PLUS plan 1

DIARY DAY 1:
Today I watched all the possible tutorials on Adobe which were very impressive and helpful. I had no idea there were so many opportunities to create on Dimension. I learned a lot and noted everything important that I thought I would forget at some point while creating.

Notes of the day:

- Starter asset -> libraries -> search mode: search Adobe Stock -> enter an item -> adjust filters (materials, models,...) -> add to library to save (+)

- x = red -> = to move object
y = green -o = to rotate object
z = blue -□ = to scale & stretch object

- If rearranged any object it's best to ↖ and click "align to scene"

- Camera bookmarks view: save any view (right top)

- Transfer materials with pipette

- Select part of a model with the "wand"icon

- SCENE -> ENVIRONMENT to adjust background reflection/lighting

- Match background to model by ACTIONS -> match image -> match camera perspective

- Export image from Dimension
1) right top "send out"icon 2) with to render mode -> export

TESTING OUT THE SHAPES & MATERIALS

DIARY DAY 2:
Today I watched some YouTube tutorials which gave me a great short overview of the full process. Afterwards I started experimenting with the shapes, backgrounds, materials, lighting and so on. I did this for almost the whole afternoon and when I had something going wrong I fixed it immediately.

Notes of the day:

- When you can't put a background onto a model and it says something about being in a parametric mode, just transfer it to standard models by clicking on the shape and going to ACTIONS -> Convert to standard model (the fifth icons)

MOUNTAIN LIGHT - KIDS LAMP #1

EXPERIMENTING & UNDERSTANDING

DIARY DAY 3:
Today I was supposed to start actually designing. I didn't have any inspiration this morning which is why I started by watching some YouTube videos on Dimension which inspired me a lot. (I love Dansky on YouTube) He used the glowing material on Dimension which made me want to experiment with lamp design. I started experimenting with the shapes and ended up turning it into an abstract mountainside. The lighting loops around it and cuts off where the loop "runs into" the mountains. The mountains are colored a light subtle blue and the light source is white.The torus (loop light source)represents the roads or rivers that pass around the mountains. The next two days I'm going to design two more kids lamps that compliment this one.

DESERT LIGHT - KIDS LAMP #2

DIARY DAY 4:
Today I decided to design the second kids lamp for my series of three. After yesterday I wanted to continue with the earth theme and go with different kind of environments on this planet. This morning I started designing for a desert inspired lamp by including pyramid shapes that represent that environment very clearly in my opinion. The pyramid shape is a matte light sand color and the light source that passes though those shapes is colored white. The shapes of the light source are supposed to represent the abstract lines you can find in the desert (close up and zoomed out).

BOAT LIGHT & ISLAND LIGHT - KIDS LAMP #3-#4

DIARY DAY 5:
Today I continued with the theme and wanted to end it by working on the subject "ocean" that way it concludes the kids lamp project. This morning I created this boat lamp with complementary colors. The light source is colored red normally but for some reason when I render it, the color doesn't show up. A normal white light would make it fit better with the other lamps though, so I don't really mind. After I designed that one I decided I wasn't too sure about it so I created another one. Afterwards I could decide which one I preferred and fitted better with the ocean theme of the day and of course the other lamps as well. In the afternoon I designed an island lamp, the light source is white colored trunk of the palm tree. After I created both I still can't figure out which one I prefer, I will take a look at it Sunday to let it all sink in and then decide which one of the kids lamps I like the most.

To conclude this first week I would like to further explain my idea. After taking a look at all Dimension had to offer I decided on an earth theme and designing kids lamps because of the incredible "glow" material you could give to any model to make it light up. I went with the subjects: mountains, desert and ocean. I wanted to make them playful and somewhat cliché applying aspects of these subjects that are easily associated to the themes I wanted to accomplish. I also tried to include the three primary colors by associating them with an environment on earth. These lights are only concepts and are minimalistic designs. I did have a lot of fun designing this week and can now confidently use a new program within Creative Cloud.

WEEK 2 PHOTOSHOP

DIARY DAY 1:
Today I had a full day of watching tutorial after tutorial. I already know so much more then I did this morning but there is clearly so much more to learn about the program. I am definitely going to continue watching videos tomorrow and see where it brings me.

Notes of the day:

- Shortcut zoom in -> command +
Shortcut zoom out -> command -

- Edit (in the top bar) -> step forward or step backward
-> OR history panel in Window (top bar)

- Resizing -> Image (top bar) -> image size -> click "resample"

- Resolution -> Image (top bar) -> image size -> don't click resample

- More space around the image? -> Image (top bar) -> canvas size

- See layers -> Windows (top bar) -> click "layers"

- Resize a layer? -> click on layer you want -> edit (top bar) -> free transform

- Add image -> file (top bar) -> place embedded

- Fill a background layer -> edit (top bar) -> fill -> select color

- Brightness & contrast -> image -> adjustments -> brightness & contrast
---> want to see a before and after? -> click on the preview box

- Color vibrance -> 1) image (top bar) -> adjustments -> vibrance (better for skin color)
2) image (top bar) -> adjustments -> saturation

- Bottom right -> you can view all possible adjustments

- You can select a specific part of the image by using the 'square icon' to only adjust that part BUT you can also adjust everything except the selected part by -> select (top bar) -> inverse
----> END by -> select (top bar) -> deselect (command D)

- Lasso helps quickly selecting -> when it selects to much, hold down the 'option' key on keyboard and drag/deselect

- Select -> select & mask to perfect a selected item

INCORPORATING THE KIDS LAMPS INTO A REAL ENVIRONMENT

DIARY DAY 2:
Today I watched a lot of other videos. Later I had a call with Karlijn who advised me to start by incorporating the kids lamps into an actual environment to have a better vision of the full concept. I struggled with that for a little while but ended up creating 4 room setups.

Notes of the day:

- When you want to "erase" a part of the image -> select the layer -> click on
(right bottom) to create a layer mask
-> with the painting tool select the color black and with that color erase everything you don't want (afterwards -> edit -> free transformation to change size)

- Filter -> filter gallery

- File -> place linked to import picture

INCORPORATING THE VISUAL INSPO AND SUPPORTING TERMS

DIARY DAY 3:
After two days of watching tons of tutorials I decided on a few techniques I wanted to try out and apply to my project. I fully focussed on trying as many different aspects today. Some look better then others but I feel like that's all part of the process. As long as I notice and acknowledge my mistakes I can change them next time.

HOW TO:

1) make a colored layer of your choice by selecting the background layer clicking on a color and using the bucket icon to fill the background

2) the second layer is your text layer; choose a font and the size of your chosen word or sentence

3) Edit -> gekoppelde plaatsen : add the picture you want to peek through the letters

4) command, option, G to make the picture stand behind the letters and the background

5) IF you want a part of the picture to 'come out' of the letters you need to do command, J
---> select a part with the brush quick selection tool
---> and make it a layer by clicking here
---> select both under layers and edit -> free transformation to move it around

This is how your layer panel should look:

YouTube tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zekjf28pb7M