Imaginative Arts -- Journeyman Week 1

Welcome! I'm so excited for you to begin your photography journey :) I have been taking photos professionally for the past 11 years and teaching photography for almost as long. I have taken a few online courses to hone my skills over the years but give most of the credit to the Provo Library photography section, bloggers and LOTS and LOTS of practice to round out my education. 

First, enjoy this CLASSIC Kodak commercial about the value of pictures. It makes me tear up every time I watch it :D 

KODAK COMMERCIAL 

1. I put together a video course all about LIGHT. It is the first and most important thing you can learn about to improve your photography.

Watch this entire course, preferably on a COMPUTER screen and not a phone screen -- being able to see the images larger will be helpful. I don't recommend casting this to a TV, I've had mixed results with the light and color coming through correctly. Turn up the light on your monitor screen so you can see the images clearly :) 

**I do ask that you do not share this video with others, teaching photography is usually a gig I get paid to do so I'm only making this content available for free for my fantastic Vanguard families. Thanks!

Watch Light Course Here --- TIP! For the best viewing quality make sure your youtube settings are on 1080HD Quality :) 

2. IF YOU HAVE a DSLR (the big black camera that allows you to switch out lenses), watch this super quick video to find out what settings to use on your camera for the photography assignment. 

 

Watch Settings Video Here

3.  This final step is only for students with a DSLR who want to learn how to shoot in manual (complete control over the camera). This is NOT required watching for students who are only taking this class for fun without any interest of improving their photography beyond our monthly class (and that's ok!). This video has a lot of photographer jargon in it that you will need to know if you want to shoot in manual. The video is so well done and explains things is a simple way but still, you're going to need to take notes and ask questions (text me if you're gung ho to understand and apply before class, or just bring your questions to class). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eVjUrY9a9c

1. Take a photo of a person (or persons!) with good indoor light. Do pay attention to your background and how you fill the frame with the person but focus on light most of all. 

2. Take a photo of person(s) with great outdoor light. Wow me! Don't just stand in the shade in front of a brick wall, head out at sunset and find BEAUTY in light. Look for eyelights, purposefully choose a background and show me some diffused light portraits!

3. BEFORE NOON ON WEDNESDAY email me your BEST photo (either indoor OR outdoor). I'm going to be putting these into a slideshow for us to see as a class and choosing a 1st place, Vanbucks winner! 

If you watched my video on light then you know that one of my favorite names for the Savior is the Light of the World so I would like you to watch this three-part video series from Elder Bednar all about the Light of Christ. Watch these videos, even if you've seen them before, and as you go through your week of becoming a noticer of light -- the light in the trees, in your home, on the faces of the people you love -- ponder on how your knowledge of the light of Christ makes a difference in your life. 

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Imaginative Arts Apprentice

Imaginative Arts!

This is an easy week!  Study your spelling words for writing class!

1.  Make sure you have your book discussion questions from the writing blog.  The book discussion will actually take place during IA time.

2. Start thinking about some ideas for your culture groups.  We will split you up in groups during class.  Some things you could start thinking about would be your:

Rosetta Stone

Religion

Artifacts

Monetary system and government

Having fun

Being creative

Becoming friends with group members

Food

Maps

Story 

Flag

Come to class with ideas for your group. Keep in mind that everyone will have some ideas and you will need to collaborate with each other to come up with a group idea.

Become/Serve:

Write down three ways that you think Eragon was honorable. What things do you need to do to become an honorable person?

Last week you did a word study on Honor. This week I want you to look up 3 scriptures about honor. Substitute your name in the scriptures and apply them to you and your life. By doing this, you can start to really apply the scriptures to you. This will personalize the scriptures for you. After you have substituted your name, write down a sentence or two about what that scripture does for you.

For example:

D&C 76:5:

For thus saith the Lord--I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.

I would substitute my name in this scripture and then change a few words to make it make sense, like this:

For thus saith the Lord--I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious to Tasha, who fears me, and delight to honor her who serves me in righteousness and truth unto the end.

