This was such a fun project with years 4 and 5 at Birkby Junior School. All the children were introduced to the process of making striking digital graphics from really basic digital photography.
STAGE ONE – THE PHOTOGRAPHY
Using iPads, the children were encouraged to take a series of photographs of every-day, mundane objects that would usually seem humdrum or of a dull subject matter. Things like light switches, radiators, air vents, skirting boards etc.
STAGE TWO – THE IMAGE TREATMENT
Using various apps on the iPad, the children then took the images through a series of treatments in order to enhance the imagery to make it a little less dull, introducing textures, colour overlays and light leaks to name but a few.
STAGE THREE – THE TEXT LAYOUT and GRAPHIC DESIGN
The children were then asked to produce a poster for a mock local event using one of the images that they had made as the background. They were given the choice of either:
1. A Music Festival
2. A Technology Convention (Tech Con)
3. A Horticultural Show (Flower Show)
4. An Art Exhibition
Using the same apps that they had used in the creation of their graphics; but this time using a different set of tools within those apps, the children created some wonderful work based on these mock events.
The graphics that they produced and the subsequent posters are full of colour and energy. They have vibrancy, great structure and beautiful detail. The whole workshop was to show that you can create beautiful graphics from bland imagery with a bit of imagination and technical know-how. The workshops were a great success and the children really enjoyed that whole process.
Best comment: “I didn’t know that you could create amazing things from nothing!”
IMAGE MANIPULATION DAY
GRAPHIC DESIGN DAY
