Digital Photography and Imaging - Task 1A: Physical Collage & Digital Collage

24/09/2025 - 16/10/2025 (Week 1 - Week 4)

Cherilynn Farrencia Faustine/0384745

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING/ Creative Media/ Taylor's University 

TASK 1A — Physical Collage & Digital Collage

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures

2. Instructions

3. TASK 1A — Physical Collage & Digital Collage

    3.1. Physical Collage Design

    3.2. Digital Collage Design

4. Feedback

5. Reflection

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LECTURES

WEEK 1:

Our first lecture got cancelled, instead we were given a briefing the next day. This offline briefing is all about the introduction of digital photography and imaging. Mr. Fitri showed us some of our senior's work, which are digital collage and animated collage made in photoshop. We are required to make a physical collage the next week and we are told to bring these tools; cutting knife/scissors, glue, old magazines, papers, cutting mat, etc.

WEEK 2: 

The second online lecture is all about the basics. We learned about composition, how does composition affects design and how to make it looks nice. There are bunch of examples that mr. Fitri gave to us. Composition is very critical, we have to always maintain the object weight to be well-balanced. Maintain the small, medium, and large objects, as well as the colors too. Beside that, mr. Fitri also briefed us again about the collage, how we are supposed to make it. 

WEEK 3: 

We are introduced to photoshop this week. Mr. Fitri demonstrated the basics of Photoshop, like how to use lasso tool, pen tool, layering, and selection. We also watch the tutorials for this basic skill. Masking and blending mask are also included in the tutorial. 

WEEK 4: 

In this lecture, we learned how to do adjustment layer & filters in Photoshop. Adjustment layer in Photoshop is the layer you can edit and discard your adjustments or restore your original image at any time. There are brightness/contrast, level, curves, exposure, and selective colors. We also learned about filters, how to create saturation masks. 

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASK 1A - Physical Collage & Digital Collage

3.1. Physical Collage Design

We were given a task to make a physical collage out of old magazines with a good composition and are required to make 3 pre-composition and choose one of it for the final result. The theme is self-expression. These are the tools I use to make my physical collage:

Figure 1.1, The tools

I use old magazines (national geographic—cleopatra, japanwalker, and uniqlo's free magazine), glue stick, scissors (i ended up not using cutting knife), and a cardboard.

PROCESS

First, I tried to collect all the elements from my magazines. I decided that the main focus is the woman statue facing right side, sliced to make it artistic and had a snake earrings, represent a cleopatra-like statue. Cleopatra resembles an independent and a strong woman, so I make the text "Freedom Crowned" to resembles her. There are also bird flying elements, means freedom. The text in the medium size "Classic doesn't get old" are also taken to describe the cleopatra as her beauty and power is timeless. The reason why I take cleopatra as my self expression is because to me, Cleopatra is a timeless-true beauty that lies in both strength and intelect.

Figure 1.2, Process

1. Pre-composition #1

This pre-composition had a balanced composition with a clear large, medium, and small structure on it. Also, the color is well-balanced, I make a frame in the top (the color black) to balance it with the one in the right bottom. 

Figure 1.3, Pre-Composition #1

2. Pre-Composition #2

Although the main focus are good, but this is my least favorite out of the 3 pre-composition. The reason why is because the color was unbalanced.

Figure 1.4, Pre-Composition #2

3. Pre-Composition #3

The objects arrangement are good, and also I make the empty space below the text so that the text could be more highlighted. 

Figure 1.5, Pre-Composition #3

FINAL RESULT

For the final result, I picked the pre-composition #1 because it has all the balance. This collage also reseprents what I expected to be, as it explained the meaning of the theme (self-expression).

Figure 1.6, Final Result

3.2. Digital Collage Design

In this task, we are given elements to make a digital collage with photoshop. We are required to make 3 pre-composition, and then choose 1 for the final. At first, was thinking hard to decide what elements I'm going to use, but in the end I just put it all into the artboard. Then, I started to randomly organize it. Here is my 3 pre-composition:

PROCESS

1. Pre-composition #1 

To start, I use the picture "people.jpg". Then, I rotate and modify the picture into this.

Figure 2.1, Process#1 1

At first, I only add texture and add the elements. In this pre-composition, I want the fish to stand out, so I duplicate it 2 times. I then modify the color of the fish so that it looks unusual. But, I didn't really like this arrangement (Figure 2.2), so I change it later on.