Wow! If I serve in righteousness, the Lord will be merciful and gracious to me and will delight to honor me!

zoom meeting

JAY FONTANO is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: JAY FONTANO's Zoom Meeting
Time: Apr 30, 2020 09:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76128954113?pwd=Z3RhdzN2aVZlZzhlOUthcm1qaTk5UT09

Meeting ID: 761 2895 4113
Password: 047916

IMAGINATVIE ARTS APRIL 2020 BRANDING/ Logo Design

I need to apologize for this getting out late. I have had a few things that I've struggled with this last week that got in the way of me getting this ready. So I am sorry. That being said. Don't worry too much about this week. It should be fun. If you don't have enough time just do what you can. I will not be doing multiple classes. I'll just set it up as an apprentice level and that's what we'll focus on.

-APPRENTICE- 
STUDY AND LEARN

• Read How to Seduce a Sasquatch pg. 90- the end.

• Read What is Branding and Why is it important?

• Read Six Reasons Branding is More Important Than Ever Before

• Watch 9 Brand Design Elements

• Watch Aaron Draplin Logo Design Challenge

• Read History of the Apple Logo

• Read Secret Messages in Logos

• For fun- Watch The Incredibles.

• Watch New Church Symbol

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND

• While reading How to Seduce a Sasquatch write some thoughts in your common place book.  Which advice do you agree with? What don't you like? How can applying these things help you? 

• While reading What is Branding and Why is it important?  - Look for what goes into a brand. Is it more than a logo? How does branding help a company communicate what they are trying to do? Record your thoughts and impressions.

• While reading Six Reasons Branding is More Important Than Ever Before - Think about why branding is important. What brands influence your decisions? Should a brand's political ideas matter(ie. Chick Fil-A, Nike, etc.)?  Record your thoughts.

• While watching 9 Brand Design Elements - Theres a lot that goes into creating a brand ID. It is way more than just the logo. What things had you not considered? Where do you see brands doing this well? Do you see any that don't work well?

• While watching Aaron Draplin Logo Design Challenge - This guy is awesome. I love how simple and impactful his logo work is. He is going to show you how he works in Adobe Illustrator. Pay attention to his process, you do not need to work in illustrator (it is a great tool that makes this kind of work quicker and smoother) but think about how you can use his methods to help you when designing a logo.

• While reading History of the Apple Logo and Secret Messages in Logos - I love looking at logos. Looking for hidden messages or other cool things. Logo's can say a lot more than just a shape and some colors. What logos are impactful to you? What logos stand out? Do you have a favorite? Do you hate any logos?

• Watch The Incredibles-  What kind of logos do the many super heroes have? Do the different characters have a "brand"? What does their brand tell you about them? Can you predict how someone will act based on their branding? Do you have a brand? Do people know who you are and how you will act?

• Research a company logo. Tells us what you can about it. Has it changed over time? Does it convey a message? What does it mean? How do the colors affect you? What do you like about the logo? Prepare a 2 minute presentation about it we can share on thursday.


BECOME AND SERVE

• Write in your journal about your "brand." Who do you want to be? What steps can you take to change yourself to be that person. If you had a logo that communicated that to someone else what would it be?

ADDITIONAL HELPS.

FAMOUS LOGOS

Last year Springville City Rebranded

 

These were the old logo options

This is the new logo. 

You can see how they've really made a brand around the logo. Incorporating the color scheme throughout the website.

They also have unique icons for each department within the city that all build around the city logo.

And here's the logo on the police car.

IMAGINATIVE ARTS MARCH 2020 MAKE GOOD ART

-APRENTICE-
STUDY AND LEARN

• Read How to Seduce a Sasquatch pg. 60-90 (Sections 41- 70)
• Read Calvin and Hobbes : Bill Watterson (Any of it you may have or can find)
• Read Steven Pressfield The War of Art pp.125-126 LARGO (included in the blog)
• Watch Make Good Art Neil Gaiman
• Watch Everything's A Remix (Just watch the first 3 episodes (its all in one video and should be about 22 minutes). You can watch part 4 if you like but it just deals with defining copyright laws.)
•Watch How to Make a Flipbook and  Flipbooks I Made as a Kid By ANDYMATION


KNOW AND UNDERSTAND

• While reading How to Seduce a Sasquatch write some thoughts in your common place book.  Which advice do you agree with? What don't you like? How can applying these things help you?

