[Samione]

I'm currently studying A2 graphics at college, and seem to be using quite alot of 'explicit' images, i'm just wondering what my limits are? I've been called up for using expletives, and had to explain myself, but i'm doing some new stuff that is a bit more 'distasteful'. Anyone had an experience with this?

[Shiro]

I haven't had any experience in this matter, but I still have some advice on the matter.

In life you are judged by people. If their judgement doesn't matter to you, then its safe to do whatever you want. But if their judgment does matter to you, then its in your own best interests to pander do them. In school its teachers, in work its the bosses and customers, and if you get married its your significant other. You don't have to pander to them 100% of the time, but the level to which you do pander to them is relative to the amount you care about their judgement on you.

So if your grades in school aren't that important, and just graduating is, then you can probably continue in the same vein without worry, as you will most likely still graduate if your work is decent enough. But if getting good grades is important to you, then its probably best to not use explicit images and words and reconsider your approach.

[Hunch]

Depends where you study I guess. One of my all time favourite work related memories is the back when I was interviewing candidates for a new design position at a big ad agency (first letter S, rhymes with Archie). After a few fairly uninspiring portfolios, in walks a very pretty young girl, fresh out of college and after about 20 minutes of chat I say "Ok, let's have a look at your portfolio then". So she opens up her leather case and spreads out in front of me a series of large prints of her completely naked, in a series of highly explict S&M type scenes (wrapped in barbed wire, tied to a chair etc.)

Back then junior design candidates were lucky if someone gave half a glance at their portfolio, but after I went upstairs and told some of the other guys what I'd just seen, everyone from the intern to the Art Director suddenly discovered an urgent need to examine her work.

Sadly she didn't get the job. She wasn't quite what we were looking for at the time. But I'm pretty sure she had a 2.1 degree, so her college obviously didn't have a problem with it.

[illvibe]

Classic.

[Samione]

Grades aren't import to me anymore. I've learned that atleast in England, visual arts courses are entirely bullshit, and you can easily blag any grade you want so long as you listen when your teacher tells you exaclty what ridiculous criteria the examiner wants to see. I'm much more concerned with doing something i'm proud of, and putting together a decent portfolio. The thing is though, the explicit images are part of my final project, and so will be part of my portfolio when I go for interviews for university etc.

Here's one of the images i'm planning on using, i've got some more ideas in the pipeline;



It's not mega explicit but it does seem a little disturbed, would it be wise of me not to include that in a portfolio?

[Dusteh]

You might get a job at Sugarape.

[Samione]

Originally Posted by Dusteh

You might get a job at Sugarape.

Who/what are they?

[Coops]

The kerning's disturbing.

[Samione]

Originally Posted by Coops

The kerning's disturbing.

I don't even know how to change that, the box is always greyed out in PS.

[sub]

Originally Posted by Samione

I don't even know how to change that, the box is always greyed out in PS.

Select the text first.

You shouldn't be using PhotoShop for type setting.

[Samione]

Originally Posted by sub

Select the text first.

You shouldn't be using PhotoShop for type setting.

I have selected the text, nothing happens :/

As a student, I don't have access to anything else. Atleast not at my college.

[Coops]

Highlight the text first (not just select)...

[Samione]

Originally Posted by Coops

Highlight the text first (not just select)...

Yeah that's what i've done, every time I change the kerning value it just snaps back to 0.

I can change from optical to metrics but that's it - this if I don't actually highlight the text aswell.

[Herr Kurm]

Are you sure there isnt a copy of Illustrator laying around?

[Samione]

Originally Posted by Herr Kurm

Are you sure there isnt a copy of Illustrator laying around?

Positive, they tried to install a trial version on ONE computer in our graphics room, but the IT people are useless and couldn't even get that to fucking work! They didn't give us any copies of any software for us to use at home.

[Coops]

It can't be 0. It looks more like -200.

[Coops]

Hang on - are you looking at the correct variable on the character palette?

[Samione]

Originally Posted by Coops

It can't be 0. It looks more like -200.

Tracking is -75, kerning is 0. I can put kerning up to 5000 and it still looks the same.

Is illustrator better for typesetting then?

[Tom_E]

Originally Posted by Samione

I can put kerning up to 5000 and it still looks the same.

It sounds like you are highlighting all the text and trying to adjust the kerning. That won't achieve anything because kerning is the space between individual characters only, it will do nothing on blocks of text. Tracking is used for blocks/words/lines of text.

Therefore kerning will only work when you are in between two characters.

If they haven't taught you this maybe you should find another college!

Or buy a book on basic typography.

Here's a good one:

Type & Typography

PS is not really the place for typography, PS is for image editing/creation.
InDesign/Illustrator are the place to be because of the specific typographic tools that they provide.

Hope this helps.

[Herr Kurm]

Originally Posted by Tom_E

Type & Typography

This book is tits!