Table of Contents

First Steps

Introduction: Read Me!

• Introduction to Digital Foundations
• Introduction to Operating Systems
• Introduction to Bauhaus

Chapter 1 CS4: The Metaphor of Using Graphics Applications

• Formal Principles: Dynamic and Static Compositions, Movement versus Stillness
• Visual References: Egon Schiele
• Technical:
  • Welcome to the OS, Common Metaphors
  • Opening, saving and closing files with Adobe Illustrator
  • Creating a dynamic composition in Adobe Illustrator
  • Rectangle Shape Tool
  • Fill and Stroke
  • Select Tool
  • Master Files and Naming Conventions

Chapter 2 CS4: Searching and Sampling - Becoming an Expert Web User

• Formal Principles: Copyright, Fair Use, Appropriation
• Visual References: Marcel Duchamp, Kenneth Tinkin-Hung
• Technical:
  • Searching for images: Filtering search engines
  • Saving images from the web to the harddrive
  • Searching for images: The public domain
  • Licensing artwork
  • Searching for images: Stock websites

Adobe Illustrator

Chapter 3 CS4: Symmetry

• Formal Principles: Symmetry, Asymmetry, Focal Point, Passive and Active Negative Space
• Visual References: The Bookman (Advertisement), Leonardo da Vinci, Adalpertus
• Technical:
  • Copy, Paste, and Move Objects with Key Commands
  • Short-cuts and Key Commands
  • Grouping and Ungrouping
  • Locking Layers
  • Fill and Outline
  • Scaling with the Selection Tool
  • Align Palette

Chapter 4 CS4: Type on the Grid

• Formal Principles: Line, Plane, Balance, The Grid, Type Basics
• Visual References: Theo van Doesburg, STILL NEED ONE MORE [we wanted:Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Piet Modrian, Jan Tschichold, Wolfgang Weingart] [we found: Theo van Doesburg, El Lissitzky, Leonardo da Vinci, August Macke]
• Technical:
  • Repositioning Rulers
  • Line Tool
  • Using the Type Tool for Headlines and Text Boxes
  • Justification, Leading, Kerning
  • Zoom Tool, Hand Tool
  • Introduction to the Direct Select Tool

Chapter 5 CS4: Color Theory and Basic Shapes

• Formal Principles: Color Models, Relationships on the Wheel, Hue, Value, Saturation
• Visual References: Johannes Itten (color wheel), Joseph Albers, Jahre Deutscher Werkbund, Edouard Manet, and Vincent Van Gogh
• Technical:
  • Custom Document
  • Artboard
  • Rulers and Guides
  • Shape Tools
  • Selecting Objects
  • RGB and CMYK Color Palette
  • Creating Tints and Shades
  • Copying and Moving shapes
  • Tools and Palettes

Chapter 6 CS4: Line Art and Flat Graphics

• Formal Principles: Gesture Drawings, Line, Weight, Texture, Atmospheric Perspective
• Visual References: A Diagram from Harper's Bazar and Ronen Eidelman
• Technical:
  • Pen Tool
  • Anchor Points and Bezier Handles
  • Convert Anchor Point Tool
  • Vector graphics
  • Selection Tool vs. Direct Selection Tool
  • Clipping Mask

Photoshop

Chapter 7 CS4: Scanning

• Formal Principles: Photograms and Scanograms, Abstraction
• Visual References:Anna Atkins, Lemons (unknown artist)
• Technical:
  • Scanning objects
  • Photoshop Palette Basics
  • Pixels and Raster Images
  • Resolution
  • Image File Formats: PSD, TIF
  • History Palette
  • Basic Image Adjustments

Chapter 8 CS4: Tonal Scale

• Formal Principles: Contrast, Value and Tonal Scale in Photography
• Visual References: Nicéphore Niépce, Dorthea Lange
• Technical:
  • Downloading Images from the Camera
  • Unsharp Mask
  • Image Size
  • Understanding the Histogram
  • Levels and Curves
  • Hue and Saturation

