Week 12: Weekly Blog Post 8

Jaiden O’Brien 

Sean Brennan 

FMX 210-3 

November 19, 2024 

 

From last week to this week, I have come to complete the final part of this digital collage. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been steadily working through the assignments and meeting deadlines, all while taking feedback from the last class into account. After reviewing the suggestions, I adjusted to improve my images, layout, and overall composition to make sure my collage is as effective as possible, especially now that I’m transitioning to a new 10”x10” layout. The next step was to create a new Photoshop file sized at 10" W x 10" H. I started by opening my previous 8”x8” PSD file that I had used for earlier versions of the collage. Then, I adjusted the Canvas Size to 10” x 10” through the Image menu, making sure my collage now fit the new dimensions. After resizing, I saved the new file with a revised name—changing both the size designation from 8x8 to 10x10 and updating the name from Collage Draft to Final Collage. The result was a new Photoshop file with the name.  

The next big step I took in creating my final digital collage was deciding which of my two versions, stored in the two Grouped Folders, I would use as the base for my final collage. To make this decision, I reviewed the feedback from the critique and discussions in class, which helped me choose the version that best fit the overall concept. Once I selected my preferred version, I duplicated the folder containing that collage, ensuring I preserved all the images and layers. I did this by making the Layers Panel visible, right-clicking on the selected Grouped Folder, and choosing Duplicate Group. To avoid confusion, I hid the folder I wouldn’t be using by turning off its visibility with the eye icon. With this step complete, I was ready to refine, review, and finalize my collage. 

Through working on my digital collage project, I gained valuable hands-on experience with a variety of Adobe Photoshop tools that helped me bring my creative vision to life. I learned how to manipulate specific elements in my images, allowing for precise edits and a layered composition. The Layers Panel became essential for organizing these elements, and using Layer Masks for non-destructive editing gave me the flexibility to experiment with different designs without permanently altering my images. In addition, I learned to use the Erase Background tool to quickly remove unwanted backgrounds, streamlining the composition and making sure each element blended seamlessly. To enhance the visual style of my work, I applied various filters, such as motion blur for movement and oil paint for texture, which added depth and reinforced the mood of the collage. Finally, I gained practical experience in preparing my images for export, ensuring they were correctly sized and formatted for web presentation. Overall, this project allowed me to develop both technical ability in Photoshop and a deeper understanding of how digital tools can bring a creative concept to life. 

To finalize my digital collage project, I took several key steps to refine and improve the composition. First, I made sure my final collage was the evolved version of one of my previous drafts. I used eight images, as needed, ensuring they worked together cohesively rather than looking like random elements on the page. I focused on making the images clean, sharp, and well-defined, with no cropped edges. I also ensured that any filters or effects applied were appropriate for each image and didn’t create a uniform look. I experimented with image sizes, using a variety of scales to avoid similarity, and adjusted their placement to create a balanced composition with careful consideration of negative space. I explored repetition, cropping, and overlapping of different-sized images to add depth, while paying attention to the foreground, middle ground, and background relationships. To further enhance the collage, I experimented with textures and low-opacity background images and pushed the limits of my filters and effects, adjusting settings to achieve the best possible result. These steps helped me create a more dynamic, visually appealing, and effective final collage. 

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