(*) Year Two!

Welcome Back! Now we're on Year Two. So, from now on...there will be many new things and probably more new assignments too. So... See you soon on the next post!

Credit for the picture:
-  http://www.layers-of-learning.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Year-Two-banner.jpg
- http://www.layers-of-learning.com/homeschool-curriculum-catalog/

(✎) (✉) Digital Surrealism Assignment

"Power Savings"

    
      Hello, this is my result for the Digital Surrealism Assignment. My concept for this image is about “Power Savings”. I chose "Power Savings" as my concept because in my perspective power savings are also part of our life that we should do. It will save the environment, money, and also our body that needs more fresh air. My intended message for this image is to show everybody how it will be and look like, if we keep continuing the habit of power savings.

       In the image, there are several objects that I used to make symbolisms. For the first one, is the “Standing Fan”. I chose a Fan to be a symbolism of an electricity object that people often use when the weather is hot. I chose it because, I would like to show the audience, how "Fans" could reduce electricity if they use them on unnecessary situation or let them plugged on for a long time. And they are might even could contaminate the air if they don't clean them (But, for overall it is a good thing). In the image, if you notice I plugged the Fan's wire/cable to the Sun. I plugged it to the sun because, rather than I plugged it to the Electricity Generator, I would rather plugged it to the Sun that would likely more represent a Power Savings. And I also drew some blowing leaves over the person to represents the air's freshness because of the power savings. For the second one, is the Person. I chose a person to represents the feeling of freshness, which is by using his body's posture that looks like he is just got a freedom or happy or etc. For the third one, is the Electricity Generator. I used an Electricity Generator to represents the Electricity Source which we always use. In the image I made the Electricity Generator burned, it is because I want to show everybody that instead of using the actual electricity, we would rather use the natural electricity that is more better and saver. And the last one is the Sun. The Sun is definitely represents the source of all the power savings. In the image, there are two types of power sources. The Generator and The Sun. If you notice, I decided to burned the Generator and put it on a “cage” made of grass or something like that. It is because, I want to remind the audience that the Sun's power is much better to use as a source of electricity instead of using the Generator's power as a source of electricity. The Sun's power is more saver, better, and good for the environment.

       The procedure of this image is all started by brainstorming. My first theme of this project is actually about “Strength”. I used to choose “Strength” as my theme because I was really inspired by Football players, I wanted to show the audience about how strong Football players are. On my very first sketch, I was going going to create an image that has a Football player and a lion. The purpose was to illustrate a Football player that tackles a lion or going through a lion. Why?... Because both the lion and and the player, usually have the same traits, like aggressive, brave, and etc. So, I wanted to illustrate if a football player could go through a big and ferocious lion. Anyway, because it was kinda hard for me to gather the images so I decided to cancel the theme. After that, I started to think another theme. But because of I ran out of time to think about a new theme. So, I asked my dad for a suggestion for my project's theme. And he came up with an idea about power savings and he drew a sketch. After I heard and see the sketch, I was impressed so I decided to pick that theme. Later on, I developed the sketch and change things a bit. I redraw the sketches, and I began to take pictures. I took a picture of myself facing a standing fan in my bedroom. I actually had a lot of pictures of it but I chose the best one. Anyway, after that I searched some images on the web (which is on Flickr) to support my theme. I downloaded a several photos of landscape, trees, bushes, a fire, a case or cupboard(that will later on transform to be an Electricity Generator) and a car's battery(it is inside the Electricity Generator). After all the images gathered and open on Photoshop, I started to create my projects step by step.

First of all, I began with opening a new document with the proper size. I opened the photo that I took, and started to select some parts that need to be moved to the actual project's document. I selected the parts by using the selections tool, like Magic Wand, Lasso Tool, and mostly I used the Quick Selections Tool. I selected myself and the fan and moved them to the actual document by using the Move Tool and then I resized them(by the way, in my first sketch I actually moved them with the background which is the bedroom, so all together. But I decided to not do it, because it looked weird). After that, I opened the background image. Before I moved it, I split the image into two parts which is the sky and the landscape. I split them by using the Quick Selection and used the Refine Edge... to make the edges smoother. Then I moved them to the project's document and resized them. And I opened the other pictures that have the trees and the bushes. I selected the parts that I want to moved, used Refine Edge... and moved them and resized them. Basically all the first steps are the same things. After all gathered, I added the light source which is a Sun. I added the Sun by using a Lens Flare Filter. Which is by going to the Filter-Render-Lens Flare. And then, I actually added a Circle Shape on it, to supports the shape of a sun. And I used the Outer and Inner Glow(which is by right-clicking on the layer and click the Blending Option.. and tick the Outer Glow and Inner Glow options) to makes it more realistic. For the second steps, I started to tweak everything one by one. Like, the colours, exposure, quality, brightness, contrast, and etc. I mostly did them by using the Adjustment Layers which is by going to the Layer-New Adjustment Layer. The third steps, I began to add extra things. Like the Generator, the fan's wire/cable, the shadows, grass cage and the blowing leaves. For the Generator, I used the Adjustment Layers for tweaking the Exposure and the Hue/Saturation to makes it look like it has been heated. And then I added the fire on the top of it. And to makes it more realistic I drew around the area of it by using the Brush Tool and picked the colour of red orange and tweaked the opacity of the Brush to make it clear. For the fan's wire/cable, I just drew it by using the Brush Tool that usually located on the sidebar. And picked a colour of grey to matches the fan. And used the Bevel & Emboss effects (which is by right-clicking the layer and click the Blending Option... and tick the Bevel & Emboss option) to make it more realistic, because before it was just a “Brush” line. For the shadows, I mostly did them by using the Brush Tool. Because it was kinda more easier and save more time. Anyway, I picked the colour of black and started draw the lines step by step by following where the light source is facing. And then, I right-clicked on each of them go to the Blending Option... and set the Blend Mode to Soft Light (and actually a few of them are normal, just a few.) and tweaked the opacity to creates the actual shadows effects. For the grass cage and the blowing leaves, they were pretty simple. I just used the Brush Tool and changed the “Brush” to “Grass/Leaves Brush” which is by going to the top of the bar and there many brushes to look up. Anyway, I chose the “Leaves/Grass Brush” and pick a colour of dark green/light green. And I just drew it on the place where I want to. And for the blowing leaves, I used the Outer Glow effects to makes it more interesting. And The fourth step was about tweaking. I tweaked everything again to make sure that things are on the right way. For the fifth step, because I felt like there was still something. I realized that I was missing blurs. So, I added blurs to every layers/places to make them look more realistic. I added the blurs by going to the Filter-Blurs-Gaussian Blurs. And the last step was for organizing and cleaning things.

      Anyway, I have been learning so much things while doing this project. I have learned what Surrealism is, I have learned how to properly combining pictures together, adding effects, manipulating photos, playing with the lights and hues, balancing elements and etc. For overall, I am satisfied with my end result even though in my thought that it needs more tweaking but I am still satisfied about what I have done. I wish I could do more of these. Because sometimes, I feel like I am inspired about this project. And anyway, thank you very much. Sorry for typos and mistakes :)

(✎) Surrealism Assignment

This assignment is on presentation 
Here is the Prezi