Pixel Tips

Well i decided since im prone to not exactly doing CC all the time in "rate this sig!" kind of topics, for pixels mostly, i decided to do this to make up for the whining i have done.

Ideas are greatly appreciated and credit will be given.

LINKS:

Gimp:

http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html

Project dog Waffle:

http://www.squirreldome.com/cyberop.htm

Open Canvas:

http://www.hamiltondraws.com/?link=44

BEFORE YOU READ:

If you have any tutorials, please submit them and i will edit this post to fit them :)

This tip for pixeling is incomplete and will be updated whenever ideas are submitted.

If your loooking for a tutorial then read no furthur and check out Quer_Skulls topic about that:

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=82865

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=207 ... l+tutorial

Some Text Tips:

- Try and expand your horizons and download fonts from Fontfreek.com or Dafont.com

- Put a name or stats in a corner whenever possible, it gets out of the way of the sig so you can see its beauty.

- Avoid putting more than one stat or quote on a sig, it gets crammed and, what i like to call, bleh.

- Sometimes Anti-Alias (AA) is not always the best thing, so dont be afraid to remove it.

Some Shading Tips:

- While shading, dont just do a line by line by line, get out the pencil tool and bend to your sigs needs.

- Take your time and try to avoid thick line shading (unless its your style of course.)

- When doing 'shine' (the white spots) try not to put it away from the light and make the shading blend to it.

- to obtain a kind of metalic effect, you need to stick to light colors while shading near a light source. (as in a lighter shade of that color)

- to do clothing wrinkles, just draw lines and edit the outline, then start with a dark color where the light source is pointing to on that wrinkle. (darker behind the wrinkle)

- if your just starting out, then i suggest using one line shading, and progress from there (there is only a darkest point and lightest point in this style)

Sig Touch Ups:

- If you have Photoshop, then add the text onto the sig from there, then go to filter, then Emboss. this will rise the text to give a 3d effect, then go over it while selecting the brush tool (but while the brush tool is selected make sure you set it to multiply or screen) then brush over it and it will look good

- Animation should be used sparingly so the file size isnt too big and the sig isnt to cramped.

- If you have a hard time doing the ground or sky, use gradients for the sky and brushing for the ground.

Taking the Heat of CC:

- if somebody flames you, either ignore them or kindly tell them they are not helping you to make your sig better, in this case the flamers post would be spam.

- NEVER POST A SIG IF YOU DONT THINK ITS GOOD YOURSELF.

- Some people can be harsh but provide critical help for your signature and can help you.

- Never flame a CC'r

- Dont ignore CC'rs, ignore flamers.

- If you cant handle what people have to say about your signature, then simply either, dont post it anymore, dont do it anymore, get better.

Contributed information:

- shading has to go true shapes and depth, you'll have to study how basic shapes go with different lightnings.

for other shapes i will say look around and just when your looking at a object look at how light interacts with it, thats a pretty fine way to get good shading. its how i learned moste of shading.

My last thing to say is, Do your best.

Credits:

Thank you Quer_Skull for the advice

Thank you tttia for the links.

* wonders if axe is the best to make a pixel tut * o well pretty good... (sends you to PIXEL HELL TOO..secretly of course)

Nice advice...thanks :) btw did you make that sig that you have? If so, its awesome!

is there a tutorial showing how to shade?

To answer cat, i sortove "cheated" if you will, and used photoshop for that shading, but it still took awhile and thank you for the comment.

For flip, i suggest looking up Quer_Skull's pixel tutorial, its pretty nice i have read it and i think you would benifit greatly from it, i dont really know how to describe shading myself other then its one of the most time straining parts of the sig.

Anybody have the link for the tutorial, that would be greatly appriciated.

is there a tutorial showing how to shade?

Pixel

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=82865

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=207 ... l+tutorial

brushing

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=879 ... ht=shading

 

is there a tutorial showing how to shade?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pixel

 

 

 

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=82865

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=207 ... l+tutorial

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

brushing

 

 

 

http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=879 ... ht=shading

thankyou

so can you shade with ms paint? :?

sure you can. Some of the best pixelers use only paint. But the last tutorial, brush shading, is not really something you do with paint.

If you want something with a little more power, try one of these freebies:

The GIMP is an open-source port from Linux. It is fairly stable, has a fair array of features. Photoshop it is not. But it is probably the best free option out there. http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html

You will need to download two files. First you need the Gtk environment. This is a file that enables the other to run. Then you need the Gimp itself.

Or, this free program that emulates traditional art mediums:

It is called "project dog waffle"...and no I am not joking.

http://www.squirreldome.com/cyberop.htm

Another popular one is called open canvas. Version one is free.

http://www.hamiltondraws.com/?link=44

Pixia is also free. It is an all around graphics program...just search for pixa. But I would say gimp is better.

Satori Photo xl is a rather helpful freeware program that allows for layers, a fair array of selection tools, Photoshop Plug-in support, and some of your most popular file formats, with the glaring exception of GIF's. This may have to do with some licensing issues. You can download it at http://www.tucows.com in shareware version. Then you get the cd key on the satori site to convert it to freeware. I am not sure why they bother with this cumbersome process (probably to sign you up on their email list). It also works in a propriety file format that blends elements of vectors and rasters.....interesting!

Serif makes some free graphics programs, including a decent free vector package

One free tool that you might consider is by Jans freeware and is called Movies 12. http://www.jansfreeware.com/jfgraphics.htm This program allows you to make animations from jpegs, gifs or avi movies. It also adds some special transitions.

Graphics Gale is one used by a lot of pixelers. It has layer support etc.

http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us/

Good luck.

Thankyou, you are very helpful. I do have photoshop but I don't really know how to use it. I'll try though.

To answer cat, i sortove "cheated" if you will, and used photoshop for that shading, but it still took awhile and thank you for the comment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For flip, i suggest looking up Quer_Skull's pixel tutorial, its pretty nice i have read it and i think you would benifit greatly from it, i dont really know how to describe shading myself other then its one of the most time straining parts of the sig.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anybody have the link for the tutorial, that would be greatly appriciated.

shading has to go true shapes and depth, you'll have to study how basic shapes go with different lightnings.

for other shapes i will say look around and just when your looking at a object look at how light interacts with it, thats a pretty fine way to get good shading.

- its how i learned moste of shading.

btw axe for your burning (your shading method) try using opacitys and layers.

different layers for highlights and shading and set them to different opacitys and modes. i think it will definitley improve the. looks more like soft leather now :wink:

good tutorial axe, your sig isn't 'cheating pixel' it's just brushed :wink:

Its cheating as in a skipped the part where it takes forever :wink: lol.

yeah, for shading, do basicaly what Quer said.

bump.

Bumpage

i wipped this up real quick using your metalic tutorial

btw its an armpad if u couldnt tell.

To answer cat, i sortove "cheated" if you will, and used photoshop for that shading...

Did you use light source, Or some sort of burn tool? I'm reeeeally lazy when i shade hehe. I would love to take a break from my crappy shading techniques. ;)

i wipped this up real quick using your metalic tutorial

 

 

 

 

 

 

btw its an armpad if u couldnt tell.

See how much more ownage that looks now? :P

Did you use light source, Or some sort of burn tool? I'm reeeeally lazy when i shade hehe. I would love to take a break from my crappy shading techniques.

I used the multiply tool.

that wouldwork too heh, ty

bumpity