Week 7

...CoLLagE...

Hi all, I have finished the collage assignment and uploaded it. My topic is about new US president Barack Obama. This collage was based on his main policy for US: increase the economy and restrict the war. The Cadillac, the Liberty status and the dollar brain stand for international relationship, economy and peace. They are put in warm color tones. In contrast, the Osama BinLaden portrait, guns, weapons... are located on the wall and into picture frames. They will become the past. I really like this work athought collage is quite hard for a person like me (my brain is simple while collage is coplicated)
However, enjoy it and comment for me.



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Week 6

A1 Research_Saul Bass-a great graphic designer in 20th century

Hi all, in this week, we really busy for Midterm exams and assignments. I did not find out more idea for blog entries so I upload my A1 for everybody so we can discuss about this.

I have done a research about great graphic designer Saul Bass. He is well-know by animated film title sequences and company logos. Saul Bass is a legend in 20th century...





I hate doing research but I really love what I have got after researching. In fact, my idol in DIM1 is Paul Rand and now is Saul Bass. They both have some similar points in thinking and working. Hope you like Paul Rand and Saul Bass and feel free to come with me to discuss about them.

Week 5_Entry 2

Design the letter 'M' in Illustrator

Study about Typography, I tried to create a letter 'M' follow the shape of ivy and wings. I just simply used Brush to draw freely and adjust it smoother. Now, this is my letter 'M' I have created and put it in the word 'Memory':



I also have a nice picture which presents the sadness of a Hanoi woman. She is homesick. She is sitting with an oil lamp and a dish of 'banh day' (kind of rice-cake). All of them are belong to the North where is her hometown. The word 'Memory' I put in the gray sky so it looks like a bird...the bird is trying to find the way back to its home...







Hope you like my work

Image source: http://rarfaxp.riken.go.jp/~dang/paintings/memory2.JPG

Week5_Entry 1

Wow, wonderful sunlight beam effect in Photoshop


I found an excellent tutorial for this week. Now I am going to share it for you. First, look at my original image. This effect is very good to apply in a picture of a big tree (there are suitable images on Google by searching "oak" to practice if you like). The tutorial is quiet long and hard so I present it shortly and skip some simple steps.

Now, go to Channel palette and duplicate the 'Blue layer'. Next, darken the 'Blue copy' channel layer like this:

Ok, now, hold down the Ctr (Win)/Command (Mac) and right click on the 'Blue copy' channel layer. Ok ok, ignore what you see and turn back to the Layer palette. You will see...nothing changed, haha...

Now, add a new layer and press 'D'. Press Ctr+Backspace (Win)/Command+Delete (Mac) to fill the selection with white. Again, you will see...nothing happened. Interesting!!!

Duplicate the new layer you have created. Go to Filter menu -> Blur -> Radial Blur -> click 'zoom', 'best' and adjust the Blur center and Blur amount as you like. Now you have the main part of the effect. To make it better, use Outer Glow and the blend mode is Soft Light. Now we have:

Is it great? I will make it more real by create the reflection effect on the ground. The "nothing" preparation above will be used now. Back to layer 1, press Ctrl/Command T and resize it. Make it smaller vertically and drag it down until the reflection appears on the ground. Finally, change the blend mode of it to Overlay. We got it!

Image source: http://www.ovta.org/2007%20March%20Page%20Pict/3%20Pemberton%20Oak/Pemberton%20Oak%202001%20MVC-129S.JPG

Week 4_entry 2

Simple glow effect in Photoshop

Now, let try to create a nice image with glow effect. This tutorial is really popular and I tried to make one.

Firstly, create a gradient field like this one. You can use any kind of gradient you like.



Now, go to Filter menu, choose Render -> Clouds. You have this one:



Next, create some line and dots by using Brush tool. Then, delete its outer line, adjust effects: Drop Shadow, Outer Glow, Color Overlay at layers window until you have the glow effect. Once again, you can create your own color style as you want.



Add text in a new layer and copy layer style of lines layer and paste to text layer. This thing make sure your text and lines have a same style.
And this is my final image. Is it kool ?

