Weekly Challenge #67 (Jan 12 - Jan 18)

Hpgirl · 01-11-2011, 09:22 PM

All of the speedscrapping this weekend for some reason made me think way back to when I first learned how to use photoshop. It was not actually for scrapbooking; I learned how to use it for the purpose of icon-making (as in the little pictures beside usernames. I know it was an unusual hobby). Working with on a 100 pixel by 100 pixel canvas is quite different from a 3600 by 3600 canvas, although the design principles are generally the same. With the small space however, different trends in design were more common. So this weeks challenge is inspired by some of the techniques from icon-making.

1. In a smaller space, it's really tricky to get more than one picture to look good. So for this challenge, use one picture as the focal point of the page. You can use as many papers - both solid and patterned - as you want, but the majority of your background should be a solid color.

2. Most of the icons I saw and made had some sort of editing done to jazz up the picture; I remember reading some tutorials which had as many as seven different adjustment/color layers with multiple layers of the photo. So make your photo editor do some work! You don't have to get too fancy; it can be as simple as making the picture black and white, sepia toned, or some other color tone. Or you play around with the contrast or saturation, or run an action on it (I know the Pioneer Woman blog has some fancy PS/PSE actions that adjust photos). Just something beyond the usual touch ups.

Edited to add: I'm sorry if the editing is ending up prohibitive - that wasn't my intent

You can fudge this one as much as you want. If this step is too much, here's an alternative: use a stamp or brush-type element somewhere on your page.

3. Put some writing on your photo itself.

4. Also, somewhere on your page, use a typewriter font. It can be in the journaling, title, date, on the photo, wherever. This type of font tends to look good in a small space.

5. Give your page some sort of border. More complicated icons tended to look bend with some sort of defined border.

The rest - journaling, dating, title, etc., is up to you!

Here's the page I scrapped with these rules. On my photo, I adjusted the levels and the saturation.

Also posted in the forums here under Disneys Hollywood Studios Layouts > Mickey Avenue/Pixar Place > Animation Gallery.

Here's a preview of the participation prize. It's a little template set based on some layouts from this weekend.

The usual weekly challenge rules apply:
Layout must be Disney related.
Post your layout in the weekly challenges gallery.
Post your layout in the corresponding thread in the forums.
Come back to this thread and post your layout as well as the link to your layout in the forums.
Leave as much love for other particpants as you can!

snowdrop · 01-11-2011, 11:35 PM

I used to design icons, too! Not that many, but I did it for a little bit, and I can definitely remember all those tips/rules. I loved doing some of those tuts that had a ton of level/adjustments (had a few memorized, I'm sure I can't remember them now, lol!) Fun challenge!

Chef Minnie Mouse · 01-12-2011, 06:57 AM

Sounds fun Laura! Off to think of what to

tiggernjen · 01-12-2011, 07:47 AM

I'm not a designer, so I'm not sure how it do this challenge...But I'll give it a try...

leslie_537 · 01-12-2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiggernjen

I'm not a designer, so I'm not sure how it do this challenge...But I'll give it a try...

You can still use a kit to follow the rules Jen! The only one some people might have problems with is editing the photo.

hmcfall711 · 01-12-2011, 10:29 AM

Thanks for hosting this challenge.

I have to say I really liked the criteria and think the challenge was fun but when I loaded my LO the photo seems WAY too blurry. My photo is not blurry at all.

Who knows.

Also here.