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NTC

NTC

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This was an idea that just came to me. Basically this is a topic which gives you aspiring designers and loyal fans (
what.gif
) on the forum a chance to ask the Graphics Team questions in regards to any <u>graphic related</u> queries you may have. I know what its like starting out in the world of graphic design, its a tough place to be, so basically if we can help you guys out in anyway possible, then our job is done, lol.

Feel free to ask questions about <u>anything</u> in regards to <u>graphic design</u>. Here is a sample question:
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What is the best way to add a 'blur' to a photo?</div>

Please make sure you stay on topic, only post in here if you have a question you would like answered by the team. Anything unrelated will be deleted.

So, fire away!
 
This may be related... do any of you know any good websites where I can find backgrounds for a sig?
 
good-tutorials.com

Try that out Orlandoman.
 
<div class="quote_poster">Orlandoman Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">This may be related... do any of you know any good websites where I can find backgrounds for a sig?</div>

This depends, are you looking for premade backgrounds, or are you looking to create your own?

If you're looking for premade backgrounds, your best bet is to search Google, you should be able to come across some graphics sites in which people offer premades for you.

As for creating your own, the link 50 provided is a nice site to pick up on how to go about making them. I also suggest going over to Deviant-Art.com and downloading as many brushes as possible, they're essential for backgrounds, and are also very handy for other uses.
 
Cool, thanks for the help guys. Glad I asked.
 
<div class="quote_poster">hustler Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">How to make avatars?</div>

Yeah, something I've always wanted to know. Do you have to use photoshop?
 
<div class="quote_poster">Carter Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, something I've always wanted to know. Do you have to use photoshop?</div>
I'm pretty sure you do, it'd turn out pretty bad in paint.
 
<div class="quote_poster">hustler Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">How to make avatars?</div>

Making an avatar is a very simple process. First of all, its best to have a program such as Photoshop, or PaintShop Pro, however you can make a reasonable avatar in Paint. Here is one I made in paint (note its not a correct avatar size, but its a good example of what you can achieve, I'm also not familar with Paint, lol):

sheedti0.jpg


Basically all you do, is open a photo into Paint, cut out a piece and narrow it down to the desired size, add a border using the pen tool, and slap a nice pixel font on it to finish. Very simple.

Although if you're going after somthing such as what I made for Hustler or Carter, then you will need Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, as it took cutting and brushes and other resources which Paint doesnt have.
 
<div class="quote_poster">Carter Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">How do you put backgrounds in paint?</div>

If by backgrounds, you simply mean a background (and not brushes, patterns etc.) then all you need to do is find a nice photo (.jpeg) of a background you would like to use, then you copy and paste it into paint. Easy as pie.

There are alot of websites out there that offer free pre made backgrounds that look very nice, you can Google search them and come across some good results.

However trying to make a signature (if the background is for that) in Paint isnt a very good idea, as you dont have the options of layers or "masks" like you do in Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro, and if you mess up somthing on Paint, you cant delete it, as it will take a piece out of the graphic. So just be wary of that.
 
<div class="quote_poster">NTC187 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Although if you're going after somthing such as what I made for Hustler or Carter, then you will need Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, as it took cutting and brushes and other resources which Paint doesnt have.</div>
Thanks you answered my question, but I have photoshop, and I am interested in adding on the effects. Can you tell me? Thanks.
 
<div class="quote_poster">hustler Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks you answered my question, but I have photoshop, and I am interested in adding on the effects. Can you tell me? Thanks.</div>
The best effects would be to use your filter gallery and mix and mash until you find something you like. Also check out sites that offer tutorials on how to make specific backgrounds.
 
<div class="quote_poster">hustler Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks you answered my question, but I have photoshop, and I am interested in adding on the effects. Can you tell me? Thanks.</div>

Sorry about that. If you're looking to adding on the effects, you can achieve easy yet effective effects on an avatar.

I'll start with Background effects.

<font size=""1"">Example:</font>
samplern1.jpg


I made this background effect with a simple gradient, then 4 different brushes I downloaded off DeviantArt.com and a diagonal line pattern I got from the same website. The best thing to do is to download some brushes, and just play around with them, It's really hard to tell to you to anything specific rather than just muck around with the brushes, until you come across an effect you want.

As for actual image effects, I suggest you check out this website. You'll be able to pick up some real good tips here, and again, you just need to practice them on a photo.

