Week 11: Weekly Blog Post 7

Jaiden O’Brien 

Sean Brennan 

FMX 210-3 

November 12, 2024 

This week, we continued working on the progress of the digital collage project. We have been given tips for creating strong collage layouts along with a guide to phase five deliverables. As we moved into phase five of the digital collage project, it has become time to start sketching potential layouts for the final composition. This phase is crucial because it allows you to experiment with the arrangement of your images before you dive into the digital assembly. By visualizing the collage in sketch form, it allows you to explore different ways to position elements and create a more compelling final piece. We had to submit eight sketches that explore different layout options for our digital collage. These sketches were arranged on a provided 11x17 PDF template, with each of the eight boxes on the template standing for a different variation of the collage layout. When we were done, we had to scan our completed sketches and save them as a PDF file and then submit it in Dropbox for review and grading. 

The template is designed with eight distinct boxes, each meant to hold one sketch. Everything needed to be organized on that one page to meet the assignment requirements. The purpose of these sketches was to explore various design possibilities and experiment with different ways the images in my collage might interact with one another. The main goal at this stage was to visually experiment and explore ideas for how the collage elements will come together in the final digital composition. When sketching, it is important to remember to explore different possibilities for how you can organize the images within the collage. The key is to experiment with different arrangements. It is essential to play around with the positioning of your images and try multiple combinations to see what works best.  

During phase five, a time is displayed to explore and experiment with the layout of the digital collage. By creating eight different sketches, you can then test out various compositions, image placements, and design principles. The goal was not to create detailed, polished works of art but rather to find the most effective way to organize the elements of your collage. I learned to play with size, scale, and overlap, and to not be afraid to try bold combinations. These sketches serve as the blueprint for the final digital collage, so I took my time to explore different possibilities and see what works best. This phase will set myself up for success as I move into the next steps of this project, bringing my creative vision to life. 

On Tuesday, after everyone in the class shared their eight sketches and we went over them as a group, we transitioned into working on our collages in Photoshop. It was exciting to take the ideas from our sketches and begin playing around with them digitally. I really enjoyed experimenting with the images, adjusting their sizes, layering them, and fine-tuning the overall composition. Photoshop made it easy to manipulate the elements and bring my collage to life in new ways that weren't possible on paper. Now, the focus is on refining the collage further, as we’re expected to have two fully completed and finalized versions ready by Thursday. It’s a bit of a challenge, but I’m excited to see how my digital collages turn out after all the experimenting and adjustments. 

This project has been incredibly rewarding, and I have learned so much about both the creative and technical aspects of design. I’m really enjoying the process, and it’s easily become my favorite project so far. The ability to experiment with different compositions and manipulate images in Photoshop has been a fun and eye-opening experience. As I continue refining my collages, I feel more confident in my skills and excited about the final outcome. It’s been great to push my boundaries and try new things, and I can’t wait to see how everything comes together in the end. 

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