Unit 3 - Surrealist Digital Art

Investigate

What is Surrealism anyway?  Watch these two videos before beginning the formative assignments.  
what_is_surrealism.docx
File Size: 70 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Formative Practice & Learning

Vid #1 - Layer Masking

Vid #1 Assignment:  Find a photo of a landscape and a different photo of a sky.  Use Layer Masking to place the 2nd sky photo in place of the sky in the landscape photo.  Submit a jpg to Schoology when completed.

Vid #2 - Adjustment Layers

Assignment.  Download the below pdf file.  Find a photo you've taken. Create a folder of 12 of the same photo with different image adjustments applied.
adjustmentsassignment.pdf
File Size: 13 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Vid #3 - Surreal Environments

Do a Youtube search for "How to make surreal photography in photoshop" and choose a video of your choice.  For your assignment, summarize what you've learned from the tutorial.  What tools were used?  What effects did you recognize from previous learning?  Then, copy and paste the link to the tutorial in Schoology along with your responses to the video.  

​Or...
Follow along with the below video created with EduCannon.  Along the way, the video will automatically pause and ask you some questions.  You will need to pay attention to video as it does not have speaking.  Do your best to answer the questions.  

Vid #4 - Create a "WAVE" & "Texture" Brush

Vid #5 - Transform Perspective

Vid #6 - Texturizing & Painting with brush

Vid #7 - Adding Detail
Vids #4 - 7 Assignment - Create the above image of the Surreal Water Room by using the provided photos.  

Vid #8:  Creating Balance In a Composition:  Asymmetry

Vid #8 Assignment:
  • Pause the above video for Vid #8 at 3:55.  Use this as an example.  Create 3 different compositions showing Asymmetrical Balance with the following criteria (use the abstract representations from the video above).
    1. 5" h x 7" w, 72 res.  Create Asymmetry with Value by using the paint brush.
    2. 5" h x 7" w, 72 res.  Create Asymmetry with Shape by using the shape tools.
    3. 5" h x 7" w, 72 res.  Create Asymmetry with Color by using the lasso and paint bucket.

Vid #9: Clone Stamp Tool - Young to Old (Optional)

Vid #9 Assignment:
Take a selfie using the iMac's Photobooth.  Save the photo as a jpeg.  Open the jpeg in Photoshop.  Desaturate the photo.  Find an image of an elderly person, online, in the same pose as your selfie.  Save it as a jpeg and open that file in Photoshop as well. Follow along with the video below and jump ahead 65 years to make yourself look old!

Summative Project  

rubric-surrealism_digital_art.pdf
File Size: 50 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Option 1 - Create a Surreal Landscape that Represents "Injustice".

What is injustice?  What are injustices?  How do artists make intriguing connections and commentary on injustice?
Response to "A Native American Perspective on Columbus Day". Complete the Response Assignment in Schoology
  1. What are your reactions to the video?  How did it make you feel?
  2. How does this video depict ideas of "Injustice"?
  3. Has this video influenced your previous paradigm of Columbus day?  Explain.  
Project Requirements (You will need your phone or digital camera for this).  All photos should be original photos you take!
  1. Take a picture of your own house with your phone or digital camera.  You MUST use your own house.  
  2. Take 3 photos of 3 different landscapes.  Be sure to capture the horizon line (where the sky meets the land).
  3. Take 3 photos of 3 different sky-scapes.  
  4. Take 5 different photos of land formations (ie. rocks, trees/tree clusters, hills, lakes, ponds, etc.)
  5. Take a minimum of 5 photos of other objects (ie. flying birds, animals, objects, cars, buildings, people, etc.)
  6. Your work must show an understanding and depiction of foreground, middle ground, and back ground.
  7. Your work must utilize the principle of design: Asymmetrical Balance.
  8. Your work must show an understanding for Layer Masks, Gradient Layers, and Adjustment Layers.  
  9. Your work should depict a sense of mood to communicate your intent by using color, shadows and highlights (create a light source if need be)
  10. Your work should show a directional light source and your ability to create cast shadows.  (no drop shadows from blending options).  

​KEEP IT SIMPLE!!! Less is more with good photoshop digital art.  Analyze the images below.  How do these artists keep it simple?
If you cannot take a picture of your house, try Google Maps to locate your house or place of residence.  Here's Manders house.  I was actually outside when the Google Car drove by.  It was pretty cool lookin'!  

Option 2 - Surreal Portrait

Create a self portrait with a Surreal twist.  Make it about you.  There are many video tutorials out on the web that may be helpful for this.  

Option 3 - Social Issue

Choose a theme from the theme generator by clicking on the link button below. Create a surreal visual advertisement that represents your chosen theme.  Size should be 8 in. x 11 in. at 300 resolution.  
  • Any image you use from the internet that doesn't belong to you must be manipulated enough so that it does not resemble the original.  

Internet Examples

Option 4 - Manimorphasis!"

Create a hybrid animal showing understanding of the Surrealistic principle "metamorphosis" .  
  • Put your hybrid animal in some sort of created environment.

#1

#2

#3

#4

Teacher & Student Examples 2013

Option 5 - (This is HARD!!!)

It's all about the brush!!!  Learn from the master graphic designer, illustrator and photoshop guru, Scott Robertson, as he takes you through his fun stamping and brushing processes.  Watch and follow along, as he finds forms and values in randomness to draw wonderfully detailed sci-fi creatures.  Give it a shot!
Criteria (things to do first)
  • Create a custom brush from an original drawing or photograph you took.  This requires completion of the formative custom brush assignments.
  • Set your custom brush presets so that your brush is set up with random angles, textures, and opacities. (from vid. #1)
  • Begin your composition with a square format at 300 resolution
  • Create 7 or 8 layers with randomly different shapes from your custom brush. (from vid. #2) 
  • Unfortunately, you'll have to use your mouse.  Scott uses a tablet and pen.  Remember, it's all about how you manipulate value and shape.  

vid. #1

vid. #2

vid. #3

vid. #4