Reflecting back on digital media I realize how much I learned from this course. Coming in to RTA I didn't realize we had a digital media class and was unsure of what to expect from the course. However I found that I have learned many principles of design and aspects of the web I hadn't previously know.
The lectures proved very informative and I learned many new theories which helped me in my assignment. Lori was a very good lecturer whose enthusiasm aided my consciousness so early in the morning. The lectures were in general pretty good, however there were a few that seemed irrelevant towards coarse material or redundant since we had the information already. In the labs the tutorials were really well put together and taught us all we needed to know to effectively complete our assignments. I also like sharing our works and hearing other people critique them.
Perhaps more focus in the lectures, and better online posting. Before the test it was frustrating not to have the complete notes available. Even being in class and knowing they would not be complete online afterwards I found them to be a poor resource for studying and should either be fully available or not at all. As for the labs I found the sections before we got on the machines dragged on occasionally. I see the value of having our full attention to start the class however i think it would be helpful to get on the computers and run through the tutorials sooner.
This course has taught me a lot about computers and specific software as well as principles of design to make compelling media. I now appreciate the amount of work that goes into digital media. I also realize the importance of digital media in all facets of the industry and how the design principles can be applied everywhere.
The most important skill that I will take away from this course are the principles of design and how to apply them to my work and how to identify them in other works. These principles are used everywhere and will be helpful in all the work I do in RTA and in the future.
Thursday
Week 11 - The Web
As a student who has grown up with the Internet it is difficult to imagine what life was like without it. We have come to a point where we depend on the tools it enables us to do, especially in school where we use it as a valuable resource. Although our generation can take it for granted the Internet was not always available and evolved into the state it is now in.
The web has developed from its humble beginnings to a tool our society relies heavily on. Getting on the web is simpler than ever. It as simple as signing up for a blog...similar to this one. A large number of people have social network pages such as facebook and Myspace, people play games across the Internet, connect through their phones, pay bills and use the Internet to research, as well as many more countless activities. Getting a web page is very simple and with programs such as dreamweaver it is increasingly easier to create well designed simple pages.
Programs like dreamweaver make it easy to create nice simple websites however throughout our tutorials we were asked to view the source code for specific websites and it is amazing how complex some sites are and the amount of time and money companies spend in order to have professional high quality sites.
The Internet continues to expand and new uses and applications are designed everyday. Accessibility and connection speed are also increasing making file sizes larger. Mobile browsing is also increasing in popularity allowing us to browse anywhere and keeping us connected more of the day. The possibilities are continually growing and are quite exciting for the future of the Internet.
The web has developed from its humble beginnings to a tool our society relies heavily on. Getting on the web is simpler than ever. It as simple as signing up for a blog...similar to this one. A large number of people have social network pages such as facebook and Myspace, people play games across the Internet, connect through their phones, pay bills and use the Internet to research, as well as many more countless activities. Getting a web page is very simple and with programs such as dreamweaver it is increasingly easier to create well designed simple pages.
Programs like dreamweaver make it easy to create nice simple websites however throughout our tutorials we were asked to view the source code for specific websites and it is amazing how complex some sites are and the amount of time and money companies spend in order to have professional high quality sites.
The Internet continues to expand and new uses and applications are designed everyday. Accessibility and connection speed are also increasing making file sizes larger. Mobile browsing is also increasing in popularity allowing us to browse anywhere and keeping us connected more of the day. The possibilities are continually growing and are quite exciting for the future of the Internet.
Tuesday
Week 10 - Characteristics of Web 2.0
Characteristic #1: Dynamic Content
The ability to view content on multiple platforms. NHL mobile is an example of dynamic content because it can be viewed and interacted with on multiple platforms such as a cell phone, pda, or other online devices.
Characteristic #2: User Contribution
User contribution means that users can enter content or values into a site. What this means is users can add content or in the case of values contribute ratings and opinions to aid others. An example of this is the Toronto Ultimate Club website (tuc.org) were users can share photos and contribute opinions and ideas on the forums.
