Identifying Genres using Pixabay and Pizap

I used all of the Image sites and Image tools in the Sandbox but the ones featured below are what I focused on.

I found the above image using Pixabay. I knew I wanted a landscape photo, so I simply typed in “landscape” and searched through the results. As I was scrolling, I found an image that popped out, and I automatically thought, “what an adventure.” Then it came to me, what an easy way to teach elementary students what a genre is. Using Pizap, I was able to add text. I was surprised by how many free features are available without upgrading to the pro version. There are numerous fonts, colors, filters, and borders. You can even create your own meme!

I selected a text box and added my text, font, color, and placement. I then picked a filter that made me think of the wind a hiker may encounter climbing Mount Everest. Once I was happy with my design, I hit save! Pizap is incredibly user-friendly, and I value the professional, sleek layout of the site. Utilizing Pizap is an easy way to create unique, engaging genre designs. This activity can be done together with students. Librarians can ask students what topics they are interested in; let’s use aliens as an example. The librarian would use their device to screencast and search for “alien” in Pixabay. Students vote on an image they like best, then navigate to Pizap to create a genre label or poster for their library. The librarian will include a lesson on how “aliens” translates into “Sci-Fi” and can be completed for each genre until students understand how to search efficiently.

Book reviews using Unsplash and Big Huge Labs

The second public domain site I used to search for an image was Unsplash.com. Like Pixabay, I found it user-friendly, with a clean website. Locating the author and publication date was easy; however, it took me a moment to discover the image’s title at the bottom. I selected an eerie image I liked from one of my favorite book series, Harry Potter. Next, I chose Big Huge Labs as my editing tool. Immediately, I noticed I did not like using this tool. The website is not attractive and has an outdated elementary vibe. I played around with several options, like the jigsaw, Pop Art Poster, and Trading Cards. None of them appealed to me, but I knew how I would implement the Trading Cards in the library. Students can use the Trading Card feature to create book reviews. Students can draw or locate a public domain image, and design their own book review. I was disappointed to see minimal design options. I was also not able to change the font. I’m not thrilled with how it turned out but I thought I would share my finished product using Big Huge Labs.

Other Editing Tools

I found Tuxpi to be limited in nature like Big Huge Labs and the website felt outdated and gave me 90’s vibes. I think it works fine for a beginner who wants minimal design options. I thought the Wanted poster was a cute feature that could be utilized in the library during Banned Books Week.

The last editing tool I extensively used was Foldplay. I loved the playfulness of the designs and thought it would be perfect for showcasing favorite books, genres, and library resources. Unfortunately, I decided not to use it for this assignment because of the number of images needed to build a design. However, I would definitely use it in the future!