Blue Pixel Professional advice from the photography experts
Revamp a room Students will learn how to add new objects, color, and textures to redesign their special areas.
Grade level:
Grades 6 and up
Subjects:
Language Arts, Fine Art, Technology
Time needed:
3-4 class periods
Skills addressed:
Photomerge (optional)
Many tools from the Tool Box
Cookie Cutter Tool (Frame Shape)
Materials:
Computer
Digital Camera
Products Used: Adobe Photoshop® Elements 3.0
Objectives
Students will learn how much color and choice of objects can change an interior.
Students will learn how to use the Cookie Cutter tool to frame their digital images.
Students will learn to use the Styles and Effects Palette to add textures to their revamps.
Instructions
Have students take a digital photo of a space they would like to redecorate.
Students may have to use the Photomerge Panorama feature to get a complete image of a small bedroom.
File > New > Photomerge Panorama
The photo at the right used the Photomerge feature and the "Perspective" setting to get enough angle of the room.
The Crop tool was used to straighten the sides of the image.
Create a new tag under the Class Projects category.
Students will begin to take digital pictures of objects they would like to place in their room revamp.
The Room Revamp tag should be placed on these photos.
The class could take a number of digitals and share them using this method.
Use Collections if students would prefer to keep their objects to themselves.
Students should right click on a photo of an object and select Go to Standard Edit.
In this step, a student took a digital of her own artwork to use in the room revamp.
Use the Move tool to drag the object over to the photo of the room. The Move tool will also be used to reposition and resize the object. Artwork by Jackie Janowski
Students will continue to add objects. Their own digital shots would be good images to display in their room revamp. Digitals of flowers and pets are always good design resources.
Students could also use images imported from the Internet for this assignment.
Point out the Layers palette from the Window menu. Students must highlight the layer on which they want to work.
Importing square and rectangular images are easy for beginners. Usually they just need to be resized and repositioned using the Move tool.
Adding frames is always fun in a room revamp. Select a Swatch color that will show up in the bottom of the Tool box.
Open up a new document with 300 resolution.
Select the Cookie Cutter tool from the Tool Box.
Select "Frames" from the Custom Shape Picker. Students will choose the frame they like best.
Drag the cursor over the selected color. Hit the Cookie Cutter icon again and select Cut Shape when prompted.
Use the Move tool to drag the frame onto the selected picture. This tool will also be used to resize and reposition the frame over the corresponding image.
Advanced students can change the perspective of a frame to set on furniture. When the bounding box appears, using the Move tool, right click on the frame. Select "Skew" or another menu alternative like "Free Transform" and alter the frame for a much different angle. Using a different angle on the frame gives the frame a more three-dimensional appearance.
Students will need to use other tools to clean up more complicated objects.
Use the Eraser and Magic Wand tools to clean unwanted backgrounds around objects.
Use the Move tool to drag onto the room being revamped.
As students import objects, they may want to move them in front of another one.
Luckily, each object is on a layer and can be moved easily between other layers.
Layer > Arrange > Move
Forward or whatever works for
object placement
Students will use the Move tool for resizing and placement of the image.
Select the Magic Wand tool to select parts of the background to be painted or applied with a special effect.
On the Options Bar, students can choose to add or subtract from the initial area.
Window > Styles and Effects
Select a style or effect that works in the room revamp.
In this final example, the "Wood -Rose-wood" Effect was also applied.
Enhance > Auto Contrast was selected to minimize the harshness of the brickwork.
It is an absolute guarantee that students will come up with revamps that will surprise every teacher.
This project is great for language arts storytelling purposes and advanced technology and digital visual art assignments.
Credits
This lesson was created by educator and Adobe Master Teacher Barbara Delikaris.
Note: Lesson content is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Adobe Systems Incorporated assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this material.
Select the Cookie Cutter tool from the Tool Box.