• Reading Calvin and Hobbes-  Pay attention to the way Mr. Watterson tells the story with the pictures. How is Calvin and Hobbes similar to an animated movie? How is Hobbes drawn when Calvin is alone with him vs. when other people are around? What does that communicate? Read as much as you like. Enjoy it. Calvin and Hobbes is the best!

• Read Largo  from The War of Art (attached at the end of the blog) and watch Make Good Art and Everything's A Remix. Record your thoughts in your commonplace book. How do these three different concepts approach the problem of creativity? Which do you most agree with? Why or why not? What insights did you learn while reading/watching? 

• Watch ANDYMATION Flipbook videos. How cool is that? Do you want to make a flipbook? Have you noticed the flipbook in your sasquatch book? What is a simple story you could tell with a flipbook? 

• Create something. What? Anything. Given what you've studied- take some time to make something. Use your voice. Copy some great art. Make something new. Remix something into your own story. Make a comic strip. Make a flipbook. Have fun. What the heck are you gonna do?

BECOME AND SERVE

• Write in your journal about your creativity. What gets your imagination going? How can you use creativity to help others? What is the most creative thing you've ever done? How did it feel?

-JOURNEYMAN-

STUDY AND LEARN

• Watch a movie. 

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND

• Watch a favorite movie. Any movie. Watch it and enjoy it. Think about all the research that went into making that movie. Did they remix someone else's work? Did they figure out how the story would work visually before filming it like a comic strip( in movies this is called the Storyboard)? Is it fantastically original? Is it similar to other movies? That's it. Just watch a movie and enjoy it.

BECOME AND SERVE

• Spend a day observing art. Paintings, Sculpture, Books, Music, Movies, etc.  Soak it in. How does good art make you feel? How can art improve your day? Why is art important?


Steven Pressfield The War of Art pp.125-126 LARGO

In my twenties I drove tractor-trailers for a company called Burton Lines in Durham, North Carolina. I wasn’t very good at it; my self-destruction demons had me. Only blind luck kept me from killing myself and any other poor suckers who happened to be on the highway at the same time. It was a tough period. I was broke, estranged from my wife and my family.

One night I had this dream:

I was part of the crew of an aircraft carrier. Only the ship was stuck on dry land. It was still launching its jets and doing its thing, but it was marooned half a mile from the ocean. The sailors all knew how screwed up the situation was; they felt it as a keen and constant distress. The only bright spot was there was a Marine gunnery sergeant on board nicknamed “Largo.” In the dream it seemed like the coolest name anyone could possibly have. Largo. I loved it. Largo was one of those hard-core senior noncoms like the Burt Lancaster character, Warden, in From Here to Eternity. The one guy on the ship who knows exactly what’s going on, the tough old sarge who makes all the decisions and actually runs the show. 

But where was Largo? I was standing miserably by the rail when the captain came over and started talking to me. Even he was lost. It was his ship, but he didn’t know how to get it off dry land. I was nervous, finding myself in conversation with the brass, and couldn’t think of a thing to say. The skipper didn’t seem to notice; he just turned to me casually and said, “What the [heck] are we gonna do, Largo?” 

I woke up electrified. I was Largo! I was the salty old Gunny. The power to take charge was in my hands; all I had to do was believe it.

IMAGINATIVE ARTS JANUARY 2020 : CHARACTER DESIGN

CHARACTER DESIGN

-APPRENTICE-
STUDY AND LEARN :

• Read How to Seduce a Sasquatch pg. 38-60 (Sections 21- 40)

• Read What is Character Design? : Tom Bancroft

• Read Seven Steps to Great Character Design by Aaron Blaise-  Included in this article is a 45 minute video of Aaron's process- you can watch if you want but it is not necessary.

• Watch  Character Design and the Illusion of Life : Chris Oatley

• Go to a store, Walmart, or the Mall. Spend some time people watching.

