GFXer's Corner

#1
Here's where you GFXers can just relax and chat around. If you've got a avatar/sig/icon/banner you're unsure of, just post here and ask for people's opinions! You can also get tips on how to improve in your GFXing skills, such as how to create a certain effect in photoshop and etc.



Have fun!
 

Sanae

Active Member
Staff member
#2
Nice 8D A friend posted 101 photoshop tips (or something).. I'd post them here, but it exceeds the character limit lolol >_<



For rendering imagies/cutting images, what tips can you all give ^^? Like, what tools do you use for doing it?
 

godofwar7

Active Member
#3
put the image on top of a dark background and then erase with a medium sized soft brush while super zoomed in while occasionally zooming out to check if there are any spots sticking out.



its not by any means a fast method of rendering, but its efficient
 

Lovely.

Hiatus-Land
#4
^And I thought I was the only person that did that. xD

You can do that or use the magic wand.... It only works on single colored backgrounds and sometimes it doesn't work unless there's a like a very dark line that surrounds ur image...... But u can use it then use the eraser to smooth out the rough edges....



But if you want to go the technical way I've been told that you're supposed to use the pen tool, I've done it before, takes a lot of work too..... >_>





For photoshop though, they have a magic eraser that can erase just the bg,, at least from what i've heard....



------



Anyone have any good tuts for depth or tips or something?
 

Sanae

Active Member
Staff member
#5
Here's my first try with cleaning an image using the Polygonal Laso Tool (or w/e it's called) ^__^




I think it looks a bit edgy on some of it and I think I deleted too deep into it (the outline of the body) :( Maybe, I should zoom in more perhaps o.o?
 
#7
[quote name='Graham Aker']this...



[/QUOTE]



The top two are nice, but the bottom two still look a bit pasted. Try blurring the edges of the renders sligtly. Also, use the color balance adjustment tool on all the renders and give them an orange/red tint, depending on where they are. You should make the Knightmares a bit more orange and the Gundams a bit more red.
 

Maria.

→Donut Vampire
#8
[quote name='Sanae']Here's my first try with cleaning an image using the Polygonal Laso Tool (or w/e it's called) ^__^




I think it looks a bit edgy on some of it and I think I deleted too deep into it (the outline of the body) :( Maybe, I should zoom in more perhaps o.o?[/QUOTE]



I, Lady Maria, shall personally comment on this.

If you'd ask me, I'd give this render a fair rating. Using the polygonal lasso tool is more complicated than the pentool. It takes up too much time zooming. Since using the polygonal lasso tool requires you to zoom the image until it forms pixels. With that, you will trace those pixels. It looks edgy and low quality. I'd suggest you do some noise reduction and sharpening before rendering it because low quality stocks produce unnecessary pixels.



[quote name='Graham Aker']this...



[/QUOTE]



First thing I noticed here is that the background looks too standard. Second is the typo, I'm never a fan of big typography that distracts the flow and absolutely not a fan of well designed texts. Just as Hadriel said, the Gundams below look pasted. One factor that affects the blending of those Gundams is that the background and effects is 2d yet you try to place a 3d render. The colors in the piece itself is interesting, just tweak the color of the background, not the render. I might have to contradict what Hadriel said though about putting an orange/red tint. If you do so, one thing I can say, it will become monotonous. Red and orange background and then red and orange focal. How interesting is that? It isn't a bit interesting if you ask me. It is interesting, but monotonous tags nowadays tend to be pretty common to GFXers. The flow has some issues as well. Actually, I don't see any specific flow in it but I think there is and that is the red flame things pointing to the right and then ends with the Gundam on the lower right. I know I'm being way to technical, but I guess it is better than saying it is so so pretty which doesn't even help a bit. One last thing, don't blur the edges of the renders, if possible fix it rather than blurring it. I know it works, but not for this kind since you need to blur the whole background if you want it to look better. More contrast, less text, and fixed lighting would make this piece even more better. Anyways, it is a good attempt.



P.S. Text is never necessary if you don't know how to place them. If you people think that text is the life of a piece. Then NO. It is the killer of a piece. Unless you learn that texts are like the renders you try so hard to blend. Let it blend with the background.
 

~Kitty~

Kitty pawns all!
#9
[quote name='Maria.']I, Lady Maria, shall personally comment on this.

If you'd ask me, I'd give this render a fair rating. Using the polygonal lasso tool is more complicated than the pentool. It takes up too much time zooming. Since using the polygonal lasso tool requires you to zoom the image until it forms pixels. With that, you will trace those pixels. It looks edgy and low quality. I'd suggest you do some noise reduction and sharpening before rendering it because low quality stocks produce unnecessary pixels.







First thing I noticed here is that the background looks too standard. Second is the typo, I'm never a fan of big typography that distracts the flow and absolutely not a fan of well designed texts. Just as Hadriel said, the Gundams below look pasted. One factor that affects the blending of those Gundams is that the background and effects is 2d yet you try to place a 3d render. The colors in the piece itself is interesting, just tweak the color of the background, not the render. I might have to contradict what Hadriel said though about putting an orange/red tint. If you do so, one thing I can say, it will become monotonous. Red and orange background and then red and orange focal. How interesting is that? It isn't a bit interesting if you ask me. It is interesting, but monotonous tags nowadays tend to be pretty common to GFXers. The flow has some issues as well. Actually, I don't see any specific flow in it but I think there is and that is the red flame things pointing to the right and then ends with the Gundam on the lower right. I know I'm being way to technical, but I guess it is better than saying it is so so pretty which doesn't even help a bit. One last thing, don't blur the edges of the renders, if possible fix it rather than blurring it. I know it works, but not for this kind since you need to blur the whole background if you want it to look better. More contrast, less text, and fixed lighting would make this piece even more better. Anyways, it is a good attempt.



