Technique

Margaret Simon, my colleague and twitter/face-to-face friend has invited teacher bloggers to participate in a weekly meme, DigiLit Sunday. Yesterday's topic was technique which is timely since I have been asked by a poet friend, Heidi Mordhorst, to share the tools I use to create my digital compositions. Let me start with a backstory on why I enjoy creating digital compositions with through a poetic lens. 

I have always been interested in design and writing since I was a child. In high school, I designed a fashion wardrobe layout for Mademoiselle magazine and received an honorable mention award. I loved writing poetry so I composed poems for the literary magazine. In college, I minored in art and took photography, thinking I would enjoy being an art therapist. When I entered the teaching profession technology was not the rage so design existed with art projects. As soon as Apple products became popular, I started playing with the tools and learned alongside a tech guru teacher friend who moved to Las Vegas upon retirement.

The above digital inspiration, the term created by Margaret, was designed as a teaser for my upcoming gallery, Winter Wanderings. I started the process by finding a free photo from Pixabay instead of one from my collection. If you do not have one in your own portfolio there are other free photos sites to go to beside Pixabay, such as morgueFile and Photos for Class. Over the years, I have enjoyed creating my own collection of photos. Now, I am always on the lookout for unique photo opportunities.

Once I determined the photo to use, I brought it into PicMonkey, my go-to tool for photo editing. I have also used Canva for photo editing. Some of my colleagues use this one for their digital flyers and posters.

The steps I used to create the above digital composition via PicMonkey are:

1. Open the Edit icon to find the photo that is housed in your documents. I like to store my photos in iPhoto or iCloud.
2. In Basic Edit, use the crop tool to choose the right format for the photo. Then, resize the photo using that tool to achieve the right dimension for a gallery photo. I have been told that 450 pixels is a good size. I usually do not create anything larger than a 4x6.
3. While still in Basic Edit, use the exposure and sharpen tabs to create the desired image.
4. Use the Border icon to create the type of border that you desire. In the above image, I used Drop Shadow. When I opened that tab, I played around with the intensity and angle of the shadow.
5. Use the Text icon to find the text, size, and color of the font for the poem, quote, or poetic thought. (It is best to create your thought in Word or in your notebook before starting the digital process.)
6. Use the © symbol sign and date the digital creation. You may want to note the location of the photo also. 
7. Save the digital composition to your computer and share it via social media in a blog, a tweet, or print it for a project.

Once you have played with the digital tools available for photo editing, you will be able to advance to the next level of layering effects, mashing apps together to create one image, and creating collages. 

In the end it is all in the technique and execution of layering effects to create a artistic piece.  The addition of a poetic thought allows the writing process to blend with the artistic endeavor and the technological skill to send voice into the digital universe. 

Have fun and when ready introduce the process of creating digital inspirations, posters, flyers, and projects to your learners so their voices can fly as well as yours. I hope this post helps those interested in creating digital compositions that blend art and technology with literacy. I am aware that although this process is fun it is time consuming so start slowly and be pleased with your first creations as a starting point on the design journey. Fellow slicer, Julie Johnson, in her Sunday post reminded me of Troy Hicks' statement in Crafting Digital Writing, "digital composers have to think not only as writers, but also as artists and designers."

This post marks the 7th post of my Clearing A Path series for the Two Writing Teachers' March SOLSC. I have tried to clear a path for an easy transition from paper creations to digital photo poems. Now please visit Slice of Life here to read what other slicers are writing.

Also, please visit DigiLit Sunday here to read what other teacher bloggers are saying about technique.

I Remember It Well

There is a time gone by.

I remember it well.

Nonnie's pride and joy

my charmed hiding place

its silent wheel in idle repose-

Nonnie's watchful eye

my pitter patter glee

its treasures stored-

Nonnie's small round bobbins

my tiny hands examining

its threads of many colors-

Nonnie's love for child

my love for Nonnie's hands

its shiny cabinetry-

Nonnie talking gently

my gleeful spirit

its busy wheel in idle repose- 

There is a time gone by.

I remember it well.

Her hands cradled mine

my hands longing to touch all she owned

its up-down- sing song motion

There is a time gone by.

I remember it well.

The dream to peddle 

what could not be

for a little one's hands.

Years later

mother owned her own

I learned

it was loved.

Generations passed.

Great-grandchild 

owned her own machine

its needle busily moving again.

Nonnie passed.

Mother passed.

Sewing machine lives on.

©Carol Varsalona, 2016 

There is a time gone by. I remember it well and pay tribute to multi-generations of loving hands engaged in creative arts.

When sewing a handcrafted item or creating a digital poem there is a process by which the artisan engages. There are steps, forward ones and backsteps. There are highlights and challenges. There are intertwined thoughts and feelings of joy, perseverance, and accomplishments. There is also a time to set aside what was done while waiting for the recheck. It is the act of creating that pays tribute to process while enjoying the rewards of the product. 

