BY ZACH MCSPADDEN Illustrator Unit

Big Idea The big idea for this unit is to introduce a new medium to a graphic design class, Adobe Illustrator (Ai) The idea is to show them a new tool to use to create graphic, cartoons, logos, symbols and so on.

The way the unit is set up Talk about ways animators create cartoons Practice new tools in new program Trace dice and flames Replicate 7 objects Collaborate with Bob And head down to South Park

Talking about animators First day stepping into the Ai unit, it will be a class discussion for the class. What do animations look like on tv? Student will discuss with people around them about different cartoons they enjoy and talk about all the features that they see and compare their results. Students will reflect on a blog post that is set up on the class webpage.

Practice The next day student will be opening the new program that they most likely have not used. As a class we go over all the different types of tools that are different than Photoshop Introduce how to use a the key tool that set Ai apart, Pen Tool Students are then given a digital work sheet to complete this class using the Pen Tool After they are done with the work sheet they then have a chance to play a game provided by Adobe that deal with the pen tool to guide a spaceship through caves. Award to highest score

Dice and Flames We have to walk before we can run, which is true when learning new skills. After being introduced to Ai, and students have a little experience with the pen tool we start on tracing an image. By tracing the image the student get more practice with the new tools. Along the way we compare the difference between Photoshop and Ai Students should be getting ahang of the new program as time goes on. Some students will wonder to find new and exciting tools that are not taught

List Drawing Students are to come up with a list of object that they think they could draw using Ai After coming up with a list students are encouraged to find images on the internet to use as references to draw from They are allowed one traced item After drawing the items they need to combine the objects together to make a cohesive image

Bob Ross Copy cats This is an optional mini project to do. The idea is to look at the artwork of Bob Ross and try to mimic his paint brush with our virtual paint brushes in Ai Student will read an article the first day then write about what they just learned. After they would find one of his painting that they enjoy. Students will use paint brushed and tools they have been using to try their best to recreate Bob Ross.

South Park Final For the last part of the unit students will be looking into a popular TV show South Park. We will discuss all the different part of animation and go through the history of the show and how they made it. As time moved on technology for the show got better. Student will then make themselves a South Park character as a self portrait. They will be looking at different key factors about themselves to put in the picture that describes them. Student will make themselves as if they would be aired on the actual show. They even have to create a background for South Park

Examples

Gallery Walk At the end of the whole project, we will have a Gallery Walk of digital work. Students will have a ongoing slide show of the different work they made over the last month and be able to show each other. Students will comment on students work by writing next to the computers Students at the end of the gallery walk will go back to their own computers and reflect on what they have been doing for the last month with a series of questions provided by the teacher.