What is the importance of a CTE EXPO?

A CTE Expo can be important for a number of reasons. It can be important because it gives a chance to students enrolled in a CTE academy to have a chance to demonstrate all that they've learned through their best work. A CTE Expo can demonstrate work from a number of different academies from Apple, Video Production and Web Design. With this in mind, many students can demonstrate and explain their own unique hardships that they endured in their given course. In my case, Web Design is definitely not easy, the reason for this is that action script in adobe flash is a time consuming program, it's something that requires a lot of attention when coding. Despite this the work in the end is worth the struggle when one can make an animation. With tri-folds, students are able to demonstrate their work in a step by step process.

Project 6 My Story

To begin I would like to say I made a pretty huge error with this project and its that for some reason this project ended up in my Lab 21 folder. With that in mind I have attached a link at the bottom of this reflection with my Project 6, titled my story. Moving on, this project was indeed pretty interesting and troublesome. There were moments when I had no idea what I was doing and just felt like giving up. Regardless, I did not give up. I am sure I could have done better on this assignment, but I can honestly say I felt pressured in terms of how much was required of me in this project. With this in mind I can plan my steps more accordingly for the future. What you see below is the project that indeed could of used more improvement, I believe that what I really wanted to show is still in Fla form but I guess all I can do is pull through and keep working hard. 

Project 7

In this Final Project, the father of all projects, my task was to make a video reflecting on what I had learned this year and actually since I joined this academy. I also attache links to my projects, lab 27,( Dragon Ball Z game), Portfolio and Blog. Next to my name at the top I put a set of key blades from my favorite video game series, Kingdom Hearts. I recorded the video with photo booth, which ended up being approximately 2 minutes after that with the use of adobe premier i was able to export the video file on to Adobe Flash animation, I imported to stage but was suppose to import to library, I later learned from this and resolved the dilemma. In the video I spoke about Adobe Flash, Indesign, Photoshop an Illustrator. With that in mind I had to ad cue points to where in the video I spoke about such things, what these cue points did was for example, the second I said Flash, an Image of Flash shows up, the moment i said Photoshop, an Image of Photoshop showed up. This as probably one of if not the hardest parts of this project. Despite that I was able to complete my project and by clicking the video, able to look back on how I progressed as a web designer.

Lab 27

Lab 27, probably my favorite Lab, was the game I create using action script. This game was created from scratch and definitely was not easy to make. I decided to do something based on my childhood, my favorite series, Dragon Ball Z. The object was have Goku in front of two doors. One door leads to the next level, the other day will lead to a message that says try again. Though I wish I had more levels in my game I am proud of what I made and if anything I would love to go back to it if I ever have the chance to and continue to add more levels so I can further enjoy it. I spent a lot of time on the background and the images. The code wasn't easy either, despite this I can say all went well. Once you press start a game will commence that will make you think"wow I should have picked the other door".

Lab 26

In this lab a lot of action script was involved. The point was for me to create a movable image, the heart, and with the arrows on the key board the heart will move in the direction that I want it to. With that in mind, the heart will also be able to move based on clicking on the arrows on the screen. The other image on the screen is a prop. The background with the vines was created using the deco tool, a very useful tool that can add an interesting feel to any form of animation. Originally, the heart is suppose to be able to be moved to a specific location and then cause the whole animation to move to another scene.Despite my efforts I was not able to accomplish that part of the lab, but I was able to make it so that I can move the heart with arrows on the screen or the arrows on the keyboard. I am defintely proud of my work and I know that I can improve, since nothing is perfect.

Lab 25

In this Lab what I did was build on my work from the previous lab. though my Lab did not come out the way I wanted it to and I may not have achieve the level of satisfaction for this Lab that I had oped, I honestly can say that I have improved over time and the work that I did in this lab was done with the utmost dedication. I did try my best in some areas and could of improved in others. When going back to this work to improve it I think I can honestly say that since this work was done when I had started with action script that I could have done better and that I had much to improve. With this in mind my code in this Lab may have been incorrect and at this point maybe it would be better for me to start from scratch.

