Photoshop Timeline Workshop

During this photoshop workshop, we were made aware of an easy technique to create simple gifs using photoshop's video timeline feature, as opposed to the more conventional medium of using adobe after effects.

The process is incredibly straightforward by converting the layers into frames. In this instance, I used several layers of coloured circles in different positions across the canvas and converted them into frames to create the animation. It is highly customisable as you can change rate of frames per second. 

I developed on this further, and experimented with the use of animating typography by adjusting the tracking of the type. 

Although I doubt I will use this feature in my design practice, as well as the fact that GIFs are becoming more and more obsolete on the web, I think it is useful to know an easy way to create GIFs. 

We also used photoshop to export a movie made from different frames. This is useful because photoshop could be used to edit the frames before it is exported. In this instance we used an animation of a stick man jumping.

https://vimeo.com/127479843

Type Transcription

Recently, we have been working on creating our own typeface. I designed a futuristic-looking typeface which integrates a variety of curves and right angles in the letterforms. I think the typeface would be more suited to display purposes, rather than body text.

To say that this was my first experience at designing letterforms, I think the outcome was reasonably well. One of the most challenging aspects of this task was to keep the aesthetic of each letterform consistent with each other letterform. In some aspects, I felt like I achieved this in regards to how the P and the Q look, but the weight difference between the U and the W could be improved. 

Typography in Graphic Design

This was the outcome of our physical studio work in which we had to transcribe shapes to form letter forms from a variety of art. We then had to develop this to create a ANESG. First I did some initial transcriptions and then developed them further to form a consistent typeface. Overall I felt like I struggled with this given by limited skills at drawing. 

Kinetic Typography - Where's Wallace

                             

This was the outcome of my kinetic typography work produced on Adobe After Effects. I chose to do an interview scene from The Wire. Because my experience on after effects is quite limited, I felt restricted when it came to animating the type. Because of this, in order to illustrate the context, I felt typeface choice and style was important. For example, I made the type larger if there was more emphasis placed on a word. As well as this, I used a slab typeface for important aspects of the text.

Overall, I felt somewhat pleased with the outcome of the task - I felt the text was in sync, although if I could improve the work, it would be to improve on the composition of the layout. I didn't know how to centre text on after effects, forcing me to manually place the type. 

Animated Character Tutorial

In this exercise we animated a vector based graphic. In this instance, I used a rocket from an earlier tutorial, and decided to develop it by adding thrusters onto the rocket which I would intend on animating. I also created a background of stars which I would also animate. 

First, I imported each individual layer in after effects. It was important to have each layer available to edit on the composition, rather than just the illustrator outcome as I would be animating individual layers.

Developing on my keyframing skills from previous tutorials, I adjusted the scale of the flames coming from the rocket to help to show acceleration, which I combined with adjusting the positoning of the stars layer to show the rocket passing the stars.

This shows how I adjusted the size of a specific flame layer to indicate acceleration.

Overall, I was satisfied with the outcome of the tutorial. I feel the animation of the sky worked better than the animated flames, although if I was to improve the animation of the sky, it would be to make the passing by of the stars appear faster. 

rocket from Jack Barnes on Vimeo.

Illustrator Rocket Tutorial

In another Adobe Illustrator tutorial I created a rocket. Overall I felt the tutorial was quite challenging because the Illustrator is quite intricate and complex, although I like this because it allows for more varied outcomes in your work, as well as giving you more control over your work.

Advanced Adobe InDesign Tutorial

In an advanced tutorial session in Adobe InDesign, we were asked to design a publication of our choice to illustrate our understanding of InDesign, as well as our understanding of the basics of typography.

I designed a fanzine on Manchester United. Overall, I felt the tutorial went extremely well. I believe I showed my understanding of typography my making the fanzine coherent, maintaining clear levels of legibility throughout the publication. 

Physical Studio - Grid Layouts

During my physical studio workshops, we have been working with grid layouts in terms of page layout to present a story.

This was the grid layout that I used in order to construct my page layout. 

This was a mockup of my page layout. I used conventional standards of page layout, such as bold headlines and subheadings. 

This was the final outcome of my 

Adobe InDesign Tutorial

Today I had a tutorial in Adobe InDesign. We had to create a newsletter and covered various element of Adobe InDesign. Because I have used InDesign in the past, I knew most of the things we covered. Despite this, I did learn some things.

I learnt about the use of master pages which applies things such as text and shapes to all pages within the document. I found that this would make my workflow more efficient.

I also learnt about text wrapping in InDesign which helps to arrange text around image. I feel this will come in useful when laying out my work for magazine in my Citys in Flux brief. 

Marilyn Monroe - Adobe Illustrator Tutorial

I created two moodboards to represent my story using adobe indesign- 1 in the form of a clean moodboard in a grid structure and the other in a messy layout.

