Surreal Practice Tutorials

We prepared for our surreal project by practicing different techniques we may want to use in our projects. In this tutorial we learned the value of layering textures using blending options to create an atmosphere with dream like qualities.

(http://www.photoshop-garden.com/view_tut.php?id=76

Credit: Stock: hbrush.com Texture: moonchilde-stock.deviantart.com, 99mockingbirds.chanlu.orgText brush: shyndel.deviantart.com)

One thing I liked about this tutorial was that we mixed different pictures that have nothing to do with each other, and they all helped create a dreamy mood.

We then followed this tutorial found at http://www.voidix.com/eye_manipulation.html to give us ideas and practice combining images, reversing natural laws, transforming objects and using Photoshop to create a realistic surrealistic scene.

One thing I learned about this tutorial was how to create a reflection on the eye of another image, it makes the picture a lot more interesting to look at.

Alternate Program: Senior Night Invatation

What I think I did well on this invitation was adding a nice texture to the background, also the color of it is nice. I also like the "evening of excellence" how its going diognally. What I could have done better is make the white font easier to read. Also, the flowers I don't really like. I could have put a graphic design on the background to make it more interesting and that relates to the senior portfolio show. What I struggled with the most was coming up with ideas on what to put on the background. I tried many different shapes on photoshop but they didn't seem to go. The flowers don't really, but they looked better than the rest of the other stuff. It was difficult to decide what to put on the background because there was nothing you had to put on there, except for your own stuff, and it was more space to cover up. I think I did better on the Graduation Program because even though it was simple, it looks nicer than this one. This one looks kinda empty.

Graduation Program

What I think I did well on this invitation was keeping it simple. It doesn't look crowded so it's not too much to look at. Also, I think the font and colors were nice and easy to read. However, what I could have done differently was adding a graphic design, or pictures, something that would have made it more interesting to look at. It's plain and it doesn't draw you in. Graphic design was harder than I thought because it's all about being creative and having ideas, and that doesn't come very easily to me. Also, the smallest details can affect it in many ways, so it is hard deciding what to choose. I think in graphic design everything is important. Everything is equal in importance because it all contributes to its overall appearance. If you have a nice design and placement, but bad font it's not going to look very nice and vice versa. Some advice I recommend is experimenting with graphic design for a while longer before making the invitations, and also working more with good examples and bad examples of graphic design.