Lab 24

In this lab was when I began using action script in order to cause a movement in animation on its own. The objective of this lab was for me to create three smiley faces, all of them are different, they consist of graphs images and movie clips. The idea is for me to create a scenario so that I can get the red face to move from one side of the page to the other using animation. These images are all instances. When clicking on the other faces other than the red one, they become interactive by clicking on them. This work then becomes more interactive. These images are what become very helpful in my next lab.

Lab 23

In this Lab, the third of three consecutive labs, I didn't add much to this Lab despite adding the background sounds to this lab.By using a program called Garage band I was able to play around with different digital sounds, combine them and see if they matched the sound I wanted to convey for this assignment. The goal of this assignment for me is to create a feel of a fun party where everyone at the party is having fun. With this in mind, I took numerous instruments to create a sound with a certain "Latin flow". I was able to create the sound, turn it into an mp 3 and export it to my flash file. Once added to the lab, I decided I wanted to be able to create a sound by making a symbol that would be a button. This button would, when pressed, turn the music o, as you can see in the image below. Furthermore, by clicking on the animals one can make them interactive in the animation.

Lab 22

In this lab I took all my images from my previous lab, made a background and set up the story using a storyboard. With the story I made a scenario where there are a bunch of animals having a party with Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory.As you can see many things were incorporated into this lab so that I create a situation that could be interpreted just through images.All the images used here were created by myself using Adobe Flash. All the things here are trees, a bear, a moon, a house in the back, a dog, a fire, an overly developed Ant, a bird of course Dexter. The list of material I used can continue however this is the second of three labs and this lab all I did was create the scene and make the sure the animal an Dexter move according to how I want them to.

Lab 21

In this lab what I did was make the images for my animation which consisted of a guitar,palm trees and a bunch of other elements like a dark background, sounds and etc.This lab took quite awhile considering I had to create the different characters and shapes that were requested of us For this lab we had to create ten different animal characters as well as 5 sets of eyes and other objects we felt would be necessary to use later on. The shapes I made were quite random from a sword to ant, there were also things like clouds, a tree and a moon, cat face, dog face, the list continues on. This was the first in a set of three labs that would show a consistency in progression from making images, to making them move, and then adding sound the animation.

Interview Skills

After watching both videos I think I have a clear idea of what kind of Job applicant I want to be.  I want to be a Job applicant who is well prepared and always willing to learn from others. Also, I will have questions prepared to ask my interviewer to show interest in the position. I want to show enthusiasm about the position so the interview can feel a connection with the person being interviewed as opposed to having a dull conversation. I will also show good eye contact with my interviewer, this is part of having good active listening skills. The first video showed a person dressed unprofessional, spoke improper and had no idea what the job position was to begin with. This is the opposite of what i wanted to act like and present myself as in an interview.

How can you prepared for a job interview?

     There are many things that can be done to prepare for a job interview. First of all, take time to research the position and the company that you will be working for. With this you will be able to answer any questions the interviewer may have regarding how much you know about the position. Another thing is to build a good resume, you do this in order to market your assets into a piece of paper that identifies your skills and traits you can bring to the work place. With resumes, it is good to bring about 5-6 copies of your resume, in case your interview can not provide one and/or you will be interviewed by more than one professional. Dress very professional, if you can layout your clothes the night before that will be helpful. Make sure to have great eye contact for the interview.

How is this course is preparing you for your future employment?

This course is preparing us for the future in a number of ways. It is teaching us how to learn professionalism and apply it at a work place, such as being on time to class, going beyond expectations in work and never leave stuff unfinished. Teaching us what is required at a work place such as showing enthusiasm. I am learning good communication skills such as active listening, these are skills that are essential at a work place and especially help in places like college where taking notes is really important. Teamwork is important because there may be times when an employer makes a set of employees come together for a presentation to show to potential clients, with situations like these sharing the work equally is really important. Critical thinking is very important when given a difficult situation, it is good to have the ability to act quick and get the job done. Networking is being done in the classroom, as well converse and socialize we form networks, with this we may benefit from each other in the future.

How are you Networking now? How you do you know are networking with the right people?

