Intro to Media- Class Syllabus (Course Outline)

Mr. Le Roy’s 2012-2013

Description: This class provides students with a basic understanding of graphic imaging / digital photography as a method of communication and as an artistic media. The digital camera and computer software, such as Adobe Photoshop, replaces the traditional darkroom and is used to capture and manipulate photographic images. Photographic composition and the meaning of those images will be stressed. The students will create portfolios of digital photographs that emulate traditional photographic processes and media. These portfolios will serve as the student’s midterm and final exam and should represent their understanding of the class work.

Units of Study Units focus on developing an understanding of the elements of media arts and the principles of design to express meaning through graphic imaging. Units are based on specific themes and chapters from Adobe Photoshop CS4 Classroom in a Book. I use these as tools for focusing students on creating meaning through their photographic images / media production. By the end of the class, students will not only be able to create and communicate through graphic imaging, but will also be able to evaluate the effectiveness and the impact of their own work and the work of others. The units of study for this year include:

UNIT 1 (Weeks 1-4) Basic Information Photoshop basics—the toolbox and shortcuts (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 11-54) Types of Digital Cameras Composition Guidelines Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority

Principles of Photographic Composition Assignments: “All About Me” – shoot a series of objects that represent you. Do not take portraits of yourself

Art Elements and Design Principles: Rule of Thirds (Breaking up the photographic image) Line (Perspective) Frame Within a Frame (Composition) Abstract Close Up Cropping/Filling the Frame (The Four Corners of the Viewfinder) Point of View (avoiding the 5’7‖ inch problem) Texture and Pattern

Total number of photos required: 10 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): o Essential Questions: How to Build a Composition. How point of view effects proportion and emotion o How do artists/photographers generate visual interest and create visual flow within their images? How does point of view contribute to the visual impact of a photograph? o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection about your ―All About Me” images as a group

UNIT 2 (Weeks 4-8) Photoshop basics—Lesson 2 and Lesson 3 (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 57-101) File Formats Color Modes Bit-Depth Perspective/Angle of view Symmetry, Balance, Repetition, Simplicity Software Applications and tools for adjusting hue, saturation, curves, brightness and contrast

Spaces and Perspective Assignments: Lines – three different and distinct types (From Man Made Structures) Man Made Environments – Interiors & Exteriors (2 each) Geometrical forms & Organic forms

Total number of photos required: 10 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Notebook: o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection on

UNIT 3 (Weeks 9-12) Photoshop basics—Lesson 4 and Lesson 5 (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 103-170) Tool Box Overview – focus on selection tools Selective blur to add depth of field Selective color, saturation and value treatment Selection tool options, feathering, cutting, pasting, layer opacity Adjusting Exposure – burning and dodging tools Color Management – color balance for the computer

American Culture – (People, Places, Things) Assignments: People in your neighborhood – What defines your community / culture? (Two photo’s with people, Two without people)

Total number of photos required: 10 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Essential Questions: What is your community and how do you feel about it? o How do artists/photographers add personal style and meaning to their work to represent ideas, thoughts, and feelings about their own community? o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection

UNIT 4 (Weeks 13-14) Photoshop basics—Lesson 6 (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 173-209) Hue, Contrast, Value, Intensity

Art and Abstractions of Light Assignments: Natural Light Interior Long Exposure Shot (2) Shadows (2) Reflections and Transparency (2)

Total number of photos required: 10 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Essential Questions: How does light affect an interior space? o What role do shadows play in a composition? What is the benefit of using a quick mask? How do channels differ from layers? o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection

PLEASE NOTE: We are almost at the end of the first semester of our school year! Your midterm portfolios are due Thursday, January 21st 2010. The guidelines for your midterm portfolio are available (we will review these guidelines during class) It is extremely important that you see Mr. Le Roy with any questions- A.S.A.P.!!! (Midterm Portfolio/Exam 25%)

UNIT 5 (Weeks 15-18) Photoshop basics—Lesson 7 (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 210-245) Selections Adjusting Exposure Color Management Creating a Self Portrait Hybrid Self Portrait Illustration Effects

Art and Personal Expression (Portraiture) Assignments: Self Portrait (Shoot 20 different photographic portraits of yourself) Layering (convey multiple layers of personality by taking two ―haunting‖ portraits wearing literal and figurative masks) Portraits - Studio Lighting – natural, dramatic, diffused/soft – and convert to Black and White Self Portrait - Play a character from a movie, play, media, etc.

