The Mac Lab

Out of clutter, find simplicity.
From discord, find harmony.
In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.
— Albert Einstein / The Three Rules of Work

Interesting, isn’t it, how those words ring true when coming from a legend rather than Skocko? A quick search reveals that I’ve asked you to simplify your ideas 17 times in the past two weeks (here and here). I’m sure you’d agree that I’ve repeated it in class too many times to count. My search for an appropriate quotation to frame the importance of learning and following rules was cut short when I encountered the above. It’s a new quote to me as well. You’ll be applying it to your projects. I’ll be applying it to my students. Working together, we’ll add to this collection of excellence and make this the best year yet in the Mac Lab!

On Friday I announced that Earned Creative Freedom™ would begin on Monday. To qualify, one must have a minimum of 300 positive minutes, art in all three galleries: Self Portrait | Logo | Poster | and abide by the rules in the Mac Lab. I added posters (John C) to the mix because it’s the final (initial) required project for Digital Arts students. Three additional projects will be required of students in 3D. (I’ll explain in class. Don’t worry. You’ll want to do these.) All students are required to employ and explain the Elements and Principles of Design as well as Color Theory in the poster project. Your explanations will be incorporated into your portfolio for all projects from this point forward.

I’m going to repeat this because there’s simply no escaping this responsibility: You will employ the Elements and Principles of Design as well as Color Theory in all projects from this point forward. I will give you more specifics as the week progresses. For now, you need to read and begin to become conversant in the Elements and Principles of Design as well as Color Theory. Are you catching my drift? I’d bookmark those pages if I were you… NOW!

One More Time: Read the Elements and Principles of Design and Color Theory right now. This is NOT optional. Read those pages and embrace the fact that you’re going to learn and apply this information… for the rest of the year. And yes, acquiring this knowledge will require you to do some independent research as well. Wikipedia is the starting point of your research, not the end.

Must Watch Video Info: Christina P is a first year student who joined the class late. She’s worked hard, listened to my suggestions, and has earned my eternal gratitude for providing this golden teaching moment: Watch this video. Please watch this correction and clarification. 3D students, you’ll also benefit from watching this Digital Arts video. Digital Arts students, you’ll definitely want to watch this 3D video. Clarification for 3D students (and anyone thinking about employing 3D into his or her workflow). And just in case it wasn’t self-evident, ALL students should watch ALL of those videos.

As for posters… 01 | 02 | 03 are example galleries. When in doubt, keep it simple and elegant. Students in 3D will want to check these galleries 04 | 05 (under construction). No illustrations in 3D. Use pure typography. Digital Artists might also try typographic solutions as well. Oh, and did I mention the Elements and Principles of Design and Color Theory?

Participation and Your Responsibilities: Watch this video.

Free Software: For Mac Users (last 3 days). For anyone: Sync your files from the Mac Lab to your computer at home (PC or Mac). I’ve already installed DropBox on our computers so you can just sign up for your free 2.25GB account here if you’d like to use it. You’ll have to download and install DropBox at home to complete the circuit and get the extra 250MB of storage.

1110: Since I know for a fact that some of you blew off yesterday’s assignment, I’m giving you a second chance to read, watch, and follow the instructions (above). Your projects will reveal whether or not you’re holding up your end of the deal.

1112: Since we’ve spoken about getting inspiration from others and compared Microsoft’s packaging strategies to Apple’s (Remember: Microsoft, not Apple, produced that video), I thought I’d share an atypically candid comment from an MS manager: One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it’s very graphical and easy to use. What we’ve tried to do with Windows 7 — whether it’s traditional format or in a touch format — is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics. We’ve significantly improved the graphical user interface, but it’s built on that very stable core Vista technology, which is far more stable than the current Mac platform, for instance. (Via)

Please, no Mac/PC flame wars. As I’ve said in class, I hope Windows 7 is stable and slick. When companies are forced to compete, it’s good for the rest of us. We all get better products!

Speaking of competition, how’s your own coming along? Remember, you’re competing with that person in the mirror, pushing him or her toward artistic excellence. Yes, the Mac Lab’s not your typical classroom and it’s about to become even more unique because I’m not going to be around for a while. I’m depending on all of you to hold up your end of the deal this week and next. It’s going to take teamwork and perseverance. Help one another, work hard, and stay on task!

The classroom will be open each morning around 6:15. I’ll be in this morning and next Wednesday to Friday to open the lab. Today, I’m flying north to say goodbye to my dad. Services are tonight and tomorrow but since the burial won’t happen until Tuesday, there’s no Mac Lab Saturday School™ this weekend. Sorry. Next week I have Final Cut Pro training on Wednesday, an all-day Arts, Media, and Entertainment Pathway meeting on Thursday, and a CS4 Seminar that Friday so you’re on your own for the next seven school days. Can you all hold it together for me? I’m depending on you!

As for updates, I’m at the mercy of WiFi. See the 0804 entry here for details. I expect to provide daily updates but as The Little Prince says, “One never knows.”

Motto for this Week and Next: You’re Never Finished in the Mac Lab!

