Techniques.

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Merinda
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Techniques.

Post by Merinda »

I think each of us siggers have our own unique technique (heh, rhymed) that can be identified by most members of the board if they were to be tested on them.

So I think it'd be cool to discuss how we do our stuff. I'll start the conversation...

Harry, how do you make your backgrounds? Layer? Brushes? Both? etc etc.

I usually pick my background picture, mess with the contrast and levels and whatnot then play around with brushes and add layers as I go if I feel it needs it.
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DonHarry
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Re: Techniques.

Post by DonHarry »

The first few steps for me are usually the same. I make a rough background with brushes by just randomly clicking and filling the area. Then I paste a pic in and create a new layer. I brush the new layer with a white brush and cover the whole sig space, I then put it as the top layer and erase the brushing over the character. I then take my rough background and make it the top layer and overlay it (As in the overlay blending option, sometimes hard light looks better) over the white brushing layer and the image layer. I then erase the the character outline on the overlayed background so that the background doesn't ruin the character. I alter the opacity of the eraser if I want it to bleed into the background somewhat but not always. That's basically the start of every sig for me, just so I have something to work with and can get an idea of what I want to do.

After that the worlds my lobster. I generally use a shit load of layers but end up merging some of them as I go along so I don't get confused and so that when I commit to a colour scheme it has some uniformity.

A cool little trick I just recently discovered was a way of easily making different areas of the sig brighter and more contrasty without just bumping the contrast for everything. You just create a new layer and using a white grungy brush you just click a couple times over an area (Usually a character) and then overlay it. It gives a lighting effect which you can change the brightness of just by changing the opacity of the layer. It's way more predictable than trying to change the lighting through the PS lighting options.
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Jim
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Jim »

Ah so this is a question and answer session with Harry. Lucky i dont share my fuckin secrets then eh?

#PassedTheTorch apparently
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axlar
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Re: Techniques.

Post by axlar »

i mainly use mask layers, hardly ever use blending options as i don't like the look over overexposed or crossprocessed images.. they're too "13 a dozen"!
"Sing it, Stijn!"
— Myles Kennedy, during Rise Today
Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, 3 November 2013

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Ryan
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Ryan »

"dime-a-dozen." ;)
Photobucket cash grab.

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DonHarry
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Re: Techniques.

Post by DonHarry »

Ax I don't think I've ever seen your sigs, how come you don't wear one?
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axlar
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Re: Techniques.

Post by axlar »

character limitation :D swapped my sig for the award banner.. lol

check pm i sent you some.. dont want to clutter this thread..
"Sing it, Stijn!"
— Myles Kennedy, during Rise Today
Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, 3 November 2013

Macca
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Macca »

Well what I do is open MS Paint and proceed to hand draw everything with the paintbrush and shit, cos that's how I roll.
AllC392Was wrote:How is Macca funny?
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DonHarry
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Re: Techniques.

Post by DonHarry »

I can't afford MS Paint and there's no way I'm illegally downloading it. It's too morally wrong.
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Macca
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Macca »

Well that's why your sigs aren't as good as mine, I'm afraid.
AllC392Was wrote:How is Macca funny?
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Josiah

Re: Techniques.

Post by Josiah »

DonHarry wrote:I can't afford MS Paint and there's no way I'm illegally downloading it. It's too morally wrong.
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DonHarry
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Re: Techniques.

Post by DonHarry »

Hahahaha!
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Merinda
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Merinda »

Oops. I forgot I'd started this thread. Will reply properly after work.
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DonHarry
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Re: Techniques.

Post by DonHarry »

What makes you think you can just go around making threads and forgetting about them? Disgusting. Pft. :hug
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Merinda
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Merinda »

And I forgot again. hahahaha. shite.
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DonHarry
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Re: Techniques.

Post by DonHarry »

Which means you remembered twice! Let's be positive.
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Andy92
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Andy92 »

And the 2nd time only took 11 months!
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.

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zazthespaz
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Re: Plenty of time to work on that 6 pack!

Post by zazthespaz »

Andy92 wrote:And the 2nd time only took 11 months!
At the current rate, I'll be 32 the next time she looks!
anguyen92 wrote:
Oh well. Deal with it.
gbruin wrote:
Go reread what zaz says

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Merinda
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Merinda »

Pfft!! I will get around to it.

Eventually.
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Andy92
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Re: Techniques.

Post by Andy92 »

I guess to actually contribute to the thread, I don't really have much of a technique when making sigs...except finding pictures on Flickr that already look nice lol.

I typically create backgrounds by combining layers as logically as possible and using brushes to touch places up. I rarely create backgrounds from complete scratch because I'm not that good at it.
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.

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