RB: Advert Design 3

• Before opening my chosen photograph in Photoshop, I used Publisher to make sure it was the right size (A4). I had to stretch it slightly to make it fit properly but this was not noticable.
• Using different tools on Photoshop, I attempted to create a fade to black at the bottom of the picture. I first tried to create this effect using the 'burn tool' by making the image darker as it got nearer to the bottom. However, this did not work well as the lines I drew with the tool were very noticable.

• I then created a new layer and drew a black rectangle taking up the area I wanted the fade to be. I used the 'Blending Options' to make the colour of the rectangle fade from light gray to black by ajusting the Opacity of the layer as well as the Gradient Style, Scale and Opacity of the fade using the Gradient Overlay.

• However, I found that this was also unsuccessful. Although the fade between the colours I created on the second layer looked good, I was unable to merge the two layers without the shape of the rectangle being apparent.
• I tried using a similar techniques to a rectangle taking up the entire second layer but found that this was also unsuccessful as a low opacity of the layer meant that the fade could not be seen above the main image. I also found a high opacity darkened the colour of the upper part of the image and and made the whole image less clear.
• After this, I found that using only the layer showing the image and ajusting the gradient on that would be the best way of achieving the fading effect.

• After discussing the ideas for the printwork with the other members of the group, I decided that I would make the advert for the single (Truth) rather than the album (Four). This is because the digi-pack artwork (also for the single) is uses such similar pictures that it would be more appropriate considering Bloc Party usually have a similar themes running throughout their singles and albums, but not as similar as we have made it.

• At this stage, I was advised to change to use a different photo for the background because of the composition of the chess pieces and the focus of the photo. I chose a different photo from the last shoot which I had taken against a black background with a less shallow depth of field.
• When I put this picture into Photoshop, I noticed that I had framed it so there was no room above the chess pieces for the band and album title. Because of this I cropped the bottom of the photo out and added a new layer in Photoshop of a plain black rectangle. This fit in with the black background in the photo and is not noticeable in the picture.