• Open your first partner's repo on the GitHub website. If you had a fast connection and lots of disk space, you could clone (e.g. with the "Open with GitHub Desktop" option under "Code"); however, since we're all trying to do this at once, I think it makes the most sense to download just the aup3 file. (It'll be plenty big enough!)

  NB: I think it might be best to download and respond to one project at a time – after that first one, we'll likely stagger, and so use less of our available bandwidth at the same time, making everything go more smoothly.

• To do so, find the file and click on its filename (that is, not on the commit message, but the link that includes the .aup3 ending). If you can't find the file, ask the creator!

  You should get a new screen that says "Stored with Git LFS" and a Download button (or the icon). (If you don't see that button, try the three-dots menu.) Go ahead and click Download.

  If given the option, save the file anywhere that isn't your own repository. You may want to give it a name that distinguishes it from other partner's files, e.g. by appending your classmate's name.

  Show me

  

  Be patient: this might take a little while.

• NB: If you see more than one .xcf (or .psd) file, check the README for which one to use. If that doesn't help, ask the person; and if they're not here, check the revision history to see what was updated most recently.

• Make sure you can open the project file; I've tried to match Photoshop users with Photoshop users, since you won't be able to open .xcf files, but check just in case. If all else fails, you should at least have a flat export in .png or .jpg.
• NB: If you need to zoom out quickly to fit the whole image, try Ctrl+Shift+J in GIMP, or in Photoshop Ctrl/Cmd+0 (that's zero, not the letter o).

Here's where the cycle really starts:

• Describe the visual argument you see. What seems to be the top-level focus? What's next in the hierarchy? Can you say back the argument/claim/intervention? Help your partner learn how your eye is drawn.
• Evaluate the project relative to our shared set of criteria.
• Suggest changes you think would take it to baseline or beyond. NB: the best suggestions won't just repeat bullets from our list, but would suggest ways to do those things in this particular project.

Remember: a good test is whether you can tell, from your comment alone, what you were reacting to. That doesn't mean it has to be crazy long; _alt text_ on websites used to be limited to 140 characters!

Use language you'd be comfortable sharing publicly... because you will be sharing publicly.

1. On the GitHub website for the repo, open the page for the project file; you may already have this open from downloading it earlier.
2. At the top of the page, you should see a commit message and a "hash": a hyperlinked jumble of 7 letters and numbers near a timestamp and a clock symbol, usually straight up from the download button. Click on any of those.
3. You're now on the page of the commit, rather than the page for the file. Scroll down to the bottom to find the comment box, which works just like the one on the Issue Queue.

Show me

You can also access the full history for a repo – and see any comments - from the repo's landing page. Look for the symbol.

For a minimum grade of B, all projects for this unit must:

• Use arrangement, size, color, visual rhythm, and/or contrast to focus and guide viewers' attention.
  • Use the reflection to clarify your compositional choices and goals (e.g. design hierarchy)
• Have a clear message or intervention that you can articulate in your reflection
  • If not using words, clarify your message and this choice in the reflection
• If including words, choose a font that matches the style/tone of your piece
• Credit all assets correctly, including attribution (creator names) where required
• Use at least 3 layers
• Use at least 1 tool beyond select, move, and text
• Use non-default commit messages that say what's changing (and maybe even why)
• Meet deadlines and requirements from the assignment page (see: reflection with screenshots and at least 500 words, project title in README)

To target (but not guarantee) a grade above a B, the best projects for this unit may...

• Organize your files through layer labeling, layer groups, repo structure
• Use multiple design strategies in ways that compliment each other (whether to reinforce a single shared focus or to add nuance / surprise down the hierarchy)
• Refer to assigned readings in explaining your design choices, e.g. font pairings, hierarchical levels, etc
• Be bright and bold to make your work pop and draw the eye
• Be subtle and crafty to make your work reveal itself only gradually
• Consider accessibility in your design, e.g. through dyslexia-friendly fonts, color palettes designed for people with colorblindness, high contrast for people with visual impairments, etc
• Include a way to find out more information about topic of argument (e.g. QR code)
• Use more than 3 distinct overlapping layers
• Use more than 3 tools beyond select, move, and text that are new to you
  • e.g. Collaborate with the machine by using automated tools/filters/effects (gradients, blur, etc)
  • e.g. Use layer masks / blend modes for non-destructive extraction, saturation, cross-fades (ie. to seamlessly blend images from disparate sources), etc
  • etc.
• Demonstrate through feedback that someone looking at your piece can accurately articulate your message/argument
• Demonstrate through feedback that someone looking at your piece can accurately describe your intended audience