Table of Contents

From Digital Foundations

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