Total number of photos required: 30 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Interpreting and Expressing Mood Through Images Essential Questions: How do artists/photographers influence the viewers’ mood through their intentional use of color or lack of color? o How does the quality of light influence the message sent to the viewer? o Personal Artist Response / Reflection

PLEASE NOTE: This unit concludes the first semester of our school year! Your midterm portfolios are due Thursday, January 21st 2010. The guidelines for your midterm portfolio where provided to you before winter break. See Mr. Le Roy with any questions (Midterm Portfolio/Exam 25%)

Review and Reflection (Weeks 19-20)  Review Units 1-5 Types of Digital Cameras Composition Guidelines Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority File Formats Color Modes Bit-Depth Perspective/Angle of view Symmetry, Balance, Repetition, Simplicity Software Applications and tools for adjusting hue, saturation, curves, brightness and contrast Tool Box Overview – focus on selection tools Adjusting Exposure – burning and dodging tools Color Management – color balance for the computer Hue, Contrast, Value, Intensity Selections Adjusting Exposure Color Management

Midterm Portfolio/Exam Assignments: Your midterm portfolios are due Thursday, January 21st 2010. The guidelines for your midterm portfolio where provided to you before winter break. See Mr. Le Roy with any questions (Midterm Portfolio/Exam 25%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): o Essential Questions: How to Build a Composition. How point of view effects proportion and emotion o How do artists/photographers generate visual interest and create visual flow within their images? How does point of view contribute to the visual impact of a photograph? What is your community and how do you feel about it? o How do artists/photographers add personal style and meaning to their work to represent ideas, thoughts, and feelings about their own community? o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection

UNIT 6 (Weeks 21-24) Photoshop basics—Lesson 8 and Lesson 9 (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 245-310) Studio Lighting - ambient, natural and artificial Shutter Priority Layers, Selections, and Masks Vector Shape Tools Selective Coloring Text Treatment Combination of text and image Multiple image and shape layers

The Digital Studio: Package Design and Graphic Imaging

Assignments: Product or Event Promotion / Critique - Combining Text and Images Comment on a social issue/theme – Combining Text and Images

Total number of photos required: 20 photos (40%)

Notebook/ Sketchbook Assignments (20 %): Essential Questions: – Where do you see that change is needed – why? How can this be done? o Journal Question: What is the impact of historical, social, or cultural events on the identity of an individual, community, or region of people? o How does the environment impact or change one’s identity? o How does artist’s/photographer’s style communicate thoughts, ideas, or feelings? o Personal Artist Statement

UNIT 7 (Weeks 25-26) Photoshop basics—Review (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, Reread pages 57-101) Photo Restoration (Burn, dodge, clone/stamp) Restoration of a damaged photo Abstracting and distorting the image Layering and/or moving, possible mirroring of a single image Scanning Layers, Selections, and Masks Transform/Perspective

Art and the Deterioration of Reality Shooting Assignments: Surrealistic Photomontage - ―Dreams, Journals and Conversations‖ What a Hoax – collage images to create a hoax

Total number of photos required: 10 photos (40%)

Notebook/ Sketchbook Assignments (20 %): Essential Questions: Focusing on Surrealism and hoaxes o Why do hoaxes exist? Who do they serve? Why do we believe in them? Personal Artist Statement

UNIT 8 (Weeks 27-28) Photoshop basics—Lesson 10 (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 313-337) Cropping Saturation and Contrast Using Replace Color Adding filtration

