Fan Art

[ratchetnclank]

Another full sig tut on lighting


this is what were making.


first off paste the render onto the canvas and resize.



to make the eye more shiny i duplicated the render layer and filter>blur>gaussian blur.
Set this layer to lighten.



Now create a new layer and brush on some white with 0% hardness, then lower the opacity i used 56 %.



find the picture you want to be reflected on the eye and paste onto a new layer.
Press CTRL + ALT + G to make a clipping mask resize and move until it looks right.



i then decided the reflection was too bright so i pasted the orignal layer above layer 4. put this at 15 % opacity


click the ying yang icon and choose graident map i chose black and white one. I erased over the iris and the reflection in the eye.


i then pasted the relected layer again to give some more definition. i set this to hard light 67% opacity.



i then chose another black and white graident map and just erased over the iris to leave the blue showing.

[ratchetnclank]

next click the ying yang icon and select photo filter, i chose warming on 17% opacity.


i chose purple to orange gradient map and put on soft light 95% opacity.


i then Image>apply image to darken the pic then blurred the edges of the sig with the blur tool.



image>apply image and set to soft light at around 54% opacity.


i then added a colour balance, play around with the sliders your self to get some soft natural looking colours.


i then added a brightness/contrast layer and made the sig slightly darker.


i then got a soft black brush and brushed the edges of the sig to darken it and lowered the opacity to 52%


i then added another black and white gradient map and set to soft light on 10% opacity.




As always please dont rip i make this for you guys.
ratchetnclank

[Detsurasu]

Ok, my turn to show something:

1st - New file with 500x400 pxls; contents: White.

2nd - New layer(Shift+Ctrl+N) and press "d".

3rd - Filter > Render > Clouds.

4th - Filter > Stylize > Wind: method: Stagger; direction: From the Left.

5th - Filter > Distort > Twirl: angle: 490°

6th - Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation(Ctrl+U) and check Colorixe: hue: 202; saturation: 50; lightness: 0.

7th - New layer > Layer Style > Outer Glow: blend mode: normal; opacity: 40%; noise: 0%; color: white. Elements: technique: softer; spread: 10%; size: 5 pxls. Quality: leave it.

8th - Brush Tool and put some points with 3 pxls, like:

9th - Brush Tool > New Brush Preset > Assorted Brushes and choose that brush with 49 pxls(star form). Now, put them on those points.

10th - New layer > Layer Style > Outer Glow: blend mode: Normal; opacity: 75%; noise: 0%; color: white. Elements: technique: softer; spread: 5%; size: 10 pxls. Quality: leave it.

11th - Brush Tool > New Brush Preset > Assorted Brushes and choose that brush with 48 pxls(also star form). Put a few(4 - 5) of them on those points.

12th - Brush Tool > New Brush Preset > Basic Brushes and choose that brush with 100 pxls. Put it anywhere you want to make a snow effect.

Final Result:

Good luck guys!

[Oo_Alias_oO]

Adding Text Tutorial

Text plays a very important role in whether the final outcome of your signiture will be good, or bad.

Its not just a finial layer than needs going on because someone asked for it, its a final layer that will make or break it.

Im not a master at putting text onto a signiture, but im not bad and I wouldnt say the text on my sigs looks bad.

The main thing to keep in mind, is that unless its a text signiture, the text isnt the main object and so shouldnt be the first thing you spot.

Below I am going to give a few examples and how to make text look nice.

1) Metal Gear Solid



So here we have a nice looking sig ( ) that has no text added. Now here is an example of bad text:



As you can see, it is just there in your face. The colours dont match, and the contrast is too great.
So looking at the original image, you want a area that hasnt got too much going on and is the boring part of the signiture.

I found a found called OLYMPIQUES that looks nice and fits well in lower case.
I then types 'alias' in all lower case in white. Depending on how dark or light the text is, always start with black or white text.
This led me too titing the text so it doesnt look as boring, and the viewer looks at it in a different perspective.

So here we are:



Now, the next stage is too add effects. As im a person who uses alot of colour in the backgrounds, I like the colour to flow through my text.

With your white text layer selected, I did the following (right click layer > blending options) :

- 79% Opacity
- Blend Mode : Soft light
- Colour Overlay: (colour:4eac68), 35% opacity, blend mode: saturation
- Stroke: 3px, Position: Outside-Normal, 58% opacity, Colour: Black

And there you have it, nice text in a few easy steps.
Finial Outcome:



2) Very Abstract - With emo



So yet again ive finished a signiture that I want to use, but it has no text! You may not like this sig, but still the text will make or break it.
An example of bad text:



Obviously I doubt anyone would do text like that but its still bad. So now, remember what I said? Add the text too an area where there is little detail going on.
On this signiture, you could say that the bottom right is best, but its just a black layer so getting nice effects will be hard.

So the top right it is. Having a fancy swirly font probably isnt going to work to well here as its nit that style of signiture.
I went for the text "Vrinda" which is pretty much Arial in font size 30pt.
I placed it in the top corner and with a colour of black.



This step is very easy, and I use this in most of my sigs. So add this to the text layer:

- Soft Light
- 100% Opactity
- Dublicate layer: 80% Opacity

Then select both text layers and move them down so they are beneath one or two effect layers.
And hey presto, some nice text.



As you may see, there is a white line below the test as a side effect. Thats just a rectangle with a 180 degree white to transparent style and then smudged off at the ends.

[Oo_Alias_oO]

Pen Tool Rendering

Clicky! Video Download (by Alias)

To me the best tool on photoshop that I use the most is the Pen Tool.
It bascially makes paths that allow you to do almost anything you want with them.

In this tutorial I will be showing you how to render an image (cutting out) with no jagged edges and very good quality.
You may use the simple eraser to render an image, but doing this is bad, it takes forever and you cant get the precision you need.

So here we go, I will be using an image that I have used in one of my signitures:



And we will be rendering this image:



Now to start off, select the Pen Tool (P) which is above the text inserter.
At the top of photoshop, select the following settings:



Now the settings are set, select the image layer you want too render out.

Zoom in 400% (Or whatever you feel is right)

The best place to start is where the image hits the end of the size you are working in (So the top of his hat).

Start to make anchor points around the image, the lines wont be curved yet, so make it go around the best you can.
For example (anchor points hightlighted in red dots):



Do this all the way around the image you until you come right back around. But DO NOT join back up with the start, just get as close as possible to teh first anchor point.

Now we need to make the lines curved, to do this follow these simple steps:

- Inbetween the first and second anchor point, click half way along the path (line). This will make a filled in square.
- Hover you mouse over it
- Hold down the 'Ctrl' key (so a white mouse will appear)
- Move the line in the direction of the curve
- Repeat for each line connected by 2 anchor points (where a curve is)

(The video link will show you what I mean)

You should end up with something like this:



Now you are satisfied that the path goes nicley around the image you want, finish up by connecting the end anchor point to the first on, making a line apprear with no anchor points.

With the pen tool still selected, go hover your mouse inside the line you have made and do this:

- Right click
- Feather Radius: 0px
- Anti-aliased
- New Operation
- Okay

**Note, the feather radius can be changed. However this is used for blending into backgrounds. 0px=Full Render. 0px<px = Edges are feather off (rubbed out soothly)**

A white and black dotted line should now be going around the render.

Now on the keyboard hit:

- Ctrl + Shift + I (inverse selection)
- Delete

And hey presto, you have a nice cut out render.

Go back too 100% zoom and have a look!

Then you can add it into your signiture!

[ratchetnclank]

[Oo_Alias_oO]