Project Overview
There are two parts to this activity: the project and the Maker’s Reflection.
Please read the prompt and guidelines for the project and begin working on it.
Before beginning your project, you can plan it out and sketch it in your Maker Notebook. Then, create your project. Once you are done, you will follow the instructions at the bottom of this post to create the Maker’s Reflection document. Once you’re done, show an instructor your entry.
Please focus on making sure these projects are solid and well documented. Completing and documenting your projects is required for DHF Membership.
Project Prompt
IMPORTANT: Please read this ENTIRE section before starting!
Please use the following prompt to guide your project:
Prompt: Create Pixel Sprites
Using GIMP, you will create four enemy sprites for four different environments – a cave, a swamp, a tundra, and a forest. Along with a demonstration of creativity, we expect your design to reflect the following skills:
- Pixel Art Toolbar Presets: Eraser and Pencil
- Resized canvas with transparent background
- Properly sized canvas for Pixel Art
- Multiple colors: Shading and Dithering are bonuses!
- Layering: If applicable, demonstrate layering knowledge
Prompt (Bonus!): Logo Art
Using GIMP, design a logo or splash (intro) screen for a future Scratch game.
Your project should meet the following criteria:
- Pixel Art Toolbar Presets: Eraser and Pencil
- Resized canvas with a transparent background
- Properly sized canvas for Pixel Art
- Multiple colors: Shading and Dithering are bonuses!
- Layering: Demonstrate layering knowledge
REMEMBER:
- Save your work!
- The first time you save your project, use the File -> Save As option and give your document a name and save it to the “Documents” folder instead of the default location. While you are working, save your work every once in a while under File -> Save. When you are all done, upload the work to Google Drive.
- Take screenshots!
- You can create screenshots to document your project as you’re working as well as upload the final product. This is a good skill to practice as you’ll want to get in the habit of documenting a project as you’re working on it. Also, feel free to take pictures of any sketches that you’ve done in your Maker Notebook!
Maker’s Reflection
First, you’ll need to create a Google Document for your Maker’s Reflection. Here are the steps to do this:
- Log in with your DHF email address if you aren’t already.
- Navigate to Google Drive. Since you’re already logged in with your email, you’ll be taken directly to your personal drive.
- Select My Drive from the left sidebar and open up the course drive folder
- Locate (and click to open) your cohort folder and find (and open) the folder with your name on it. In this example, Steph’s sample folder is selected:
- Open the Graphic Design folder:
- Once in the folder, click the New button in the top left corner:
- Click the “Google Docs” option from the drop-down menu to create a document:
- Name the document like the example: “Maker’s Reflection – Graphic Design – FirstInitialLastName – 16-T3”
Answer these 3 questions in your reflection.
- What was the project prompt?
- What is your project?
- Why did you make this project?
Then, choose at least 2 from the list below to respond to.
- How did you plan or prototype your project before starting?
- How did you make it? What was your process? What steps did you follow?
- What problems or challenges did you face?
- How did you overcome any challenges and solve problems that you met?
- What would you do differently next time?
- What would you tell someone else who was going to make this project?
- What did you like best about your project?
- How would you make it better?