• Read Walk Cycles : Thinking Animation

• Watch 100 Different Ways To Walk 

• Watch Mary Poppins (Disney1964)

• Read or listen to What Do You Really Want to Be When You Grow Up? Robert H. Todd


KNOW AND UNDERSTAND :

• While reading How to Seduce a Sasquatch write some thoughts in your common place book. What are some things you'd like to change about yourself? What kind of person do you want to be? What things can you do different?

• Reading What is Character Design? and Seven Steps to Great Character Design - This will give you an idea of what goes into Character Design from the visual art perspective. What is important in designing a character? What is more important- the drawing or the character traits and backstory?

• While watching Character Design and the Illusion of Life - Record any thoughts you have about what they discuss. How can you put "soul" into a character? They talk a lot about drawing people they observe in coffee shops or stores etc. What can you learn about someone by observing them?

• At Walmart or the Mall - go somewhere with lots of different people. Spend 1/2 hour to 1 hour watching them.  No need to draw them (though you are welcome to)---  Look at their shapes, sizes, colors, etc. What can you tell about their character? What do their clothes say about them? What makes them unique? How do they walk? Take some notes about interesting characters. Who was the most unique person you saw? Write down everything you can about them.

• Read about Walk Cycles and watch 100 Different Ways to Walk- This talks about walk cycles in animation and how they tell you much about a character.  Think about someone who is confident, shy, brave, etc. How do they walk?

• Watch Mary Poppins (1964) Pay attention to the unique characters. What makes them unique? How have the actors, writer, director etc. made the characters interesting? Which is your favorite character and why? What about them fascinates you? Do any of the characters have a ridiculous characteristic? How does it effect them as a character? How do they walk?


BECOME AND SERVE :

• Look for ways to lift others up. “Cease to find fault.”  Ask our Heavenly Father how you might help someone feel more loved, more trusted, more understood, and more valued and appreciated for their efforts.

• What kind of person do you want to be? Go and do that.

-JOURNEYMAN-

STUDY AND LEARN, KNOW AND UNDERSTAND:

• Design a character- Given what you have learned-- now design a character. What questions do you need to answer? Name? Age? Height? Weight? Build? Hair? Human? Real? Fantasy? Personality? Past? Motivation? Faults?  etc. etc. etc. ---  Come to class with an image of your character that you have created (drawing, collage, photograph) also be prepared to tell us about your character and show us how they walk(this will take some practice on your part to develop a walk.) You will do this walk in front of the class.
     1. Image of Character
     2. A paragraph about your character (name, talents, desires, etc.)
     3. A character walk
All 3 should work together.

 

BECOME AND SERVE:

• Who do you want to be today? Become a character. Stay in character as long as you can. Walk and talk like that character all day. Don't break character. Bonus points if you dress up.

-MASTERS- 

STUDY AND LEARN:

• Read Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers 1934

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND:


• Read Mary Poppins -- Compare to the film version. How are characters similar? What characteristics did the characters in the film share with those in the book? How were they different? Who was your favorite character int he book? Why? How did they differ from the movie? How does the author describe the characters?

BECOME AND SERVE :

• Change something about you. Which of your own characteristics bothers you? Can you change it? Can you choose to do or be different?

**** YEAR PROJECT UPDATE ****

Hey friends- I've decided to change the big project for the end of year. If you have been working on a children's book or ad campaign I am impressed and I apologize. We are instead going to design a t-shirt that you will get to print at the end of the year. We will spend some time during imaginative arts apprentice time the next 2 months looking at ideas and working on a great idea for each of you. We will talk more about it soon but for now start thinking about what you would want to put on a t-shirt.

IMAGINATIVE ARTS NOVEMBER 2019- PICTURE BOOKS

 

PICTURE BOOKS

-APPRENTICE-
STUDY AND LEARN:

• Read How to Seduce a Sasquatch pp. 8-38 (from the front side of the book *no barcode*) - This will include the first 20 sections.

• Read Poor Man's Bible

• Read 7 Things You Might Not Know About Illuminated Manuscripts

• Watch The Power of Pictures: Chris Oatley

• Go to a library or bookstore. Spend some time in the picture book section.

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND:

•While reading How to Seduce a Sasquatch write some thoughts in your common place book. What are some obstacles to creativity? How can you make it easier to tap into your own creativity?

