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New Year’s Resolutions

Schwartz — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:34:46 +0000

First, GO SEE AVATAR. IN 3D. Totally worth the money and it will change your expectations for film.

Ok. now that that’s over… how about improving yourself? Committing to becoming a better designer. How about this year you start really looking forward and stop just living life as it’s handed to you. Try expanding. Try not giving up so fast. Try finding what makes you tick. Try finding your own inner muse. Maybe read something that makes you think once a day (heck, start with just one a week). Look for daily inspiration in your own creativity.

And as we mentioned right before break (see 12/7 entry) , we’re going to find our passion. By the end of the week, you need to find a character trait ( extra sources: 1, 2 )and an organization you believe in (extra sources: 1). A lot of your projects for the rest of the year will be focused on these two issues. I want to integrate what’s important to YOU in theis class. Remember, it’s not just about design, and it’s certainly not about me in here… it’s all about YOU. What makes you special? Why are you here? What are you gonna do to make the world better because you’re in it- both for yourself and for the world in general.

This week we’re also starting to work with the tablets. Remember that the drivers need to be installed!!! They’re at C:\drivers\ on your computer. The smaller tablets are called “graphire” and should be the first folder in the drivers folder. Remember to install the driver first, THEN launch (or close and relaunch) your applications to get all the nifty features!

1/13- I’ll be out for the rest of the week at FETC. I want the tech 1 Students to continue working on projects 13-16. I expect that 13-15 will be done when I return. You’ve had a couple weeks to work on them. Project 16 (Self Portrait in Illustrator) should be well in progress when I get back. Let’s start moving through these projects. Comm Tech 2 Students can continue on their own projects, or use the new Project Ideas page to get an idea for a fun new project in the app of your choice. Both CT1 and CT2 students should all be referring to the Project Links tag cloud for tutorials. There’s good tutorials for CT1′s on Illustrator, and CT2′s can check the general tutorials page for tons of ideas in whatever app you like.

Gallery 2- Digital You

Schwartz — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:44:56 +0000

Next gallery- Digital you. The current example here from RyanGa is an amazing example of a great job. It’s still a WIP, but check out the consistancy of color depth and pop, orientation, and proper use of line and flow. This can be a tough project- but you guys got this.

Gallery 1: Typographic Portraits

Schwartz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:02:03 +0000

Here’s our first gallery specific to projects. Right now, just works in progress… but some AMAZING starting points. Props to JasonYg for being the first to knock my socks off….

CLICK TO VIEW THE GALLERY HERE.

These can be done using Photoshop or Illustrator, just remember the limitations of Photoshop on a project like this. To REALLY amaze me- I want to see some Illustrator jobs in here!!!

De-Uglification

Schwartz — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:00:35 +0000

So we’ve spent some time learning the basics- the technical basics. Now we’re on to the art basics. This is where you learn not only how to use the tools in a robotic sense, but how to use them in an artistic sense. CT1 students will be working on the elements and principles for a couple weeks and then we’ll be moving into Illustrator. Knock down the quick and easy Elements and Principles projects and then spend the rest of your time enhancing what you already know. If you need inspiration- check my bookshelf or some of the online resources in the Project Links area of the site.

Comm Tech 2- You should have a pretty darn good Self-portrait using text in the works. Make sure it will print well at 8×10 at least.

Week 0.1- Personality Research

Schwartz — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:33:38 +0000

Though I don’t ascribe to much eastern theology or mysticism, I have always been kind of facinated about the whole concept of Ying and Yang- one thing with both a light side and a dark side kind of swirling around together. Somehow I knew Yoda was right! There IS a light side and dark side of the Force!!! I always realized I was that way- with both a good side and bad- strengths and weaknesses. I realized life was like that, too- I had good things and bad things happen- Birth and death, summer and winter, love and heartache. But I could never put my finger on it. What’s that have to do with personality research and tests? I’ll get there… hang with me.

In the last few years I’ve learned a lot about why I was made to do personality tests in the past by employers, teachers, camp counselors, friends… Once the light turns on, everything gets really clear. It didn’t for many years for me, but it has now. One thing that was missing was that nobody ever really talked to me about why I was doing the personality tests… So here goes my attempt to see if we can get from A to B a litle quicker.

