Public Displays of Idiocracy

[DeletedUser]

I'm rather new to the GFX scene, but here goes nothing...

SOTW Entry - Tied #1

No idea what this was meant to be

 

[DeletedUser40486]

To me they look little incomplete, excessive use of light (maybe its just me). second one blends little with background but rest don't seem to have blended well.

 

[DeletedUser]

To me they look little incomplete, excessive use of light (maybe its just me). second one blends little with background but rest don't seem to have blended well.

Seeing what your current sig is, please tell me your kidding me.

 

[DeletedUser]

Seeing what your current sig is, please tell me your kidding me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I was about to go off on him, but I need to keep a good rep

 

[DeletedUser]

Seeing what your current sig is, please tell me your kidding me.

Seeing what your current sig is, please tell me you're kidding me.

He was right, the lighting is off in the OP's pieces (and also in yours, hence I had to comment on the hypocrisy of you calling him a hypocrite :3).

@OP Rather than just white, a good way to create better lighting can be to "dodge" and "burn" (photoshop tools; I don't know if you use PS or GIMP but looks like PS). You want to avoid brushing whites for lighting unless its a small, calculated amount, because it doesn't shadow. Think about how lighting actually works, you had a light source and the area behind in will be darker. I can see you've tried to do it, except its not just that the colour should be darker, make it physically darker. Often times it will create better lighting for you to darken the shadows, than to lighten the light source.

The goal is to try to make the lighting realistic and ideally 3 dimensional. Take the 2nd piece for example. Good concept, and the lighting in there, but you see the bottom left and right corners? You would be better off darkening them (the burn tool is good for that, or you can just black brush as-well - brushing black for darkness is a lot better than brushing white for light). I bet you, if you darken those you will see a much bigger difference for the lighting than any amount of boosting light sources you will see.

Your pieces have a faded look to them, like aqe's which make them hard on the eyes to look at. Try to avoid that because it makes it look flat, you want your pieces to have dynamic lighting, so that some parts are light up, others shadowed, you don't need the entire piece to be bright because then your eyes don't know what to look at.

Just try to remember when working on lighting (one of the, if not the, most important aspect of creating good sigs) is to focus more on where you are shadowing. Usually your renders and stocks will have natural light sources in them, use them. Often times you don't need to do much, just "dodge" the area around it slightly to enhance it, then focus on creating the shadows.

Look at it this way:

If you massively shadow a piece but don't touch the light
VS
If you massively lighten a piece but don't touch the shadows

The shadowed one will look better everytime. Of course, balance is the best point to be, but if you are going to lean one way, lean more towards the shadows.

Hope it helps

Edit:

Hope you don't mind, but just to give you an example:

That's a really quick example and obviously working off what's already there, but just to show you what I mean. All I did was some black brushing and a little "burning". Ideally I would like to layer the lighting more-so but difficult without the original layers :icon_razz:

If you do it that way, though (with a bit more time and effort than that, just a 30 second rough example) you can make really nice lighting. You should also be able to see yourself how the eyes tend to draw more towards the light and the focal point when you shadow the non-focal areas, its a really good way to extenuate your focal point too.

 

[DeletedUser]

Okay, thanks for the advice

Just have a few questions in addition to that though. In regards to lighting, if the stock/render doesn't have any natural lighting in it, it's better to use the dodge tool to create a light source right? And going off on a tangent, what method do you recommend for getting the colors to not conflict? I've been using a dark blue to creamy-yellow gradient map (and a bunch of other things, but the gradient map affected it the most), but I feel it has been somewhat washing out the signature so to say. Like, in my original for the second piece, I used that gradient map and the colors seem less appealing then yours, which seems to use a black and white gradient map (or something other than what I used ).

 

[DeletedUser]

If there is no natural light in the stock/render, in that case I think brushing or using light textures is helpful. If there's no basis you don't really want to mass dodge, because that can make the colour weird. A good method I find for a simple kind of light (light the second one, just a basic sunlight type) is to soft brush a white spot for the light, place a light texture for example:

[SPOIL]

[/SPOIL]

Screened and the purple erased, so just using the central part (maybe duplicating, rotating and using it two or three times in the center), the dodge the edge of the render or where the light would be hitting, then shadowing the outsides as normal. So just as a quick example of that:

[SPOIL]

[/SPOIL]
(Render used)

The render is fairly lacking in natural light (closest I have on hand).

