Graphics & Photography Tutorials Thread

Started by Live in Color January 3rd, 2008 8:50 PM
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  • 167 replies
Age 10
Male
Ontario, Canada
Seen December 19th, 2016
Posted October 17th, 2012
1,594 posts
16.3 Years
Welcome to the first Graphics & Photography Tutorials thread. Here you can post tutorials on those hard to make banners for your forum signature, cool animations that you just have to show everyone, or that cool effect you made with the picture of your little French poodle.

Rules:

-You must follow the PokeCommunity Graphics & Photography rules, as well as the general rules.

-Posted tutorials can be text, text with pictures showing examples, or a link to a site that contains the tutorial.

-Your posts must contain either a tutorial, and example that was made using one of the above tutorials, or comments/criticism towards a tutorial.

-Do not post tutorials that you have not made, or do not belong to you.

Please follow these rules.

Thread approved by Sorano and Xenocrates. (Thanks!)

There is a form required for posting tutorials:
Program Used:
Required:
Skill Level:

To start things off I'll show my tutorial as an example.

Program Used: Adobe Photoshop

Required: Adobe Photoshop, a set of grunge brushes found online, I specifically use deviantArt, and an image that you would like to put in your banner. The image would be better being rendered.

Skill Level: Easy

I usually start off with a simple background such as Filter > Render > Clouds, then Filter > Render > Difference Clouds. Now, Image > Adjustments > Inverse. Then click Image > Adjustments > Levels, and dragging the middle arrow to the far right. OR just duplicating the render a lot, then adding a Filter > Blur > Motion Blur at 45º, then again at -45º, then a 2 pixel Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.

That's the base for your background.

I create a new layer then do some brushing with grunge brushes that can be downloaded from deviantArt. I do the brushes, on the new layer, black or white depending on how I want the banner to look. I set the brush opacity at about 60% and click 2-3 times per brush. Set the brush layer to a nice Overlay or whatever makes it look good over top of the base background.

That's basically your full background.

Over that I put the render in and position it properly. Then go to Edit > Transform > Scale and then grab a box in the top left, top right, bottom left, or bottom right and hold shift, then drag it to get the right size. When you have it click the Rectangular Marquee tool, then Apply. Then duplicate it and set the effect to Hard Light, gives a good effect.

To get an overall matching color, make sure your at the up most layer and go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance. Then just play around with the Midtones, Highlights and Shadows to get a nice color, don't go overboard though.

For the text you can add a Drop Shadow and/or Outer Glow to make it stand out, but change the colors of the Outer Glow if you are to use it, make it match.

Now use the Rectangular Marquee tool and select the banner and go to Edit > Stroke. Change the color to black and set it to 1 or 2 pixels, inside. Voila!

And example that I have used this tutorial on is this:


The render of Ed has a little effect to it. I took the Lasso Tool, and selected close to the edges, inside the render and set the feather to 15 pixels. Hit Ctrl+Shift+I and it will select everything outside of what you selected, then press Delete. Gives a nice effect!

Let's get these tutorials going! Questions? Ask away!
liveincolor
Black FC: 1893 8963 5841
Request an RNG Pokemon! < Link to Trade Shop
I don't have a location, i'm just a figment of your imagination.
Seen December 14th, 2015
Posted February 15th, 2008
125 posts
15.6 Years
This is a sig / tutorial me and a friend did together.

Program Used: Adobe Photoshop CS2
Required: A good knowlage of photoshop, Time (as the tut is quite long), A stock / render, Fonts... Well i could go on for ever... so i guess it's kinda up to you looking at the tutorial.
Skill Level: Advanced.
http://img2.imagebanana.com/img/76ivmq4n/finalzorotut2.jpg
Another out come for the tutorial is:
Age 10
Male
Ontario, Canada
Seen December 19th, 2016
Posted October 17th, 2012
1,594 posts
16.3 Years
program used: adobe photoshop cs2 (but cs3 is usable)
required: a c4d, a render (duh), color harmones 1 (gradient), soft brush
skill level: probably middle - advanced

this is my outcome:



forgot one part because i didnt have a soft brush.
I don't see a tutorial. You're just saying what is needed and posted an example. You gotta explain step by step how you did it.

The banner does look nice though, and it'd be cool if I knew how to do it.
liveincolor
Black FC: 1893 8963 5841
Request an RNG Pokemon! < Link to Trade Shop

Loki

x

Seen March 23rd, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2020
6,822 posts
17.8 Years
Woah, sorry about this guys, but me and Sorano didn't specify;

Don't post tutorials that don't belong to you/weren't made by you.

evilcheese; Is that your tutorial? If it isn't yours, please delete your post.

