This week I worked mostly on completing my basic training by exporting 11 different frames from individual layers into a complete animation into After Effects:
This is the final animation as a GIF file:
For this basic training I had to follow a tutorial on how to make pixel art out of a preexisting image. In this case, pixel art was defined as “a style of art that mimics retro computer graphics created with 8-bit or 16-bit processors”. The instructions then suggested that I use a picture I’ve taken myself or a famous painting that doesn’t have a copyright. But I decided to use a free stock photo of a penguin that I got from pexels.com, because somehow penguins have kind of become part of my brand since I became an STA.
After choosing an image, the next step was to sample a color palette including around 10 colors from within the image itself. This is what my project looked like by this point:
Afterward, I was instructed to add a rectangular grid over the image, and to fill out the individual squared with the live painting tool with the colors that correspond in each place. That is how I ended up with my original pixel version. But the activity didn’t stop there. Thereupon I was tasked to make final color changes to the pixelated image, and so I did. I designed three other versions for the pixelated image using the recolor artwork tool. One of them was based on the original version I made, but with some color editing. Another version I made was based on a completely new color palette which I chose from the preset color scheme options. Finally, I made one last version that where I first used the original color palette, then desaturated the whole thing and then added something like a purple color filter to the whole thing to make it into a monochromatic version.
I did some course graphics for WGS 305: Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies today! They were in Style A, so they only took about an hour to do. I love the purple that the professor picked out! Only showing some buttons because this site won’t allow me to upload JPGs 🙁
I’m almost done with the HTML/CSS/Java training! I had a lot of fun putting it together and getting more familiar with JavaScript.
This week I worked purely on logo design 🙂 for AI Logo Training and for ISPRII: the Initiative for the Study of Politico-Religious Ideation and Influence. Both were initially a bit of a challenge as I thought through possible ideas that would be engaging, yet simple/minimal. These are the final works that I came up with- and the final proposal submitted to ISPRII is the blue text torch logo. I’m really satisfied with how they all turned out.
AI Logo Training
ISPRII: the Initiative for the Study of Politico-Religious Ideation and Influence
Worked on a graphics package for Foundations of Information Technology Management today! This is the image the professor chose: 
And here is the full design menu:
This was pretty fun, I love the mindlessness of filling in the template 🙂 Hope the professor likes the color I chose!