Class:MFA Illustration 2026/Week 3

Last Week

• Intro to Gear
• Intro to healthy computer habits
• First Assignment

This Week

• Medium is the Massage project review
• Introduction to scanning & possibly tips for using your phones.
• Introduction to proper scan preparation for Photoshop illustration work.

Notes

• RGB? CMYK?
• Photoshop Brushes

Image Compression Stuff

• https://fixthephoto.com/tiff-vs-jpeg.html

Photoshop Stuff

• The Ruler tool
• http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/family/
• http://photoshoptips.net/
• http://morris-photographics.com/photoshop/shortcuts/

Photoshop Key Commands

• http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop/cs/using/WSD578BD7D-07BC-46f6-AAC2-6E491E8AD818a.html

Adobe Global Key Commands

• Spacebar = pan
• Spacebar - Command = Zoom In
• Spacebar - Command - Option = Zoom Out
• F = toggles through view modes
• Command + ; = hide guides
• Bigger Brush - ]
• Smaller Brush - ]

The Scan Prep Color Process

• Photoshop Prep Color Scanned Drawings

Assignment

• Assignment: 5-Part Illustration — Start on paper! Scan and composite at least FIVE drawings to create a brand-new 6” by 6” digital illustration.
• Your prompt is: “fall” — interpret it any way you like. Fall as in autumn? Falling down? Totally up to you. The only rule: your composition must be built from at least five separate drawn-on-paper and scanned into Photoshop, visual elements.

• Review the techniques and videos from class this week. Use the techniques introduced & reinforced in class to create one composited 6" x 6" colored digital illustration.
• This technique specifically:
• You will upload one layered Photoshop file (and any related working files, scans, etc...) for class next week.

Process

• Draw no less than 5 separate parts/pieces which will be assembled into one composition.
• All of your core parts/pieces must be drawn by hand and scanned using the techniques shown in class. You can augment it with things drawn digitally in Procreate, Fresco, Illustrator or similar tools. (you will have to disclose this in the review).
• Yes, you can hand-draw and scan all the parts if you prefer.
• At least one part/piece should be a "background"
• Scan and prep each hand-drawn part/piece as independent items.
• Bring all the parts/pieces that you wish to use into one file, and compose an illustration.
• Create your final 6" x 6" composition by assembling. You can scale, rotate, recolor, and duplicate your parts/pieces; you can use any variation or Photoshop techniques you wish.

• I expect to see clean, intentional scanning at a good resolution — use class techniques, not phone photos.
• Anywhere between 1200 - 2400 ppi recommended.
• Pro tip: You should not need tons of blend modes. Keep it clean. Use Multiply only when you actually want a blend mode.

Bring and upload for class next week

1. One LAYERED Photoshop file of your completed illustration
2. If you wish to additionally make a flat .png version of your layered file, that's fine to add.
3. The scans of your parts/pieces must be in your project folder.
4. Whatever additional files you used to make parts (Procreate, Fresco, Illustrator, etc...), also in the project folder

• Upload your original scans AND your layered Photoshop source file to the Google Drive folder: (Link will be posted)