<div class="quote_poster">Carter Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Is Paintshop Pro free?</div>

As far as I know, its not.
 
you can get paint shop pro on a free trial, or with some computer magazines. You'll get a back copy (like 6 or 7) but it will be free with the magazine. The best bet is photography and computer magazines. They come free in some in England anyway.
 
Is there any good cropping tips you have for those with MS Paint? I like making my own avy's but I find it tough to crop on paint, and tips?
 
Cropping well on paint is near impossible, since as far as I know, you only have the choice of a square eraser, it cuts very blocky because of it.

On Photoshop though, what I do, is grab a round erase at pixel size 3, then I zoom in on the image to 1200%, and cut that way. That far in will give you a nice advantage over the pixels, and give you the smoothest results. And you of course need some patience, although I cut as much of the image out as I can using the cropping tool, then I'm usally just left with the portions of image around the edge of the person of object im cutting, makes it alot easier, I made those Lamar Odom / Kobe Bryant cuts for "franchise4ever's" signature in about 20-25 minutes.
 
I've cropped stop on paint but it took me like about an hour. Most of the finished products looked jagged or rough around the edge but my best one was cropping Bargnani and Garbajosa on this sig. I can't find it anymore. I let Skip2myLou use it but he changed his sig.
 
How do you resize pictures without affecting the quality of the picture...e.g. if I wanted to resize my avatar to a bigger size, how can I do that?
 
To be honest, I'm not familiar with resizing images to make them larger, while retaining quality, I know how to do it, but from what I understand, making a small image larger without it going all blurry is pretty much impossible. This is because when you make a picture bigger, you're stretching the pixels (the little square dots that make up a photo or picture) and this is what leaves that blur effect.

Anyway, to make an image (such as an avatar) bigger in Photoshop, all you do is go into Image > Image Size and enter in the new size of the image you want.

To make an image bigger that you are using on another graphic (such as a cut on a signature), you just go to Edit > Free Transform, and while holding down shift, you can make the image as small or as large as you want.
 
<div class="quote_poster">NTC187 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">To be honest, I'm not familiar with resizing images to make them larger, while retaining quality, I know how to do it, but from what I understand, making a small image larger without it going all blurry is pretty much impossible. This is because when you make a picture bigger, you're stretching the pixels (the little square dots that make up a photo or picture) and this is what leaves that blur effect.

Anyway, to make an image (such as an avatar) bigger in Photoshop, all you do is go into Image > Image Size and enter in the new size of the image you want.

To make an image bigger that you are using on another graphic (such as a cut on a signature), you just go to Edit > Free Transform, and while holding down shift, you can make the image as small or as large as you want.</div>
Thanks, I will try that.
 
How come sometimes when I'm resizing a picture to make it smaller for say like an avatar sometimes the quality gets messed up? I thought it only got blurrier when you upsize it.
 
This depends, what program are you using? I'm going to assume Paint (based on what I know about you), and to answer your question, well I'm not too familiar with Paint, but it may be because you are shifting the image out of its original proportions. For example, as I told hustler, in Photoshop, if you hold 'Shift' while using the 'Free Transform' feature, it sizes the image down, while keeping it in proportion, so say if the image is 76x53, you can size it down pressing 'Shift', and get it to say 56x33, so as you can see there, it takes a clean 20px off both the height and width, keeping the image in proportion.

Now what if you have that image, and dont press shift, then you could end up with somthing like for example 64x20, which would obviously constrew the image somewhat. Do you understand what I'm saying?

If thats not the case, then it could just be that Paint doesnt handle resizing images very well.
 
Paint just doesn't handle resizing images very well.
 
Yeah, I guess paint just sucks because I took a perfectly square piece out of a picture (measured it on paint and it was 150x150) and tried to make it an avatar by downsizing it to 80x80 but the image quality screwed up.
 
Very easy, just bring up a new layer, and grab the pen tool, on size 1, and just draw up a border such as the one I did for your sig. Just make sure the Border is the top layer on the image.
 
<div class="quote_poster">NTC187 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Very easy, just bring up a new layer, and grab the pen tool, on size 1, and just draw up a border such as the one I did for your sig. Just make sure the Border is the top layer on the image.</div>
Thanks, I'm a total photshop n00b.
 
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