This post is being offered to two writing communities tonight:

• Laura Shovan's Day 21 of her Found Object Poem Project that you can access here.
• DigitLit Sunday founded by Margaret Simon. Today, the topic is Process or Product? Please visit the blog site.
  

What Inspires Me?

Margaret Simon, founder of DigiLit Sunday, asked a pertinent question today: What inspires you? In response I will recount a story as part of my response but the short version is that nature is an inspiration to me as it unfolds each season. 

This weekend has been one of expected waiting for the blizzard storm of 2016 that was to hit Long Island with force. The days preceding the storm were quiet and calm, it was difficult to imagine the force that would soon be present. Friday night was spent preparing and anticipating what was to come. Saturday morning was the moment of truth. Awakening to a raging blizzard with snow falling constantly was an awe-inspiring event that needed to be shared.

Waking to the blizzard

By evening the frost was very thick.

Needless to say that this force of nature inspired me to observe, reflect, and write. The event called snowmaggedon occurred hours after I sent out an invitation around the globe to writers, bloggers, poets, photographers, teachers, social media colleagues, and family to create a digital inspiration for my newest gallery. You can access the invitation to Winter Wanderings here. Thinking that the storm was a serendipitous moment, I sent out tweets requesting winter scenes from the blizzard of 2016 for placement in the photo corner of the gallery. 

Today, after an afternoon of family snow shoveling, I found the snow to be endless. One family as they walked by commented, "This is an absurd amount of snow". Even though my husband's car was stuck in the snow and now not working, and mounds of snow are still all around, I can still say that I am inspired by the sheer beauty of winter. Its immense blanket of snow and crystalline frost on the windowpanes created a certain stillness that is incomparable.

In tribute of the event that brought Long Island to a standstill, I created a digital inspiration. If I had a classroom of student learners, I would use this poem as a motivator to create poetic compositions about snowmaggedon, complete with artistic renderings of the snow monster.

Below is a blank template that teachers may use with their classes. If your students are inspired to write about the blizzard of 2016 or their personal perspectives of winter and create a digital inspiration, please send me a couple for insertion in the student voice section of Winter Wanderings. 

You can also find mentor texts to use in class at last year's gallery collection, Winter Whisperings.

Please visit DigiLit Sunday to read other responses to Margaret Simon's question on what inspires you. 

A View Through the Lens

The camera lens is a window to the world. It is receptive to creative sparks and often provides a source of inspiration when you least expect it. Yesterday, my camera and I set out on a new digital adventure after being invited by Michelle Barnes to a ditty challenge (that was provided by the popular New York City artist and author Douglas Florian). I must admit when I first read the creative prompt I had to pause to think what does this mean for me.

My ditty challenge is to write a poem about nothing.~Douglas Florian

Michelle did provide a model, a wonderful poem, The Story of Nothing, she wrote for her daughter's birthday. You can read it here.

Since I was undressing my Christmas tree yesterday, I decided that my bare tree could be my model. It cooperated. I took the photo, cropped it, and then looked at what was left-a big nothing of green branches. Because the notion of being a connected educator is looming in my mind (#NYEDChat is having a convo, Be the Digital Change, on Monday night as a warm-up for #DigCitSummitUK on January 23rd), I envisioned a poem that would incorporate those events. In order to capture the feeling I needed to bring my photo into PicMonkey, my go-to digital tool. After a few minutes of digitalizing the photo from the original nothing, I came up with something-a globe that would connect my ideas. Next, I needed connectors to overlay the globe. Voila, I found the branch image to signify the starkness of winter (an idea stemming from a virtual winter gallery that I will be designing). Next, came the word weaving. Ideas were swirling. I liked the word expanse that popped up and I wanted to use the word nothing so I continued to play with these ideas. Revision is an important phase of my process so that took some time. A micropoem emerged from the original nothing to something for Michelle's ditty challenge and DigiLit Sunday's post. All it took was a bit of imagination, a wonderful model, the camera on my iPhone, a digital tool, and the creative sparks to pull everything together. 

Here is my finished view through another lens. I hope you see some of the fir branches peeking through the globe. What is your thought on nothing?

Today's digital inspiration and post are being offered to the following:

Today's Little Ditty~Michelle H. Barnes

DigiLit Sunday hosted by Margaret Simon

Using Mentor Text

The world is a place of contrasts. What supposes to be the transition to winter, is really a lingering autumn on Long Island. As I begin the process of designing my gallery, Autumn's Palette, I observe a world of leaves still strewn about, Indian summer-like weather, and birds chirping. Is the world staying in the moment so I can have just the right conditions to create? Perhaps this is my gift today.

As a last thought to close the autumn season, I capture the early morning fog, round two. I begin to word weave my thoughts with the following steps in mind.

