Creative Masking...

Using masks in Photoshop is an essential skills to master.  Masking ensures that you don't alter any of the actual pixels in your layer -- just hide or show them as you need.  I wanted students to create a scene that involved multiple pictures of themselves interacting in some way.  Here's the example I started them with:

Evolution of Tennis

So an interesting thing happened in Round 2 of Photoshop Tennis.  My students had enjoyed the first round so much that I started them off with another picture (taken by one of the students during a field trip):

Sapsucker Woods

Tennis

Photoshop Tennis is a time-honored tradition among digital artists.  If there were ever a sport that deserved recognition and inclusion in the Olympics (winter AND summer), it is this one.  "No room," you say.  Well, get rid of Rhythmic Gymnastics and Curling-- problem solved!  I mean, seriously -- Curling?!

Out of Place...

The only professional development that I've ever found useful has either focused on technical skills or collaborating with my peers.  The AGP courses do both of those things!!!  It's been a great opportunity to try out new activities with my students.  Another teacher (and I apologize because I can't remember who posted the activity) has his students use Photoshop to put themselves in a situation they wouldn't normally be in.  The key is getting the pose correct and properly blending the images together.

On Standards and Standardization

One of the videos this week in my Adobe Digital Creativity class involved Sir Ken Robinson's take on the changing educational paradigm.  At the core of this paradigm shift, and resistance to change, is the prevalence of standardized testing.

A few more samples...

My students were very happy to see their work on the web and others wanted to know why their work wasn't there yet -- to which I replied, "FINISH IT!!!"  So more of them did:

Big & Small

The first assignment in the course was to combine two images of yourself -- one big and one small and tell some sort of narrative.  Here's what I came up with: