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Assignment: Textures
One of the coolest things about the digital environment is the ability to combine and layer multiple images. Often a composition can be enhanced by the addition of one or more textures or surface designs, such as wrinkled paper, course fabric, wood grain, sand, bark, concrete, etc. These added textures can give an otherwise cold digital document a more low-tech, organic and/or hand-made feel.
I find it helpful as a designer to keep a library of such textures. I am always on the lookout for interesting surfaces to photograph which I can add to my collection (stored on an external hard drive and burned onto CDs & DVDs for safe keeping). In this assignment, you will photograph a series of such textures which will serve as the foundation for your own collection.
Assignment
Produce a group of five or more photographs of interesting textures; these will lay the foundation of a personal, digital, surfaces library.
Specifications
- Size: largest allowed with a medium jpeg quality
- Resolution/format: medium quality jpeg
- Deliverables: five digital images
- Due: tonight (I will set a time in class)
Procedure
- Go out singly or in groups and look for interesting and unusual textures & surfaces. They could be organic, like tree bark, or man-made, like acoustical ceiling tile. The surface does not necessarily have to have texture at all, as long as it has an interesting pattern or texture-like appearance (cool reflection patterns on a metal surface, for example).
- Photograph as many as you can. Get in close to the textures (but make sure you can get them in focus). Look for unusual, not-so-obvious textures. Can you find a texture that no one else will notice?
- Choose your five favorite textures to present to the class.
- Put the five texture images in a folder with your name on it, and turn it in to me via jump drive.
- Important: save these images, you will need them later in the quarter!
Examples: One | Two