GRART 36 Adobe Photoshop Basics

Session/Year: Spring 2019 

Units: 3 units, 2.5 hours lecture, 1.5 hours laboratory

Class Codes:

Prerequisites: None. Recommended preparation: Bus 219 or CIS 205 or GRART 230

Acceptable for credit: CSU

Lecture/Lab: Wednesdays 2:00-5:50PM

Location: A 153 Laney

Instructor: Daniela Nikolaeva (Pachtrapanska)

Email: dpachtrapanska@peralta.edu

Instructor Availability Outside of Class: Office hours Wednesdays 6-7PM, Fridays 7-8PM Room A153. Please note, office hours are not tutoring hours.

 

Course Description:

Introduction to imaging software utilized in the graphic arts for photo and tonal manipulations: Selecting, painting and filling, layers, editing images, color correction, typography, tools, masks and channels, converting and manipulating images, and filters; exploration through hands-on projects.  This course is required for AA and certificates.

 

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s):

SLO 1: Upon completion of GRART 36 the student will be able to Interface with the Adobe Photoshop software program

SLO 2: Upon completion of GRART 36 the student will be able to create original graphic design projects using the Adobe Photoshop program

SLO 3: Upon completion of GRART 36 the student will be able to prepare digital images for use in graphic design projects.

 

Institutional Outcomes: Computational Skills, Communication and Information Competency

 

Class Objectives:

·         Use and manage computer hardware peripherals for input, output, and storage

-        Operate different kinds of peripheral hardware, including printers, scanners, external drives, and Wacom tablets

• Operate a personal computer using current operating system interfaces

-        Correlate keyboard functions with menu operations

• Use image manipulation software

-        Manipulate layers, channels and paths

-        Describe and apply the major steps in the “imaging chain”

-        Produce B&W and/or color illustrations

-        Use tools, menus, and keyboard commands to perform complex image selection techniques

-        Control image characteristics (size, mode, dpi, etc.)

-        Select/apply filters and layers using appropriate menus, tools, and commands

-        Prepare imagery for proofing and/or final outputting at a service bureau or other supplier

-        Save documents using the appropriate specialized file formats

Important Dates:
02/01– last day to add a class with a permission code.
02/03 – last day to drop a class and receive a refund. Update grading options 02/08
02/03 - Census Day: Instructors Verify Enrollment in Class
02/15-18 - President’s Day – no classes
03/15 - Last day to file a petition to graduate
03/21 - Professional Development – no classes
04/1-7 - Cesar Chaves Day, Spring Recess – no classes
04/26 – last day to drop a class and receive a W | Attendance verification
05/17 – Malcolm X’s Birthday – Holiday Observance – no classes

Recommended Texts: Adobe Photoshop CC Classroom in a Book, Adobe Press. The students are not required to purchase this textbook, it is recommended as a supplemental learning tool.

 

Materials and Supplies:

Two USB flash drives. You must save your work on two storage devices for data-security reasons. Notebook, drawing paper/sketch pad, soft pencils, erasers at every class, and black matting board for the final project.

 

Grading:

All assignments must have clear criteria and objectives to meet. All students shall be treated equitably. It will be that student’s right to know his/her grade at any reasonable point that information is requested by that student. The criteria for determining a student’s grade shall be as follows (on a percentage basis):

 

                                                A                                              100-90

                                                B                                              89-80

                                                C                                             79-70

                                                D                                             69-50

                                                F                                              49 or below

 

Process for Evaluation:      

Attendance and conduct                                10%

Participation and In-class exercises               10%

Projects and assignments                               50%

Midterm project and examination                   20%

Final Project                                                    10%

 

Classroom Policy:

• No food or drinks are allowed at any time in the computer area. Food and drinks in recloseable bottles are allowed in the break area.
• If student elects to eat/drink outside class or lab door, missed time is recorded as absent.
• Break times are scheduled by the instructor at appropriate intervals.
• No private software is to be brought to lab or loaded onto school computers.
• No software games are allowed in lab (unless in course curriculum).
• No headphones or recording devices are allowed during lecture.          

