Ed Tech in the Classroom

The Evolution of Beauty

The short Evolution by Dove shows how the "effortless" the beauty we see on billboards is created. It's a powerful portrayal of how our perception of beauty is distorted by digital tools and the media. All teens and adults should watch this, not just those learning the joys of photoshop! :-)

Font Matters

Yesterday during Friday news, year three grad students in the MAET program presented their images. This is the one I created. I toyed with the idea of using a Lichtenstein painting and inserting different fonts in a series of three to demonstrate how font can change the tone of a piece of art. In the end, I decided to use the phrase "I love you" in various fonts on a series of nearly identical images to demontstrate how font and placement of words add meaning to text. The big idea I was trying to portray is this:

It's not just the WHAT, but the HOW. Sometimes, how something is presented can be just as important as the content.

As Virginia Postral says in Looks Matter (Forbes Magazine), "Appearance matters....sometimes it's not just what you say but how you say it."

In web design, print, and publishing, font matters. Font communicates meaning. Imagine the font in the Lichtenstein painting with a cute curly-Q, whimsical font. Not the same message, eh?

(image via artchive)

On an added note, if you're really interested in learning more about font, check out Valerie Kirschenbaum's Goodbye Gutenberg. It's a fantastic coffee table book that everyone picks up. Kirschenbaum, a teacher in the New York, claims to be the first female in 500 years to design her own font. It's a must-read for all teachers interested in literacy and the visual arts.

-Little Ms. Blog

Copyright Issues and Creative Commons

It's worldwide movement, folks. A kinder, gentler way to share work. Check out Creative Commons.

Where The Big C says: RED LIGHT! NO TRESPASSING! ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!

Creative Commons says:

Green light. Come on in. Some rights reserved.

I've used the following two flash movies with middle and high school students as an anticipatory set for discussing copyright issues. I've also used them as models for showcasing the capablities of Flash.

"Get Creative" (7 Mb, Flash, available for download in Quicktime)

"Reticulum Rex" (7 Mb, Flash, available for download in Quicktime)

These files can be downloaded as quicktime files so viewers don't have to rely on an internet connection for access. Flickr's Creative Commons shows how symbols beside images give viewers instant knowledge of what type of image is available for use by other creators.

Every educator should watch these videos, or at least take a look at the Creative Commons site.

-Little Ms. Blog

i.images

What's an i-image?

i-image samples- various designers, although we aren't sure who they are.

"perspective" image by Diane Franklin

Imagebanks: Cool links to Free Images and Video

If you want to get a head start on any piece of multimedia or digital design project, the best thing to do in preparation is to get familiar with free image/video archives. It took me about an hour to register onto these databases and to find a way to navigate around the images that aren't royalty-free. But, once you're in, the world's your oyster. (Thanks to Brown Belt for most of these resources!)

Image "L'art de vivre" by René Magritte

via artchive.com

Log on and click resources:

Archive.org A great site to access royalty-free paintings by artists. Most images belong to the public domain, and each artist has a page with a bio and list of important works. This is a massive collection, and the most comprehensive one that I know. I've been using this site for years, and students love it as well.

Jet Propulsion Lab The JPL has a fantastic amount of free pictures and multimedia content for use in education.

Imagebanks that require short log-in process- user name and email required: (thanks to Little Miss Brainy for the following link!!!)

Macdesktops: This is a fantastic site for all types of educators, especially if you're interested in manipulating photos or looking for a creative background for your original shots. Check it out!

Imagebanks that require a long-log-in procedure: (I suggest that you give all false info except your email address. No need to distribute unnecessary bits of identity if it isn't needed.)

iStockPhoto.com iStockPhoto is the cheapest way to acquire royalty free stock images.

Corbis Corbis is a leader in the royalty free image world. You can download comp pictures without watermarks to mock up designs

Getty Images Getty is another great royalty free image site. Their comps though have watermarks. (Tip: go to "Creative" and then search "Royalty-free")

UPDATE:

Check out Photographic Libraries Free Public Domain Images and Clip Art

Check out Lucy Ravinsdale's suggestions at  Amatuer Photos and Copyright friendly Pics for Education

If anyone has any other free image database resources, leave a comment, and I'll update this list. Cheers, mates! ;-) - Little Ms. Blog