1. I turn to one of my beloved poets, Carl Sandburg, who wrote a poem, Fog, to see how my thoughts compare to his. His poem becomes my mentor text.
2. I look back at the first poem I created on Friday's fog before creating the second one. You can read the first poem here. 
3. I look closely at the picture of the fog for poem #2 and decide that it needs to be digitalized to capture my morning thoughts.

original photo 

After many renditions, 

Fog #2

the fog creeps inland

hovers with eerie, strange glows

awaits its welcome

Fog #3

the fog creeps inland

prances-hovers-awaits

sun's marching orders

I settle on the following micropoem to mirror Carl Sandburg's text. 

Reflective Moment:
While I thought that the day would be darkened with fog, the sun decides to take-over. Sunlight and warmth greet the afternoon. Would you like to judge if I captured the morning fog or if I need revisions. I rely on self-assessment and other's thoughts to determine if the digital compositions I create are sound or needs revisions. 

When the #findingfall gallery, Autumn's Palette, is launched, the poems embedded in digital compositions can be used as mentor texts for writing.

**********

Today is Digilit Sunday hosted by Margaret Simon so take a stroll over to Margaret's site.

Also, Mary Lee Hahn has been inspired to write daily haikus. A small community of writers have joined her. Please take another stroll to Mary Lee's site, Poetrepository.

Tonight, I am the guest host at #TMchat. Connie Hamilton invited me awhile ago and I have been busily preparing for the topic, "Using Mentor Text." Besides adding my thoughts to the questions I created for the chat, I offer insights on my process of creating a digital inspiration from a mentor text.

NYEDChat Opens Its Doors to Learning

Back-to-school time brings the startup of the educational twitter chats. With hopes for a positive school year of learning, energized teachers and leaders are excited about moving forward with ideas that have been on their summer draft board. The state and global Twitter chats are also gearing up for another year of shared ideas, advice, and inspiration to impact teaching and learning. 

Tonight NYEDChat, as the Twitter Voice of New York State educators, is ready to open its doors to another year of conversations.

Imagine this: a group of tweachers, teachers on Twitter, leaders, parents, and people from outside the educational world coming together at 8:00 pm to voice their opinion on the topic of the night: Students as Partners and Change Agents in Learning and Teaching. This will not happen face-to-face but through a virtual portal, #NYEDChat. From this committed group, a chorus of voices floating through the Twittersphere will brainstorm new directions, share successes, and connect and reconnect with those around New York and beyond. Our Aussie friends and educators from around the globe have been invited to discuss the topic. The outcomes of this virtual think tank will showcase the beginning-of-the-school year efforts of the difference makers of our educational system. 

As part of the nine-member moderating team of #NYEDChat, I will co-moderate the first chat of the year with Dan McCabe. The above flyers, reminders, and the question document have been sent out via Twitter to many state educational chat groups, individual thought leaders, connected educators, and colleagues. 

Invitation

NYEDChat opens its door to learning tonight, 

September 21, 2015 at 8:00 pm EST. 

You are cordially invited to join the conversation

that will engage in a  positive exchange of ideas 

and a showcasing of small successes and eduinspirations.

********************

Digital conversations take place daily on Twitter and blogging communities discuss opportunities for student growth. If you visit DigiLit Sunday hosted by Margaret Simon, you will find interesting ideas that will showcase students who are finding their voice and becoming partners in learning. 

Follow-up:

When a Twitter chat has many followers and participants it start to trend on Twitter. Tonight #NYEDChat rocked the Twittersphere with its kick-off chat. The power of the PLN is a strong bond. 

Digitalized Inspirations

Thanks to my colleague, Margaret Simon, who is the creator of DigiLit Sunday, I found my title for today's post from her comment to me. Digitalized inspirations are my sweet micro-nuggets of thoughts created from stream-of-conscious word weavings. They evolve from my observations of life and nature that connect heart to mind. 

Journey with me today as I show some of the steps I use when creating digitalized inspirations. I start with original photos or free images and use a variety of digital tools to mash-up (combine tools to create a new image). Then, I superimpose my poem, eduinspiration, or poetic expression onto the composition. There are trial and error steps along the way that make the process intriguing. Finding the right combinations to finalize a piece is like putting a puzzle today. Once you are finish there is a sense of relief in knowing that perseverance prevails. 

Step 1: Trying Out Different Styles

Day 1: I used PicMonkey, then Canva to see if I liked the feel of the night setting in this photo of the Freeport Canal on Long Island.

Day 2: I reviewed and reflected about the composition and put the images aside.






Step 2: Word-Weaving in My Digital Notebook 

Another post with thoughts on my digital notebook and the place of digital poetry in the classroom can be accessed here.

Step 3: Playing with Composition and Font Size

This can be the tricky part.

Font is too small although I like the script 

Font color is wrong and still too small

This is what I settled on for now.

Other mash-ups can be found here.

This is one that I really enjoyed making for the #reflect31 challenge this week. Two images of clocks were used to create one digitalized inspiration. 

I hope you decide to create alongside me for the gallery, Summer Splashings, 

that I am currently designing. 

Inspire others through your passion for life's wonders.

********************

Please visit DigiLit Sunday at Margaret Simon's site 

to see what colleagues are discussing today.