Well to begin with, networking is the art of building and sustaining mutually beneficial relationships. With this I am networking with numerous people such as deans of admissions from various colleges by exchanging  emails and business cards with them. I also attend speed networking events in order to mingle with different professionals and form a common relationship open for growth. Information sessions as well as different panels( HR, Law, Medical) are also ways I network. Furthermore, with my peers, I introduce them to different employers from specific corporations that they may be interested in pursuing a career in the future such as Endeavor Global (Entrepreneurship company). I can't say I know that I am networking with the right people because honestly what usually happens is that I have connected two people together from networking and  got nothing out of it. However, somewhere down the path, by helping those two form a network one of them may help me get a job or possible internship at their offices or etc. Adding on, I can say that network certainly has benefits and like they say it's not just what you know but who you know.

What skills are required to work with other as a cohesive team for a common goal?

The skills that are required to work with others as a cohesive team for a common goal are being a team player, being organized, active listening as well as marketing your assets, Being a team player is extremely important, it shows that you work well with others and don't hog all the credit. Being organized helps everyone, if someone misplaces something, they can rely on you to be  able to find it. Active listening is important because everyone has something to contribute, may it be little or small and it shows respect when some one is pitching an idea because it might be a really good one. Marketing your assets is essential because your basically showing what you have to offer to the team, and you should be showing off your good points.

Why is it important to communicate your ideas clearly verbally or in written form?

It is very important to communicate your ideas clearly verbally and in written form because regardless of who you are speaking to and how you will always want to make sure to have good communication with one another. Unlike the video, it is wise to not speak in text, especially in real life where there are a lot of people who aren't aware of many abbreviations. It is just as important to speak properly in written form as it is verbally because you might speak well face to face, but you should be understandable when sending an email as well so there isn't a halt in communication.

Why is Problem Solving and Critical thinking a value skill as web designer?

Problem Solving and critical thinking are valuable skills as a web designer because there will always come a time when a dilemma that seems near impossible to solve. There will be  times as a web designer, there maybe a mistake made in the work or it just doesn't function the way you would want it to function. This is where critical thinking come into play and it is really important that as a web designer, applying these skills will end up  with more profound and refined work.

How can you show professionalism in school?

You can show professionalism in school through various ways. One way would be to on time to your classes and if not early because in reality being early is being on time, being on time is late and being late is just a way of saying I have no excuse.Another way is to pick up after other peoples work, if you see that there is work to be done or textbooks to be collected, there isn't a reason why you can't pick where they left off and get the job done. Make sure to have yourself be presentable, if a shirt needs to be tucked in then tuck it in, most likely nothing too revealing. Also if you have your own work that needs to be done, you should finish it the day your working on it  and not save it for the next day.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Reflection Blog

     On my trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art I was able to immerse my self in different forms of art that I never thought possible. The audio books helped I learning about the history behind specific sculptures, paintings and etc. Though the audio book could not be used for all the different forms of art I was glad to have learned a little bit of history. Each floor had its own form of art, I was amazed to find out that there was actually a building inside the museum that originally was suppose to be taken down but instead was made part of the museum. When I entered the section with Italian paintings I felt the urge to take a picture of everything, and I mean everything. Below are just some of the many images that I took while being in the Italian art section. Another section that really caught my attention was the Egyptian section. There were so many things from hieroglyphics to tools on display on how mummification was actually done. We weren't able to see the tomb but everything else like the statues was truly amazing. I was also able to see how life was in Victorian London, the houses were breath taking and I learned that the reason that their bed's were so high for the kings, queens and basically any members of Royalty was because everyone else  was looked down upon since they weren't royalty. Though I did lean a lot about history I can say all the different colors and skills of emphasis that I was able to see, I can apply to web design.

Lab 20

In this lab I worked on making an animation on two cars that start from a vanishing point and as they go down they increase in size. Of course to make this animation seem realistic I added moving clouds and a sun. As the cars were moving faster they found a way to make the trees move due to the increase in speed.  All these aspects were put into play when making this animation. I will be honest when I say I could of managed my time better with this assignment, and there is always room for improvement. That is why I can say that I learn from this lab that over thinking things won't solve anything, it's best to go with what you know. One of the cars in the animation is one that I made, even though it isn't the best looking car, I made it from scratch. In the end I really enjoyed using various tools in this lab.