Week 4_entry1

Funny Puzzle effect in Photoshop

Hi guys, in this entry I will show you an interesting effect in PS. Before we start, I recommend you to choose simple pictures to edit. I mean not too much details pictures. They should be pictures of big objects. For example, I have my own picture taking from DaLat city:

It is quite simple. The objects (nice rose, ugly face) are big.

Then, adjust the image more colorful and contrast:





Next, add puzzle effect to the image. Go to Filter menu ->Texture -> Texturizer. The puzzle effect will not exist already so you have to load it. Go to the black arrow and chose Load Texture. Next, find the puzzle texture in Adobe Photoshop folder. Find Presets folder -> Textures -> chose Puzzle texture.
Now, adjust some numbers as you like and we have the result:



However, the picture was still boring. I made it more interesting by taking out some puzzle pieces. Remember, keep some puzzle pieces and drop shadow for them to get a 3D felling.




This is my final work. Hope this entry is useful.

Week2_Entry 2

GESTALT EXERCISE (cont')


I post one more work for Gestalt practice. I think that this work is not as good as the first one. However, I feel totally happy with it. Here is my image:







Now, we can see the closure concept is quiet simple. The lines of flowers border the image as a frame. The significant point here is the body text was arranged as a triangle and concentrate to the top. This thing impresses the title.

Once again, I need practice more...

Week2_Entry 1

GESTALT EXERCISE






Wow, this exercise is so exciting. I understand more about basic design elements and principles. Enjoy my work and see how wonderful the gestalt is...

You can easily recognize the closure concept throughout the circle of flowers. Continuance element is not quiet clear in this picture. The thin plant at the center just makes us focus more on the text slightly. Beside that, the body text and the title were re-arranged to look like a seed which is related to the topic.

Gestalt is a simple theory but it is really hard to apply it in design. I need more practice in this field.

Week 1_Entry 2

Blending images in Photoshop

In this week, our teacher introduced us about blending method in Photoshop. This is a very useful effect in image editing. With it, we can easily make effective image especial for poster. I have taken 2 images (one of them is the poster of the film 'PS: I love you') from the internet and edited them as a poster with Hollywood style. Here are 2 original images:

I combined them to be one. I used layer mask and gradient tool to make it. I resized it as well.

Next, I think adding noise (2%) for it will make 2 original images more related and I ignored its colors.

Next, I used 'Color fill and adjustment layer' tool (next the 'Create new layer' tool) to add color for the picture. I used a slight orange which is warm and very suitable for Hollywood style.

I like this work. Hope to receive your comment.

Image sources:

http://www.hypnotherapylifesolutions.co.uk/sunset_couple.jpg.jpg

http://www.geckoandfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/ps_i_love_you_film_movie_torrent_download.jpg

Week 1_Entry 1

Logo design for shirt


Hi everyone, welcome to my blog. In this first entry, I will show you my logo design for shirt. I used illustration to do it. The main idea as our teacher said is MOON and SUN. The main colors in my logo is black and white. In the 'sun part', I used typography to represent the sun. In 'moon part', I drew waves which are water related to the moon.

And this is my work:





I started searching on websites for models of sun and moon designs. Finally, I decided to use typography to make the sun. In English, I know that the word ‘sun’ and ‘son’ have the same pronunciation. Beside that, the letter ‘o’ could be designed to the sun image (circles, fire) so the word ‘son’ with the letter ‘o’ designed to the sun can represent for the first part of our topic. The second part-moon is easier. I just drew a simple moon with waves inside. About the color, I used two simple hues black and white which contrast together, white for sun and black for moon backgrounds. The colors represent for day and night as well.

In generally, my logo is really simple. I recommend that it should be small and placed on a black background shirt. Hope you guys will like it and vote for me.

Final entry

Final entry

Hi everyone, teacher, we have finished DIM2 course. I think that this is the most useful class I have ever leanrt. It supports a lot of skills and information for me especially about flash animation

To finish this course, welcome you guys to my short clip about my flash tutorial

Hope everybody have a nice vacation and see you in next classes.