Figure 2.2, Process#1 2

While thinking about the fish arrangement, I'm thinking about the color of the background because it feels off. In this step, I toggled off the fish layer so that I could focus more on the background first. I begin to test out all of the blending mode. Surprisingly, the "exclusion" one looks good. It looks a bit weird at the beginning, but the more I see it, it looks unique. 

Figure 2.3, Process#1 3

Since it was blue, I had an idea to make it looks like a pool, since I have the 3 fish elements here. I use the element "texture_liquid.jpg" and make it blue. Then, I go to Filter and use Radial blur effect to make it like a water droplet. Next, I duplicate it so it has 2 water droplet. The main focus would be the fish. I use the "fish_2.jpg" element here, and duplicate it twice so it has 3 fish here. Then, I arrange it. I also explore a lot with the color here because I want it to look unique. I also work a lot in the arrangement until it looks like this:

Figure 2.4, Process#1 4

For the final touch, I added a paper tear by a pen tool, make it white, and drop shadow). I also add the last texture ("texture_2.jpg"). 

Figure 2.5, Process#1 5

So, This is the final result of pre-composition#1:

Figure 2.6, Pre-composition#1

2. Pre-composition #2

The elements I wanted to use in this collage is the fish, building, and some people walking. I had already erased the background of it. I also added adjustment layer to the background.

Figure 2.7, Process#2 1

I added a typewriter machine for the small element (Figure 2.8), and also started to play with the colors (Figure 2.9). I added a rectangle and change the color into grey. I also change the blending mode into "hue" so it looks like it's a black and white effect. After that, I made another rectangle but with a different color and blending mode. I use cyan color and make it "kind". Beside rectangle, I also made the circular one. I arrange the shapes randomly.

Figure 2.8, Process#2 2

Figure 2.9, Process#2 3

For the final touch, I use the "texture_2.jpg" as the border (only the top and the bottom). I then use the drop shadow effect to make it more enhanced. 

Figure 2.10, Process#2 4

So, here is my final result for the pre-composition#2:

Figure 2.11, Pre-composition#2

3. Pre-composition #3

In the beginning, I put all the random elements, then try to arrange it. At first, I want the main focus to be the typewriter machine, but it doesn't work the way I wanted. So, I change it into a fish.

Figure 2.12, Process#3 1

After I change the typewriter machine into a fish, I also added the building picture which I then remove the background (so it's just the building). I arrange the elements into like this:

Figure 2.13, Process#3 2

Here I started to add adjustment layers. I modify the color of the rubber plant, and also make the building into a black and white color (so the color would be not too overwhelming since we already have the blue one in the fish). I added a liquid element in the top right. For the fish, I duplicate it on top and move it to the right a little bit. Then, I make the fish in the back into black and white color.

Figure 2.14, Process#3 3

The composition is good, but it feels like it's missing something. So, I added a rectangular tools with blue color and make it into "color" mode instead of normal. Then, I reduce the opacity a bit so that the color doesn't pop too much. The final result for the pre_composition#3 looks like this:

Figure 2.14, Pre-composition#3

FINAL RESULT

For the final result, I picked the pre-composition#2 because it has a better visual structure and elements. 

Figure 3.1, Final Result

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FEEDBACK

WEEK 2 (Physical Collage)

Mr. Fitri picked the last one (which is the #1) as the best composition, but overall he said that the others are okay too. The composition is already good because it has a clear harmonized small-medium-large objects.

WEEK 4 (Digital Collage)

I asked for mr. Fitri's feedbacks about the digital collage pre-composition, and said that the pre-composition#2 has a great visual balance and rhythm.

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REFLECTION

Experience: During this project, I got the experience in making physical and digital collage. Although in the digital one we have to learn Photoshop, the physical one was way challenging for me. It was stressful for me to decide the composition and layouts for the physical collage. But through trials, errors, and some inspirations on Pinterest and magazine, I had improved my skills in arranging elements. I also improved my Photoshop skill in this task.

Observations: I realized that being too idealistic is making the process stressful. Other than that, I need to study more about the composition of the color and to balance it more. I should practice my Photoshop skill more because it was very essential.

Findings: With this project, I found that composition is very important, whether it's the shape or the color. It has to be visually balanced, so it would look nice.