Rock On

[mrod]

Here's a little project I adapted just a bit from a Down & Dirty project I saw in a recent issue of Photoshop User mag. It's a Photoshop project, but easily adaptable to Elements.

The main idea was to blend two images using a layer mask. If you look closely, the head of the guitar is a hand.

I led my students through making the guitar composite, to practice the technique of using masks to blend images, and then they were to use the guitar composite to make a poster for a band, concert, CD cover, etc.

Here's my example for them. Pretty quick. I just used some standard fonts. I would have liked to search for more grungy typefaces, but as you know, a lot of time can be killed looking for fonts...


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/12shh5Yc25HJvxnUr3vYTMCdfZwqh0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1tcycIBBNsD46T8Jsrt1GTIQrNgmzy)


Mike

[skstarkiller]

I saw that tut and thought it was cool. Nice use of it!

[CarolLHB]

Mike-that's awesome-:)

My son has a t-shirt with that saying on it that he got at the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame:cool:

[mrod]

Yeah, the phrase sure isn't original...:o

[Wendy]

Hey that is great ... bet it went down well with the students :)

Wendy

[NMarti]

Mike
Very cool - I know it has to inspire them to be able to be creative and you seem to do really cool projects with them. I'll bet you are a favorite teacher of theirs.

[mrod]

Thanks for the kind words, Nancy. They were nice to read this evening. It was sort of a rough one today...:o

I hope at least some of them hang on to a few of the tools and techniques they've learned. Or, more realistically, I hope they remember what CAN be done, even if they don't remember exactly HOW to do it. It's so hard to get them to be creative sometimes. I just try to open their eyes to some possibilties, and try to show them there's more to using a computer than video games, MySpace, and IMing their friends. And doggone it, some of it can actually be fun, too!

I have a small group of kids that stay after school once a week to learn Flash (:eek:). I'm barely one step ahead of them (after-school clubs are ways down on my priority list). Thank goodness for lynda.com, that's all I have to say!!:D

Thanks again. I sure appreciate it.

Mike

[mom to 4]

Mike:

That is terrific! I think you have inspired me to try it! I esp. love the fist into the top of the guitar (forget what that is called...hmmm...been a long, long, time since I touched a guitar!)

[NMarti]

Mike
I know what you mean about retaining what they learn. My oldest daughter wanted to learn Elements but has no commitment to learn and can't remember from one photo to the next how to do things. My younger daughter came to me last night and asked how to get a gif to move to her project. I explained she simply needed to convert it to RGB and a lightbulb went off in her head. She went in, converted, and created a simply fabulous web page. She is a chip off the old block.;)

[WingAnimal]

Mike - Cool project! I have to laugh at your description of trying to keep them engaged. I've been so inspired by you that I thought (for some crazy reason) that my 14 year old daughter might actually be compelled to learn PSE and might want it installed on her computer. When I suggested it to her I got that look that only junior high kids can give to grown ups that makes you think you are talking to space aliens. I guess it was not such a great idea after all. Her response was, "Why would you think I would want to do that?" Duh, I dunno... because you see all the fun I have with your pictures and I thought you might actually enjoy learning how to do it yourself. She just gave me that look like I had asked her to eat a banana slug or something. Oh well. I guess I get to have all the fun!!!! :)

[mrod]

Oh great! Now I'm (indirectly) alienating teenagers who aren't even in my classes! :D

At least you're in the same state.

Thanks, Norm, and keep at it. She'll come around.

I must say, I'm REALLY enjoying my pre-teen kids (7,5,3). They still think Mom/Dad are great.

Mike

[NMarti]

Norm
:D :D
I get the same look when I ask why the trash has not been taken out - sort of like "you mean the trash can does not have legs?" look. That, of course, it only topped by the vacuum cleaner look "you want me to do what with that?".:D

[Pauline]

:D Norm, Nancy! Don't you know that at 14, 15, 16, 17........ all the computer is good for is MSN??? That would be for the girls (mine are 15 & 17) My son uses it to look up cheats for X-box games and some times play an on line game against his buddies. Sometimes it's used for homework!

My 15 year old used to love playing around with pictures and doing stuff with them about 4 years ago. They have elements on their computer and corel painter, AND a graphire tablet. They rarely use any of it. The sad thing is that they are all artistic. I figure one day they will get at it.

My 17 year old and her boyfriend have complained about their digital camera memory card acting up and when I asked them if they'd reformatted it they both gave me a blank stare, and asked me to. Sorry......it's not mine and your camera is different, get out your manual. This was months ago and they still haven't. :rolleyes:

[NMarti]

Pauline
:D :D Yes - MSN and games. She actually asked to go to the library to do some research for homework and I asked why not use your computer. She said she couldn't find what she was looking for and I pointed out it would not be located on a game site.;)

[Pauline]

:D Nancy, that did make me smile. I also love when they say they are doing homework and in between typing up essays they are responding to 6 pop ups from MSN. No wonder some of the English essay's I have read haven't made sense! AND they have the benefit of spell check, formatting etc.!! They sure do have it tough. When I had a project to do the only option WAS the library and you had to sit there and read through books to find your answers!!

[mom to 4]

Oh, boy! We could go on and on about our teenagers :eek: I have 3. 17, 15 and 15 (my twins) The each have their own computer in their rooms (old ones) but they don't have the internet in their rooms, so when ever they are writing a paper they come down to the kitchen and fight over who is going to us the computer. But.......when I get up to see what they are looking at , there is a school related website in the background and at least 5 different IM's going. Meanwhile the other two are tapping their feet and complaining. They are all the same!!! God forbid you ask the 17 year old to turn her computer on and type the paper upstairs so someone else can use the internet!!!!! :eek: "What! He/she can wait I need the computer NOW!!!!" Oh, and she feels we should get her a laptop when she goes to college....Right! I don't think that will be happening! Take the big dinosauer....no one will be wanting to steal that!


I could go on.......but what's the use????????