Instruction

IMAGES



A.	Images
B.	Image Use
C.	Image Collection
D.	Image Analysis
E.	Layer Analysis
F.	Jpegs
G.	Replication
H.	Info Screens
I.	Image Dev
J.	Image Build
K.	The Image

CONTACT:

Don Bergland
bergland@uvic.ca

Building IMAGES

1. THE STUDIO PRODUCTION OF IMAGES

We have now moved from the practise arena where we learned some skills, to the actual production arena where we will put those skills into action, i.e., play the game of image-making. It is the same as with a sport. You can spend much time practicing skills, but you want to start playing the actual game where you can test your skills and engage in the personal inner challenge.
This page hosts the following categories:

1. Getting Ideas
2. Using the Universe of Images
3. Using Exemplars
4. Replication/Expansion Method
5. Image Making Methods
6. Image Formats
A. The Logo
B. The Header
C. The Business Card
D. Promotion - Advertising
E. CD Cover
F. Interface

2. GETTING IDEAS

One of the most frequently asked questions from those just entering the arena of professional image construction, is, “how do get ideas?” There is a misconception amongst those who may not be artistically trained, that the ability to generate artistic ideas is an innate talent. The key thing to realize is that ideas don’t just arise from a mysterious benefactor. They don’t just magically appear. In most cases, ideas come about through hard work and the use of structured procedures. One has to go through a process of reflection, research, design, and production to end up with an image that works for your purposes. There is another important thing to realize in your journey towards becoming an image producer. You do not have to have some special talent or years of artistic training to craft very competent, dynamic, and meaningful images for your work. You have now learned enough basic tools in Photoshop to start creating images for your own professional purposes.

3. USING THE UNIVERSE OF IMAGES

One important thing to realize is that there is an entire universe of created imagery available for viewing. Artists continually look at created work, storing ideas in their mind, filling their filing cabinets and computer desktops with “cool” ideas that they find in their explorations. When it comes time to create a concept, artists may not start from scratch. Their minds are filled with “exemplars.” They consult their sketchbooks, files of collected images, and design resource books. Out of these influences, they may start to develop an idea. It is worth noting that in the field of commercial design, there exist large “creative concept” books which line the walls of every prolific design studio. These creative concept books are filled with thousands of created ideas divided into categories and genres. When artists need an idea, they may consult these books, looking for an image that fits their particular circumstance. When they find some images that work, they then extract information from these images to use in their own work.

Some Creative Concept Resource Books from my own studio

Artists do not literally “steal” the images they find. They do not take an image that someone else has done and simply use it as their own, They use some component of the image or some aspect of the image. They are “influenced” by the selected exemplar. They may use the layout of an image. They may use some of the color scheme from another image. Remember, the actual image content is owned by the artist who created it. But there is no ownership (copyright or otherwise) on layout and design. These are available for artists to examine and to employ in their own constructions. If I like the layout and design of a created and copyrighted image, I am free to use that layout in design in my own work. I am also free to use any image to help suggest ideas for my own. Artists have used art and influenced each other in this way for centuries.

So, the first key thing to understand in liberating your creative soul, is that artists may not necessarily start an image from scratch. They may find exemplars, ideas, other images, and resources, from which they develop an idea, or get a kickstart for their own image.

4. USING EXEMPLARS

The “exemplar” is an already created image you find that looks as if it would work for your purposes. You acquire this image (or set of images) and use it as an “influence” to “kickstart” your own design. This is a technique used by professional designers. They do not have the time to sit around and quietly contemplate the “perfect” idea. Designers use ideas from other designers in their quest for image ideas. As mentioned above, Design studios have huge volumes of “Creative Books” which designers flip through to get format, layout, and composition ideas (exemplars). These books consists of pages and pages of created images located under different categories. Designers consult these books to get “ideas” for their own images. We call the source image that is looked at for inspiration, an “exemplar.”

One of the quickest ways to get started on an image concept is to use an exemplar. By exemplar, we mean an image that you are using for influence or other ideas. You will use some aspect of the image, such as its layout, to start your own image. After the exemplar has provided a “kickstart,” you usually abandon it and move off in your own directions. By the time you finish your image, it has become your own. The influence of the exemplar may be seen, but they are now two different images.

The following are examples of images that have been created using this exemplar method. The image on the left is the exemplar. The image on the right is the image generated from the exemplar.