Characteristic #3: Social Media
Social media are sites that facilitate social networking communication and sharing. Most allow users to create an online personality and join groups and friend networks. The most popular site for this is Facebook (facebook.com). Facebook allows people to create an online profile where they can share pictures and video and connect with people all over the world.
Characteristic #4: Online Applications
Online applications are applications that run through the web rather than having to install them onto your own computer. An example of this is online banking where users can sign up and access the application to pay there bills and manage their accounts.
Characteristic #5: Harnessing Collective Intelligence
Harnessing collective intelligence is the idea that by using user input such as tagging, folksonomies, and crowdsourcing. This can be used to make searching easier as well as help advertisers. An example of this is the website itag.com which allows users to tag photos to make searching through them easier.
The ability to view content on multiple platforms. NHL mobile is an example of dynamic content because it can be viewed and interacted with on multiple platforms such as a cell phone, pda, or other online devices.
Characteristic #2: User Contribution
User contribution means that users can enter content or values into a site. What this means is users can add content or in the case of values contribute ratings and opinions to aid others. An example of this is the Toronto Ultimate Club website (tuc.org) were users can share photos and contribute opinions and ideas on the forums.
Characteristic #3: Social Media
Social media are sites that facilitate social networking communication and sharing. Most allow users to create an online personality and join groups and friend networks. The most popular site for this is Facebook (facebook.com). Facebook allows people to create an online profile where they can share pictures and video and connect with people all over the world.
Characteristic #4: Online Applications
Online applications are applications that run through the web rather than having to install them onto your own computer. An example of this is online banking where users can sign up and access the application to pay there bills and manage their accounts.
Characteristic #5: Harnessing Collective Intelligence
Harnessing collective intelligence is the idea that by using user input such as tagging, folksonomies, and crowdsourcing. This can be used to make searching easier as well as help advertisers. An example of this is the website itag.com which allows users to tag photos to make searching through them easier.
Week 9 - Flash Assignment
Artist Statement:
The concept for my flash assignment came to me when I was looking through the sound library in the computer lab. Having heard some of the guitar sound effects I decided to base my flash assignment around a guitar. I also wanted to include classic rock and psychedelic themes. My goal was to create an enjoyable video that highlights the guitar while including bright colours. The target audiences for this movie are classic rock fans who enjoy guitar based music from the psychedelic period.
In order to achieve this goal I used flash and fireworks. Fireworks was used to create all the base images. This was accomplished using the vector tools for the most part. In flash tweening was used to create most of the effects. Multiple layers were used to create dimension and add depth to the movie.
Many challenges were encountered during the creation of the flash movie. One problem which I anticipated was creating animation for the hands to play the guitar. The one that caused the biggest problem was when the hand has to grab the fret board. In order to overcome this problem I had to use trial and error until the desired effect was attained. Even after this I was still not fully happy with how that aspect turned out. I also encountered a problem with the music. When the button to replay the song is selected the music would not start. In order to solve this problem I had to edit the music into two separate layers, one of which began where the movie reverts back to when prompted. The creation of buttons also presented problems in the actionscript; however this was mostly due to error on my behalf and was solved by reviewing how to do it properly helped solve this problem.
This assignment challenged me to learn how to use a program that I had no experience with. Throughout the process I learned how to create flash animations as well as use interactive functions in a compelling way. The functions learned were basic tweening, layering, animating and interactive buttons. I was really happy with the final product that came out of this assignment. I believe I met my goals and objectives and created a compelling guitar movie.
Analysis:
I was very happy with how my flash assignment. I spent a very long time producing the animation and I think the final project reflects the work I put in. This assignment was a real joy to do and is why I was willing to spend so much time working on it. Throughout the assignment I was challenged to acquire a basic knowledge of how Flash works and what can be done with it with a better understanding. After viewing my peers work I was very impressed with the level of creativity in our lab. There were ideas and concepts for this project that I would never have thought of and it speaks volumes for the diverse group of students RTA hosts. It was also very impressive to see some of the techniques other students used that I had not thought to incorporate into my own flash animation.