•Reading  Poor Man's Bible and 7 Things About Illuminated Manuscripts -  This is kind of the birthplace of illustration and picture books. Read this etymology of the word Illustration--

illustration (n.) c. 1400, "a shining;" early 15c., "a manifestation;" mid-15c., "a spiritual illumination," from Old French illustration "apparition, appearance" (13c.) and directly from Latin illustrationem (nominative illustratio) "vivid representation" (in writing), literally "an enlightening," from past participle stem of illustrare "light up, make light, illuminate;" figuratively "make clear, disclose, explain; adorn, render distinguished," from assimilated form of in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + lustrare "make bright, illuminate," from suffixed form of PIE root *leuk- "light, brightness." Mental sense of "act of making clear in the mind" is from 1580s. Meaning "an illustrative picture" is from 1816. 

-- How are pictures used to illuminate the illiterate? How did the stained glass windows illuminate the people? Can pictures do the same today? Record your thoughts in your common place book.

•While watching the The Power of Pictures - Record your thoughts on using pictures to tell stories. What pictures have had an impact on you? How can pictures show instead of tell? How does that let the audience participate in the story?

•At the library- Read at least 10 picture books (especially Caldecott award winners). What catches your eye? What art styles do you like? Does the art tell more to the story than the words or does it simply show what the words say? Pick a favorite picture book to share with the class. What do you like about it? Is there a message or lesson learned? How does the art add to the story?


BECOME AND SERVE:

• What roadblocks make it hard for you to be creative? Section #8 in the Sasquatch book talks about being still. Take some time to be still this week. Turn off your phone. Turn off the music. Go for a walk. Get out of your own way and let your mind wander. See what great ideas pop into your mind.

• Look for times when things are shown and not told. Try to do more showing instead of telling this week. Don't just tell your mom, "I love you." Do something for her that really shows her how you feel.

• Spend a day communicating without speaking.


-JOURNEYMAN-
STUDY AND LEARN:

• Watch - Mr. Bean at the Beach

• Watch - Mr. Bean Late for the Dentist


• Create- a story using pictures. NO WORDS. Tell your story through a sequence of about 5-7 still images, from the sources listed below. It should take a thoughtful viewer no more than a couple minutes to “process” the story you’re telling.



KNOW AND UNDERSTAND:

• Pay attention to how Mr Bean does not say anything but you know exactly what is going on in the story. How does Mr. Bean use visual cues to tell the story? How does the viewer participate in the story?

• Create- a story using pictures. NO WORDS. Tell your story through a sequence of about 5-7 still images, from the sources listed below. It should take a thoughtful viewer no more than a couple minutes to “process” the story you’re telling.

SOURCES
Your Photos- Photos of you and/or friends or family members from your past (, or photos you capture specifically for this project.

Your Images- Drawings, graphics, or other non-photographic images you made in the past or that you create for this project. That includes original art you draw as well as images you create using digital tools for creating images or comics.

Found Images- Photos or art found from magazines, internet etc.   Emojis.

STRATEGIES

Telling a story through images requires a much narrower focus than than telling a story for audio delivery, partly because viewers need more time to process the story than they might if you simply tell it to them. While visual messages are often more powerful than those composed only of words, they also tend to compress the amount of material the storyteller can convey.

The most important strategy to keep in mind is that your images themselves should tell the story, so that viewers can understand what’s happening by looking at the sequence of images, without needing accompanying text passages to make sense of them. You’re not telling a story about the images, you’re telling the story THROUGH the images.

BECOME AND SERVE:

• Try to make someone laugh. Act silly and communicate something funny without using words.

-MASTERS-

STUDY AND LEARN:

• Watch -The Wizard of OZ

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND:

• The Wizard of OZ -- When do the visuals tell a story? What do you learn from the visuals of the movie? How are visuals used to communicate something other than what you are being told? How would the film have been significantly different—for better or worse—if the entire thing had been filmed either in all black and white or all Technicolor? How did the film makers use color to communicate concepts or ideas? What does the film suggest about the relationship between magic and reality? Any other insights relating to the power of pictures.

BECOME AND SERVE:

• Help someone recognize their own gifts. Help them to see that "they may already have what they're looking for."