Thank Li Ping, you are really a great lecturer.

My Final Flash Images

Final Flash Images Collection

Hi everyone, I think that you guys have finished your final flash tutorial for DIM2 and now, my lovely teacher is looking at our assignments and try to find mistakes ^^. Hope that there is no problem in them.

In fact, I have no idea about building images and theme for my final flash. I search on web several times, go to google and visit some blog to find idea but it's really hard. Oh, oh idea, idea, I need you. At that time, I had to do an writing assignment on MS Word for my BE2 class, I inserted some pictures in MS World and...oh my God, these imgages, it's so cool, and easy to draw...

I started draw some images on Illustrator and I was so happy about my result.

Now, let's enjoy my feeling

Firstly, use the brush tool draw the border of the object. I am drawing an laptop battery with very simple lines. It's very easy!!!

Next, draw shapes base on line and fill them by a lighter color. And a laptop battery have appeared.

This is my laptop

...and an adapter

Well, this is my colletion about laptop images for final flash. Hope you will like it.

Thanks for viewing.

...logo...

...Effective logo design...


What is a logo?
It's seem like an answer question. Logo is a mark on somewhere of the TV screen, a center symbol of a package. In fact, the term logo is more complicated and multiple in meaning. Generally, a distinctive symbol of a company, object, publication, person, service is logo

"A logo is not a brand, unless it's on a cow"

10 rules in design a logo

Answer who, what and why?
Before starting anything, a deep research about clients, audiences and the need can not be ignored or more serious, misunderstood.

Identify, don't explain
The problem is companies tend to want their logos should describe their achivement in many aspects. Actually, the logo is a signpost that identifies the company and reflect its attitudes and values.
A logo is a shortcut, visual language and have to be recognized and memorized easily and quickly.

Understand limitations
The logos gives direction and attitude, while the product informs the meaning.

Be seductive
Many logo fail from their own cleverness os overproduction. Let something be what it is and make more from less.

Make mnemonic value
Relate the logo to memories of the human, a logo designer will have a change to make the logo successful.

Pose a question
In some case, a logo should be more complicate in performing. It has to make the viewer spend more time to look at it and more intimate with it.

Design for longervity
Tend and style could make the logo design work easier but they also make the logo become outdate in a long period. A good logo should be unique in composing and must be able to convey its message over a lond time

Make the logo the foundation of a system
Do not submit your logo on a white backgroud paper. This is a basic mistake. A logo should be accompanied with a texture. You need to show your logo in a real product. It could be on top of a building, a real package, cover, card, etc. And beside that, do not forget write a guideline "how to use" for your work including colors, typography, imagery, copy style, and product usage. If not, a very very very bad thing could happen to the logo, it can be used by an inappropriate pupose. These steps also prevent your work from changing message and the company it represent.

Design for a variety of media
Think about the development of the company you will design a logo for. Their work can be extend to other fields. Because of that, do not make the logo face belong to much to a company product. 'VINAMILK' milk company can invest to instant noodle product, how do you think about this.

Be strong
I have some famous quote:
"Design depends largely on constraints"-Charles Eames
"The businessman will never respect the professional who does not believe in what he does"-Paul Rand
"God helps them that help themsleve"-Benjamin Franklin


Now guys, do you want to become a logo designer?

Book reference: Logo design workbook by Adams Morioka

...Printing paper...

...PRINTTING PAPER...

In this entry, kinds of priting paper will be introduced. In fact, there are hundred of paper types for priting, I just mention some popular types used in designing.