Chapter 9 CS4: Layering and Collage

• Formal Principles: Scale, Hierarchy, Collage, Double Exposure, Exquisite Corpse
• Visual References: Hippolyte Bayard, El Lissitzky, Henry Van der Weyde
• Technical:
  • Free Transform, Scaling,
  • Layer Palette
  • Cropping
  • Adjustment Layer
  • Layer Groups
  • Merging Layers

Chapter 10 CS4: Repetition and Cloning

• Formal Principles: Unity, Harmony
• Visual References: The Anti-Advertising Agency, The Billboard Liberation Front
• Technical:
  • Type Tool
  • Layer Styles
  • Cloning
  • Layer Groups
  • Duplicating and Flattening
  • Rasterizing and Creating Outlines

Chapter 11 CS4: Non-Destructive Editing

• Formal Principles: Chaos, Anti-Order

Visual Examples: Philippe Halsman and Kurt Schwitters

• Quick Masks
• Saving Selections
• Channel Palette
• Layer Masks
• Shape Tool
• Path Palette
• Adjustment Layers
• Clipping Groups

Chapter 12 CS4: Digital Output for the Web

• Formal Principles: Low-fi & Dirt Style
• Visual References: Whitehouse.gov, Pizzahut.com
• Technical:
  • Resolution
  • Image Size
  • Save for web
  • File Formats: JPG, GIF
  • File Size/Download Time

InDesign

Chapter 13 CS4: Multiple Pages: Unity

• Formal Principles: Sequence, Repetition, Harmony
• Visual References: NONE YET - Saul Bass, Alexey Brodovitch, Muriel Cooper, Quentin Fiore
• Technical:
  • Creating a New Document
  • Pages Palette
  • Master Pages
  • Rulers and Guides
  • Type Tool
  • Color Palette
  • Linking Text Boxes
  • Exporting a PDF

Chapter 14 CS4: Multiple Pages: Chaos, Tension, Disarray

• Formal Principles: Deconstruction, Disarray
• Visual References: NONE YET - Neville Brody, Émigré Magazine (Rudy VanderLands and Zuzana Licko), Ray Gun Magazine (David Carson)
• Technical:
  • Placing Images and Text
  • Text Frame Breaks
  • Creating a Character Style
  • Leading, Kerning, Hyphenation
  • Eyedropper Tool
  • Modifying a Text Box with the Direct Select Tool
  • Modifying Text Box Settings

Dreamweaver

Chapter 15 CS4: Hello World

• Formal Principles: Code as Aesthetics
• Visual References: Jodi's wwwwwwwww.jodi.org, Heath Bunting
• Technical:
  • Hello World via TextEdit
  • Hello World in Dreamweaver
  • Editing versus Previewing
  • File Naming Conventions
  • Basic Text Formatting (H1, Strong, Em)
  • Choosing Colors (sidebar: CSS)

Chapter 16 CS4: Files and Servers

• Formal Principles: Network Logic
• Visual References: MTAA's Internet Art Diagram
• Technical:
  • Defining a Site
  • Uploading to a Server
  • Webhosting

Chapter 17 CS4: Form and Content on the Web

• Formal Principles: Appropriation and Collage Online
• Visual References: A List Apart, Craigslist.com
• Technical:
  • Images
  • Links
  • Point to File
  • Absolute vs Relative URLs
  • Adding YouTube video V in Video should be Capitalized

Flash

Chapter 18 CS4: Elements of Motion

• Formal Principles: Time and Rhythm
• Visual References: NONE
• Technical:
  • Frames and Keyframes
  • Shape Tween
  • Document Properties
  • Publishing

Chapter 19 CS4: Pacing

• Formal Principles: Motion, Speed and Stillness
• Visual References: Hans Richter, Lillian Schwartz
• Technical:
  • Symbols
  • Library
  • Motion Tween
  • Instances

Chapter 20 CS4: Commanding the Timeline: ActionScript

• Formal Principles: Game Theory, Play Logic
• Visual References: Spacewar, Trigger Happy
• Technical:
  • onClick
  • gotoAndPlay
  • Play
  • Stop