Final Project

     Yes, today's the day.  The final art project from my class.  The assignment is: Take what you've learned so far this semester and make a design.  So, I'll be using my Elephant Stamp from earlier in the blog as a starting point.  I could make a new stamp, but it's final's week and I'm trying to be realistic and kind to myself and my time.  Haha  

The plan: 

1.    Adjust the coloring of the stamp using Photoshop 

2.    Add design fundamentals like line to make it more of an emblem or logo

3.    Vectorize the new design

4.    Find a product I want to add the design to, this means looking at different customizable product websites.

5.    Add the final image to a product like a coffee mug or something.

Step one!  Take a picture of my stamp.  I'm looking at this and wondering to myself, how could this become a logo or an emblem?  I think that if I want it to be a logo, I really shouldn't touch it much.  Successful logos tend to be rather basic images.  Maybe I should change the background color to something that compliments the green like red.  It is Christmas time, but I'm not really feeling that.  I could change the green in Photoshop or restamp it with different ink and then pick a compliment of that color.  

There are logo's that are more advanced in their design.  I could give the elephant color and add some highlight. If I add a background it could make the elephant feel more present.  I like this idea, I think I'll try it first.

I've opened the picture in Photoshop.  First I'm going to use the remove background feature, which is on the toolbar right below the image.  It might take one or two tries, but with a picture this simple, Photoshop should be able to remove the background without you having to select anything.

Now that's done, I need to replace the background before I can do any color adaptations.  I want to see what the AI comes up with by generating a background with a prompt.  First I'm going to use that same toolbar below the image and click "Edit Background", then click "Generate Background" in the same spot and provided the prompt, "Make the background a jungle and it's raining."  This generates 3 options to pick from.

I picked my favorite of the three and moved onto coloring in the elephant.  I first tried using the orange-gray color from the original photo.  Elephants come in several colors and I thought this maybe could work.  

I didn't like this coloring very much, so I wanted to go with something a little more traditional.  I went with regular gray, but highlighted the sections with another green.  I think if it's a normal elephant color, it will appeal to the eye better and the light green highlights can help it appear less two dimensional.  I used the paint bucket or "Fill" feature to do this.  I also picked an off white for the tusk, trying to make it more realistic.

Now to make it more logo-ish, I thought adding a border could be nice.  Framing the image creates emphasis for what's inside, while the contrast of the grey of the elephant will emphasize the elephant from the rest of the image.  To do this, I had to adjust the size of the canvas.  I went into the "Image" menu at the top and clicked on "Canvas Size".  I added 1000 pixels on each side, as I wanted room to work with.  I then merged all my layers together with "Control + E".

I can now add the actual border, the green you see above and to the left.  I clicked on "Layer" at the top, then "New Fill Layer" and "Solid Color".  I picked a somewhat darker green.  Then, using the crop tool, I tried to make the border as even as possible.  

I have strayed from the plan a little but, and did not end up with a logo, but more of a product design.  This works out fine for my end goal.  I'm happy with this and art is never a straight road when creating.  With that done, I saved the final product and moved on to the Vector app.  

To do this, I used SVG Converter.  This is a free vector app that I've used previously.  It rounds out the edges of digital images and makes them appear smoother.  This is a great tool for logos and product designs.  You can play with the settings along the right.  I like where they're at, so I clicked "Vectorize" in the bottom right.

Then BOOM, you have a cleaner image to go on a product or use on a website, etc.  I clicked "Download" in the bottom right and saved the new vectorized image.  

Now I need to research a product to put the design on.  I'm thinking first I'll check out the typical places like Walgreens, Shutterfly, etc.  I've had time to think about what product I want during the process so far.  I'm looking for a puzzle, a pillow, or a mousepad.  I think this design could work really well for those particular formats.

I started at Walgreens and found pillows.  There is actually a fair bit you can customize on their products.  I could add text, shapes, change the layout, and a few other functions.  This is all good to know, but I like the image how it is and I don't want to mess with it more.  If I were to order one, I would pick the right pillow.  I like this design in the center.

The second place I went was https://shop.x-raypad.com/.  This was a recommendation on a Reddit thread about customized mousepads.  I play video games on my PC and could have fun designing my own mousepad.  The issue with this website is there is no adjusting the set up before ordering.  You submit a photo and the team at X-Ray Pad adjusts the design for you.  I'm looking for more control, so I think I'll keep looking.

On Shutterfly I was able to find puzzles.  You can customize the layout, add a background, add a filter, and there are AI tools to use if you have an account.  The only thing that I really wanted it to have was the ability to resize the photo so I could fit everything onto the puzzle.  You can pick which section of the picture to take if it's too big, but you cannot shrink or enlarge the image.  I could remedy this by resizing the photo before I upload it.

I found mousepads on Shutterfly as well.  You can adjust the same things on a mousepad as the puzzle.  You could set a layout with a specific design like a calendar with your image smaller and off to the side.  If I decided to buy this, I would like the image to be a little smaller to display the green border around the edge.

I thought it would be fun to check out one more place, Michael's.  I decided to check out how you could customize a blanket.  It was pretty similar to Walgreen's in ability.  I could add a border, change the layout, and add shapes and stickers.

If I was looking for a place to create items I was going to sell, I probably would continue to look for a website that is better at making more items at once.  If I were to buy one of these for myself, I think I would go for the puzzle!  I would just need to resize the image to fit a little better.  A puzzle could be so much fun.  My brother and my parents love to do puzzles, so maybe I will look into an Xmas present.  :]

Now, I need to use vocabulary to summarize the piece I created.

The final design of my elephant uses Line to create a Rhythmic Pattern across its body.  The Shape makes a distinct elephant, with Texture that brings the elephant to life.  The palette of grays and greens creates a Contrast that allows the elephant to stand out against the background.  The changes in Value add depth and give the piece a sense of Form.  The foliage that borders the outside and the Elephant in center frame creates a sense of Balance.  Overall, the piece shows Unity and Harmony, as all the elements come together.

Lastly, my reflection of this project.  

Through this project, I learned that even though you can end up with a completely different result that what you are looking for, that doesn't mean it's a failure.  Adapting to changes in a plan is a good skill to have in general, but I have more respect for artists.  Finding a plan and being able to follow it from start to finish is impressive focus.  Also, when that doesn't happen, pivoting and creating something new anyways I also admire.  My end product was a success, but wanting to create a full image when I'm looking to make a logo was my downfall.  In the future, I'll know how to frame my mind for a project like that.