See, we all have a personality. We have strengths and weaknesses. When you are simply aware of them, it makes it easier to see why you respond the way you do, determine what will cause you more stress and drama, and helps you make better decisions about the course you take for things. Last year I read this amazing book on an ancient personality test called the enneagram. It was so incredibly revolutionary to me to see some things in myself that I had always kind of known but couldn’t explain. Ever feel that way? It was like it put words to my hunches.

In the enneagram, your “personality” (which is really not the best word for this, but I’ll use it because it’s convenient) is more like a core motivator- what makes you tick. It can take a few times to really find your true orientation, but when you do it’s incredibly helpful. See- I’ve always had this theory that your strengths are also your weaknesses- I believe now more than ever that it’s totally true. It’s ying and yang. It’s the enneagram. It’s the internal conflict that all of us feel. And it’s a good thing.

You simply are built in a certain way. I’m not going to get into how that “thing” gets there, but it’s there. Nature vs nurture? Who really cares? It’s there- so let’s figure out how to best use it to make the most good. The thing I liked most about the enneagram versus other personality profile tools was that it focused more closely on a particular “Motivator” rather than just the personality type. It’s like the engine that pushes the personality, the tool that carves your life out of the universe. And like every engine or tool, it can be used for good or bad. With a knife I can hurt someone or rescue them. With an engine, I can get to new amazing places in my car or I can be reckless and kill someone in an accident. Ying and yang again, right??? I want you to find out what kind of engine drives you, what kind of tool you were given to work with, and then learn to use it right.

IMPORTANT!

This is something I want you to take seriously. Find out about yourself. Find what motivates you. Like yesterday, this can help you make better decisions about what you do with your life- in careers, relationships, at school, for hobbies. What’s great about learning more about yourself and what makes you tick is that you can better pinpoint what frustrates you and work around it. You can also find out that there aren’t people or methods that are better or worse than yours- everyone has a ying and yang. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Everyone has a motivator, and they have a strength that can be used if they’re working in the right way. And they, like you, will be frustrated and discouraged (and probably not very effective) if they are doing things that go against the grain of who they are.

Screwdrivers are great unless you need a hammer, and you can’t turn a screw with a knife. All tools have a purpose and work excellent when used as they’re designed. So do people. Find your purpose- and learn what things are best for you NOT to push so hard toward!

You are simply AMAZING at something- everyone is. But you need to be doing that something, working in that way to find it. Let’s look together.

Find it here:

Personality Test Online Site

If you want to know more and take another test to help find your type, I really like the one at this site .

When you’re done, copy and paste the result and be sure to write up your reflections on the last couple days in your folder under “my documents.” (make sure you create a folder with your name!) Name the file “week1″. After that, check out This site for photoshop tutorials to get started!!

Week 0 Career Research

schwartz — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:33:09 +0000

This program is about one thing more than anything else- it’s about YOU.

This first week, instead of starting to learn about the new and amazing things we can do creatively with the computer, I want you to start researching what should be your most important and valuable subject- YOU. High school is a great time, and a transitioning time. You have to start making a lot of decisions that will impact your future at this point. So we’re going to start off learning about what makes you tick, what interests you, and how you are built. Knowing these things can help you make better choices about your class schedule, your free time, your hobbies… and ultimately, your future.

Today’s assignment is easy- simply check out https://access.bridges.com/auth/login.do?sponsor=7 and get a profile created. Once you’ve done that, then simply click on “Choices planner” and then click on the blue “work” tab on the top. Then start at the top of the section on the right labeled “Connect Yourself To Careers” and do the Items listed there:

Interest Profiler
Work Values sorter
Basic Skills Survery
Cluster Finder
Workplace Skills Checklist
Transferrable skills

These two tools will help you become more aware of what careers would suit you best based on your interests.

THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS HERE! This is about YOU! Please don’t blow this off. (My teacher login lets me see who has logged in, how much you’ve done, and how long you spent there!) I’ll be making decisions on the way class goes based on general trends in student interests. If you blow this off and don’t take the time to really answer the questions, you won’t learn anything about yourself, and I may start making decisions based on wonky data about how to proceed with class. This is your chance to find out who you are, tell me, and help me make this class better for YOU.