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Classroom Assignment 3 Example - Composite Graphics

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Education & Training with Tech Training for You!

 Craig's Classroom - Virtual Course Graphics for Bloggers 101 is underway. (course information page, pre-recorded videos, watch at your own pace.) We have a nice group signed up! :) I am creating a series of classroom assignments for the students to complete the course. This post is to illustrate a report on Assignment #3

Composite Graphics Assignment
Create TWO composite graphics

The first (lead off) graphic should be square shaped and 340 pixels wide so that you can align it on the right edge and have the blog post text flow around it on the left. Overlay caption text over the photo and also use a drop shadow effect on the image. (rounded corners are optional). Use either Picnik.com or iPiccy.com to do the edits.

The second graphic should be a full width graphic 684 pixels wide. It should be a collage composite of either two or three photos. You should use Picasa to create the graphic (alternatively you can use Picnik while it is still online). The canvas of the image should be either black or a color of your choosing.

In your report blog post, write a narrative of the steps that you took to create the graphics. (this narrative will also provide you text that will flow around the graphics so it will look like an actual blog post that you will be creating!)

The following post is an example of what the students need to create
(I'm including this post in my own regular blog feed as well as you all might learn a point or two from our class discussion! ... and enrollment is open if you want to learn even more!)

Assignment #3 - Composite Graphics

staten island ferry dockedThe image that you see here I created using iPiccy.com. As most already know, Picnik.com is going offline in April. iPiccy is a very close resemblence to Picnik in the tool sets that it has (not exactly, but a very close second). 

I used several tools in iPiccy. First the crop tool. I chose the square shape and cut out all but the focal point of the photo. Then I used the rounded corners tool. I added drop shadow. Next I used the border tool with a WHITE color to give myself a little extra canvas to work with for the text to overflow the photo. Finally, I used the text tool to overlay text caption on top of the photo. Then I saved the file to my hard drive.

The image below was created in Picasa. I used the technique that I did a tutorial video on just recently. I exported three selected photos to a folder where I could make edits (and not alter the originals). I cropped my three photos into portrait 4:3 cutouts. I used the collage tool to arrange them on the canvas. I set the canvas color to black. After I locked in the collage as a single image, I used the crop tool to cut away the excess perimeter canvas. Then I exported to 684 pixels so it was just right to insert into a blog post.

views from the staten island ferry

(About the photos above) The Staten Island Ferry is one of the main ways that us Staten Islanders head to work in Manhattan each day. It is said that about 75,000 travel on it daily. It is a 25 minute trip each way.

If you are visiting NYC, the ferry is one thing that you may want to put on your itinerary for part of your day. It is a very scenic trip passing by Ellis Island (left photo), Statue of Liberty, and fantastic views of lower manhattan from the water. Harbor sunsets are spectacular also if you time your journey right. (Oh and by the way, the trip is FREE!)

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Craig Daniels
This blog is all about technology and helping you to use it smarter! Your digital footprint is your chance to attract new clients. What kind of impression are you making via your website, blog, and social media? We’ll be talking about that! Are you as productive as you can be? What apps might help you out? Do you know how to use all the best tools inside the apps? I enjoy photography and videography, you can expect to see those topics also on this blog.
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PS - get ready for some homework… :) 

Comments (11)

Cindy Edwards
RE/MAX Checkmate - Johnson City, TN
CRS, GRI, PMN - Northeast Tennessee 423-677-6677

Oh-oh...I missed assignment 2.  I better back tract here!!

Feb 18, 2012 10:16 PM
Winston Heverly
Coldwell Banker Access Realty - South Macon, GA
GRI, ABR, SFR, CDPE, CIAS, PA

Craig, I havn't done a lot of picture displays like this but have ventured onto Piknic, which is a great tool from the advice by other AR tutorials. Thanks for sharing, your tips are great references.

Feb 18, 2012 10:17 PM
Jane & Garry Smith
Coldwell Banker Realty - Portland, ME
ABR, GRI, Realtors - Portland, ME - (207) 253-3195
Craig, I am bookmarking this one! Need to get up to speed with photos! Thank you for sharing!
Feb 18, 2012 10:19 PM
Melissa Zavala
Broadpoint Properties - Escondido, CA
Broker, Escondido Real Estate, San Diego County

I'm surprised that you (using ipiccy) were able to use text that was/is larger than the size of the photo. Cool.

Feb 18, 2012 10:51 PM
Craig Daniels
Tech Training for You! - Staten Island, NY
Technology Instructor/Project Consultant

Cindy - make sure you join the group noted at the bottom of the post (for all my class students to post in). I have posted all the assignment info thera as well as on the class main listing page. I look forward to seeing your assignments! :)

Winston - I'm glad if you can pick up an idea or two from me! thx

Jane & Garry - having our posts look good and contain great info is a killer combination! thx! :)

Melissa - that's a very sharp eye, I can tell you are experienced! I used the border tool and set the border color to white to give me extra canvas to overflow the text onto. I think I'll add that note to my post above too. I demonstrate all this in my classroom videos! :)

Feb 18, 2012 10:56 PM
Bill Gillhespy
16 Sunview Blvd - Fort Myers Beach, FL
Fort Myers Beach Realtor, Fort Myers Beach Agent - Homes & Condos

Hi Craig,  Another well written tutorial.  You really do a tremendous service to the gang on AR !

Feb 18, 2012 11:32 PM
Mary Borth
Bloomington-Normal, IL
LuxeHomesBN.com

Thanks for sharing - I am going to try this today!

Feb 19, 2012 12:18 AM
Craig Daniels
Tech Training for You! - Staten Island, NY
Technology Instructor/Project Consultant

Bill - thanks my Fort Meyers friend, good to see you

Mary - I'm glad to hear you have a little inspiration for something new! :)

Feb 19, 2012 12:29 AM
Maria Morton
Platinum Realty - Kansas City, MO
Kansas City Real Estate 816-560-3758

Craig, your tutorial posts are great! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us! I only wish I had a few more hours in the day...

Feb 19, 2012 12:40 AM
Craig Daniels
Tech Training for You! - Staten Island, NY
Technology Instructor/Project Consultant

Maria - you are very welcome - glad to see you visit! :)

Feb 21, 2012 04:39 AM
Vickie Nagy
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - Palm Springs, CA
Vickie Jean the Palm Springs Condo Queen

I just got the Elements and Premiere package and now I find that I am once again in early childhood crawling before I can walk.

Feb 21, 2012 12:48 PM