1. Communication Technology gives students a better perspective on technology
and its nature. It also shows students how to use and apply many of the programs out
there. The students learn the impact of technology on themselves and on society. One of
the main focuses in this course is the application of artistic perspective and thinking to
the projects created. This course encourages the use of imagination due to the fact that
technology has made it so easy to express it through a visual means. There are many
different fields that this course introduces us to, leaving us to make the decision on which
path we would like to venture down. One of the first areas we explore is Photoshop. This
program makes it easy to create a work of art digitally with the use of many tools at the
click of a button. Not only can it be used to create but it can also be used as a means of
editing pictures that have already been created in the past as well as photographs. The
next program we are introduced to is flash. In this program we are shown the art of 2-D
animation. In this program you tell a story using many drawings that will depict time and
motion once it is played. It is played like a flipbook, all of the images are separate but
played at a quick speed and drawn properly will give it life. The next thing we learnt how
to do was how to create a proper website. We where shown how to link everything
together, create ads and basically customize the page to give it our own little touch. The
last thing we learnt was video editing. This is my personal favorite area due to the fact
that it lets you expand your imagination realistically and it also pieces everything
together. First you start by storyboarding, which is the process of creating the story and
visually giving an example of how you want it to look by drawing it out in quick
sketches. The next step is getting the footage, you find all the necessities and then you
film what you need until you have the perfect shot. Once you have your clips you bring
them into an editing program and begin piecing everything together and editing them by
giving them special effects, cutting them or changing the speed. Finally you make sure
the sound, works with the footage and then you export it making it your very own scene
or movie. Communication technology is definitely a great course to take if a future in any
technical arts interests you.
2. Vector vs. Bitmap (raster) Graphics
1. All the shapes within vector images are represented as mathematical formulas
2. The image is composed of a pattern of dots
3. Vector graphics are more flexible than bitmapped graphics because they look
the same even when you shrink or enlarge (scale) them to different sizes. In contrast,
bitmapped graphics become jagged when you scale them. Vector images also look better
on devices (monitors and printers) with higher resolution, whereas bitmapped images
always appear the same regardless of a device's resolution. And finally, vector images
often require less memory than bitmapped images.
4. First, bitmapped images are better than vectors at providing the photo realism
of an original scene. That's why digital images that are either created from scanned
analog photographs or captured by digital cameras are stored as bitmapped images.
Secondly, bitmapped images are supported by web browsers, whereas vector images are
not.
5. Programs that enable you to create and manipulate vector graphics are called
draw programs, whereas programs that create or manipulate bitmapped images are called
paint programs.
GIF vs JPEG
1. GIF's compression is called "lossless" literally meaning "doesn't lose quality"
when compressed. JPG employs "lossy" compression which literally means
the image "loses" quality during the compression process.
2. The GIF format only supports a palette with 256 colors while JPG's palette
supports 16 million colors.
JPEG vs TIF
1. TiF’s are larger sized files.
2. Generally the same
TIF vs PNG
1. PNG uses a more efficient compression algorithm than GIF, is patent-free and
supports true color images.
2. While support for PNG images in browsers has been low in the past, they can
now be safely used in all modern browsers
3. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is the most widely supported graphics file
format for printing. Although TIFF is not suitable for viewing in Web
browsers, it has other strengths: it is a highly flexible format which is
supported by numerous image processing applications. TIFF was designed to
be independent of the hardware platform and the operating system on which it
executes.
4. PNG or TIFF cannot really substitute RAW files for later manipulation.
Bitmap Imaging questions
1. One of the small units that make up an image on a computer or television
screen. It is derived from the words picture and element to make pixel.
2. Visibly jagged steps along angled or object edges, due to sharp tonal contrasts
between pixels
3. A two-dimensional array of black and white cells, called pixels or picture
elements, which when displayed on a screen or paper, form an image or
representation of an original document.
4. This is the process whereby you can reduce the "Stepping" effect on your
images, by smoothing the edges where individual edges are visible.
5. Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines,
curves, and shapes or polygon(s), which are all based upon mathematical
equations, to represent images in computer graphics.
6. The pixel width and height a computer's screen supports. Typical values for
this are 1024x768 and 800x600
7. The number of pixels in a digital photo is commonly referred to as its image
resolution.
8. 72 Dpi.
9. Screen resolution is 72dpi (or it used to be) image resolution is entirely
independent of screen resolution.
10. The number of bits per palette index (in indexed-color PNGs) or per sample
(in other color types). This is the same value that appears in IHDR.
Photoshop Review Questions
1. Only the selected layer can be edited.
2. You add a different layer or delete a layer
3. You use the move tool
4. connect the end to the beginning
5. As you move the pointer, the selection will automatically snap to the strongest
edge in the area around the pointer, based on the Width set in the Options Bar.
