Research

What is libre graphics?

Libra Graphics encompasses free and open source software applications that are used by designers and artists to create graphics. They not only provide an alternative to other programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, but allow the user to be part of a movement which is becoming more and more popular and that becomes part of practice, not just a use of tools.

Video about scale

During the workshop we watched a video called powers of ten which is all about scaling. At the start it uses a scene which 1 metre wide and then pans out to a square 10 X the size. From then on every 10 seconds its further out and the square is 10 X the size of the previous square. Eventually it goes from a picnic scene to 100 million light years away.

In this worksop we are learning all about scale. We were asked to take an image and scale a part of this image. I found it interesting how quickly you can get away from the original scene just by scaling it 10 X. It made the picnic seem so insignificant to everything else.

Task-

Using both Gimp and Inkscape we want you to now think about an object and how you can scale it to the Universe. In Gimp we would like you to choose an image to use in and in Inkscape to create your own object. For both of these we would like you to create a poster. Think about:
• How does it scale?
• What Universe?
• What about scaling the space around it?
• How can we use our tools in an interesting way?

As this module is all about open source it is important to use images that you are entitled to use and that are completely free. Using google i have worked out how to make sure that the image i use for the first task is free to use and modify.

Using the technique above i have made sure i am within the legal boundaries and not committing any offences. By clicking th "labeled for reuse with modification tab" i can now modify this image and start designing a poster and designs

Initial Designs & Experiments

For my first attempt at this task i have taken an image of a leaf. I chose a leaf because i think it has interesting patterns. The main reason i chose a leaf was because it has veins and pathways just like the human body does and also the world and so this works well with the scale to the universe aspect of the task

STEPS TAKEN

-Zoomed in on an area of the leaf

-Went to Colour and changed the brightness, contrast and levels
(this made the lines more apparent)

-Then navigated to Filters, Artistic, cubism.

Using the steps explained above and with the pictures to the left i have created a very aesthetically pleasing visual effect.
The result of this image is very strong because it takes you away from the fact that its a leaf and could become many more things such as a map of the world, a the human circulatory system. By scaling this image it has become more than just a leaf and so ties in with Scaling to the universe
If i were to develop this idea further i could possibly take a road map and use the same cubism effect, i can imagine they would both look very similar. The whole idea of this design is pathways. Many pathways connect things together. As this leaf connects each vein to each other to carry water, the roads of the world connect people together and we also transport objects through these paths

LEAF

Original Image

STEPS TAKEN

-First i loaded the image to GIMP

-I then simply used the free select tool to
outline the lines mouth and then copy and pasted the selection.

-I then enlarged the mouth slightly using the scale tool

Next Step

After i had selected the lions mouth and separated it from the rest of the image, i realised the shape of the mouth had a particular shape that replicated that of a butterfly. So my next step was to duplicate the lions mouth which i did by just simply re pasting the image again. I then aligned these images symmetrically next to each other to create the illusions of a butterfly. This connects with brief because all living things are important, it doesn't matter what size they are. So i have taken i large killing machine and turned it into a delicate small butterfly to represent this. By scaling this image it has exposed a completely different aspect to to it. Its one which i did not intend to happen
but through experimentation it has been created.

Different Filter Experimentation

STEPS TAKEN

STEPS TAKEN

STEPS TAKEN

-First i selected the lions mouths to make
sure i only edited that area
-Then i clicked filter, Artistic, Glass tile

I don't like the way this filter has made the image look
and i also want it the image to completely get way from the fact its a lions mouth and so only under close inspection people can see what it originally was

-First i selected the lions mouths to make
sure i only edited that area
-Then i clicked filter, Artistic, Oilify

I really like the design this filter has created however
it still clearly shows that its 2 lions mouths put together
and doesn't create a different enough image from the original

-First i selected the lions mouths to make
sure i only edited that area
-Then i clicked filter, render, clouds, difference clouds

I think this filter has made it look very unprofessional
and looks like the clouds have just been inverted. This
experimentation has taught me what this filter can do and so next time i can use it in the correct situation

Development

The first thing i did in the development stage was use the colours tab to change the brightness and contrast. This made the colours more vibrant and stood out more. This will help the design later on in the process.

I have taken an effect i found when i was experimenting with my initial ideas. The cubism effect has an amazing outcome. The way it merges some of the colours and obscures the image really makes it stand out. This cubism effect takes the attention away from the lions mouth and makes it look more like a butterfly which is something I wanted to achieve and have done. Initially when people look at this design they will see a gentle small butterfly, However under closer inspection it is a very different story. Although the task was about literally scaling, i have also produced a metaphorical scale, the difference between a lions mouth and a butterfly is huge.

Now that I have designed the main focus of the poster it is time to actually turn it into one.

I copied the layer of the butterfly and filled one of the lanes in grey to replicate a shadow in order to give the photo some depth and realism

OUTCOME

By adding a gaussian blur to the shadow it has made it more realistic and less over powering. It gives it depth but in a very subtle way

The idea of this mini brief was Scaling to the universe, i have taken an image of a lion and scaled on the mouth and created a new image out of it. As i mentioned before although the brief may have meant literally scale the image which i have done however i have also used a metaphorical scale. The lions mouth and a butterfly are very contrasted, ones a killing machine and the other is a very delicate, peaceful bug. These 2 things are very distant/ far way from each other. I have literally and metaphorically scaled to the universe

Explanation

Task-

Using both Gimp and Inkscape we want you to now think about an object and how you can scale it to the Universe. In Gimp we would like you to choose an image to use in and in Inkscape to create your own object. For both of these we would like you to create a poster. Think about:
• How does it scale?
• What Universe?
• What about scaling the space around it?
• How can we use our tools in an interesting way?

Initial Designs & Experiments

One of the first things i experimented with was text, using different tools i manage to create a cool effect. I made the text a path and it made it possible to edit each individual part of the text.

Using inkscape i have created my own image in order to get familiar with the tools etc. It is very different to photoshop which is the main programme i use and so its taken a while to get use to it. At the moment i think my designs are very simple but good however still helping me understand the world of inkscape.

Outcomes

More Libre Graphics

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All Libre Graphics Outcomes

The first step i took was to get a free image of tree bark. I chose tree bark because i feel it has unpredictable patterns and is very interesting when look at in detail

Libre Graphics Final Piece

The idea of this mini brief was Scaling to the universe,
i have taken an image of a lion and scaled on the mouth and created a new image out of it. As i mentioned before although the brief may have meant literally scale the image which i have done however i have also used a metaphorical scale. The lions mouth and a butterfly are very contrasted, ones a killing machine and the other is a very delicate, peaceful bug. These 2 things are very distant/ far way from each other. I have literally and metaphorically scaled to the universe.