Classroom Rules:

1. Attendance

• Attendance will be taken at the beginning of class. It is essential that students come to class ON TIME. Important information may be given each day during the first few minutes of class. To avoid being marked absent if you are late or if you leave early, it is your responsibility to speak to the instructor to make sure your attendance is accurately recorded.
  
  
• If you miss a class for any reason, it will be your responsibility to see that any assignments due that day are turned in ON TIME (or other arrangements made with the instructor), as well as to find out what may have been assigned while you were out.
• -----> Note: Students considering dropping this class are advised to do so officially, as soon as the decision is made.

 

2. Class Participation and Conduct
   Actively participating during critique and being supportive of your fellow students, as well as arriving on time and not being disruptive during lecture, contribute to a positive class atmosphere and will count as 10% of your grade.

One important thing about critiques: we criticize the work, not the person making the work.

Conduct: Foul language, vulgarity, offensive racial, sexist, or homophobic remarks and projects, will not be tolerated In-class. Acting disrespectfully, or in an intimidating manner toward a teacher or a student, may result in your removal from the classroom. If you have complaints, comments, personal questions, please see me after the class.

 

3. Assignments

• You must satisfactorily complete assignments on time; deadlines will be strictly enforced. Assignments and homework turned in late will be penalized 10% off the grade for that assignment.
• Incomplete assignments will be graded accordingly - if you completed only half of the assignment (50%), you will be awarded an F (see the grading policy above).
• You may redo an assignment for a better grade only with the instructor's approval.
• If you miss a quiz, a midterm exam, or the final exam, you will be given a 0 for that exam and you will not be able to take it another time.
• Each assignment will cover an area of technical understanding. Some assignments will require only a few hours to complete; others may take more time.
• The instructor may collect and use work completed for this course, as student examples for future classes, unless the student requests otherwise in writing.
• Absolutely no work will be accepted after the final class meeting.

 

4. No food or drinks are allowed in the classroom at any time.
5. Headsets, cell-phones, and Internet use:

Students are expected to pay attention and participate actively in the class work. The use of cell phones is not allowed in the classroom; please turn off all cell-phones before entering the classroom. Listening to music through headphones, or browsing the web during lectures or during your classmates’ presentations is not allowed and will be penalized.

6. Equipment Use:
   Safe and proper use of the equipment is expected of every student. As a student in this class, you may use the computers, the scanners, and the printers. Please do not print carelessly.

   

Disability Policy Statement:

It is our policy not to discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its educational programs, activities, or services. If you have a disability-related need for adjustments or other accommodations in this class, contact the Disabilities Services Coordinator.

 

Academic Honesty Policy:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty while pursuing their studies.  Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: plagiarism and cheating; misuse of academic resources or facilities; and misuse of computer software, data, equipment or networks. Sanctions include but are not limited to course failure and academic probation.

 

Weekly Course Outline

Course outline subject to change based on class need.

 

Week 1: 01/23

            Lecture:  Explanation of GRART lab policies, online image resources, copyright issues, etc.

Lab: In class exercise: Introduction to Photoshop. Working with tools, panels, and menus. Introduction to selections. Using the selection tools.

Homework: Practice using selections.

 

Week 2: 01/30

Lecture: Quick Mask mode. Soft-edge selections vs. hard-edge selections. Refine selections Pallet. Selections and Masks.

Lab: In-class exercises. Creating composites. Combining images to create a photo collage.

Homework: Project 1: Creating a photo collage. Due week 4

Week 3: 02/06

Lecture: Improving image quality: Removing noise, Removing color cast, Working with Levels, Color Balance, and Hue and Saturation pallets.

Lab: Practice Quiz. In-class exercises: Creating a photo collage. Matching color and size.

Homework: Finish photo collage project.

