Design Daze (F23)

Sep. 6 | Introduction to AI-Enhanced Image Editing (Explore user-friendly AI-powered image editing tools)

AI can make your editing experience better, faster, and stronger.  We’ll examine tools like Adobe Sensei, Pixlr AI, or Luminar AI for tasks like object removal, sky replacement, or portrait enhancements, making your photo editing process more efficient.  

Sep. 13 | Exploring AI-generated art. 

What is art?  Tools like DeepArt, RunwayML, or ArtBreeder utilize AI algorithms to generate unique and artistic visuals. We’ll experiment with style transfer, image synthesis, or AI-assisted creativity to create your own AI-generated artwork, and we’ll ask the question – is this art, and who owns it…?.

Sep. 20 | Exploring AI in Virtual Reality (VR) 

Explore AI-driven applications in VR, such as AI-powered NPCs (non-player characters), intelligent virtual environments, and immersive storytelling.  What impact will these technologies have on each other, and on education?

Sep. 27 | Designing for Print (color management, file preparation, and pre-press considerations)

Your printer doesn’t want to yell at you.  You can assist them with this by designing your documents with printing in mind right from the start.  Believe it or not there are a huge number of considerations that printers face when it comes to making a digital document physical.  Knowing these can help you better design your prints.

Oct. 4 | Adding Flare to Posters (working with LED controllers and integrated sound)

In this session we’ll work with single board computers like an Arduino Uno to set up a basic light show!  You’ll learn the basics of coding LEDs to turn on and off, and how to wire basic circuits that can be used to make poster presentations more interesting.  We’ll also cover some possible extension activities like adding sound and motors to create even more options. 

Oct. 25 | Typography and Layout Design (creating visually appealing documents) 

Creating posters, presentations, and pamphlets that are attractive is not as easy as it looks.  In this session we’ll dive into some design fundamentals to discuss how to make the documents that you’re creating stand out from the rest.  We’ll examine things like selecting type faces, color theory, and more.  

Nov. 1 | Guess that Sound (Intro to Foley + Sound Effects)

Interested in capturing your own sound effects?  In this Design Daze we’ll record some sounds using equipment available for rent through the Digital Learning and Media Center.  We’ll also cover the basics of good recording practices, and talk about how to capture sounds that simulate other sounds (think clapping coconuts for horse galloping).  

Nov. 8. | Prototyping with Figma (Collaborative design for mobile apps and websites)

Thinking about creating a prototype, business, or service that requires marketing?  Figma can help you to easily mock up and create visuals to begin a brand.  We’ll demonstrate how you can simply create a visual that can be handed to a web design professional or application specialist to use as a template for building your site or app.

Nov. 15 | Visual Storytelling (techniques to communicate narratives effectively through visual elements)

Telling a story is one of the most effective ways to deliver information to an audience.  Telling stories can also be hard.  We’ll workshop the process of storytelling from storyboarding to post production distribution of your visual narrative and everything between.  No experience with video or audio required.  

Nov. 29 | Making Custom Keychains (3d printing)

Interested in 3D Printing, but have no idea how to start?  In this Design Daze we’ll get the basics of learning 3D modeling software, and we’ll take an object that we create and begin the 3D printing process.  This session will require a free account registration with TinkerCAD.  

Design Daze (S23)

Wednesdays 3:00PM-4:30PM

Digital Learning and Media Center, 5th Floor, Case-Geyer Library

Feb 1 | Creating 3D Objects (Intro to 3D Modeling and Printing): In this session we will take a journey from having an idea for a 3D object to beginning the physical print process.  We’ll cover how to create 3D models using simple online software (TinkerCAD), and demo a couple of advanced options.  We’ll then talk about how to slice your model for printing using free software (FlashPrint 5) and how to operate the public 3D printers outside of the Digital Learning and Media Center in Case-Geyer.

Feb 8 | Make a Digital Copy of You (Introduction to Photogrammetry)  Interested in having a 3D bust of yourself that you can share or 3D print?  In this session we’ll show you some applications and tools that you can use to scan yourself, your favorite figurine, or other objects to make 3D models.  We’ll also show you places that you can upload to for sharing and storage!

Feb 15 | Filming Tik Tok Style (Shooting Short Format Creator Vids) Chop Chop, Swoop, Sizzle.  In this session we’ll take a look at how to edit quick TikTok videos using the external editor CapCut.  As an example, we’ll make a quick cooking video with sound effects and filters – and then you’ll have a chance to film and edit your own clips!

Feb 22 | Your Drawings IRL (Introduction to AR) Ever sketch something and want to see how it would look as wall art or a building mural?  In this session we’ll quickly create a piece of abstract art and then view it in AR through Adobe’s Illustrator to Aero workflow.  Participants may wish to bring a mobile device or tablet for this session (not required).

Mar 1 | Liquefying Peoples Faces (Still Image Manipulation) With AI it is now possible to take a photo of someone frowning and make them smile with just two clicks.  In this session we will work with still and moving images and explore some of the new tools in Adobe’s Photoshop and After Effects and how they can be used for good, and potentially nefarious purposes.

Mar 8 | Erase All Traces (Object Removal in After Effects)  In this session take a look at how to remove objects or people from video footage!  We’ll use Adobe’s Sensei AI in After Effects to not just remove someone or something, but to interpret the image and fill in the gap automatically.  A discussion of the uses, positive and negative, will follow.

Mar 22 | Designing Your Own Logo (Intro to Adobe Illustrator)  Using Adobe Illustrator we’ll cover the basics of creating logo and brand art.  This will be a general introduction to Illustrator – no experience is necessary.

Mar 30 | Adding Pizzazz to Posters (Working with LEDs and Arduino/SBCs) In this session we’ll work with single board computers like an Arduino Uno to set up a basic light show!  You’ll learn the basics of coding LEDs to turn on and off, and how to wire basic circuits that can be used to make poster presentations more interesting.  We’ll also cover some possible extension activities like adding sound and motors to create even more options.

Apr 5 | Guess that Sound (Capturing Sound Effects/Foley) Interested in capturing your own sound effects?  In this Design Daze we’ll record some sounds using equipment available for rent through the Digital Learning and Media Center.  We’ll also cover the basics of good recording practices, and talk about how to capture sounds that simulate other sounds (think clapping coconuts for horse galloping).

Apr 12 | Developing Custom Maps (Creating and Distributing QGIS Maps) Interested in learning how to create and print custom maps?  We’ll cover how to create both large and small scale maps that can be used as part of larger projects, presentations, or 3D printed for analysis.  We’ll also take a look at how to import data from various government and non-profit sources to help your maps tell a story or further your research.

Apr 19 | Informative Infographics (Creating and Printing Infographics) We’re going to make a better poster!  Infographics show your data in more interesting ways – so why not give them a try?  We’ll cover how best to layout your infographic, and talk through design choices that will make your information more easily understood.

Apr 26 | The World in 360 (Shooting and Editing 360 Footage) Grab a 360 camera and shoot some footage!  We’ll cover tips and tricks for capturing with 360 cameras and take a look at how to best edit the footage that you capture.  The Digital Learning and Media Center will provide some 360 cameras for you to try, so bring ideas on what you’d like to film!