Vector Art: AD360

COURSE DOCUMENTS | MIDTERM PROJECT

** Your project must be burned to CD and placed in the AD360 Dropbox BEFORE CLASS STARTS **

STEP ONE: Research

1. Famous Building
   • Choose a famous building, and two alternates.
   • Find out about the history of the building, the architect, the culture, and time period during which it was built and inhabited. Learn as much about the building as you can, until it takes on a personality in your mind.
   • Write a 1 page essay about the building as if it were, in fact, a person. Describe its appearance and persona.
   • Building Research Sites (just a start):
     • http://www.greatbuildings.com/
     • http://www.teachnet.ie/roleary/bldngs.htm
     • http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/241-link-it-up-great-buildings
     • http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Category:Great_Buildi
2. View From My Window.
   • Make several drawings of the view out your window, from different angles, and different times during the day.
   • Make note of any objects (people, animals, structures) that you haven't noticed before.
   • Squint your eyes and try to see only lines, then only shapes, then just light and dark. Make quick sketches of each using each of these methods of observation.
   • Write a 1 page essay about the view from your window as if you were 3 different people with different personalities, ages, cultural backgrounds, in different periods in history. Imagine all the people who have lived in your apartment/house. What would they have seen 10, 20, 50, 100 years ago?
   • Research other people's interpretations of this project:
     • http://www.viewfrommywindow.com/
     • http://images.google.com/images
     • http://video.google.com/videosearch

STEP TWO: Template Setup

1. Make a final sketch of your Building or View. You may use photographs or found images as reference, but the drawing should be your own.
2. Scan the drawing so the output is approximately 600x800 pixels, 72 dpi.
3. Save it as a jpg.
4. In Photoshop, if necessary, increase the contrast, Posterize, add poster edges or cut-out filter or Threshold to create a graphic tracing image with strong outlines.

STEP THREE: Specifications and Execution

1. Setting up your Illustrator file. (we may adjust this later)
   • Size: 8.5 x 11 inches (600 x 800px)
   • CMYK
2. Next "place" (File > Place) the template image as a template layer (tracing image) in Illustrator. Choose the template and link check boxes and click ok.
3. Use named layers to organize different elements in your illustration.
4. Use the Bezier Pen Tool to outline the outer edges of each part of your illustration. You will toggle between OUTLINE and PREVIEW mode in order to achieve accurate curves.
5. You can approach the illustration in different ways. One way is to outline the mid-tones, shadows and highlights that define the structure of the illustration first. Create broad closed paths to start, then add detail when the main areas have been defined. Another approach (if you are creating a comicbook style) might be to define all the outline areas first and then go back in and add broad paths of color.
6. Use named layers to organize different elements in your illustration.
7. Create your own colors in the color palette. Remember to save and label your color swatches. Toggle between Outline and Preview to see your progress.
8. When you are finished, zoom into your illustration and clean up any stray paths, unnecessary or redundant anchor points.

STEP FOUR: Submission

Prepare your finished files as follows:

• Name your files with your name and the project title.
  • jsmith_midterm.ai
  • jsmith_essay.rtf
  • jsmith_web.gif
• Put all files (illustrator, gif, scanned template, and essay) in a folder with your first initial, last name.
• Drop the folder in the ad360_DropBox on the ADGA server (10.10.110.16)
• Create a backup on CD to turn in.

The Rubric that will be used to grade your project has been defined. Please read it before turning in your project.