What I did exactly:

Black layer.
Render ontop.
Brush a soft white spot on layer above the black.
Place that fractal on screen in the white spot.
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Merge.
Erase the edges.
Duplicate.
Rotate. (so I have two of them, the second one I rotated to the other side of the light to create the "circle")
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Merge.
Erase the edges.
Create new layer ontop and dark brush at 100% opacity with black soft brush around the edges of the render on the opposite side of the light (since its entirely dark given the full blackness, in other sigs you would use where the shadows would be obviously).
New layer - Black brush the inner shadows on him directly (like inside the leg) and lowered opacity of the layer.
Create new layer from visual: dodged the edges that are light up (just slightly, like 2-3 clicks with a small soft brush).

I think that was about it.

So you can see that the actual white brushing was very little, most of it was the shadowing around it. This is true for whether you have a light source already or whether you need to make one.

About the colours:

I think your mistake was gradiant mapping and what-not over "everything". You don't need to do that. For example you can throw a black and white gradiant map over the background "only" then a photo filter over it, or create a new layer on "colour" and brush it. You don't want to really filter over the top of everything.

Using the previous one, this is what I did (obviously another quick hack job )

Placed the mountain stock behind him (first thing I grabbed)
Put a black and white gradient map on clipping mask for the mountain layer.
Put a blue photo filter on low density on clipping mask for the mountain layer.
Placed a black and white gradient map on clipping mask for the render.
Created a new clipping mask layer and blue brushed around the outside of the render and lowered the opacity.
Placed a new copy of the render above the top on "colour".
Erased everything from the new layer except the skin (to keep the skin colour).
Did some new layers with soft black brushing to touch up the shadows slightly.
I didn't dodge it at all but it could be dodged around the edges of the mountains and etc to enhance that.
Finally a placed a new colour layer brushed blue at like 15% with the skin areas erased from the colour layer.

So, if you followed that, the key I find is keeping the gradient maps and colouring separate and keeping things like skin colour and shadows. The main aspects here I wanted to colour was: The green chest and green leggings/etc.

You don't want to change things like skin colour (blue skin isn't natural, for example). And doing that keeps the colour, lighting and shadows all seperate to make it more dynamic.

I know it's not the best example but it was just quick

So, if you followed any of that, hope its helpful. I can send you the .psd if you want as-well.

Edit: (This and my previous post is 1250 words :3)

 

[DeletedUser]

Thanks for taking the time to help

I'll take it all into consideration

 

[DeletedUser]

Seeing what your current sig is, please tell me you're kidding me.

He was right, the lighting is off in the OP's pieces (and also in yours, hence I had to comment on the hypocrisy of you calling him a hypocrite :3).

Hypocrite, Excuse me? First of all, I asked for No Critiques. :icon_rolleyes:
And secondly, no I'm not kidding anyone? Please do me a favor and check Chimera's sig again, and then REALIZE how off CHIMERAs lightings are compared to the tags Idiocracy did. But I didn't complain cause he admitted maybe it's just him.

 

[DeletedUser40486]

Hypocrite, Excuse me? First of all, I asked for No Critiques. :icon_rolleyes:
And secondly, no I'm not kidding anyone? Please do me a favor and check Chimera's sig again, and then REALIZE how off CHIMERAs lightings are compared to the tags Idiocracy did. But I didn't complain cause he admitted maybe it's just him.

First of all, this is Idiocracy's thread so criticizing about my signature is irrelevant, Second, i never said or implied that i am expert in signature making. Third, i have already been to CnC section and have received my CnC about this signature but nevertheless i kept this signature anyway. Fourth, it is completely illogical to imply that one must have signature specific standard to be able to comment on others signature. Regardless this is public forum so anyone can comment according to their judgement, it is upto author of post to whether to take comment seriously or not.

 

[DeletedUser]

Hypocrite, Excuse me? First of all, I asked for No Critiques. :icon_rolleyes:

At what point did CHIMERAA ask for critique? Golly gosh, I hope someone got you a mirror for christmas so you can see yourself here.

And secondly, no I'm not kidding anyone? Please do me a favor and check Chimera's sig again, and then REALIZE how off CHIMERAs lightings are compared to the tags Idiocracy did. But I didn't complain cause he admitted maybe it's just him.

Of course CHIMERAA's lighting is off. Yours is no better.

You criticized him for:
commenting about signature quality while he had a bad sig.

By doing so you:
commented about signature quality while having a bad sig.

It's not that complicated.

 

[DeletedUser]

If there is no natural light in the stock/render, in that case I think brushing or using light textures is helpful. If there's no basis you don't really want to mass dodge, because that can make the colour weird. A good method I find for a simple kind of light (light the second one, just a basic sunlight type) is to soft brush a white spot for the light, place a light texture for example:

[SPOIL]

[/SPOIL]

Screened and the purple erased, so just using the central part (maybe duplicating, rotating and using it two or three times in the center), the dodge the edge of the render or where the light would be hitting, then shadowing the outsides as normal. So just as a quick example of that:

[SPOIL]

[/SPOIL]
(Render used)

The render is fairly lacking in natural light (closest I have on hand).