Work on your posters, logos, self portraits, and Websites. Strive for excellence, watch the videos, and help one another. When all around you agree that your work should be in the gallery, email a correctly composed JPG that’s at least 1,000 pixels wide or tall to mskocko@guhsd.net and I’ll either put it in the gallery or make suggestions on how it might be improved. Do NOT send anything that AT LEAST three others haven’t confirmed to be worthy of inclusion in the gallery. Remember: 3 then Me. In your email, INCLUDE THE NAMES of the three who agree with you. Unsure? Watch this, this, this, this, and this video for posters and this video for logos. Simplify!

Still confused? Scroll down and check out prior posts. Here, I’ll make it easy: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Galleries: Self Portrait | Logo | Poster | And don’t forget the Elements and Principles of Design or Color Theory (details above). See? It’s all right here for you.

Danny O, Christian L, Samantha P, and Christopher F are still on for the CETPA Digital Learning Symposium next Tuesday. You’ll be representing the Mac Lab, Valhalla, and the Grossmont Union High School District at this state-wide conference. No pressure. Be sure to say hi to Jack O’Connell and the other Edu-bigwigs who stop by to see what you’re up to. Alternate transportation is being arranged and I’ll have an interesting lesson for you and all Mac Lab students next Tuesday. Sorry I won’t be there but this is a perfect opportunity to prove that our online model works with or without my presence.

The lesson? It’s a secret. It will, however, pit the four of you against all the other classes.

Psst: Got DropBox?

1113: Wow! It takes a lot of time to reply to all the student submissions. Reminder: There’s no loophole in the 3 name requirement. If a student doesn’t want his or her name included, he or she probably doesn’t want to hurt your feelings. Everyone: More attention to detail! Spot the obvious mistakes and fix them. Make the most of today.

Helpful Tip: Don’t rely on your friends for gallery submission approval. Go to the kids you think do the best work in class and ask for their opinion. Save us both some time. Then, and only then, keep those submissions coming!

Who will create the featured art for this initial 0910 Poster Gallery? John C would have except his first poster is gracing this week’s blog post. Our answer is right here. Christina P stepped up and delivered! Who’s next?

When creating your poster, remember Einstein’s Three Rules. Hey! I bet that quote would look good on a poster. (Hint, hint.)

A girl should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across her mind from within, more than the lustre and the firmament of bards and sages. Yet she dismisses without notice her thought, because it is hers. In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility than most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side. Else tomorrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinion from another.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson / Self-Reliance (gender edit)

All of you should be familiar with that quotation. You’ve been instructed, twice now, to read this post. Yes, please read it again. Whether it’s for the first, second, or third time, you need to understand the 5 Stages of the Creative Process as we’re going to be using them the rest of the year. As the father of a daughter, I wish more of the quotations I post were gender agnostic rather than aimed at the guys. So, if you’re an XX chromosomer (girl) rather than an XY (boy), the sex-change operation (above) is for you. If you’re a boy, and the altered gender in the quotation bothers you, you’re a regular RWAC (Aaron L).

Speaking of Rebel, last week Theatre approached us to design the poster for their upcoming play. Our instructions (on Monday) were: Red jacket, no face, this information, and we need designs by Thursday. I tossed out the project to a few students and here’s what they came up with after only three days of work: Austin W | Christian L | Danny O | Philip B (and you’ve already seen Aaron’s). They liked all of the designs but chose Austin’s because the play is about a teenager who’s about to explode and they liked the metaphoric look of his design. Austin’s frantically working on the redesign so we can print on Tuesday. Deadlines happen.

Now, getting back to Ralph’s advice to pay attention to our own ideas… Sherman, set the WABAC Machine to 1989…

I was browsing the used CD bin in a bookstore in Santa Cruz prior to the LPQ when I happened upon a recording by Heart. But when I picked it up, I thought, for a second, that it said Earth. What the?! Looking at the typography, it suddenly clicked and I had the coolest idea for a t-shirt design. I went home and sketched it out. Today, that idea is safe, somewhere, tucked away in a box in a corner of our garage.

Over the years I’ve returned to this idea several times but never acted on it until printing a few posters last year. They, of course, sit in a box on a shelf in the Mac Lab and haven’t seen the light of day since they were created. Because I recently talked about my belief in Richard Bach’s declaration: You teach best what you most need to learn, I’m going to publish this idea right now. This is a painfully plodding rough cut of a much more ambitious concept that I’ll have to learn After Effects to produce. I’ve also ordered the first t-shirt with this artwork and will put it on the Mac Lab T-Shirt Shop for resale ASAP. (Redesigned store layout coming soon.) Since I know you’ll ask, yes, of course you’ll be able to design, print, purchase (about $20 with shipping), and wear your own custom t-shirts. Profits go to the Mac Lab Foundation.

That felt good. Now it’s your turn.

Next up are poster designs, the last shared project between classes. Those of you in 3D, listen to this: Keep it simple, elegant, and purely typographic because you’ll be taking it into Cinema 4D (that goes for your logos too). Please heed my advice or you’ll pay the price. Here are two examples of what you’ll be doing with your logos: Austin W and Trevor C (your typography will be better than those). Back to the posters. I’m opening this up to ideas beyond public service. What I care about is good composition and an appropriate message. Please read up on the Elements and Principles of Design before beginning (yes, there’s a lot of reading today). I’ve begun to set up third party galleries to give you ideas: 01 | 02 | 03. I’ll set up a couple of 3D galleries and add the links either today or tomorrow.

