The Hardest Game In The World

My version of level 1 of the world's hardest game.  It might be the easiest, though, as there are no hit sensors.

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Pop Art

 This is a pop art representation of Don Cherry.  For once his suit is the least colourful part of his close-up.

A Photoshop Instruction Summary:

~Change your image to black and white.

~Adjust the lighting levels to make it look more like a drawing.

~Create a new layer, set the blend mode to multiply, and paint in grey over the background.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  Repeat for the face, the hair, and any other areas that you want to have as a different colour.

~Colourize each layer except for the face with a fully saturated, bright colour.  Colourize the face with a paler, less saturated colour.

~Create a new document that is twice the width and height of your image and paste 4 copies into it.

~Adjust the hue of three of them so that they are all different. 

Flash Button

    This is a button animation made using Adobe Flash CS4.  I changed the original image into a button and created key frames to show on a rollover or click.

Click here to view the animation

Walk Cycle Animation

A pivot animation using the walk cycle we learned in class.  I showed anticipation before the jump, and the helicopter bottom demonstrates the "slow in, slow out" principle.  I also tried to demonstrate secondary action.  Not only does the character rise when he jumps, he also raises his arms and moves his legs in.

Running With An Object

An animation using the five frame run cycle.  I moved the ladder in to make it look like he wasn't just running on the spot.  To make him jump up, I simply moved him up slowly while sticking to the run cycle.

Run Cycle

A basic 5-frame run cycle on pivot.

Waving Arm

A very basic straight ahead animation made in pivot.

Tilt Shift Effect

This is a photograph of a real fair that has been strategically blurred to give the effect of a model fair.

A Photoshop Instruction Summary:

~Copy your image and group the copy to a levels layer

~Apply a Gaussian Blur to your top image.

~Use a black to white Reflected Gradient on the levels layer to un-blur a portion of your image.  Drawing straight up works best  (hold shift as you draw).

~Add a new levels layer on top and group it to the image copy.  Play with brightness and contrast to give the blurred colours a boost.

Motion Blur

Hits it down hard over the triple block.  I'm not sure if this is a win for blue or a fail for red.  If you can't tell, I like volleyball.

A Photoshop Instruction Summary:

~Select the portion you want to blur and copy into a new layer (ctrl+j).

~Apply a motion blur and adjust the angle/distance to your liking.  I did the arm and the ball as two different layers

~Group the blurred layer to a levels layer.  Paint or use black to white gradient on the levels layer to get rid of the excess blur.

~With the levels layer still selected, shift+click the blurred layer.  This selects them both.  Duplicate these layers to build up the blur.

Animal Blend

A new species of cat was found in the jungles of Africa.  Apparently they share a common ancestor with the gorilla....

A Photoshop Instruction Summary:

~Find two images of similar size and lighting.

~Paste whatever you want from the second animal into the first.  You may need to re-size or flip the parts.

~Use the clone stamp to seamlessly transition between animals.

Rainbow Eye

Fancy, fancy, fancy!  Those contacts must have cost a fortune.  Who is the eye looking at?  Could it be???  Suzy Blue!?!?

A Photoshop Instruction Summary:

~Create a new layer over the eye.

~Paint over the iris and switch the blend mode to multiply.  You can also use this effect to add make-up using an overlay blend mode.

~Suzy Blue is just a regular layer with lowered opacity.

Crack (Kind Of...) and Peel

This model has a weird skin condition.  Suzy Blue is trying to help, but she's just peeling the model's skin off.

A Photoshop Instruction Summary:

~Fit your texture to the face, lower the opacity to about 50%, and switch the blend mode to multiply.

~Group the texture to a levels layer and paint in black to erase the texture where it looks unnatural, such as on the eyes, the nostrils, or possibly the lips.

~Adjust the lighting levels to your liking.

~Repeat with the peeling layer.

~Burn on the bottom layer around the peel.

Ethics Vs Aesthetics

Ethics: Morals, the sense of right and wrong.
Aesthetics: Making things visually pleasing.


    Society finds it ethically unacceptable to alter photos when they are supposed to be portraying the truth.  If a newspaper publishes a photo of a fire that has been altered to look more dangerous, the newspaper is no longer presenting factual information.  It is deceiving its readers.

    In my opinion, modeling is another area where it is ethically wrong to alter photos.  Companies touch up their models to help sell their product.  This is false advertising and contributes to society's obsession over body image.  Others may say it is acceptable because it is just another part of the modeling business.

    Society finds it aesthetically acceptable to alter photos in pop culture, where we already know we're not seeing the truth.  When we see a movie, part of what makes it fun to watch is the special effects.  Some of these effects can't be attained during filming, so we alter frames in the movie to make it more aesthetically pleasing.  Think of "Avatar."  Would the movie have been half as awesome if it was filmed with actors wearing blue body paint?

    It is acceptable to correct a camera's errors, like red eyes or a smudge that was on the lens, because the photo is still true to what the subject looked like at the time of the shoot.  Also, it is acceptable to edit photos for our class blogs because we do not pretend that they are real or use them to hurt/misinform others.

    All in all, the line between aesthetically pleasing and ethically wrong can be very fine at times.  Try not to cross it.