Example 1 - The first project used the “Hunger Hurts” poster as the exemplar. The image was found on the Internet and was selected because the designer liked the solid color background, the line drawing in the upper left corner, and the simple text arrangement in the lower right. These would be the components that would carry over into the new image. In the example, you can see how the exemplar provided the structure and inspiration for the new image. The influence is clear (solid background, line drawing, and text arrangement), but the two images are now unique and different

Example 2 - In the next example, the image at the right (Cordoba Hill Design) was selected as the exemplar. It was another image found on the Internet. This image was selected by the designer because of the way the image was split into two color fields, the interesting way the main text was used in the left middle (Cordoba Hill), and the way the text list was employed on the right side. The designer used these layout and design concepts, carried them over into the new image, and then launched off into a new direction. Again, you can again see how the first image provided inspiration for the second, but is now its own unique creation.

Look at the examples below and see if you can get the concept. See if you can see how the new image can be sponsored by the exemplar. If you can “get” this concept, it becomes a very valuable tool in your own image construction projects.

Look at the following examples. See if you can find something in the exemplars that you would carry over into a new image. How would this new image be similar to the exemplar? How would it be different?

Example 1

Example 2

THE EXEMPLAR METHOD
a.	Think of something you want to create. Get a general idea of what the content might look like.
b.	Now go on a quick design hunt. Find an image or two that has the layout and composition that might work for you.
c.	Download this image and use it as the exemplar.
d.	You will use the Replication/Expansion method described below.
e.	Start replicating the exemplar, then leave it on its own and head off in your own direction.

5. REPLICATION/EXPANSION METHOD

The Replication/Expansion Method is one of the most common methods used in connection with exemplars. Basically, you start to replicate the exemplar. As you work through the replication, you start changing certain elements, you “expand” the idea. You keep on making changes until the image becomes your own. We have already begun work in this technique. This was done in the last section. You were given an image to replicate. After you had replicated it, you were asked to make some substitutions, i.e., you were asked to replace the photo, re-arrange some of the elements, and change the text.

The image you were asked to replicate was the one below.

In this image, you were provided with a photo and a textured background. With these resources, you were then to replicate the image. You were then asked to start altering and manipulating the image to make it into your own composition. Suggestions were given - replace the photo, change the text, alter the color scheme, move the shapes around, add some of your own elements.

USING THE REPLICATION/EXPANSION METHOD
a.	When you have your exemplar, start replicating it as closely as possible.
b.	As the replication starts forming, start thinking of changes and alterations that might occur.
c.	Implement these changes and start adding your own ideas.
d.	Stop referring to the exemplar. Head off in your own direction.
e.	Complete the work using only your own ideas.

6. IMAGE-MAKING METHODS

We have looked at some methods for generating images. In addition to the ideas we looked at above, there are many other methods for generating images. We will select a few that have some relationship with the tools we have been using in our work so far. You can use one or more of the following methods for starting your own image.

A.	SKETCHBOOK IDEA
	This method asks you sit down with paper and pencil and then roughly sketch out an idea. Look at some magazines for inspiration, or simple ramble around your own mind. Once you have something on paper, you then enter Photoshop and basically replicate and enhance the sketch you have created.
B.	EXEMPLAR - REPLICATION/EXPANSION METHOD
	We have already discussed this idea above. You can use this method if you have an idea or if even if you don’t. If you have an idea or a concept, but don’t have an idea how to lay it out graphically, then go and do some image searching. Use the Google Image Search Engine. Find some potential ideas and use them as exemplars. Proceed with the structure learned above. You can use this method even if you don’t have a content idea (as well as no idea about how to lay the image out visually). Just go gather some exemplars. Start playing with them in terms of replication/expansion. It won’t take long before some new idea starts suggesting itself to you.
C.	ORGANIC STUDIO PLAY
	This is a playful idea that doesn’t require any ideas or any exemplars. You launch Photoshop with no ideas in mind whatsoever. You create an new document of a particular size, and then just start composing on the layers. Create a shape or two. Create a text item. Just start moving them around and “organically” playing with the layers you create. Watch some ideas start forming. You might make a large text statement and then put it on a panel. You might think a photograph of a barn would look good in the corner, so you do a Google image search and download a barn. You size and bring it into a layer. Then you see that it needs a dark background, so you create a shape. Pretty soon, out of just a play concept, you are starting to invent something that has a life of its own.
D.	PSD FILE PLAY
	This is an interesting studio play concept. For it, you need a completed image in the form of a .psd file. You open up the .psd file, and then start recomposing the image. You turn off layers, rotate them, change colors, and scale other layers. You just play with the layers that are given to completely recompose the image. After playing for a while, you might start adding your own components. It doesn’t take long before ideas start happening and you are headed on to your own image composition. Where do you get .psd file to work on? So far in this course, you have been given 10 .psd files to examine in our weekly Sessions. - Session 2 - Preview01, Preview02, Preview03 - Session 3 - Preview04, Preview05, Preview07 - Session 4 - Preview08, Preview09, Preview10 These files can be downloaded from the respective Sessions. All these .psd files are my own creations and I own the copyright on them. I am granting you all permission to use these .psd files for your own image playtime. If you want to play with this method, go into them and give them new life!

