent shine and applied it to both eyes. I also smoothed my skin out using a mask and playing with the settings.
Quarter 1 Projects
