GDES

120
Lucas Caldeira

Golden

Professor

Strategies for working on project #1:

Answer, in your own words, what is an irrational being? (Use what we
discussed in
class as well as the Project #1 Requirement Sheet for more information).
An irrational being is a type of absurd creature, a mythical creature that was created in
fantasies, in other words doesn't exist.

Once you have a definition, begin to visualize, in your head, what such
a creature might
look like. Below, create a list of possible
creatures: (for example, half fish half bird or half robot half human).
Look to the Project #1 Idea Folder for visual examples.
YOU ARE CREATING NEW CREATURES, NOT USING MYTHOLOGICAL
CREATURES OR ONES YOU HAVE SEEN IN FILM ETC.
1. A space/cyborg monkey by the name of Poopy Joe
2. A cactus with a hambat
3. American Robin bird with a big head, wearing a duck hat and holding a
sandwich
With one of the creatures you have listed in mind, think of a landscape
where that creature would either be completely out of place or where
they would fit in nicely.
Consider working with humor and being wholly absurd or take a more
practical approach. Consider what type of world, for example, a fish with
wings would need to live in.

List with specific details what type of world or landscape your

creature would
exist in:
A land of bread on a moon.

GDES
120

Golden

Professor

GDES
120

Professor
Golden

Our next step is to find HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY that will

allow us to create the world and creatures in our heads. YOU
WILL NOT FIND THE PERFECT IMAGE ONLINE. Project #1 is about making
that image. You will find the pieces to create that perfect image online.
For example, if I want to create a fish with wings, I would need to find at
least one image of a pair of wings and one image of a fish. You will more
than likely need at least five images to work with.
List the types of images you will search for:
1. A sunset background, similar to surface of mars
2. An American Robin bird
3. Variety of bread
4. A monkey in an astronaut suit
5. A cactus pot, with legs, holding a piece of ham.

Describe, in complete sentences, what your project is about. (What

you are defining
here is your intent; the idea(s) you would like to convey to your
audience).
Do you intend to tell a story? Do you intend to be humorous?
What is your intent?
Poopy Joe the space monkey was sent to investigate a nearby bread planet. The species on the
planet is consist of a bunch of robin birds, with the landscape being nothing but bread. The planet is
currently being raided by an army of running cactus pots, attacking them with a piece of ham,
scaring off the birds.

GDES
120

Professor
Golden

The remainder of the strategy sheet outlines the steps to take

to complete the project. We will walk through these
steps together in class.
With your high resolution imagery selected and saved to your desktop,
bring that same imagery into one blank Photoshop document. Use the
File>Place Embedded command to bring all of your found imagery into a
Photoshop document. Hit enter on your keyboard or Okay on the option
bar as you bring in the imagery one at a time.
The next step after rasterizing each one of your newly imported layers is to
place them, according to your visualization of how you want your image to
look, in a set-up that follows your train of thought. For example, organize
your layers so that you can easily see how your imagery will work together
when you begin to work with selections, masks and transformations.
Start by making your being. You are creating something new, not
something that already exists (i.e. a mythological creature). Use either
masks or the selection tools to isolate the parts of your imported imagery
that you want to use.
Your selections/masks should be crafted with care.
With the imagery now successfully isolated, begin to put together your
creature. As you work to bring your imagery together remember your
transform options to change the shape (sculpt or re-orient and image) so
that they fit in a more seamless way. To get to your transform options go to
Edit>Transform. Warp will allow you re-shape an image, distort and
perspective will allow you re-orient your images bounding box
Using the same techniques as early begin to piece together an
environment that fits with your idea outlined in first question of the project
critique form.

GDES
Professor

This project requires at least 6-8 hours of solid work. It is very easy
to see
120
Golden
which projects were made in haste and which ones were crafted with care.
Do your best to create the image you have in your head.