Learning Matrix style

Cotter contemplates the deeper meaning of Power Point design rules.

Photos by SR Cory Asato, SN Glenn Slaughter We've shifted gears and now find ourselves in Vector Nation, a place where students plug into the Navy knowledge matrix and learn Illustrator/Power Point/Flash/Dreamweaver at break neck speed. I seriously feel like Keanu Reeves when I say: "I know Flash. Whoa." You'll notice that in a few of these photos students are leaning over studying their screens very intently. That's because they're staring at lines they're tracing while vectoring. Many times we must translate a .jpeg image into a vector image so it can be blown up for a poster or t-shirt. This is done by tracing every inch of the original in Adobe Illustrator.

Mastering the art of curves is fundamental to vectoring skills. It's hard to explain, but imagine drawing a straight line, then twisting and turning it to fit the image being traced.

Here, Chief Fowler gives Jones instruction on tracing a half circle.

Vectoring is a skill that must be learned. When we get to the fleet our shipmates will be looking to us to know our way around programs like Illustrator. For example, a Chief could ask us to create a safety sign using a photo of an F-18. If the photo is in .jpg format, it may need to be vectored so it can be enlarged.

It could take four hours or more to trace it.

Chief Miller takes a look at a banner Jones has created using Adobe Flash. The banner (blue rectangle on the monitor) will then be inserted at the top of a web page he'll create later using Adobe Dreamweaver.

If you've ever seen a cute animation of some sort on a site you've visited, you've probably seen Flash.

This is the face I make a lot lately. I really don't like not being good at new things. :) Here MC1 Ballge helps me figure out why my two shapes aren't morphing into each other correctly. The instructors, working with very little time, have displayed the patience and knowledge that are the standard here at the Defense Information School.

Future classes would benefit from more time in Visual Information. I see the future of communication in the programs we're learning, and could personally use more time to dig into these amazing Adobe products.