 

Week 4: 02/13

Lecture: Image retouching basics. Retouching tools.

Lab: Project 1 Critique.

In-class exercises: Photo restoration. Fixing blemishes, improving image quality.

Homework: Project 2: Image retouching. Due week 6.

 

Week 5: 02/20

Lecture: Working with Layers. Blending modes, Layer Masks Exporting images for the web.

Lab: Practice quiz. In-class exercises Work on Project 2

Homework: Finish project 2.

 

Week 6: 02/27           

Lecture: Working with digital color. Desaturating and colorizing; Creating Duotones. Color Modes. Improving color balance, Using Hue and Saturation pallet, Photo filter color replacement brush, etc.

Lab: Project 2 Critique.

Homework: Project 3: Layer Masks compositing. Due: week 8

 

Week7: 03/06

Lecture: Image size and resolution. Preparing images for print.

Lab: Practice Quiz. In-class exercise: Layer Masks and blending modes.

Homework: Finish Project 3.Due next week.

 

Week 8: 03/13

Lecture: Using Filters. Liquify filter, Sharpen and Blur.

Lab: Project 3 Critique. Practice Quiz. In-class exercises.

Homework: Midterm Project: Image Manipulation. Start working on the Midterm Project.

 

Week 9: 03/20

Lecture: The art of Image Manipulation: Using filters, layers, Layer masks to create a convincing transformation.

Lab: Practice Quiz. In-class exercises.

Homework assignment: Work on Midterm project, Finish first draft.

 

Week 10: 03/27

Lecture: Preparing images for color printing. Levels and curves. Exporting as PDF file formats. Mounting your projects for professional presentation.  

Lab: First Draft review. Work on the Midterm project.

Homework: Finish the Midterm project. Print it and mount it.

 

Week 11: 04/03 – Spring Recess. No Classes 04/01- 04/07

 

Week 12: 04/10

Lecture: Optimizing Images for the web. Image file formats: .jpg, .gif and .png.

Lab: Midterm Project Presentations

Homework: Study for the Midterm exam.

 

Week 13: 04/17

Lecture: Working with Type. Layer styles. Creating textures
Review of material covered up to this point of the class.

Lab: Midterm Examination

Homework: Practice working with type. Photoshop online tutorials.

 

Week 14: 04/24

Lecture: Exploring different painting techniques. Simulating traditional painting media such as oil, water color, pastel, charcoal, etc.

Lab: Practice Quiz. Drawing and Painting exercise. Using Wacome Tablets

Homework: Project 4: Final project

 

Week 15: 05/01

Lecture: Working with vectors-based images in Photoshop. Bitmaps vs. Vector images. Vector drawing tools, Vector selection tools. Working with paths.

Lab: In-class exercises: Tracing images. Drawing curves, etc.

Homework: Final project: Bring to class your finished preliminary sketches and first drafts of the digital files.

 

Week 16: 05/08

Lecture: Putting it all together to create a design product. Design grid and layout. Color, composition, and typography considerations. Print mock-ups in Black and white.

Lab: Practice Quiz. Work on the final project.

Homework: Finish the Final project. Print it in color and bring to class next week.

 

Week 17: 05/15

Lecture/Lab: Final Project Presentations. Best project selection.

 

 

Additional resources 

The Digital Way, 2nd Edition is a book written by Zac DeLane, Adobe Certifed Associate, and Apple Teacher. This book is designed to prepare students for potential certification in Adobe Photoshop by teaching skills and aligning lessons to potential test questions. All the lessons are followed up by activities, which go more inside the concepts introduced in the lecture. All activities are short, yet strong. Included in the book are also exams, quizzes, and visual tests to help reinforce and see progress. This Canvas companion course allows students to complete activities online while receiving feedback and getting an overall view where they are struggling and achieve mastery. All lectures and activities are in the public domain, which allows anyone to take, use, and manipulate the content.

 

Use the .pdf as a companion for the course.

New Photoshop Book REVISED.pdf