Creating the illusion of form requires a variety of art elements such as value, shape, and color. The element of value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color; colors that are lightened are called tints, while colors that are darkened are called shades. Together, tints and shades are used to create highlights, the lighter area of a form, and shadow, the dark areas of the form.
The following tutorial is adapted from a tutorial from the site “vector tuts+”. The tutorial shows the steps for creating a goldfish, complete with scales and brush details, along with elements that work to create the overall form. The goldfish is created with the use of the Mesh, Blend and Symbol Tools and will develop advanced skills for making a variety of patterns and effects. You can follow the classroom website tutorials or you can go directly to the original tutorial on Vector Tuts+ from the link below.
Tutorial | Creating the Fish’s Body
Use this link to save the image
of the goldfish sketch to trace in
Adobe Illustrator.
Use this link to view the original
fish image.
Tutorial | Creating Fins and Pattern
Visit the original Vector Tut+ Goldfish tutorial by Iaroslav Lazunov
for additional tips and images.
Stained Glass Photo Mash
A tough one, with several menu setting adjustments it’s worth a full project grade.
A very handsome results and and exploration in a variety of photoshops effects and settings.
The Betta Fish
Use the image linked here to create an illustration using the skills developed in the goldfish project. Refer to the goldfish tutorial as needed, taking time to review the Mask, the Blends, and the Symbol Tool and Symbol Screener Tool, as well as the Symbol Stainer Tool. Click here to download the to original Betta fish image.
The Betta fish, also referred to as the Siamese fighting fish is a brightly colored fish with large flowing fins. It is originally from South East Asia and can be found swimming in canals and rice patties. The Betta is an agressive fish that has become a popular aquarium fish.
Goldfish are one of the smaller members of the carp family native to east Asia. More than a thousand years ago it was domesticated in China as food and for ornimental ponds and water gardens. Goldfish are tetrachromats (four colors) meaning they have four cones cells in their head; red, green, ble, and ultruviolet which alows them to see ultraviolet light.
Article | Man Spends $460 to Save Goldfish with Tumor
by Jan Dizon, TechTimes,
One man in the UK noticed his pet goldfish was having a bit of trouble moving its bowels, instead of just letting it die from constipation and sending it off to the big toilet bowl, he decided to bring it to a veterinarian in North Walsham, Norfolk.
Read more
Photo Courtesy of Veterinarian Feye Bethell from Tool Barn Vets, England