Periodically, intermediate points are added to the selection border. While
tracing the edge, click to add a point if needed.
6. Layers allow you to change or avoid changing certain selections. They also
prevent you from altering the base image all the time if not desired.
Animation 2D and 3D
1. The timeline is divided into two columns: the Layers column, and the actual
timeline itself, divided into individual frames; the sliding red line marks your
current position in the timeline. The timeline is one of the most important
tools in Flash MX; it allows you to keep track of your various objects and
shapes and which layer they're on, as well as keeping track of your animation
key frames and their timing and placement.
2. Keys are pictures that make up time and motion.
3. A Key Frame is used to mark the beginning and end of a motion sequence.
Each Key frame contains the position, size and rotation of the Camera .
4. Motion tween is nothing but tweening a Symbol's movement from one
position to another.In image-editing software, a constituent part of an image
that can be manipulated independently of other parts
5. Continuous block of storytelling either set in a single location or following a
particular character.
6. a button (sometimes known as a command button or push button) is a widget
that provides the user a simple way to trigger an event, like searching for a
query at a search engine, or to interact with dialog boxes, like confirming his
actions
7. Sound is a disturbance of mechanical energy that propagates through matter as
a longitudinal wave, and therefore is a mechanical wave.
Video shooting and editing
Rule of thirds: The rule states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts
by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. The four
points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align features in the
photograph.
Camera shots
EWS (Extreme Wide Shot)
The view is so far from the
subject that she isn't even visible.
This is often used as an
establishing shot.
VWS (Very Wide Shot)
The subject is visible (barely), but
the emphasis is still on placing
her in her environment.
WS (Wide Shot)
The subject takes up the full
frame, or at least as much as
possible. The same as a long
shot.
MS (Mid Shot)
Shows some part of the subject
in more detail whilst still giving an
impression of the whole subject.
MCU (Medium Close Up)
Half way between a MS and a
CU.
CU (Close Up)
A certain feature or part of the
subject takes up the whole frame.
ECU (Extreme Close Up)
The ECU gets right in and shows
extreme detail.
CA (Cutaway)
A shot of something other than
the current action.
Cut-In
Shows some part of the subject
in detail.
Two-Shot
A comfortable shot of two people,
framed similarly to a mid shot.
(OSS) Over-the-Shoulder Shot
Looking from behind a person at
the subject.
Noddy Shot
Usually refers to a shot of the
interviewer listening and reacting
to the subject, although noddies
can be used in drama and other
situations.
Point-of-View Shot (POV)
Shows a view from the subject's
perspective.
Weather Shot
The subject is the weather,
usually the sky. Can be used for
other purposes.
Shot Compositions
Point Of View
Standing and shooting a picture is just one point of view, and probably the least
interesting one. The angle and point of view you choose will have a huge impact on your
photo. Standing straight up and shooting the skateboarder directly towards you will result
in a flat looking picture (unless you manipulate the depth of field), where as getting down
low and moving to the side may bring the photo to life. An overhead view might offer the
best perspective.
Leadroom
The space in front of a moving subject is called leadroom. It helps to suggest which
direction that the subject is moving in. Without proper leadroom the viewer will feel as
though the shot is cramped or awkward. For proper leadroom you want to have more
space in front of the subject than behind them.
Noseroom
Noseroom is very similar to leadroom. It’s more for close ups of a person’s head. It’s
particularly important when the person is talking to someone who is off screen. Improper
use of noseroom leads to the shot feeling cramped and unbalanced.
Leading Lines
Leading lines are naturally occurring lines that direct the viewers eye and draw attention
to certain parts of the shot. If your
shot has leading lines you want them to be drawing attention towards the skater and the
trick, not away from them.
Diagonals
Diagonal elements help to add a more dynamic feeling to photos.
Mergers
Mergers occur when a foreground object aligns with a more distant object in a way that
causes them to seemingly blend together. Mergers are bad.
Balance
Asymmetrical compositions often look better than symmetrical ones. Making one side
(top half or bottom half too) "heavier" can create some nice effects.
Natural Frames
Objects in the area may be used to create natural frames around your subject. This will
draw attention to the framed area.
Contrast
Contrast is a great way to emphasize certain points in a picture. Try a dark subject with a
light background, or a light subject with a dark background. This can also be done with
colors. A colorful subject amidst an otherwise dull background, for example.
Depth Of Field
You can manipulate depth of field to help isolate your subject. Softening the focus of
elements in the photo allows you to keep background or foreground details in the shot
while avoiding a busy look. In this example the crowd in the background is blurred, while
the focus on Christian is sharp (though somewhat hard to distinguish in this scaled down
version).
