BACKGROUND: We have been working in Photoshop for almost 4 months now and there are a number of Photoshop techniques that I would like everyone in the class to be familiar with. To demonstrate your mastery of these techniques, you will be creating a piece of artwork, to your liking, that demonstrates each of the techniques.

THE ASSIGNMENT: You will be creating a piece of artwork, called a "Photoshop Composite." These are relatively new styles of art that involved the combining of shapes, colors, text and images using Photoshop. A small gallery of samples is available below.

A Gallery of Photoshop Compositions (click thumbnails to see larger images!)

You will be completing this assignment to your taste. The pieces and parts of that artwork will be prescribed, but the way that you put the pieces together as a final work are completely up to you.

This is not a project that I would like to see rushed or completed in a sloppy fashion, this work should be a culmination of your Photoshop experiences to date.

BEFORE YOU START:

Create a folder called “Lastname_masterpiece”. You will include two files in that folder when you turn in this project: The .PSD file that demonstrates your different layers and the .JPG file that constitutes your piece of artwork.

PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to include a photograph of yourself or someone else that you know, you can do that. The cameras are available if you wish to use them.

THE LAYERS:

The student will create AT LEAST 10 layers in Photoshop (but can use many more, if desired), each layer will demonstrate a different Photoshop element or technique. Please note that these layers DO NOT have to take up the entire canvas. The layers are as follows (it would be helpful if you could LABEL each layer in the layer panel as you go):

1. AT LEAST four DIFFERENT layers with photographic or graphic images cut out of their backgrounds using the MASK tool.
2. AT LEAST one (hopefully more) layer created from BRUSH strokes.
3. AT LEAST one layer created from a GRADIENT.
4. AT LEAST two layers created using the TEXT tool, possibly to include TEXT WARPING, ATTACH TEXT TO PATH, etc.
5. AT LEAST two DIFFERENT layers containing at least one SHAPE each, created with a SHAPE TOOL.

THE FILTERS:

With your (AT LEAST) TEN layers, please apply some FILTER effects to at least 2-3 of these layers, some that work well are: (see figure to the right):

1. DISTORT filter.
2. ARTISTIC filter.
3. STYLIZE filter.
4. PIXELATE or TEXTURE filters.

To create your artwork, you can use more Filters of different types if you wish, but the above four are required for the assignment.

THE BLENDING:

Once you have all 10 (or more) of your layers created and all 4 of your filters implemented, you will need to create your artwork. How you rearrange your layers is up to you, but AT LEAST 2 layers will need to demonstrate a LAYER BLENDING technique other than the NORMAL blend. (See picture to the right!)

Rearrange your layers and try different blends as you need to create your artwork.

When you finally find a combination that you really like, .JPG your picture and save it to your “lastname_masterpiece” folder as MASTERPIECE.jpg. SAVE YOUR ORIGINAL .PSD TO THE FOLDER AS WELL!

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK:

Lately, students have gotten very lazy about naming and submitting their work in this class. For this assignment, you MUST save each file and folder exactly as prescribed and submit the folder to the class DROPBOX or you will receive a ZERO for the assignment.

You will be turning in your Masterpiece_Folder with TWO Files:
• lastname_Masterpiece.jpg
• lastname_Masterpiece.PSD

GRADING:

This project will be graded on the quality and uniqueness of their work and the proper execution of all layers and blends, as listed above. Students will receive:
• 100 points for properly executing the layers and effects listed above, 10 points for each layer from lastname_masterpiece.psd.
• 100 points for lastname_MASTERPIECE.jpg: This is graded strictly on the WOW factor. I expect to say “WOW” when I open your work, if I don't, you can expect a reduced score.