Section Information
Thursdays: 9:30am-12:30pm, PET 217 (section will be taught hands on in the lab)
Dates: 08/24 - 12/14
Required Final Exam: TUESDAY December 19th, 9 am - noon
Instructor: Barbara Heiman
Office Phone: 707-778-3999 x 9820 or 707-527-4999 x 9820
Web site with my schedule, office, and lab hours: http://online.santarosa.edu/homepage/bheiman
Email: bheiman@santarosa.edu
Lab Duty: Th 9-9:30 am and 12:30-2 pm.
Office Hour: Th 2:30-3:30 pm.
Official SRJC course outline, description, and catalog information for all sections of this course: This course for the Photoshop-experienced student explores Photoshop's advanced features in depth. You must have successfully completed CIS 73.31B or CIS 73.22 in order to take this class. Students who complete this class along with CIS 73.21 or CIS 73.22 may qualify for the (old) Adobe Certification Training in Photoshop Completion Certificate. Successful completion of this course also helps prepare students for the Adobe Photoshop Certified Expert Exam.
This section is taught in person, but you will be taking exams and submitting some of your work online to devote sa much class time as possible to Photoshop instruction. Our class web site may be unavailable 5-8 pm on Fridays, while CATE does its maintenance.
Description & Course Mechanics
Advanced Photoshop Concepts is a fast-paced, high level course designed to familiarize you with the majority of commands and features of Adobe Photoshop CS2. Nearly every topic on the Adobe Certified Experts exam in Photoshop will be covered. With the introduction of CS2, we can no longer cover all the material in a single semester. CIS 73.34, Fixing Images/Photoshop, and the new CIS 73.35 (to be introduced Spring 2007), Graphics Projs:Photoshop, complete the sequence.
Photoshop is such a complex application that you have probably forgotten or "missed" some skills and concepts from your beginning classes. Don't panic. The class materials review the basic information, and then add to it. The key to Photoshop is using the program. To give you both practice and creative expression, you will have a project to do nearly every week to practice that week's topic. You will submit your work online, and your work will be displayed to your classmates in project galleries. You will find that one of the most significant learning opportunities of the class is to see your classmates' projects.
Time Commitment
Be realistic about how much time this FOUR UNIT class takes. Budget yourself 6-8 hours a week to do the reading, experiment with the skills presented each week, and complete the projects, worksheets, and exams.
Assignment Submission
Many of your assignments will be turned in as a printed document. When you print, please print in color unless otherwise specified, and use photo-quality paper, not junk copy paper. You should have a manilla folder in which to submit your work. If you miss an assignment, turn it in directly to me the following week. Please do not give late printouts to lab staff or college personnel, or place in my box in the lab.
You will turn in many of your assignments online either by uploading the file to a specific web location (dropbox) or by completing an online form or quiz, depending on the assignment. If you cannot email an assignment because of technical difficulties, please phone or email me, so that you will not be penalized for late work.
Each exam is on a web page. When you take an exam, you get a message letting you know the test has been submitted and the quiz results. You will take a quiz at the end of the first week, so that you can get used to the process.
Class Sign-in
Before you can submit your first quiz or any other assignments, you will need to fill out the class sign-in form at the bottom of our official section homepage: http://online.santarosa.edu/section/?2088. Pick a short user name and password, as you will need to type them way too many times before the course is over. (I will have a list of everyone's user names and passwords, in case you have a problem. They are case-sensitive.) It may take me up to 48 hours to verify your sign-in and activate your account.
Site Navigation
- Home takes you to our "real" section homepage, this one, the one you should bookmark.
http://www.santarosa.edu/~bheiman/advps/sec2335.html - Schedule gives a summary of assignment names, due dates, and points possible. You will receive a printout of the schedule the first day of class. http://www.santarosa.edu/~bheiman/advps/tracker2335.html
- Assignments is the most important spot on the site. This page links to the details of what you should do each week. It lists the reading, assignment specifics, and links to files to download, quizzes and tests, and drop boxes to submit your Photoshop documents--typically in JPG format: http://www.santarosa.edu/~bheiman/advps/2334assign.html
- Instructor lets you send individual email to your instructor:
- Forum lets you view our class discussion forum, or post a message to the forum.
- Grades shows your grades. I only grade once a week, so your grades will not appear as soon as you post them-or may show a zero placeholder. When you look at your grades, be sure to scroll down to read my comments about your work.
- Feedback takes you to a form where you can anonymously let me know what does and doesn't work about the class. Only use this link for anonymous communication (one way). If you want an answer from me, email me directly.