Newsprint
Made of almost by wood pulp, have a shorter longevity than others but it's cheap to produce and used to normal printing processes.
Primary uses: Newspaper, comics

Antique
Roughest finish offered on offset paper
Primary uses: To add texture to publications such as annual reports






Uncoated woodfree
The most popular paper which is used in offices and commercial printing
Primary uses: Office paper (printer and photocopy paper, stationery)






Mechanical
Made by wood pulp, contain acidic lignins. It has a short-tern use and will 'yellow' and color will fade
Primary uses: Newspaper,directories




Art board
Uncoated board
Primary uses: cover stock







Art
This kind is high-quality with a clay filler on surface. Very good in printing especially for hafttones where definition and detail are important. This paper is high bright and gloss
Primary uses: Color printing, magazines




Cast coat
Coated paper with a high-gloss finish obtained while the wet coated paper is pressed or cast against a polished, hot, metal drum
Primary uses: High-quality color printing







Chromo
A waterproof coating on a single side intended for good embossing and varnishing performance
Primary uses: Labels, wrappings and covers





Cartridge
A thick white paper particularly used for pencil and ink drawings
Primary uses: To add texture to publications such as annual reports




Greyboard
Lined or unlined board made from waste paper
Primary uses: Packaging material

Book reference: 'Print & Finish' by Ambrose and Harris (available on RMIT SSC library)

Image source:
http://www.webtvwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/rolled-up-newspaper.jpg
http://www.clipartandcrafts.com/papercrafts/stationery/burned-parchment.jpg
http://www.avreus.org/photos/400wide/copy-paper.jpg
http://www.vnexpress.net/Files/Subject/3B/9F/44/6A/Nhung-trang-vang-to.jpg
http://images.paperdirect.com/products/w/350/h/350/000046793m.jpg
http://justjared.buzznet.com/pictures/2006/09/julian_mcmahon_advocate/julian-mcmahon-advocate-magazine-06.jpg
http://www.graphicresourcesystems.com/Images/Mimaki%20JV5%20Series/untitled.jpg
http://www.adcal-labels.co.uk/images/Photos/Plain-WHEELIEBINS.jpg
http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/local_images/products/thumbnails/tn_dw22.jpg
http://www.madelove-shop.com/madelove-shop/media/products/packaging.jpg

...graphic design solution_part 1

graphic design solution_part 1

POSTER

Young designers, I know sometime you feel hard to create something because of the restriction in topic, culture, legal, effect and so on. In the chain of this topic, 'graphic design solution', I want to provide to you a small information to make your work easier.



The first topic is about POSTER, as you know, we have finished our poster assignment and if one of you feel unhappy about your work, hope that this entry will help you.



In general, a good poster should be successful in capturing the attention of viewers. It have to be right in combination between text and image. Unlike an advertising in a magazine, a poster need to be big and clear enough to catch the viewer's eye from a distance. The elements in a poster should be impressive and keep the viewer stay in a while to look at it more. After that, the poster will convey the message and information to them. To sum up, your purpose is communicate a message to an audience.



I have some suggestions for you:



A poster is a combination of 2 things:



-The visuals: abstract, pictographic, symbolic, illustrative, graphic, photographic, collage or hybrid

-The type: text, font



Your objectives are:



-to communicate a clear and easily understood message

-a poster is not a great art one so it should be easily to read and understand

-legible from a distance

-need base on principle graphic design

-suitable to subject, audience and environment



Hope that my little knowledge is informative.

Ah, one more thing, this entry series is referred from the book Graphic Design Solutions (2nd edition) by Robin Landa, you can easily loan it on RMIT library, it's helpful...



Thanks for reading and see you in next entries.


Image source: http://z-graphics.net/includes/rotate.php

...tiger saving POSTER...

FIRST WORK IN POSTER DESIGN

...Poster a design based on a topic is an interested work. With the topic 'saving tigers', I have design a poster for class DIM2

This is my work:

Now, I am going to explain about my idea. The main topic is 'saving tigers' so I create the poster layout as a fashion advertising of skin coat. Firstly, it maybe catch up your eye as a elegant coat fashion advertising because of the border and the model. However, you can realize the opposite meaning after that by looking at the blood, stop sign and text. I try to keep this poster simple by using not much text. I want to use image as the main tool to impress the viewer and text is to inform a little bit fact about tiger. Actually, I need viewer look more to my poster, not go away immediately after the first view ^^.

