Graphics I Class Calendar

The class calendar lists all activities for each class day. I recommend tackling the assignments in the order listed. I'll periodically move days to the bottom of the calendar, so won't have to scroll as much.

Abbreviations

• type = type of assignment
  • Quizes and Exercises are mandatory, graded assignments.
  • Activities are ungraded assignments that generally support later assignments.
  • Refrences are documents provided for additional information.
  • Overviews help put each day in perspective, and sometimes contain last-minute pointers and notes.
  • Admin refers to administrative items needed to make the class run more smoothly.
• XCT = Expected Completion Time (provided to help you "clock" your work, has no effect on grades.)
  • H = Hours
  • M = Minutes
  • OPT = Optional
  • Readings are homework, and are not clocked.
• Details = Assignment descriptions and hyperlinks
• HOT = Hands-On Training (our textbook)
• Acrobat = Adobe Acrobat File, plugin needed
• RealPlayer = A RealPlayer file, plugin needed

MONDAY (August 28)
Type		Details
Reading		Class Orientation, Syllabus, Overview
Activity		Page 5, "Warning: Platform Concerns" -- Windows users take necessary steps to insure you can see the extensions on your file names (ungraded, nothing to turn in)
Exercise		Layers - This Crash Course exercise is designed to help familiarize students with some basic Photoshop features.
Optional		Van Gogh - Use these files if you'd like additional practice with layers.
Reference		It Isn't Working: Basic Troubleshooting in Photoshop
Reference		Photoshop Survival Guide - This Acrobat document was authored for my Multimedia class, but it might help s ome students in Web Graphics as well.
Reference		Browse the support site for the textbook. Don't try to memorize every detail, instead get a feel for where information is located.
Reference		If you have time, read through the Newbie Advice from the Photoshop Guru's Handbook. Pay particular advice to #2 and #3. If you'd like a layered Photoshop file to play with, I suggest using the files from the Van Gogh exercise.

WEDNESDAY (August 30)
Type		Details
Quiz		Quiz: Chapter 1 and 2 HOT
Project		Painting Tools - another crash course. Please DO NOT start over once you start!!!
Reference		Blending Modes - This article from the Photoshop Guru's Handbook illustrates different blending modes.
Reference		Misc. Painting Information - Information on expanding Photoshop's painting abilities. This is really supplemental -- if you're feeling lost don't even open it.
Reference		Brush Tips - Did you know Photoshop comes with extra paintbrishes? This short article from the Photoshop Guru's Handbook describes how to load different brush sets. You can also download brushes from Alf's Plugin Head and the PlugIn Commander HQ.

MONDAY (September 4)
Type		Details
		Holiday - Labor Day

WEDNESDAY (September 27)
Type		Details
Exercises		Ch. 5 Exercises - page 86 - 121. Please post finished graphics from pages 105, 109, 117 (save it as a different name) and 121 to your web site.
Quiz		HOT Ch. 5
Exercise		ColorMix.com
Reference		This amazing list of color links is from BuildingTheWeb.com. A few are old friends, but most were new to me. I recommend "Coloring the Web" by Christopher Schmitt.
Reference		Very recent article from WebMonkey asking if it's safe to announce the Death of the Web-Safe Color Palette?
Reference		This cool design primer from MundiDesign features a pretty neat color wheel. They also have a nice browser-safe color tool, based on the VisiBone palette grouping.