Hardware
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Access to a personal computer, color printer, and modem that are capable of running Photoshop CS2 and Internet Explorer version 5 or higher or a comparable browser. Some students have had difficulty downloading files from Netscape or the AOL browser.
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You may either use your own computer equipment and Internet connection or come into the CIS lab in either Petaluma or Santa Rosa during lab hours to access course materials and complete coursework.
Software
- This class is taught on Adobe® Photoshop CS2®. We have up to date software in all the CIS computer labs.
- Email software – You can use any email program/utility that is capable of attaching documents to your outgoing email.
- A copy of Adobe Reader 7--or the full version of Adobe Acrobat 7. You can download the Reader for free from the Adobe site:
- Once you install your software, be sure to go to the Adobe web site and download and install the most recent updaters for both Photoshop and for Bridge, the file management application that accompanies Photoshop. If you don't install the new version of Bridge, you may experience frequent crashes and slowdowns.
If you choose to work at your own computer, you may purchase software at academic prices from the SRJC bookstore in Santa Rosa. Other sources for student software and books are JourneyEd.com, Creation Engine, and campustech.com. The most economic purchase is to buy the entire Adobe Studio Creative Suite if you plan on using any other applications bundled in the suite.Check hardware and software requirements before buying software. (Photoshop does not run well or at all on older computers or operating systems, and software is not returnable.)
If you have a lower version of Photoshop, you can either upgrade it or do those assignments that rely on the new features found in CS2 in the SRJC CIS lab, or somewhere else that has the latest software.
Mac: www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=2968
Windows: www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=2969
Textbooks
Required
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Advanced Photoshop CS2 Class Notes CD. 2006 Revision The CD is for sale in the SRJC bookstores in both Petaluma and Santa Rosa. The CD includes class notes, course project files, and examples of student work from previous examples. You cannot use an old notes CD from a previous semester, or the Photoshop 1 or 2 notes sold in the bookstore. Be sure to get the 2006 revision. If you started the course before and have an old CD, Barbara Heiman will exchange it for a current one at no charge. The bookstore will do no exchanges. |
Authored in InDesign CS2, the notes are in PDF format. If you don't have the entire CS2 suite with Acrobat 7, you will need the most recent version of Adobe Reader, a free download at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
To get you started, you can download Chapter 1 of the Photoshop Advanced Concepts CS2 Class Notes CD in pdf format (1 mb) and small versions of the sample files (zipped to about 500 kb) to follow along with the notes.
You may not print class notes, web pages or PDF documents in the CIS labs. If you want printouts and do not have your own printer, there are pay to print stations in the SRJC library in Petaluma and the CyBear Center in Santa Rosa.
Our textbook is Adobe Photoshop CS2 Studio Techniques, ISBN: 0321321898. You can either get to from the bookstore or elsewhere.
Recommended
- Real World Photoshop CS2, by David Blatner, Bruce Fraser, Publisher: Peachpit Press ISBN: 0321334116 .
- Photoshop CS2 Visual Quickstart Guide, Weinmann,Peachpit Press, ISBN: 0-321-33655-0.
Expectations
Due to the complexity of this course, regular participation is essential. If you "disappear" for three weeks, you will be dropped when midterm progress reports are issued. After midterm, you will fail for inactivity. Please put our section number, 2335, in the subject heading of each email you send. Any email sent incorrectly may be ignored!
Students are expected to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards www.santarosa.edu/admin/scs. Cell phones and text messaging devices should not be used in the classroom or lab.
Grading Criteria and Procedures
There are 435 possible points in the class. You MUST take the midterm and final exams and complete the Poster Project to receive credit in the course. Your grade for the class will be based on this scale:
A = 400 points (92%)
B = 365 points (84% )
C or Credit = 322 points (74%)
D = 278 points (64%)
Extra credit possibilities
- Discussion questions of the week (not given every week)
- Final 0nline review participation
- Other points may be ginen as the course proceeds.
Assignment Submission
You will turn in some assignments online either by uploading the file to a specific web location by drop box or by completing an online form or quiz, depending on the assignment. If you cannot email an assignment because of technical difficulties, please phone or email me, so that you will not be penalized for late work.
Grading
Nearly every time you upload project file, you will also fill out an online documentation form. This form goes into my electronic gradebook. IF YOU DON'T FILL OUT THE DOCUMENTATION FORM, I CANNOT GRADE YOUR ASSIGNMENT. NO CREDIT WITHOUT THE FORM.