P.S. Text is never necessary if you don't know how to place them. If you people think that text is the life of a piece. Then NO. It is the killer of a piece. Unless you learn that texts are like the renders you try so hard to blend. Let it blend with the background.[/QUOTE]





woo major block o text.

well im putting my banner on hold for now.



and BTW the text is the focus here...im trying to make it look as fancy as possible.(what fonts to use! T_T) this is a banner for my upcoming AG :><:
 

Maria.

→Donut Vampire
#10
[quote name='Graham Aker']woo major block o text.

well im putting my banner on hold for now.



and BTW the text is the focus here...im trying to make it look as fancy as possible.(what fonts to use! T_T) this is a banner for my upcoming AG :><:[/QUOTE]



The font in itself is fine. The downside of it is the border and the effects on it. Putting text is like scribbling in your notebook. When you write in your notebook, do you make those effects and stuffs while you write?

You said you want to focus with the text? Let's lessen the render then. Shorten the height of the piece and make the text center-oriented. Lessen the spacing between the words. Remove the design on the text. Maybe one render for each side is fine.

But if you do really want to focus on text. Then remove the renders. If you want to focus on renders remove the text. If you want them both, balance them. Much as I want to post an example, I lack the necessary pieces that focus on this kind. Concluding all what I said, all you need to do is use a smaller canvas, remove the effects and borders on the text, lessen the spacing between the words, and resize the text a bit.



P.S. I'd suggest that you make a 500x250 banner. Smaller canvases are easier to manipulate for those who are learning GFX. ^^
 

~Kitty~

Kitty pawns all!
#11
[quote name='Maria.']The font in itself is fine. The downside of it is the border and the effects on it. Putting text is like scribbling in your notebook. When you write in your notebook, do you make those effects and stuffs while you write?

You said you want to focus with the text? Let's lessen the render then. Shorten the height of the piece and make the text center-oriented. Lessen the spacing between the words. Remove the design on the text. Maybe one render for each side is fine.

But if you do really want to focus on text. Then remove the renders. If you want to focus on renders remove the text. If you want them both, balance them. Much as I want to post an example, I lack the necessary pieces that focus on this kind. Concluding all what I said, all you need to do is use a smaller canvas, remove the effects and borders on the text, lessen the spacing between the words, and resize the text a bit.



P.S. I'd suggest that you make a 500x250 banner. Smaller canvases are easier to manipulate for those who are learning GFX. ^^[/QUOTE]





ok. i will try out your suggestions.
 

Sanae

Active Member
Staff member
#12
[quote name='Maria.']I, Lady Maria, shall personally comment on this.

If you'd ask me, I'd give this render a fair rating. Using the polygonal lasso tool is more complicated than the pentool. It takes up too much time zooming. Since using the polygonal lasso tool requires you to zoom the image until it forms pixels. With that, you will trace those pixels. It looks edgy and low quality. I'd suggest you do some noise reduction and sharpening before rendering it because low quality stocks produce unnecessary pixels.[/QUOTE]

Thanks alot for the feedback ^__^



Do you have any suggestions to how much I should reduce the noise ^^?



I did another one 8D


I may use that for a future set, but not sure which site xD
 

Maria.

→Donut Vampire
#13
[quote name='Sanae']Thanks alot for the feedback ^__^



Do you have any suggestions to how much I should reduce the noise ^^?



I did another one 8D


I may use that for a future set, but not sure which site xD[/QUOTE]



Edgy. My own comment on that. It is edgy and still has some whites.

The hair, and the cable looks edgy and still has some whites.



You asked about noise reduction?

Gaussian Blur>Gaussian Blur>Sharpen within the range of 30-50.
 

Emeralda

Pistis Sophia
#14
Could we have some more rules to standarize the future entries? What I have in mind is some min and max resolutions to not make such huge differences in sizes. Also, not using stocks/stocks backgrounds, since those are "easy mode," and instead work just on renders.
 
#16
@emeralda are u talking about the SOTW?

I think that different sizes is what cn make a tag more special... There are times when big tags look nice with some renders. Resolutions does mean size right? I think the using renders only will be a good rule :) it'd be interesting-er....

Just a noob giving opinion ...... >_______>
 

VivaLaDementia

Yea, Its been a ride...
#17
I could see renders-only as a theme for a week, but it would be silly to just limit people to renders only for all the SOTW. Its suppose to be about creativity, not rules~
 

Emeralda

Pistis Sophia
#18
The problem is, big sigs take more attention from the voters and sometimes the smaller ones are ignored. At least that's what I think, especially when the size difference is more than 200%.



And I still say that using stocks is an "easy mode." You will understand when you see Aker's entry.
 

Sanae

Active Member
Staff member
#19
I don't mind adjusting my size down a bit more ^^ Just as long as it's not too small xDDD What dimensions did Emmie have in mind ^^? Actually, I'm good with anything bigger then 100 height.. At least 150 height is good XD Although, I like making pop outs at times... What would be better suited for those o.o?
 

Ruru

<img src="http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i456
#20
Having a rule that hinders people from using stocks is I think. I agree some stocks are the easy way out but there's also stocks that can be hard to work with :3



Only renders as a theme would be a nice theme tho~



And having max and min sizes could be a problem too. Some signatures fit better as 500x200 while some are better as 400x120 for example. Another solution could be that it could be chosen whenever the entrry should be an icon, tag, banner or alike =3