Modest day. As a notice: there aren't any entries over this weekend. I'm back home during the course of Saturday and partly Sunday, and these do not take place at University of which the blog is about.
At 7:00am roughly, I got a call from my sister Holly with a request - she needed some money for today. (We both tend to hit financial rough spots) I hulked out of bed somewhat still dazed and went onto RBS. Annoyingly, I had to reset my freaking login details because either I somehow forgot them or the system was being a prune.
Eventually, it was sorted out.
And hey, I was up now. 7:00am, like I always wanted! Good times, so I woke myself with tea and toast.
...then I went to snooze. I got up again at 11am, for the 12pm session. It doesn't help that the bantering that goes on most nights 'till 3:00 in the morning keep me up. (That and last night, I had to shower THREE times)
At Jon's session, things got intriguing with Photoshop. On the first task, we had to use the clone stamp to replicate a third-eye on a rubber ducky (which Jon tidbits that it came with orders on Photoshop back in the 90s) Following along with the practice on Clone Stamp was to erase a, uh, Duckagator from the image via stamping the background over it. Next up was using the Healing Brush - a tool I hadn't actually used ever - to fix a woman of her spores and spots in a photo. Asked Jon if this is what Journalism and Fashion students are taught. He shrugged, "I guess so!" Also explained were the Dodge and Burn tools. I find these to be sinful, as do all poncy Photoshop purists.
Finally, we were run through the new adjustment features on CS4 and upwards. These are the run-of-the-mill editiing tools you have for digital photography; exposure, contrast, vibrance and the like, but displayed more coherently in the interface. What's nice is, from what I can understand, is that they are now not 'destructive'. It's not the image being ruined, no, but the adjustments do not edit the photograph or images as 'final'. I'm a little too tired to explain it all, but iPhoto on the Mac does something similar. I tried adjusting one of my crappier photographs taken in Japan, typically to no real avail.
For the second part of the session today, we were shown a part of Photoshop that somehow I never even noticed - animation. It spawns its own bar at the bottom. The...method of it sounds a little convoluted, though. From what I tried to do, it was making multiple layers for each frame, and then turning the visibility for every other layer of aside from the one you want to be shown for a frame of animation. Layers shouldn't be playing such a big part, I don't think...? It does look like a genuinely handy feature, I just need to wrap the noggin around it all to a better degree. Everyone was doing a typical water-drip whilst I tried to be devious and animation a smiling pair of lips. Didn't go down well, and only got 7 frames done. (As above, tackling the layers to do the right thing).
Session over - I gave Jon news about an animation on a 600-year old clock tower in Prague. By 'animation', I mean a 'Video Mapping' projectiong going up the entire length of the building. It's impressive by all means. Much of our group hung around outside, chatting until roughly 2:00, when I our next session was to occur. Jade (now with a rad Slush Puppy Blue streak down her hair) and her friend were still pulled by the Uni Flu flying around. Jon came out shortly and was shocked to see us still around. Someone explained that none of us knew what the time for it was, but that's not it - we just didn't really feel like another tutorial.
Nonetheless, we headed over to the IT building and to the room. Erika, brazillian student, popped out just before we headed in. We had a different teacher for tutorial this time around - and the basis of this session was to push on with the Digital Skills projects. Albeit, none of us have gone particularly far with it yet since we haven't been taught anything of After Effects CS4, and since that program plays such a big role...yeah. The guy explained that "this isn't how it works" with regards to the workflow. But I argued "we should get a feel and understanding for the program before making any bold decisions."
I took the time to cheekily work on my Photoshop door-poster file, adding in more bits and pieces to it. Teacher was over and recomended me to instead be developing assets for After Effects - a fair and true statement. He showed me the sorts of things you can do with After Effects as well, the most intruiging element being to take a .PSD (Photoshop Document) file and take it into After Effects - layers and all. He took the document I was working on at the time and used it as an example. Then, he starting adding 'virtual cameras' too the layers and produced a 3D movement - a parralex, which fascinated me. After some more examples and overviews, I quickly and eagerly started to see on the assets for After Effects. (The briefing for Digital Skills unit, by the way, requires that we use at least 5 photoshop files.)
It came to 4:00 and we were all free to go. As for me, it wasn't just my time to go home to Room 5, it was for 73a back home in Emsworth. Packed up other washing and things in my washing bag (then close to brimming over) and crammed my laptop and other small items into the uni bag. My aim was to catch the 16:56 train, but I dawdled longer in regards to the neurotic repetition of room, heating and electricity checks. I headed off, and said goodbye to at least one housemate (Georgia, this time) and...went back into my room. No way would I carry such a huge ass bag, close to tipping. Lobbed it into the wheely luggage and THEN made headway. Much nicer option, no doubt, as last time carrying a bag back (with the arms, there are no handles) it was just really frigging annoying. Got to Farnham station, and bought a ticket. Was about 5 minutes early, nice time keeping as I left at 4:30 or so.
Three changes take place on the rides back to Emsworth. Farnham to Aldershot was a little full but luckily it was short. Aldershot to Guildford takes about 14 minutes. When I was at Guildford, I popped by to the cafe for a drink but also to see if a Chinese girl I talked with last time was there. I kind of forgot her face, but she was there again - and asked if she remembered me. The chinese girl here never met me - it was a different person. This one DOES know of me from her friend, however. Of the things we talked about, she mentioned she might have to go back to China because of the expensive living here. Ouch, yeah. It is a stinker. ¬_¬ I hear about it frequently from International Students.
Some fuckwit girls shot in from behind me and wanted to buy stuff from the cafe. I nodded to the girl behind the counter, and waited to see if she'd be available to continue the chat. Unfortunetly not, as the train for Portsmouth pulled in. Incidentally, another Asian girl was there going to head on the train, and likewise wanted to see how she finds England, and is doing in general. It is obsessive but I do like to see how international students cope in the UK abroad, and it's likely because when I go abroad to study, it's better to know what an overall culture shock (and differences for that matter) can bring about. She went on ahead, and I didn't really start a disucssion. Just not really that right occasion, obviously. The girl got caught behind a food and drinks service making it's way through the train, which was amusing to watch her slowly waltz behind it. I initially took a spot standing during the trip but more stupid slags appeared and all 7 of them decided to sit on the floor, which nearly covered the whole door section of the carridge. They were noisy, and thus moved on.
Seat was available for the last 1/4 stretch of the journey back. Took the spot and got my laptop out. I noticed the screen's gotten freaky-deaky dirty though, so I need to buy some spray or wipe suitable for the task. Didn't use the laptop for long as the train was already pulling up to Havant. Hopped off - it's not Emsworth but since the city is so nearby, it sure felt good to be home. Went over to the platform on the other side to wait for a train to Emsworth. The next one wouldn't be for another 22 minutes, so screw that. I could walk back home in about that time. Walking back from Havant to my home always feels quiant and peaceful - I don't mind doing it. I got back home and my arms were freaking limp from the weight of carrying my stuff for so long.
It WAS nice to be home, though. I saw Holly, and she was joyful to see me again. I'm thankful to her for not commenting on my now fluffed faicial hair on the chin and under the bottom lip. She was a happy chatter and we watched Eastenders and QI together. Before supper, I dozed off in my room. Unintentionally shaved my beard :( , and had a shower afterwards. Rested in some GOOD peace.
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