If you submit both the assignment, and the form, and your gradebook shows a zero, that means I have not graded you yet. If I purposely give you a zero on an assignment, I will also put a comment in the gradebook explaining why you didn't get any points. If you get a positive comment from me, and your grade still shows zero, that means I forgot to enter your assignment points into the gradebook. If that happens, please email me so I can give you the points you earned.
Late Assignments
Advanced Photoshop Concepts is a very time-consuming class with at least two assignments due every week. Getting behind can seriously hamper your ability to catch up.
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Rather than penalizing for late work, I have periodic cutoff dates throughout the class. Extra Credit Discussion Question of the Week must be answered by the week after they are assigned, or you will not receive extra credit for them. I will only accept work for a given class segment, including quizzes and tests, through the cutoff date. |
How to Study for this Class
- Have realistic expectations.
You can’t do it all—use the notes as a guide. - Read ahead.
The primary reading is from the Studio Techniques book and the class notes. Be sure to read the weekly assignment before doing the class projects or taking quizzes. - Study general concepts.
Quizzes focus on material from the current week’s lecture and notes. - Please, please give us feedback. (Don't forget the Feedback link at the top of each page).
- There is a lot of material to cover, but we want you to feel successful, not unduly pressured. Photoshop should be fun!!!
Quizzes and Exams
You will take all your quizzes and tests online. Each exam is on a web page. You will need to provide your user name and password each time you take a quiz. When you take an exam, you get a message letting you know the test has been submitted and the quiz results. You will take a quiz at the end of Week 1, so that you can get used to the process.
Before you can submit your first quiz, you will need to fill out the class sign-in form at the end of our course section page, and wait a day or two while I verify your form.
If for some reason, you are unable to complete a scheduled test, you must make PRIOR arrangements to reschedule. No make-ups will be given without instructor approval prior to the exam date. If any exam is missed, a zero will be recorded as the score.
You are to take a quiz only once--and when you open a quiz, I expect you to complete it. I know when you are "peaking" ahead at a quiz and then taking it later. When you are taking a quiz, NEVER refresh your browser--that will give you an entirely different quiz. Instead, if your dial-up modem times out, just finish taking the quiz. When you click Submit at the end, your modem will reconnect and send the quiz to me. In some cases, you will get immediate feedback on how you did, but in other cases you will not. In any case, you will see a screen letting you know the assignment was submitted.
Lab
If you plan to do all of your work in the CIS lab (Petaluma or Santa Rosa), you will need:
- An email account
- Flash drives, Zip disks or writable CDs to hold your work.
We have fabulous screaming fast computers in all the CIS labs with flat panel monitors and CD writers!!!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can the class be taken CR/NC?
A. Yes, it can.
Q. Does it matter if I use a Mac or Windows computer for this class?
A. Photoshop is one of the best cross-platform software applications. You may use either platform.
Q. Can I complete the class if I have an older version of Photoshop?
A. No. You will need to be using Photoshop CS2. But, if you can do most of the assignments on Photoshop CS, and then come into lab for the assignments you cannot complete on CS.
Q. Does the class have any notes?
A. Yes. You need to buy the notes CD from the SRJC bookstore.
Q. How do I post to the class forum?
A. The forum is totally independent of the CATE system we use for quizzes and file uploading.
- The first time you use the forum, click the Register button, and give yourself a username and password. It would help me out if you used a user name that includes your first and last names, since it is hard for me to remember that RedFlame is really Susan Smith. If you already use the forum with a fun name, then please sign each email submission with your first and last names.
- Each time you want to post to one of the forums in the list, you will need to click Log In. If you forget, you will be prompted to log in when you try to submit. The forum for our class is named: CIS 73.23 Photoshop 3.
- If you want to reply to a forum post, click the Reply button so that we can keep our forum threads neat and easy to navigate.
Q. How do I prepare an image to send to my instructor via email?
A. Use File > Save for Web to save a low-resolution, web-optimized version of your (layered) PSD document.
- Check the Image Size tab. For your images, be sure your pixel dimensions are no larger than 600 pixels in their largest dimension so that your instructor and fellow students can view the entire image without scrolling. The specific instructions are in the first week's notes CD.
- The saved file size will be under 100kb, and hopefully under 50 kb.
- Save in either JPEG or GIF format. In most cases, JPEG will be better because the assignments are continuous tone images. Check the compression levels, to get the best compression you can without sacrificing screen quality.
- Name your file according to the assignment instructions.
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