Mac Lab multitasking begins now. You must have an online portfolio (your Website). By Friday that portfolio will contain your self portrait, logo, and poster (coming soon). Don’t worry about finishing. Everything is a work in progress at this point. See the Project Page for links to assignments. In honor of James Cameron, I’ll be awarding extra credit for Avatars. Details will follow but you’ll be posting your proof, if you catch my drift.

Last for today, I’ve updated the time sheets (as I do every week) but this time I spent a few hours reviewing the district’s records. It’s your responsibility to check your balance (each week) and alert me if you think there’s been a mistake. For those of you who’ve cut class (according to the district quite a few of you have), the penalty is stiff. It’s your responsibility to clear truancies with attendance. I have no control over truancy records. If the district thinks you have one, you have one until you clear it. Friday is the D and F report deadline. I’ve scheduled a Mac Lab Saturday School™ for this weekend to help some of you avoid the infamy of inclusion. Look at the time sheets. Is your ID number red? See you Saturday at 7 am!

1103: Just a reminder to update your Websites. I’ll be checking them this weekend. Oh, and you might want to watch this video if you want to avoid inclusion on the D and F Report. What about the self assessment? Reminder about simplification: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | Please review this designer’s logos: 01 | 02 | You have to learn the rules before you can break them. When we break rules (and break them we will) we will break them intelligently.

Student Logos: Gallery 021 Where is yours?

1104: Someone from Dhaka (the Rickshaw Capital of the World and the most densely populated city in the world) in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh spent a few minutes wandering about the blog to bring us to 129 countries. I wonder what he or she thought of our little classroom in the Web.

Speaking of thinking, how about you? Do you think you understand the logo project? If you do, you’re one of the few. Please allow me to explain. <<< You should probably click that link and do what it says. You must understand kerning, tracking, and leading!

1105: We’ll hit our 200,000th page view this morning. (Sitting at 199,968 right now.) That count doesn’t include videos or JPGs. Just the blog’s self-contained pages. Update: 200,002 as of 5:58 this morn. A quarter million should happen in early December. The last 50,000 views came from 47 states (+DC) and 84 countries.

Reminder: Minimum Day/Parent Visitation Day tomorrow.

Hint: Sure hope you guys (my students) have read the instructions (above). I’d hate to be disappointed when looking at your Websites this weekend. That’s all. I’ll let you work now.

1106: Visitors from 134 cities in the United Kingdom have pushed Canada (107 cities) into third place in the global visitor standings. Jolly good showing from across the pond! Likewise, the folks in 81 Florida cities have moved past New Jersey (74 cities) to take second place in the US standings.

Mac Lab students have a growing global following!

Welcome parents! Today the kids are updating their Websites using these tutorials (if necessary). Note: Use Working with InDesign — Take 2. I want to see works in progress and correctly formatted portfolios. See this video for details. (Correction: To change margins go to Layout > Margins.) Here’s the example site. Is your logo in the gallery? Get designing! (Use the graphic tips and tricks video.) And speaking of galleries, is your self portrait in this one? Let me know if you think it should be.

Free Software: Mac users, MacHeist is giving away 6 free apps. Offer expires next week. (Thanks, David!)

Sarah S has a world of options open to her as she approaches the transition from high school to college. She’s got a terrific work ethic. She listens, thinks, and acts with a focus that’s to be admired. When she set about to create a poster for our Theatre’s latest production, she approached the task with her atypical attention to detail. Rather than trying to explain it myself, I’m going to let her tell the story behind the the poster’s design. Sarah, who just walked in (at 6:05 – late for her), just informed me that Nicole C was a partner in the poster’s concept. Again, I’ll let her tell the story.

When my wife and I discuss the future with our twelve-year-old daughter, Noël, we always remind her that school is the key. Those who embrace the learning experience have an enormous advantage over those who squander the wonder years. My wife took the straight and narrow path that led directly to a successful career. I took the long and winding road that could have easily led to an unhappy ending. If not for a natural aptitude for art and design, my story might have been yet another pointless, tragic, cautionary tale.

So, to you, author of the story of your own life. What’s it going to be? You do know that it’s not too late to change the plot, right? Every day is a new beginning. Every day is another chance to change the way you view your place in the world. Education is the key. Grab it today and begin to unlock the door to your tomorrow.

As the title indicates, these are a little more wide-ranging in subject matter. The poster to the left (Robbie F) was created in here for an assignment in a history class: What if the Axis won the war? Mac Lab kids have a distinct advantage when interpreting this type of assignment.

Here’s a gallery of 25 assorted posters. Three slots open.

The initial poster assignment is to create a public service announcement (Ashley Y) in poster form. Something with a message to make the world a better place. The kids learn a bit about composition, typography, and color. And, of course, they get to trumpet their favorite cause (or discover one to call their own).

Here’s a collection of 25 public service posters. One slot is open.