Incomplete Project Blog Essay

If you do not think you will be able to finish your independent portfolio projects an alternative is to write an analytical essay for your blog to be presented with your senior or junior portfolio. In order to accomplish this you first need to define the thesis of your essay.
The thesis of your essay may be about the project or the subject of your project. For example, Shane would like to interview people about their different experiences in education. He could chose to write his essay about the small school movement in New York City while using some of his research in the paper. For example, asking teachers to compare their experiences between large schools and small schools might become part of his project. The thesis question of his essay might looks something like "Are small schools good for New York City students?" and his answer will depend on how his perspective develops through the research.
The paper is not meant to replace your project, but to help you organize the research you have already conducted about your topic. For example, Kanisha wants to create a portfolio of modeling photos based on Tyra Banks. How could Kanisha develop her knowledge about the model turned talk show host? Her thesis question might be "How did Tyra Banks achieve success through the media?" Again, her answer, will form a thesis statement supported by paragraphs of facts and opinions and a conclusion. Kanisha's thesis might be "Tyra Banks may be the next Oprah Winfrey having transformed her career from a supermodel into a talk show host." Kanisha then would support the statement by analyzing Tyra's rise through the modeling world into a supermodel, her work on America's Next Top Model, and finally her success in day time television.
These are only suggestions and Kanisha might want to write about how Tyra became a model or write a general essay on modeling as a career using Tyra as an example. Shane might want to write his essay about how people experience educations in New York. The topics of your thesis questions should reflect your interests, but develop a deeper academic research connection.
Your first assignment is to really think about your thesis by coming up with five different possible thesis questions. You must email me your list of thesis questions before class next Monday and list them in order of importance. I need to be able to respond to your thesis questions with feedback before you begin to write your essay, and I need to know which one your are most interested in. It has to be a question that will allow you to use your basic research and interviews so that you may begin to form a coherent thesis statement and support it with facts and your own opinions.

The final essay will be posted on your blog supported by relevant images and links to your sources. We want to make the essay and interactive and dynamic text that takes full advantage of the Internet.

Digital Collage

Today and tomorrow you will continue to experiment in Adobe Photoshop by creating a digital collage for your blog. The collage should include a background, a minimum of 5 images you find on the Internet, a text layer, a layer effect, a filter effect, and a drawing/painting layer. The theme of the your digital collage should relate to the theme of your project and convey why you care about the project in the first place. There is a list of tools and tips on the board to help you, but we will revisit the project soon. If you are really struggling with Photoshop ask Gavino or Gary for help as they have been very good working in the program.

Procedure:

• Open up Adobe Photoshop in the applications folder.

• Create a new file 600 x 600 pixels. (File>New)

• Reset all the palette locations using Window>Workspace>Reset palette locations.

• Use the Paint Bucket or Gradient Tool to create a colorful background for your image.

• Open up Safari or Firefox and COPY and PASTE 5 images you discover on the Internet that you want to include into your digital college into NEW FILES. Save them as image1, image2, image3, image4, image5.

• Use the marquee and lasso tools to select areas of the images that you want to include in your blank canvas. Use the feather tool to soften edges on 2 -3 of the images.

• Remember, each time you paste in Photoshop it creates a new Layer. Make sure you select the layer you want to manipulate.

• Arrange your images using the Move Tool (black arrow).

• Apply a Filter effect to at least one of your image layers.

• Create a new Painting layer using Layer>New>Layer and try and use the paintbrush/drawing tools to unify parts of your collage.

• Use the Type Tool to add a relevant phrase, quote, or word to your collage.

• Apply a layer effect to your type using Layer> Layer Style > and choose one of the options.

When you are finished working for the day on Thursday SAVE the file as yourname.PSD in photoshop format.

When you are finished working for the day on Friday SAVE the file as yourname.psd and then SAVE FOR THE WEB as yourname.JPG and choose the JPEG option.

Post the file to your blog using the IMAGE option in your post and UPLOAD the image. It will appear in your post. Title the post Digital Collage. Please post your image even if you are not done. I will be checking them over the weekend and need to see whatever progress you were able to make in class.