Art and Graphic Elements: Advanced Layering Assignments: Contrasting colors/color themes (Vibrant Color Objects)(2) Negative/Positive Space (2) Close-up Miniatures (Macro) (2) Foreshortening: Dynamic Angles (2)

Total number of photos required: 10 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Notebook: color and texture swatch collection o Essential Questions: How is abstract art different from representational art? o How does an artist/photographer effectively communicate meaning to the viewer when using abstract techniques? o How is color used to enhance visual impact and meaning? o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection UNIT 9 (Weeks 29-32) Photoshop basics—Lesson 11 (Adobe Photoshop CS4, Classroom in a Book, pages 342-376) Layers, Selections, and Masks Transform/Perspective Scale Rotate Skew Distort/Warp

Using Advanced Layering to create complex composites Assignments: Automating a multi-step task Recording Actions Composting images and applying smart filters Distort an image to emphasize specific qualities Crazy Rainbow Effect Portrait – using the alpha channel

Total number of photos required: 15 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Essential Questions: - o How do artists use emphasis to inform the viewer of specific characteristics within a person, place or thing? o How does the environment impact or change one’s identity? o Personal Artist Statement

UNIT 10 (Week 33-34) Layers, Selections, and Masks Sandwiching images

Art as a Personal Journey Assignments: Past, Present and Future or Before, During, After – Storytelling Photographic Series Transformation – Narrative (Recreate a scene you witnessed from the mundane to the monumental)

Total number of photos required: 15 photos (40%)

Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Notebook: internet research – Artful thinking o Essential Questions: How do artists/photographers communicate ideas, thoughts, or feelings about people, places, and things? o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection

UNIT 11 (Weeks 35-36) Filters, Brushes and Masks Historical process within the traditional medium (Daguerreotype, Cartes De Visite, Tintype, & Cyanotype) How do we use Adobe Photoshop to create these effects?

Art and Historical Progression Assignments: Shoot as if you were creating each one of these types of photos ―back in the day‖ - Daguerreotype, Salt Print, Calotype, Cartes De Visite, Sabattier, Ambrotype or Tintype, Cyanotype. Pick three of the 8 listed) 3 Photos with digital imitation of the traditional technique implemented

Total number of photos required: 15 photos (40%) Notebook/Sketchbook (20%): Essential Questions: How has photography evolved over time? o How do personal, historical and social events influence the development of art? o How do the tools and media affect the photographs you produce? o Personal Artist Statement / Reflection

PLEASE NOTE: Your final portfolios are due Thursday, June 17th 2010. The guidelines for your final portfolio where provided to you during class. See Mr. Le Roy with any questions (Final Portfolio/Exam 25%)

Review and Reflection (Weeks 37-40)

 Review Units 6-11 Studio Lighting - ambient, natural and artificial Shutter Priority Layers, Selections, and Masks Vector Shape Tools Selective Coloring Text Treatment Combination of text and image Multiple image and shape layers Photo Restoration (Burn, dodge, clone/stamp) Restoration of a damaged photo Abstracting and distorting the image Layering and/or moving, possible mirroring of a single image Scanning Layers, Selections, and Masks Transform/Perspective Cropping Saturation and Contrast Using Replace Color Adding filtration Layers, Selections, and Masks Transform/Perspective Scale Rotate Skew Distort/Warp

Final Portfolio/Exam Assignments: Your final portfolios are due Thursday, June 17th 2010. The guidelines for your final portfolio where provided to you the second week in May. See Mr. Le Roy with any questions (Final Portfolio/Exam 25%)

Notebook/ Sketchbook Assignments (20 %): Essential Questions: – Where do you see that change is needed – why? How can this be done? o Journal Question: What is the impact of historical, social, or cultural events on the identity of an individual, community, or region of people? o How does the environment impact or change one’s identity? o Why do hoaxes exist? Who do they serve? Why do we believe in them? o How does artist’s/photographer’s style communicate thoughts, ideas, or feelings? o How do artists use emphasis to inform the viewer of specific characteristics within a person, place or thing? o How does the environment impact or change one’s identity?