The concept for my flash assignment came to me when I was looking through the sound library in the computer lab. Having heard some of the guitar sound effects I decided to base my flash assignment around a guitar. I also wanted to include classic rock and psychedelic themes. My goal was to create an enjoyable video that highlights the guitar while including bright colours. The target audiences for this movie are classic rock fans who enjoy guitar based music from the psychedelic period.
In order to achieve this goal I used flash and fireworks. Fireworks was used to create all the base images. This was accomplished using the vector tools for the most part. In flash tweening was used to create most of the effects. Multiple layers were used to create dimension and add depth to the movie.
Many challenges were encountered during the creation of the flash movie. One problem which I anticipated was creating animation for the hands to play the guitar. The one that caused the biggest problem was when the hand has to grab the fret board. In order to overcome this problem I had to use trial and error until the desired effect was attained. Even after this I was still not fully happy with how that aspect turned out. I also encountered a problem with the music. When the button to replay the song is selected the music would not start. In order to solve this problem I had to edit the music into two separate layers, one of which began where the movie reverts back to when prompted. The creation of buttons also presented problems in the actionscript; however this was mostly due to error on my behalf and was solved by reviewing how to do it properly helped solve this problem.
This assignment challenged me to learn how to use a program that I had no experience with. Throughout the process I learned how to create flash animations as well as use interactive functions in a compelling way. The functions learned were basic tweening, layering, animating and interactive buttons. I was really happy with the final product that came out of this assignment. I believe I met my goals and objectives and created a compelling guitar movie.
Analysis:
I was very happy with how my flash assignment. I spent a very long time producing the animation and I think the final project reflects the work I put in. This assignment was a real joy to do and is why I was willing to spend so much time working on it. Throughout the assignment I was challenged to acquire a basic knowledge of how Flash works and what can be done with it with a better understanding. After viewing my peers work I was very impressed with the level of creativity in our lab. There were ideas and concepts for this project that I would never have thought of and it speaks volumes for the diverse group of students RTA hosts. It was also very impressive to see some of the techniques other students used that I had not thought to incorporate into my own flash animation.
Week 8 - Album covers
When we consider album covers there are a select few albums we think of. The first ones that come to my mind are Sgt. Peppers, Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. However album covers did not always exist. Alex Stenweiss invented them in 1938 and they immediately became popular. Now album Art is highly important and is still influenced by Alex's work.
This is an example of one of Alex's Album covers. It features simple lines and colours.
This is an Album cover for Feist's album The Reminder. There are some distinct similarities between the two albums. To start there is a prominent dark figure in the center. It also features coloured lines originating from the dark figure. Finally it has all the text in the upper area of the cover.
Sources: http://alexsteinweiss.com/as_index.html
http://www.canadiandesignresource.ca/officialgallery/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/feist.jpg
This is an example of one of Alex's Album covers. It features simple lines and colours.
This is an Album cover for Feist's album The Reminder. There are some distinct similarities between the two albums. To start there is a prominent dark figure in the center. It also features coloured lines originating from the dark figure. Finally it has all the text in the upper area of the cover.Sources: http://alexsteinweiss.com/as_index.html
http://www.canadiandesignresource.ca/officialgallery/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/feist.jpg
Week 7 - Animation examples
I am now in the process of drawing the guitar in Fireworks that will be featured in my Flash animation.
I really enjoyed all the examples of animation that were show in class during week five. The different examples showed how animation has evolved and how it is currently used in the media.
My favorite example from class was the A-ha video for their song Take on Me. I went home that evening and went to youtube to show some friends. However I thought i selected the correct video but instead I got a parody that used the same animation but recorded different lyrics. I really enjoyed this adaptation and thought it was very creative. Here is the video.
