Project 1: Digital Image
Learning Objective: Students can recall the steps of the RACES writing strategy for constructed responses.
Students struggle with responding completely to constructed response questions. Having a specific strategy helps guide students to include the essential elements of a well-developed response in the early stages of skill acquisition. This image is intended to be used with the introduction of the strategy and practice. Students benefit from the clear directions and examples. In order to help students identify each step in their own writing, they highlight each step a different color on peers' work and their own. The colors of the RACES pennants correspond to the highlighter colors. Furthermore, it can be used to facilitate guided notes and broken into pieces to be used as a sort on an interactive whiteboard or web platform. After the introductory lesson, this image can serve as an anchor poster in the physical or digital classroom.
Links & Licensing
For this project, I used only images I captured and elements I created through Photoshop and Illustrator, so there are no licenses to share on this particular project.
Link to Original Files includes the following:
2 Original Photographs
2 Photoshop Files (adjusting photos)
3 Vector Image Illustrator Files
1 Photoshop File of the RACES Image
1 Photoshop File Set (creation of RACES digital image)
Techniques
-Raster and Vector Techniques using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator-
Basic Raster
change image size
adjust brightness & contrast
adjust color vibrancy
adjust hue and saturation
apply filters from the filter gallery
Advanced Raster
Use overlay to fine tune a selection
Use the brush tool to fine tune a selection
Remove small objects
Add objects by cloning
Use brushes with color and shapes
Add a built-in custom shape
Basic Vector
Draw simple shapes
Combine shapes
Transform artwork
Advanced Vector
Create color gradients
Place text on or inside a path
Reshape text
Use curves and paths
Draw with the curvature tool
Design Elements
-Contrast-Repetition-Alignment-Proximity
Contrast
The bright colors contrast to the gray and black background. The pennants with the letters making up the RACES acronym are bright against the white text boxes to make them stand out. The font of the RACES acronym is larger than the other fonts. The photos are outlined in white so they contrast against the dark background. The header oval and footer oval are white against the gray background. The strategy is at the heart of instruction, so it is given visual weight.
Repetition
The colors are repeated throughout. The blue of the header is in the C box, the photos, and the GPS oval at the bottom to keep the eye moving down the page. The triangle pennant shapes repeat to draw attention to the strategy acronym. The oval shape of the header is repeated in the footer to draw the eye down. The colors of the pennants are repeated in the text boxes to draw attention to specific examples or hints related to the specific step in the process.
Alignment
The header is offset to allow the centered and linear tiles of the strategy to be the focus of the page. The photos follow the curve of the road in the background and to keep them offset from the RACES text boxes. The oval at the bottom centers back up to move the eye to the bottom and close the page. Text in the RACES boxes is left aligned and the text for the photo examples is centered to distinguish the sections and keep from overwhelm with a text heavy page.
Proximity
The RACES strategy is grouped together, the example photos are grouped together, and the GPS location pin and text related to it are grouped together to clearly show the relationships.