Back in Person - BYA Summer 2022
After two years of virtual programming due to the pandemic, BYA has returned to an in-person sessions. We decided that mental health was the perfect theme to capture our experiences. Splitting into two groups over the course of five weeks, those groups being photo and graphic design, came together to create the ultimate billboard. Beginning as big-eyed strangers and eventually coming together as what we know to be family. Many bumps in the road but with the help of our interns, we made it work! Did y'all miss us? Because we did. Let's jump into what we did but first… who we are.
PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM
GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM
Ahmad Abdullah
Graphic Design Lead
K’aree Tsalagi
Alumni Artist Mentor
Iya Jackson
Artist Mentor
Nathan Paluzzi
Photo Lead
Summer Apprentice Interns
Apprentices
Mariah C. - Graphic Design Apprentice
Strangers to Friends
At the beginning of the Summer 2022 session, Baltimore Youth Arts Apprentices were seated with unfamiliar faces, but the silence of orientation didn't last long. Once everyone warmed up to each other, our once quiet circle became one you could never get to quiet down. A few icebreakers and games later, we were on track to create the best self-care billboard we could.
Photography Projects
Portraits
Apprentices learned how to use DSLR cameras to take portraits of each other. Experimenting with shutter speed, aperture, and ISO–we learned to understand manual shooting mode.
Graphic Design Projects
Logo Design
Our graphic design team worked collaboratively over the course of two weeks to create a logo. Apprentices were given different examples of popular logos. From there, we came up with the out-of-the-box designs.
Procreate Lessons
Street Photography
Apprentices worked on the iPad in Procreate. Interns facilitated on basic rules and things every Procreate user should know.
During our street photography session, we learned to be more intentional with our images by choosing poses fit for specific locations. We also took pictures of abandoned rowhomes for our billboard design.
Typography
Cyanotypes
Apprentices learned word and letter techniques through watching different videos giving many of us an introduction to typography.
Photo Apprentices used the cyanotype process to create negative images of objects by light transfer. After that, we printed negatives of photos we took in class to get the positives again.
Design Sprints
Light Paintings
Apprentices used a mock client brief website to generate design prompts for logos, figures, and products.
With colored ring lights, Apprentices drew interesting designs and wrote words using a long exposure technique.
Color Theory Collage
Light Portraits
Apprentices used colors to represent feelings and made a seamless blend from red to purple.
Apprentices advanced to an artificial lighting setup and took photos of various poses in the BYA studio.
Social Design Posters
Projector Photos
Apprentices worked in teams to create social design posters to communicate a social message through images, colors, and words.
Using our street photos and projector, we projected onto ourselves, our clothing, & a white sheet. Apprentices experimented with this lighting technique.
Illustrator Lessons
Collage Posters
The graphic design team worked with Adobe Illustrator to create and edit our graphic design logo.
While creating mockups for our billboard, we used hands-on materials and photos to make collages.
Photoshop
Headshots
The graphic design and photography team worked together to manipulate photos in Photoshop for the billboard design.
In Graffiti Alley, we put our skills to the test by creating headshots & portraits of each other.
Whole group/ Intern Lessons
Community Meetings
Every Thursday, we gathered in an apprentice-led circle to play games, vent, plan, and review or create community norms.
Commercial
In an intern-led lesson, apprentices were instructed to make commercials or short videos surrounding our central theme of mental health and self care.