About the printing technical skill, I think everyone get it already. I just have some small experiences:

-Ignore the link of images if you don't want to have a big trouble when priting in photo shops.

-Try to persure the photo shopper if you want to take the poster quickly. I tried to take it in one hour ^^

Finally, I am so happy if you comment for this entry...

...funny Flash...

...funny flash video...

...I have learnt something about Flash creating in DIM2. The most important in this class is not technical but idea and motion. My brain was oppened and understood how to make motion smoother...

...It's simple, don't make something move and stop immediately, it needs a little bit back before starting move and after stoping...just create several "back" frames for your motion...

...and this is my flash...^^

...Multimedia in Vietnam_a Future...

FUTURE FOR

MULTIMEDIA IN VIETNAM

Hi B.Design students, I will spend this entry for the topic Multimedia in Vietnam in the future. In this writing, no art, no design, no new idea, just only about this hot job in our country.

Until this time, Multimedia is still a new term at Vietnam. There are so many people feel strange about this career. The word multimedia was known firstly as program shows in TV, films and music. Now it is considered in larger meaning with new things like image, interactive software, 3D, Internet, games, animation...

Now, we can say every products from basic programs like advertising, TV show, Internet... to modern entertainment such as games, movies, interactive software... belong to multimedia. Simply, multimedia is the combination of Information Technology and Art.

The development of multimedia relate on the development of technology and the culture of a country. In Vietnam, technology is quiet poor and the culture is so traditional. This is a restriction for this area. However, Vietnam is developing, young Vietnameses learn very quick and familiar to new culture easilly. Because of that, friends, you are the main designers in the future who will develop the Vietnam multimedia in a big step.

But are you really a good designer in multimedia? These are some key elements of this job. If you have 4-5 elements out of 6, congratulate!!! this career was born for you ^^

1/ You can draw well or at least you like drawing, love art, aesthetic...
2/ High creativity and knowlegde in every fields.
3/ Pressure with you is a smal ant
4/ Professional work perfomance
5/ When some new hi-tech products appear such as cell-phone, laptop...you want to have a change to use it or at least find out infomation about them
6/ Learn well in IT and English

Well, don't be sad if you have only 3 or less. Time is the 7th element. I mean you have time to practice and improve yourself because you are having the 8th element: you like Multimedia...

Enjoy the multimedia, this is one of the top 5 hottest career in Vietnam. In 2006, Vietnam lack of more than 17,000 designers in this area. The average salary for a designer is $300-400 per month. The future of multimedia is opened.

Hop that this entry will help my friends more exciting about this career

Thanks for viewing.

Image source

http://www.thecommunicationsgroup.com/images/multimedia_large.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/cutit_deptrai/xcvxv1.jpg

...Tracing the car...a nightmare or a skillful exercise???...

...Tracing the car...a nightmare or a skillful exercise???...


Hi everyone, in this entry, I will talk about my exercise in DIM2 class: Tracing path for a car.



I think everybody in class knew about this already and someone did better than me. This exercise is really a nightmare for me. Li Ping, you have just only taught us a little bit about Illustrator: opening, closing the program, pen tool and, color adding and...that's it. But your exercise is so difficult, tracing a real car, oh my God, you must be kidding me...



However ^^, this exercise improve my skill a lot. Now I can control myself in each path, it is a good exercise...



Okie, that's enough for Li Ping. Now, I will show you my product:

Well, totally, It looks like the original one below, I feel pleasure with it. But there are some mistakes in details, typically the car light, holder and the wheel. I tried to make the color as the origin but there are some place I have to compose by myself (_ _!).

I used total 20 layers to finished and it take me about 5 hours. What a hard working! I heard that some student used more than 200 layers to do this tracing... I don't think that's a good idea. It may be make you confuse. So I divide each parts of the car to layers: door, wheel, light...

Firstly, I intent to keep the borders of the car, but I looks like a toy so I omitted border, but it looks blur and the last decision is 0.25pt for main borders and omit border inside.