Relyt; Could you edit this into the rules please? Thanks in advance~
Age 10
Male
Ontario, Canada
Seen December 19th, 2016
Posted October 17th, 2012
1,594 posts
16.3 Years
Woah, sorry about this guys, but me and Sorano didn't specify;

Don't post tutorials that don't belong to you/weren't made by you.

evilcheese; Is that your tutorial? If it isn't yours, please delete your post.

Relyt; Could you edit this into the rules please? Thanks in advance~
Ah sorry, I wasn't told that. :( I edited the first post though. Thanks for letting me know! :)
liveincolor
Black FC: 1893 8963 5841
Request an RNG Pokemon! < Link to Trade Shop
Seen September 8th, 2010
Posted September 8th, 2010
4,627 posts
18.1 Years
Aaaah, let me post my little Hitsugaya spatter tutorial, then ^^

Program Used: Adobe Photoshop CS (it'll probably work with other versions)

Required: Spatter brushes, a render, pen-tooling knowledge (optional)

Skill Level: Between easy and medium.

Click here for the tutorial :3

And this is the outcome:


Have fun, and stuffs o_o
A wild PIKABLOO has appeared!

Loki

x

Seen March 23rd, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2020
6,822 posts
17.8 Years
Xenocrates highly recommends Shira-chan's tutorial, because it really really helps. :D



In the meantime, I guess I'll post my rendering tutorial. Rendering itself isn't hard, but... well... you'll see. (I suck at explaining things and I have no patience to prnt screen my every movement.)

Alternate Rendering Method (That does not include the devil's work AKA the pen tool.)

Program Used: PS 7.0+ (I'm unaware if this works with lesser programs. I'm pretty sure you can use it with Elements though.)
Required: Polygonal Lasso for all you like me who can't figure out the pen tool to save our lives, and a stock (image).
Skill Level: Hard, only because I'm not good at explaining. If you're insightful, then this should be easy as pie.

Rendering Tutorial
Seen September 8th, 2010
Posted September 8th, 2010
4,627 posts
18.1 Years
Ooh, nice banner ^^ I like the background colour.

Anywhoo, I have two more tutorials I am willing to share:

Program Used: Adobe Photoshop CS (not sure if it works with older versions)
Required: Smudge settings/brushes, at least a small knowledge on smudging, a stock image/render
Skill Level: Medium-hard to very difficult, mainly cause I suck at explaining things >.>
Outcome:


Roxas Tutorial

---

Program Used: Adobe Photoshop CS (basically, any program with a pen tool)
Required: Nothing, I guess
Skill Level: Very easy to easy, again, due to my horrible explanations

Pen tool tutorial
A wild PIKABLOO has appeared!
Seen May 29th, 2009
Posted May 3rd, 2008
443 posts
15.4 Years
I was wandering is it possible to do that tutorial in paint shop pro 7? i know you might not have never used it.... i really need to get photoshop
EDIT:sorry it didnt quote..this question is for your first and i think only tutorial relyt

The [NEW] Graphics School


I am now using this account http://www.pokecommunity.com/member.php?u=6940 because i am too lazy to wait for a name change, this was my old account from when i first joined. Anyone who wants to contact me add this account.
Seen September 8th, 2010
Posted September 8th, 2010
4,627 posts
18.1 Years
There's some smudge settings in Planet Renders. The smudge settings I used aren't mine, unfortunately D: And I forgot the link to the one I used... So, er, have fun searching? xD

-shot'd-

Oh, and I used a hard pastel brush (default with Photoshop CS), on 70% scatter with 2 count. And with the rest of the settings... Play around, I guess o_o
A wild PIKABLOO has appeared!

Loki

x

Seen March 23rd, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2020
6,822 posts
17.8 Years
... xDD Alright that works. Thanks, I'll see if I can get an outcome tomorrow.

I'm pooped after this tutorial, especially since I hate showing people how I do my banners. I'm selfish, what can I say? |D But I thought this would be really useful.