Kinfolk - Adobe InDesign Workshop Week

This was the result of today's Adobe InDesign workshop with Jeffrey Bowman.
Overall I was really happy with the outcome of the brief - the brief stated that the spread had to be engaging, display the images in an interesting way and to have beautifully set typography, leading me to believe I satisfied the brief.

2 aspects of the spread which I was really pleased with were the front cover, because I believe the text and image go really well together, and the 3rd page because of how I experimented with the framing of an image. 

Despite this, however, I initially forgot to caption the images, leading me to add them on later, which I found hard because I planned the layout without taking into account that the images had to be captioned. I think the way I implemented the captions could be improved. 

Physical Workshop Story

Process and Production - Story

A strange man stood in the doorway. I had never seen him before in my life. The last time something like this happened before, I never saw my brothers and sisters again. Somewhat reluctantly, my owner left me for a split second. I felt the anxiety rush through my body. I quick lunge and I was gone. I was overpowered, despite my best efforts, leaving a trail of noise in my wake.

Thrown into a car, I watched as my home faded from view. Would I ever see my family again?

Time passed slowly, as dusk crept in. The soft hum of the engine soothed me, giving me the slightest slice of comfort, sending me to sleep.

Seagulls. I hated the things. I used to love chasing them. The reminder of home saddened me. It was even worse that I couldn’t see the. Where was I? I was trapped in a cage, wrapped in a thick tartan blanket. Maybe I was going home? I felt the car slowly nudging forward in conjunction with the sound of horns, shouting and the mechanical furore of heavy machinery. The engine clicked off and a door slammed. I was alone. Scared. I heard talking outside. The car boot opened and the blanket was pulled from the cage, unveiling a thuggish bald man. Everything about him was intimidating. He was approaching me with a briefcase. Placing the briefcase on the ground, he unveiled his phone from his pocket and was pointing it at me, accompanied with faint clicking sounds. When he was done, the blanket was thrown over me again and I was hoisted into another vehicle.

We arrived at what I assumed was the man’s home. It wasn’t very pleasant, especially compared to my old home. It was grotty and bare. I didn’t really know how anyone could call this a home. I was left in a damp kitchen, as the man exited the room and went upstairs.

It was beginning to be morning and sunshine was beginning to pierce the rags that appeared to be curtains. I had been left alone all night and I was growing hungry. The man clambered downstairs, taking a brief look at me before making a phone call. Whilst he was on the phone, however, an array of flashing blue lights lit up the house from the outside. Visibly panicked, he rushed to the window, shut the curtains smashed his phone, and ran for the door. Before he reached the doors, 3 uniformed men barged through, knocking the man off his feet and onto the floor. Somewhat startled, I was approached by the 3 men, picked up and placed into the car with flashing blue lights. Surely this wasn’t happening again?

We drove for a while before stopping and that’s when it hit me. I was home at last. The door opened and she was waiting for me in the garden, crying. Overcome with joy, I dived straight into her arms. It was so good to be home. I didn’t really understand what had happened, but I didn’t really care. All I know is that being a rare lilac bulldog gets a lot of people interested in you.

In this exercise we had to create a trailer using images and sounds. In this instance, I used some photography from my hometown of Barnsley. As I studied media during my A-Levels, I felt somewhat comfortable using this editing software, despite using final cut in college. 

I began by importing the images onto the timeline and arranging them. Cropping was also involved at this stage. I didn't want the shots to be too long because it would be boring, but having them being too quick could be too hectic for a viewer. I also had to cut the audio to get rid of the parts of the track that I didn't like.

Keyframing was also involved during the process of creating the trailer. Again I was familiar with how keyframing works as a general rule, and in this instance I adjusted the opacity of the shots which, in combination with having another layer below the current shot on the timeline, allowed me to create cross dissolves. I also keyframed a gradual increase on the scale to create a slow, zooming effect, which I felt made the shots look less boring than having stationary shots. 

Overall, to say this was the first time I used after effects, I felt that the outcome was successful. Despite this, I felt my lack of experience with the software restricted me from being too creative with the trailer.

Comp 1 from Jack Barnes on Vimeo.

Lightbulb Tutorial

This was the outcome of the tutorial. Overall, I think the process was successful, as I feel becoming familiar with the patch tool can really help me out in the future. The patch tool is content-aware, meaning that it is really useful is seamlessly arranging your work in order to sustain continuity. I found the tool extremely flexible and easy to get to grips with.

I think if I could improve one aspect of the overall outcome, it would be to improve the reflections of the tree. I think the lighting doesn't work too well. To improve it, I could have spent more time outside of university on refining the reflections, as well as studying how the reflections would have been formed. 

ManvsMachine Film4 Rebrand

 I really appreciate ManvsMachine's rebrand for Film4. In particular, I like how the promos make references to popular films and how the Film4 logo interacts with the film's environment, creating this vintage film strip aesthetic.