Geometric Avatar for Website Portfolio

Examples of student work:





 







This lesson is part of your Website Portfolio. The purpose of the Geometric Avatar is to create a online identity or personal logo. The Geometric Avatar creation is to protect you from being recognized as a real person.


Module 5- Geometric Avatar

Instructions for the Lesson:

Before you begin your Geometric Avatar you will need to view the slide show linked below and answer the five questions that go with it. Please download the Geometric Avatar Worksheet at the bottom of this post.

Avatar Slideshow
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/06/15/magazine/20070617_AVATAR_SLIDESHOW_1.html

Next, you will follow the directions to create your Geometric Avatar. Please make sure that your selfie is no bigger that eight by ten inches otherwise you will have problems with the size. To edit the size of your picture, open it in Preview and go to Image, scroll down to Image Size and make yours 8 inches by 10 inches. Make sure the units are in inches and save.




Once you have your Selfie sized you will open up Illustrator and create a New File 8 inches by 10 inches. Next, you will got to File than Place than select your Selfie (File > Place > (choose picture)). Once your selfie is placed with the first layer you find the Layers Pallet if it is not up by clicking on Window > Layer. Next, you will add a new layer by clicking on the piece of paper next to the trash icon on the Layers Pallet.

This is what the file should look like with when you have placed the
Selfie. Note that there is already a second layer. Note the fill is
transparent and fill is white.
Making sure you are on the Layer 2. You will begin using the Pen Tool to create your geometric shapes. You will need to set the Pen stroke to 1 and white while the fill is transparent. Try to follow the shapes you see and make sure that you use your pen tool to make sure that each line connects to each other to make a shape. Remember that if you are having trouble with your pen tool not connecting to deselect all by holding down the command, shift and a key. It will release all the lines for you to make new ones. And command > z will undo your last command.

Layer 1 has been hidden to better show the geometric shapes and lines
created. All the lines have been selected with the selection tool.
In order for my geometric shapes and lines to become a pattern I needed
to go to Object >  Group and than Object> Path.
One you have paths and groups you will need to convert it to live paint so you can
paint. Go to Object than Live Paint than Make. You will know if you have been successful
making it Live Paint as your shapes and lines will become a brighter red.
Once you have all the lines made into live paint you will be able to use the live paint bucket tool to choose your colors. By clicking on the original image on Layer 1 you will use the eyedropper tool to find different colors of your face. Once you have selected a color you want you will click on the Layer 2 so it is highlighted in the Layers Pallet and you will paint with the live paint bucket. Try a variety of colors to get the look you want.

If you can not find the Live Paint Bucket
click k
or find it under the Shape Tool Builder.


Now select the whole picture, click Expand on the top tool bar (so it is no longer a Live Paint Object) and make the stroke color transparent (the white lines should now disappear). 



If you have time add hair, clothing and a background. Please use new layers for each new addition to you design just in case you want to edit.



Once you are done you will need to take a screen shot (command, shift and 4) and rename your screenshot to yourname_Avatar and drop in the dropbox (http://skylinehsgraphicdesign1.blogspot.com/p/dink-box-drop-box.html) along with the original Illustrator file once APPROVED.

To download the worksheets please click on the title you need: Geometric Avatar Worksheet, Geometric Avatar Checklist and Geometric Avatar Rubric.