Thursday 9 December 2010

Design Process - Software Workshop Photoshop

How to use Photoshop.

Important to know what your going to do with the final outcome.

   1 - Colour Mode - CMYK print
                          - RGB  screen

   2 - Format - for this brief, A5 - 148mm x 210mm

   3 - Resolution - dpi/ppi - 300dpi print
                                   - 72dpi screen

   4 - File Format


Relevant Panels (right side of the photoshop screen)
   - to change to different ones go to
        - window - panels
             - can set up own panel

Toolbar (left side of the photoshop screen)

Properties Bar (top of the photoshop screen)


Mandatory requirements for this brief - double sided
   - each side to be saved on a separate new document


We need to work in a none destructive manor.

How to crop
   - open the A5 size new document
   - open the image to work on
        - this needs to be resized to fit into the A5 artboard space.
             - Edit - Free Transform (cmd + T)
             - hold shift and shrink image down to fit within the artboard
             - when right, click enter to confirm it

        - could also use crop tool
             - select specific size wanting to work at in the properties bar
             - position the crop marks around the area wanting t be cropped
               to, and when it is right press enter to confirm the crop.

Using the crop tool is destructing the image, and makes it definate as to the area to work with, so the first way explained is the better way because it keeps the original file the same as it was.


Adjusting Images

Brightness and Contrast
   - going to do it by using adjustment layers, by using the icons at the
     bottom of the layers pallet. Then select the brightness and contract
     option from that
        - this puts the adjustment that is being made on to a different layer
          and doesn't affect the original
   - if not intending to adjust the whole layer, and just want to do a
     section of it then this can be done by using the layer mark, which
     is included at the side of the thumbnail on the layer in the layers
     pallet

To do this
   - select area using magic wand tool
        - default tollerant it is set at is 32
             - by increasing this, it increases the amount of area that is
               selected
             - this works best when there is a clear contrast between he
               area wanting to select and the area wanting to leave alone.
               If it was less of a contract then this would have to be done
               in a more precise way

   - select using the quick selection tool
        - this works in the form of a brush
        - works by painting over the area intending to select and this then
          selects it

Once area is selected, click on the mask layer thumbnail on the layer in the layer pallet, then go to
   - Fill - Black
The black area then makes the adjustment, and the white area leaves the rest as it was.

If ever do this and change mind, can just turn the visibility of the adjustment layer off or delete it.

Another selection tool is the Lasso tool
   - draw over the area
   - if selecting more than one area then hold down shift
   - can keep adding sections to the same layer mask or use
     different ones


Add Colour Overlay
   - to do this, use same icon as previous
   - add solid colour option
   - change the opacity or blending mode of this layer to show the image
     through from underneath
        - interesting to see what effects each of the blending modes do
   - if just want certain sections to be affected by this adjustment, then
     select the section using preferred selection tool and select it on the
     layer mask next to the thumbnail on this layer, and fill the selected
     area black


The best way to make an image black and white in Photoshop is to desaturate the image.
   - do same as before with adjustment layer
   - select hue and saturation option
   - then to make certain section like this then select area that don't want
     to be like it and fill this black in the mask

IMPORTANT to do things none-destructive so that it is easy to go back and work on something when ever, rather than having to start again every time.


Tints
These range between the colour and white.
   - start with original image as greyscale - do this using adjustment
     layer
   - make new layer
   - draw shape using elipse tool
   - go to
        - edit
        - fill
        - colour working with (violet for me)
   - then use a different blending mode (multiply?)
   - to use same shape just dublicate layer
   - make this different colour
        - change tint by creating a white colour overlay
        - do this using the adjustment layer option in the layers pallet
        - select solid colour - white
        - hide the adjustment layer and use magic want to select the shape
          and fill in the area on the mark layer next to the adjustment layer
          thumbnail and make it black
             - this masks background not actual shape
            - inverse
   - to then make this into a tint just change the opacity of the
     white colour layer


Don't just have to use shapes, can also use type and other things with these kind of effects.

All 10 postcards must work together as a set, as well as on their own. So think of rules and techniques that will run through and be used on each of the designs.

Also need to think about what we are going to put on the back of the postcards. Standard ones have sections to write and box for stamp, could use this or be more creative.
   - some are actually meant to be decorational and don't have space for
     stamps - not meant for posting.
        - could just have a pattern on the back.
        - could have image on front and inverse the image to use on the
          back.


Repeatable Patterns
Select the image and CMD + T to free transform.
   - shrink the image down and dublicate it
   - delete area don't want to repeat, maybe flip it over so the bottom of
     each layer joins together.
   - merge the layers and dublicate the layer
   - join the 2 together so they fit
   - merge the layers

When the layer is repeatable, crop the image down so that it is just that pattern in the art board area.
   - to define this as a pattern go to
        - edit
        - define pattern
        - name it something relevant

Then to use the pattern, just fill the area wanted to be filled with it. Go to
   - fill
   - fill with pattern and select the saved pattern to use.

Don't necessarily have to use this for the back but it is an option available to use.

Save both front image and back image as .PDF when wanting to print it, don't save as .PSD because it would take too long to print.
   - flattern image first
   - file - save as - into user work
   - save the separate images as a .TIFF
        - front and back.
   - now need to save them to be one file - so need to be saved as .PDF
        - highlight both files and click 'open with' and choose preview
             - to make into one file select both the files in the preview
               window, and press print selected images
                  - this gives you the option to save as a .PDF
             - click the save as .PDF, and save as a relevant name.
             - click save.

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