Don’t be afraid to take interesting accidents and try to convert them into some kind of interesting image. Don’t be afraid to try making some strange art, rather than information concepts. Keep all your attempts. You never know when you might want to go back and rebuild them!

7. IMAGE FORMATS

Visual images are usually categorized according to image format. Formats have different functions and purposes. A business card, for example, is designed differently from a poster and has different purposes. There are hundreds of different image formats used in the business and educational worlds. These can be explored in more detail through Internet searching. We will list a few of the more common formats below:

THE LOGO

Logos are very common items in the corporate and business worlds. They are usually very simple and consist primarily of a shape (symbol) and some text. The purpose of a logo is to brand a company or product effectively. Logos are good products to learn to create.

1.	To create a logo (for print), use the following Photoshop dimensions: - Width - 6 inches - Height - 4 inches - Resolution - 150 ppi.
2.	Start by creating some kind of visual icon that is simple, yet attracts attention. When the icon or symbol is finished, then add the text.
3.	For some logo ideas, visit the Resources section of the website (C. Image Usage - Image Formats & Styles - #28, #29, #30, #31, #32, or do a Google Image Search).

THE HEADER

The “header” is usually a thin rectangular band of information that appears at the top of a document or website. When used in a print document, this is usually called a letterhead.

1.	To create a logo (for print), use the following Photoshop dimensions: - Width - 4 inches - Height - 1 inch - Resolution - 150 ppi.
2.	For some header ideas, visit the Resources section of the website (C. Image Usage - Image Formats & Styles - #33, or do a Google Image Search).

THE BUSINESS CARD

The “Business Card” usually presents the showcase person in the middle of the card. Images in the form of photos, symbols, shapes, or logos can appear. Peripheral information can appear near the edges. Find some old business cards you have collected and study them.

1.	To create a business card for print, use the following Photoshop dimensions: - Width - 3.5 inches - Height - 2 inches - Resolution - 150 ppi.
2.	For some business card ideas, visit the Resources section of the website (C. Image Usage - Image Formats & Styles -#34, #35, #36, or do a Google Image Search).

PROMOTION - ADVERSTISING

“Promotional Advertising” comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and formats. The average poster is printed in a vertical or horizontal format. There is usually some headline text (presenting the key concept) and some sub-text providing further details. Images, photos, and colors are used to draw the viewer in. Review the information presented in Session 3 about information screens.

1.	To create a promotional poster for print, use the following Photoshop dimensions: - Width - 8.5 inches - Height - 11 inches - Resolution - 150 ppi.
2.	For some advertsing ideas, visit the Resources section of the website (C. Image Usage - Image Formats & Styles - #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, or do a Google Image Search).

CD COVER

The “CD Cover” is a standard graphic format used for CDs. They are square and need to present information in a strong and attractive way. They are organized much like a promotional poster or advertisement.

1.	To create CD cover (for print), use the following Photoshop dimensions: - Width - 4.75 inches - Height - 4.75 inches - Resolution - 150 ppi.
2.	For some CD cover ideas, visit the Resources section of the website (C. Image Usage - Image Formats & Styles - #13, or do a Google Image Search).

INTERFACE

The “Interface” is a widely used format in PowerPoint presentations (backgrounds) or websites. It usually contains header information and a large area for content. An interface may or may not contains sub-headings.

1.	To create an interface for PowerPoint, use the following Photoshop dimensions: - Width - 800 px - Height - 600 px - Resolution - 72 ppi.
2.	For some interface ideas, visit the Resources section of the website (C. Image Usage - Image Formats & Styles, or do a Google Image Search).

Click on IMAGE categories at the top left side of the page to access further knowledge and skills.