What I did exactly:

Black layer.
Render ontop.
Brush a soft white spot on layer above the black.
Place that fractal on screen in the white spot.
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Merge.
Erase the edges.
Duplicate.
Rotate. (so I have two of them, the second one I rotated to the other side of the light to create the "circle")
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Duplicate.
Merge.
Erase the edges.
Create new layer ontop and dark brush at 100% opacity with black soft brush around the edges of the render on the opposite side of the light (since its entirely dark given the full blackness, in other sigs you would use where the shadows would be obviously).
New layer - Black brush the inner shadows on him directly (like inside the leg) and lowered opacity of the layer.
Create new layer from visual: dodged the edges that are light up (just slightly, like 2-3 clicks with a small soft brush).

I think that was about it.

So you can see that the actual white brushing was very little, most of it was the shadowing around it. This is true for whether you have a light source already or whether you need to make one.

About the colours:

I think your mistake was gradiant mapping and what-not over "everything". You don't need to do that. For example you can throw a black and white gradiant map over the background "only" then a photo filter over it, or create a new layer on "colour" and brush it. You don't want to really filter over the top of everything.

Using the previous one, this is what I did (obviously another quick hack job )

Placed the mountain stock behind him (first thing I grabbed)
Put a black and white gradient map on clipping mask for the mountain layer.
Put a blue photo filter on low density on clipping mask for the mountain layer.
Placed a black and white gradient map on clipping mask for the render.
Created a new clipping mask layer and blue brushed around the outside of the render and lowered the opacity.
Placed a new copy of the render above the top on "colour".
Erased everything from the new layer except the skin (to keep the skin colour).
Did some new layers with soft black brushing to touch up the shadows slightly.
I didn't dodge it at all but it could be dodged around the edges of the mountains and etc to enhance that.
Finally a placed a new colour layer brushed blue at like 15% with the skin areas erased from the colour layer.

So, if you followed that, the key I find is keeping the gradient maps and colouring separate and keeping things like skin colour and shadows. The main aspects here I wanted to colour was: The green chest and green leggings/etc.

You don't want to change things like skin colour (blue skin isn't natural, for example). And doing that keeps the colour, lighting and shadows all seperate to make it more dynamic.

I know it's not the best example but it was just quick

So, if you followed any of that, hope its helpful. I can send you the .psd if you want as-well.

Edit: (This and my previous post is 1250 words :3)

what photo editing software do you use? Photoshop? GIMP? any other?

 

[DeletedUser]

what photo editing software do you use? Photoshop? GIMP? any other?

Photoshop CS5. I've used GIMP before though.

 

[DeletedUser]

GIMP does not have good tools to use. Photoshop is great, but needs to be bought before using.

You're a genius harb! :lol:

For you:

 

[DeletedUser]

[SPOIL]GIMP does not have good tools to use. Photoshop is great, but needs to be bought before using.

You're a genius harb! :lol:

For you:

[/SPOIL]

Well, not to say that are particularly good, but:

My showroom for examples

Everything up until about halfway down the second page (if you have your settings on 40 posts per page) is all with GIMP. That was beginner stuff of mine but I think if I went back and still using gimp I could make something of them, I think there was some decent ones with GIMP.

I'm used to PS now, but GIMP is still useful. There are a lot of good artists and designers out there who use GIMP, so don't count it out. :3

 

[DeletedUser]

I have GIMP too, but i never thought one can create such artistic stuff with it!

Teach me how to :lol::lol:

 

[DeletedUser]

I have GIMP too, but i never thought one can create such artistic stuff with it!

Teach me how to :lol::lol:

Well my advice would be tutorials, practice, patience.

There are a lot of GIMP tutorials for sig making out there, it's the best place to start. Just focus on following them completely and learning what each tool does. Do them over and over. Don't expect perfection. There's always more to learn whatever your level, so there's no need to try and be an amazing designer overnight whether you are a beginner or experienced, just focus on improving a little each time.

The more you practice and experience, the more tricks, tips and techniques you will pick up along the way, so the best thing you can do is just try to experience and master as many different methods as possible through tutorials. Later on, when making your own, you can then try and use some of those techniques you have picked up.

And the main thing is just being committed and sticking with it, nothing can be learnt on a whim, if you want to be good at something you have to be able to stick with it, even when its gets frustrating at times.

 

[DeletedUser]

i'll start searching youtube, Thanks

 

[DeletedUser]

Remember we have a tutorials section here too which has some useful tutorials in it. I may post up some more in it later on it as-well.

 

[DeletedUser]

thanks i'm getting a hang of it little bit now..

a FEW CLICKS here and a few there, And, i created my first one!