Another example of animation that I really like is the stop animation music video by The White Stripes for their song Fell in Love with a Girl. The video features Lego which is shot frame by frame in order to create the appearance of motion. I enjoyed this video because it is creative and original (and I loved Lego when i was younger). We also see design principles at work in this video with the colour selection that is typical of the bands style. Here is the video.
The final animation that I really like is the higher budget computer animated Pixar short Presto. This animation exhibits much higher production value than the other examples and has a larger production staff. This video uses Pixar's classic animation style that has become possible with the use of computer graphics. Here is the video.
These are three examples of animations that are all of good quality despite the differing levels of staff and budget size. What this demonstrates is that money doesn't always give you a better product (although I;m sure most animators wouldn't mind a little more).
I really enjoyed all the examples of animation that were show in class during week five. The different examples showed how animation has evolved and how it is currently used in the media.
My favorite example from class was the A-ha video for their song Take on Me. I went home that evening and went to youtube to show some friends. However I thought i selected the correct video but instead I got a parody that used the same animation but recorded different lyrics. I really enjoyed this adaptation and thought it was very creative. Here is the video.
Another example of animation that I really like is the stop animation music video by The White Stripes for their song Fell in Love with a Girl. The video features Lego which is shot frame by frame in order to create the appearance of motion. I enjoyed this video because it is creative and original (and I loved Lego when i was younger). We also see design principles at work in this video with the colour selection that is typical of the bands style. Here is the video.
The final animation that I really like is the higher budget computer animated Pixar short Presto. This animation exhibits much higher production value than the other examples and has a larger production staff. This video uses Pixar's classic animation style that has become possible with the use of computer graphics. Here is the video.
These are three examples of animations that are all of good quality despite the differing levels of staff and budget size. What this demonstrates is that money doesn't always give you a better product (although I;m sure most animators wouldn't mind a little more).
Monday
Week 6 - Flash Ideas
The Idea for my flash assignment spawned during a digital media class. During one of our classes i finished one of the tutorials a few minutes early and was looking through the iTunes library for sound effects when I came across some guitar sound effects and the idea was born to have a guitar in my assignment. One of the sound effects was a guitar being tuned so I decided to attempt to incorporate that into my animation. The next part I wanted to include in my animation was a psychedelic inspired "trip" since i enjoy listening to that type of music.
Examples that influenced the appearance I hope to achieve are my own electric guitar which i will try and replicate in fireworks. For the hands playing the guitar I want to use floating "Mickey Mouse" like hands that have that cartoon feel. As for the psychedelic trip section I did a google search with the parameters "psychedelic flowers" and got inspiration from the shapes and colours that came up. For interactivity I intend to use simple buttons to guide users through the experience similar to the examples viewed in class.
In order to accomplish this i will need to acquire a better understanding of flash. There will be lots of tweening in my animation so a good understanding of that concept will be integral to the success of my assignment. Music will play a large role in my project since the focus is on the guitar, therefore i will need to search for an appropriate song that is in line with my theme. I will need to acquire better technical skills in flash in the coming weeks in order to achieve my goal.
Examples that influenced the appearance I hope to achieve are my own electric guitar which i will try and replicate in fireworks. For the hands playing the guitar I want to use floating "Mickey Mouse" like hands that have that cartoon feel. As for the psychedelic trip section I did a google search with the parameters "psychedelic flowers" and got inspiration from the shapes and colours that came up. For interactivity I intend to use simple buttons to guide users through the experience similar to the examples viewed in class.
In order to accomplish this i will need to acquire a better understanding of flash. There will be lots of tweening in my animation so a good understanding of that concept will be integral to the success of my assignment. Music will play a large role in my project since the focus is on the guitar, therefore i will need to search for an appropriate song that is in line with my theme. I will need to acquire better technical skills in flash in the coming weeks in order to achieve my goal.
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