The Classroom / Computer Lab Policy

RESPECT Who: Each other, the classroom, the teacher, and most importantly, yourself When: All the time Where: Everywhere, of course. I specifically expect all of us demonstrate this respect in the classroom during class time. How: Follow all instructions completely Handle all cameras, computers and equipment with care. Follow the procedures of proper use outlined in equipment manuals or as instructed by the teacher. Be ―nice or neutral‖ in your interactions with others Demonstrate academic integrity

Materials Everyday, you are expected to have: 1) Notebook or Sketchbook 2) 2 pencils (sharpened when the bell rings) 3) Black or blue ink pen 4) Ideas for current or future projects (keep thinking ahead)

Tardies I will follow school policy. If for any reason you are not inside the classroom when the bell rings, you will be marked tardy/late to class.

Daily Assignment Most days, when you walk into class, there will be a short assignment. Begin working silently on the assignment in your seat.

Mr. Le Roy’s Desk and Table The desk, table, and computer at the front of the room are part of ―Mr. Le Roy’s area.‖ No student shall ever handle, touch or use the items in this area without specific directions and permission to do so.

Going to the Restroom Class time is valuable and I expect you to go to the restroom before or after class. There is plenty of time between classes to take care of your business. I understand that special circumstances do arise, and in these situations I will sometimes permit a student to use the restroom, provided the following: It is a genuine emergency and you have to go Any student with special circumstances regarding restroom privileges needs to give me a note written and signed by your parent/guardian

Student Movement No student should be wandering around class at any time. If you have trash, hold it until the end of class or raise it up and I will throw it away for you. If for some reason you must get up, raise your hand and ask, please.

Participation Everyone is expected to participate in class. This includes answering/attempting to answer questions and participating in demonstrations. If any student has a problem with this policy, she/he should come see me as soon as possible to discuss the situation. Class Participation is mandatory.

Class Dismissal Mr. Le Roy, not the bell, dismisses class. The class will be dismissed only if all cleaning requirements are complete, I have stopped speaking, and all students are in their seats

Late Work All work is given at the time that it is assigned for a reason. It will be very difficult if not impossible to keep up with this class if you do not complete homework on time. For this reason, all late work will be worth a maximum of 50% credit and will not be accepted after a test is taken on the material. This goes for homework that was not done, left at home, left in your locker, left in the car, eaten by a pet shark, etc. Doesn’t matter, if it’s not there, it’s late.

Make-ups Make-up work for project/assignment is to be done on assigned days. If you miss the re-assigned day the assignment cannot be made up.

Absences Class time is very important. For every day you miss, you are behind 1.5 hours in my class and 6 hours total for your classes. It is much easier to be in class. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to make up the work. Do not expect me to come after you about it. All work for each day will be posted, so be sure to check for Assignments & Activities first thing when you come back Then, before the bell rings or at the end of class/after school make sure to ask me if there was anything else you missed or that you need to do. Each student has until the day of the project/assignment for that material to complete work for the day he/she was absent.

Graded Materials Grading Policy Each 6 weeks Class work 30% Notebook/Sketchbook 20% Graphic Images/Photos 40% Class Participation 10% Midterm and Final Portfolio/Exam 25%

Consequences Consequences are used for any disruptive or disrespectful behavior in class. You are old enough to know how to act. 1st offense – Warning 2nd offense – Personal conference with Mr. Le Roy 3rd offense – Parent Phone Call 4th offense – Administrative/Parent Conference

I look forward to getting to know you and helping you learn as much as possible this semester.

I have read this document and understand the policies and procedures of Mr. Le Roy’s class. I am also aware that it is my right to request a meeting at any time during the year to discuss the enforcement of these rules and policies or any other issues related to class.

Student Signature:______

Student Name:______