Lab 19

In this Lab I took an image of a pencil, made a vector shape of it using my tools in flash and with that image that I made I turned it into a symbol. After that I made a copy of that image and resized it to be bigger. With the resized image I broke it apart by doing modify>break apart, with that I changed the color of the pencil using my tools  I used various tools such as the brush tool, pencil tool, paint bucket tool, eraser tool( I used it a lot). I changed the pencil around as you can see below I have three different pencils. Honestly what I can say from this lab is that I learned a lot and just by changing the aspect of something, even if its the same thing, it can look significant better or worse.

Lab 9

In this Lab I took two pictures from the computer and used dreamweaver in order to create a rollover using the two images. A rollover is when you take an image and when you "rollover" the mouse over the image, it transitions into the second image. The way I did was by clicking insert>image objects>rollover images and from there I chose the first image and second image, made an alternate text and a link that would be possible when clicking the images. The Lab was fairly simple despite having broken the link a few times, but I learned that somethings require patience.

Lab 18

In thus lab I focused on playing around with a face I was asked to make. With flash I would move the stuff on the  face in animation. I basically moved the eyeballs, mouth and they all moved in unison. I used the oval tool many times and I added many key frames as well as quite a few motion tweens. The tweens were necessary in having the aspects of the face move. I made sure to add the key frame properly, because if I didn't then the animation would stop at a place that I will not want it to. I learned from this lab how to deal with simple movements on a face.

Lab 17

Lab 17
In this lab I was tasked on making a person and with that person(stick figure) I would  move the individual limbs in different frames to create an animation. A key frame was necessary of course, this is the point at where the animations stops. Though my animation did not come out so great, I felt it was quite humorous and attention grabbing, these are things I feel should feel incorporated in any form of work. I learned a lot from this lab and I had fun doing it.

 

Lab 16

Lab 16

In this Lab I basically had to make a face and move around different parts of the face such as the eyes. I used flash and with flash I used a motion tween to move individual parts, I also had to make the smiling face make a frown. This lab was surely simple but I learned a little about unison in animation. I did use the oval tool 3 times per eye and the line tool for the nose and mouth. By bending the lines, the point nose and mouth were possible.

Lab 15

In this Lab it was my first time using flash. Basically in flash I was required to make a background a ball using the oval tool. After that I would take advantage of the motion tween so that i could move the ball and each time i add the ball it would be a part of an animation. After moving the ball various places with the motion tween, I was able to make an animation, my first animation, in flash. From this Lab I learned the animators take time to make make even a 5 minute video. For a movie that would require years of production until it would be ready. I also learned about frames, there are 30 frames per second, I didn't know before I started using Flash.

Lab 14

Lab 14

In this Lab I was required to first interview my favorite teacher and based on their interests make a website for them to show my appreciation. The teacher I chose was Ms. Ha and the theme for her Website was dolphins.  There is a home page, about page and page for science videos and a link to Jupiter grades.  he website required time and effort, the links weren't hard to add but if I had more time or better time management then I would surely crop out the pictures better. According to the teacher she was satisfied with the website but there is always room for improvement.

Lab 13

                                                                  Lab 13
In this lab I was required to use CSS rule in order  to change font type, font colors, add  different effects an etc in dream weaver. The concept was not too hard however I can say that it took time since each code required time and effort. as for font style I reused the same style just different color. I learned that CSS can be really help when adding effect to a website. There are other CSS styles that I did not use in this Lab that I will make sure to incorporate in future work for web design. Like it says in the blue box below: CSS helps me complete something in Dreamweaver which would normally take me a long time to do , if not 10 minutes than more.

Lab 11-12

                                                               Lab 11-12

In this lab, which is directly related to Lab 10, I had to take my image of Batman and add detail to it using
like bevel and emboss and different sorts of filters to make it come alive as if it was an actual animation. This lab wasn't too hard and I did in fact learn a lot from this lab. What I learn was that detail is key to being successful in anything especially in art.

Lab 10

                                                              Lab 10

In this Lab we were asked to pick our favorite cartoon character draw him out out, scan him and redraw on the computer using fireworks. By using fireworks I was able to add the necessary detail and of course by using the original batman's color. I had to use various tools such as the paint bucket tool, quick selection tool, brush tool, zoom tool and of course the eraser tool many times(nothing is perfect).The crop tool was used as well to ensure that I could crop out the correct sections of the image. I learned from this lab that the role of an artist is extremely difficult. Not everyone can create a drawing and add cool and detail to make it look just as good if not better.