OUGD405: Design Process - Photoshop Workshop: Five Postcards

The aim of this brief is to demonstrate are ability to put the skills and techniques we learned within the photoshop workshop we attended into use. For the brief, we are required to explore photoshop software to design and produce a set of five postcards on our given shape: Square.

Research

Design Process

From the research I gathered I was particularly inspired by the concept of creating something which could ultimately be 'inter-active'. 

As I particularly wanted to create something that was inter-active and engaged the viewer, I created this concept in which I would use a scalpel to cut out a square in the postcard which would get smaller and smaller throughout the the set which, when placed on top of each other would give a 'zooming in' effect.

To achieve this concept I began my taking more photographs of my given shape, this time taking photographs of one shape from different distances which would give the effect of 'zooming'.

Possible Set of Photos for postcards?

Possible set of Photos for Postcards?

I chose the first set of images for my final postcards as I felt there wad more detail within them than the second set and therefore the postcards would work individually as well as part of a series. I also felt the image of a window was appropriate for my concept as it the cut-out almost acts like window.

As my design required me to align each of the five photographs accurately, I created one document in Photoshop with five layer each containing a different photograph. I then used the guides to mark where the square was so I could re-size the next square to be slightly smaller.

Layer Effects

I started the manipulation on my chosen photographs by changing the effect on the layer. By changing the effect from 'normal' to 'Hard Light' quite a lot of the detail was lost, particularly around the centre of the image which is an important part of the design.

Image > Adjustments

I also manipulated the image by changing the colour mode to 'Greyscale' however I prefer the original colour mode as the 'Greyscale' appears almost dull compared to the 'RGB'.

I was also able to adjust the image by altering the percentage of brightness / contrast however, similarly to the 'Hard Light' quite a lot of detail was lost with in the process.

I was also able to manipulate the photographs using 'Levels', a tool which I learnt in the Photoshop sessions. I prefer the outcome to this technique compared to the others as I was able to alter the RGB levels to create a more visually interesting image without losing too much of the detail of the photograph.

To achieve the 'zooming in effect' I also experimented with the opacity option as part of the layers. By starting with the bottom layer on 100 % and gradually making the percentage for each layer lower and lower the final image had almost 3-D effect which I believe engages the viewer. Although I liked the final effect this technique had I felt my first concept worked better a series and was more inter-active for the viewer.

Finals

Although I like the concept behind my postcards as the interact and engage with the audience, cutting out a square in the front of my design meant I was unable to design a back for each of the postcards which was a requirement of the brief. 

I also believe more experimentation could have been put into the the manipulation of the photographs themselves to create a design which works individually as well as part of a set.