Gradient Map and Selective Color Tutorial

Program Used: Adobe Photoshop CS2, but I know for a fact it works with PS 7.0+.
Required: Stock and a good taste in colors. :3
Skill Level: Super Easy. (I tried explaining really well, but if you think it's not super easy, tell me and I'll change the level. xD)

Note; For the first step, I said it works best with warm colors; That's only if you use the color settings I did.
- I also ended up not showing all the color settings I used, so I'm sorry about that. xD;

Lol look at the pretty signature at the bottom~ <3


I guess it's more of a 'demonstration' than a tutorial... xD;

Beginning;

Outcome;
Age 10
Male
Ontario, Canada
Seen December 19th, 2016
Posted October 17th, 2012
1,594 posts
16.3 Years
Made this from Shira-chan's tutorial. :P With my own little text effect.

Okay Shiranui, I edited it a bit. Took your advice on the lighting. That tutorial was awesome!

EDIT: It's my current signature, not in that quote.
liveincolor
Black FC: 1893 8963 5841
Request an RNG Pokemon! < Link to Trade Shop
I don't have a location, i'm just a figment of your imagination.
Seen December 14th, 2015
Posted February 15th, 2008
125 posts
15.6 Years
Thank you so much Shiranui!!!
I've been looking for a pen tool tutorial that's nice and simple like this for ages... and now i get it! xD
I made a wierd sig using pentool around the arm... it was just a test tbh.

evilcheese

God I am so freakin lazy

on earth
Seen June 14th, 2009
Posted June 14th, 2009
1,312 posts
16.1 Years
Program Used:adobe photoshop cs2 (but any version is ok)
Required:a 1px hard brush pencil tool
Skill Level:very easy


change this:



into this:

(yes i know rayquaza is spelt wrong)




How to use Scanlines


Ok since I don’t know how to create Photoshop tuts ill just type one up

This tutorial will show you how to make scanlines without pics sorry.

Ok start off with a 3x3 or 6x6 pixel transparent document depending on the size you want it.

Zoom in 1600 so that you can actually see and grab your 1px pencil tool (right click the brush tool) and make a diagonal line across.

Now go to edit >define pattern.

That’s pretty much it just go to select > all on a new layer of your document that you want to apply your scanlines on.

Then go to edit >fill and the scanlines should be there.

(TIP: for blending I put my scanlines on soft light.)
Banner featuring Darkrai <> PAIRLESS <> back yo

Banner Credit = me <> No shop <>
Age 10
Male
Ontario, Canada
Seen December 19th, 2016
Posted October 17th, 2012
1,594 posts
16.3 Years
Program Used:adobe photoshop cs2 (but any version is ok)
Required:a 1px hard brush pencil tool
Skill Level:very easy


change this:



into this:

(yes i know rayquaza is spelt wrong)




How to use Scanlines


Ok since I don’t know how to create Photoshop tuts ill just type one up

This tutorial will show you how to make scanlines without pics sorry.

Ok start off with a 3x3 or 6x6 pixel transparent document depending on the size you want it.

Zoom in 1600 so that you can actually see and grab your 1px pencil tool (right click the brush tool) and make a diagonal line across.

Now go to edit >define pattern.

That’s pretty much it just go to select > all on a new layer of your document that you want to apply your scanlines on.

Then go to edit >fill and the scanlines should be there.

(TIP: for blending I put my scanlines on soft light.)
You might want to add that to put scan lines on certain layers you can make a new layer above the layer you want scan lines on, fill it black, then right click that black layer. Go to Blending Options > Pattern Overlay. And then choose that diagonal line pattern you just made. Then turn the opacity down and voila!

This works if you want the render with no scan lines and the background to have scan lines.
liveincolor
Black FC: 1893 8963 5841
Request an RNG Pokemon! < Link to Trade Shop
Age 31
Female
Massachusetts
Seen July 3rd, 2013
Posted April 16th, 2013
3,159 posts
15.5 Years
Hai guyz. 8D Someone in the rating thread requested a tutorial for my Balmung tag, so here it is luls.

Program Used: Adobe Photoshop CS2
Required: 7-CS2 should work fine, as long as you have access to smudge and adjustment layers
Skill Level: Hard if you've never smudgizzled before or made anything with depth... D8

LE LINK!

Smudge brush can be found here: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~aov2x/resources/mixedbag.abr
(Download ensues upon click)

I'd love to see your results. <: D


❛i don't know where you're going
or when you're coming home.❜

Loki

x

Seen March 23rd, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2020
6,822 posts
17.8 Years
This is my result for CME's tutorial. I couldn't follow it exactly, because the image I chose wasn't a render. D: So I had to make do with the stock I had.

But I rather like how it turned out, even though I only took little bits and pieces. xD;; The light textures are definitely something I'll be using again. <3



Probably use the set tomorrow... xD