Those are a little bit experiments, hope you comment for my work

Source of the original picture: http://www.zcars.com.au/images/2008-jaguar-xf1.jpg

...color meaning in use_Part 2...

Colo[u]r meaning in use_Part 2

Combinations

Each colors has different meanings and emotion. The meaning and emotion can be change or become another one when colors are combined. The combination, once again, base on this thing:

...The color was impressed to the human mind begins with color effect in nature...


Do you remember this thing? Now, close your eyes and find out the color combinations in nature, and how to apply it in design. I will show you some simple examples:

Firstly, black and yellow is a good combination. Why we have this excellent couple. I ask you, what has black and yellow on the body...thinking...what...in nature...small...poisonous...insect...flower...honey...

What is it?

Do you have the answer?

The answer is: http://www.tuanvietnam.net/Library/Images/58/2008/04/bee.jpg

After clicking the link, you see a bee, an insect, right? How is a bee and its colors? They are black and yellow, it is a dangerous sign in nature: "Don't eat me, I am poisonous", color in nature is a good tool to protect small insect from birds. In design, we can apply it to make an impress logo.

http://www.teamonenetwork.com/images/T1Nlogos/HIRES_JPEGs/E-T1NLogoBlackYellowWhtHR.jpg

www.wallpaper.net.au/wallpaper/automotive/Lam

Next, how is black and white. This couple brings a night sky to you. Mysterious, luxury, romantic, sexy, never old is values this combination has:

http://mobilenet.vn/Library/Images/24/October/vertu/460.jpg

http://www.fashionrat.com/images/chanel-logo.jpg

I have shown you some models about two colors combination. Once again, I hope this entry and the last entry will bring you a message:

Become natural, every thing has a natural origin. Design is too, this is one of the good guide to make an impress composing...

This is the end of Color meaning chapter___________________________________

...color meaning in use_Part 1...

colo[u]r meaning in use_Part 1

Meaning of some popular color

You can see normally, everything in your eyes is colorful, a green leaf is different with a blue sky and a black cat is different with a with dove. Human eye can realize everything base on not only shape but also color. Everybody knew it already...no more to say...

But, have you guys ever think about your feeling when you see some colors. Try to touch your hand on the heart when you look the white and the red after. Try to think about a sad thing when you see a green shirt or drink a hot water when looking a blue floor.

How do you feel? Your heart beat will faster when you look a red, you feel happier when a green is nearing you and you will feel cooler if you are standing on a blue patter floor

Because...

...The color was impressed to the human mind begins with color effect in nature...

Remember that, this is one of a key in color using

In this brief entry, meaning of some popular color will be introduced. I think it is really informative for color design, especially in logo creating. Now, listen to what each color say about them

Red: I am hot, I am color of the sun and blood. I am a most warm color. I am so sexy in fashion. You will feel dangerous when you see me on signs.

http://www.linkdirectly.net/images/product/1209308729_DKNY-Red-Delicious.gif

http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/PMO1935.jpg

Yellow: I am hot too but softer than red, I have a color of gold so that you feel "rich" with me. In dinner, I am usually used. You feel believable when

you see me on finance logos

www.festivalsegou.org/logo%20western%20union.jpg

Blue: I am a cold man but serene. I am the son of sky and ocean which stand for the everlasting. Bank logo use me, water products use me too, I am everywhere need the stableness.

www.thuonghieuviet.com.vn/includes/image.php?...

www.biatayau.com/.../pic/small_1161068307.nv.jpg

Green: Hi, I am younger brother of Blue, I am funny and "refresh". Because of the color of huge forests, I bring "relax" to everyone. Fresh products need me!!!

www.biatayau.com/.../pic/small_1161068307.nv.jpg

Black: I am sexy and mysterious. I am kool and manly. Dark sky is me, luxury products need me and text chooses me to work.

www.autoclub.com.au/uploaded_images/rolls-roy...

White: I am Black's wife, I am soft and innocent.
I like to be a background because I am mother of every colors so that I am easily to combine with them.

www.freewebtown.com/.../blackwhite4.jpg

to be continued...