coursework

mm-110-02
multimedia
VISUAL CONCEPTS I
WEEK ONE

ILLUSTRATOR: Vector graphics Drawing programs such as Adobe Illustrator create vector graphics, made of lines and curves defined by mathematical objects called vectors. Vectors describe graphics according to their geometric characteristics. For example, a bicycle tire in a vector graphic is made up of a mathematical definition of a circle drawn with a certain radius, set at a specific location, and filled with a specific color. You can move, resize, or change the color of the tire without losing the quality of the graphic. A vector graphic is resolution-independent--that is, it can be scaled to any size and printed on any output device at any resolution without losing its detail or clarity. As a result, vector graphics are the best choice for type (especially small type) and bold graphics that must retain crisp lines when scaled to various sizes--for example, logos. Because computer monitors represent images by displaying them on a grid, both vector and bitmap images are displayed as pixels on-screen.

PHOTOSHOP: Bitmap images Paint and image-editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop, generate bitmap images. The images use a grid (also known as a bitmap or raster) of small squares, known as pixels, to represent graphics. Each pixel in a bitmap image has a specific location and color value assigned to it. For example, a bicycle tire in a bitmap image is made up of a collection of pixels in that location, with each pixel part of a mosaic that gives the appearance of a tire. When working with bitmap images, you edit pixels rather than objects or shapes. Bitmap images are the most common electronic medium for continuous-tone images, such as photographs or images created in painting programs, because they can represent subtle gradations of shades and color. Bitmap images are resolution dependent--that is, they represent a fixed number of pixels. As a result, they can appear jagged and lose detail if they are scaled on-screen or if they are printed at a higher resolution than they were created for.

ASSIGNMENT 1
For next week: MARK MAKING Mark making is a method by which to understand the endless possibilities of your tools and materials. Explore the results of your drawing instrument with exhaustive repetition. Mastery of any craft or process comes as a result of doing. I suggest you delve into this exercise undaunted. You can do no wrong.

FOR NEXT CLASS
Fill five 18"x 24" sheets with MARKS using traditional tools - pen, pencil, brush
Fill one 18"x 24" sheet with MARKS using non-traditional tools - anything that produces a mark

Journal Entries
Thoughout the semester, in addition to you regular assignments, I will includessome suggested journal entries. These will generally be related to the coursework. However, each week, for the next fifteen weeks, you are required to draw a self portrait in your sketchbook. How you render it is up to you. These can be as personal or as objective as you feel they need to be. Remember, it's a sketchbook. Stay loose and be inventive. I will review these at the end of the semester.