Unowho's Homeroom

[Malevolti]

Welcome, welcome to unowho's homeroom!

You have chosen, or been chosen to be taught in one of Zelda Universe's finest remaining graphics schools, I thought so much of this graphics school that I elected to become a teacher here, in the homeroom so thoughtfully provided by our benefactors. I have been proud to call unowho's homeroom my home. And so, whether you are here to stay, or passing through on your way to parts unknown, Welcome to unowho's homeroom. It's safer here.



If you have been assigned to me as a teacher then you would already know that I teach:

Photoshop; I will be using CS2 in my demonstrations and will thus refer to Photoshop as 'CS2' in my teachings, although you may be using an older(or newer) version. If a feature I use in CS2 is unavaliable in a previous version, do not hesitate to tell me, I will find ways around it.

Cinema 4D; I will be using version R10, but if you need help with R9 then, again, do not hesitate to ask.

I will also teach design basics, but only when you feel fluent enough in the programs.



Currently Enlisted Students:

(Combination Class [Photoshop and Design])
(Combination Class [Photoshop and Design])
(Combination Class [Photoshop and Design])
(Combination Class [Photoshop and Design])




Starter Assignments

[Photoshop and Design students]

1. Create a 100 pixel by 20 pixel image containing your username with any effects you wish as a background to go next you your name on the enlisted studants list.

2. [Optional] Create a signature with the theme 'Flowers', you can use any type of flower you want, the signature must contain text with the name of the flower. I leave everything up to you.

Post your results in this thread.

(Don't wet yourselves, this is just to help me see what skill levels you are at before I begin teaching)

If you find yourself completely unable to do this please say, this way I can start from the very basics.

[Photoshop and Cinema 4D students]

I have no assignments for you yet.

[Note: Whenever you create anything in Photoshop, make sure as well as the export file (Jpg/Gif/Png etc), you save the project file (.psd). This is esential when we go back over our work at later dates to refine them. The same applies for Cinema 4D (.c4d files)]

If you have any questions, feel free to post in this thread.



Oh yeah, and I don't care if you can't let go of precious Internet Explorer. If I say make a transparent PNG, you make it!

[DekuLink333]

Are you sure it has to be 100x20? Cause look at the graphic I use for my renders:


it could be smaller.

[Malevolti]

I requested 100x20 so that it would sit neatly next to your name.

[DekuLink333]

ok I made it here:

[*IMG]http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/DekuLink/dlnkbttn.png[/IMG]

remove the * in the [*IMG]

[Malevolti]

Why thank you, feel free to move onto activity 2

[DekuLink333]

OK!

[Malevolti]

Ok, while you get on with that task. Take a look at this one which I made earlier:


There are 4 problems with this image which make it less pleasing to the eye, can you name them all?

Jehanne: Yo can do this task too while you wait to get your copy of Photoshop.

[Jehanne]

No looking at my answers!

[DekuLink333]

Im not sure if your num 3 is right I think that it is that it has red violet 3 times.

[Jehanne]

My answers show a personal preference.

[Malevolti]

Just to clarify, the repeated use of 'Red Violets' was deliberate in order to show several different errors.

Give me a shout with your final decisions.

[DekuLink333]

My answers

Spoiler (Highlight to read):

---

1.)The red violet in the bottom right corner is cut off.
2.)The drop shadow on the flower.
3.)The red violet at the top right is oddly placed.
4.)The flower is over the dropshadow at the top.

---

Do's I get a cookie?

[Malevolti]

Yes, you get a cookie *hands out cookies*.

Your next assignment will be set sometime in the comming week.

[DekuLink333]

Thanks I likes my cookie! ::eat cookie exitingly::

Can't wait for the next assignment!

[Malevolti]

How are you getting on with starter 2 by the way?

[Jehanne]

Professor Dom, I received CS2 today in the mail. It's installed and I'm figuring out how to do basic actions. This is going to be harder than I thought. It's even more cryptic than the version I had 10 years ago! :mad: So, do you want me to follow a tutorial first, or do you want me to just have a go at it?

I would like to do both the name banner and flower sig.

- J

[Malevolti]

Don't worry yourself Jehanne, over the next few weeks I'll be going through the basics of photoshop. Don't think about the starter right now.

[Jehanne]

Something I really want to be able to do is, in Photoshop, turn off the "blending" that happens when you draw lines or write text. For example, in your sig, the border on the text appears to be 1 px in width. If I try to draw anything 1 px in size, it comes out with a blended area around it, making it 2 or 4 px in width.



What should I do?

[Malevolti]

I guessing you are refering to the stroke of the text (the outline)

Well to achieve the text effect used in the signature you will need a 'pixel font'. Good examples of pixels fonts are Elektr_02_5 and NU.

Now, type the text you want using that font (note that pixel font's are only designed for a set font size (usually 10. NU: 9) but will usually work in one of it's multiples (20, 30, 40 etc). Also the do not work with Anti-Aliasing enabled on the text toolbar:


Make sure it is set to 'None'

So with the text typed, drag your curser over the the layers box,right-click on the text layer and select 'Blending Options'



Now you get a window with a whole load of effects options for that layer. Sect 'stroke' right at the bottem (note that it automatically applys that effect, but don't worry, blending effects can be turned on and off and be changed at any time)



So you are presented with two groups, one being the 'structure' group and the other being the 'fill type' group.

Firstly we are going to change the colour of the stroke to black. This is done by clicking the red box in the 'fill type' and then selecting black in the colour picker which pops up. Click ok to apply the colour.

Next we are going to change the stroke thickness to 1. This is done by dragging the 'size' slider in the 'structure group' to the left.



Now we are going to change the inner colour (to make the text readable).



Select the 'Color Overlay' option at the side and click the coloured box next to the 'blend mode' dropdown and choose white (or any other colour you think fits, I reccomend trying out some greys).

[Jehanne]

Thanks!

For now, could you please put this banner graphic next to my name:



I'll send you a new one if I have time to learn several new techniques.
- Jehanne

[DekuLink333]

hard time. not much to work with I mean, flowers? but almost done.

[Jehanne]

At this point it's still a real struggle for me to do anything with Photoshop.
Here's my flower sig:




(I took the photo of these daffodils this last weekend. )

[Malevolti]

Ok, your task this week is this:

You must evaluate your signature.

Here are criteria questions to ask yourself during the evaluation:

On first glace, is the signature pleasing to the eye?

Does the background work well with the foreground?

Do the effects used in the background contribute to the overall image?

Do the effects used in the foreground contribute to the overall image?

Is the text readable/does the font used fit with the overal image?

Does the border fit with the overall image?

Sorry I've been so late with the assignment and that it is not very interesting but I've had to work double time at work which cuts into my free time sevearly.

[Jehanne]

...and I should post it here?
Okie dokie.


While I work on that, could you please give me some guidance/direction on any lighting technique (like the lighter parts of your avy)?

[Malevolti]

Lighting techniques? like making images appear to glow?

[Jehanne]

Maybe glow is not the right word. I'm fishing for any sort of technique (relatively simple) to add to my "toolbox" for my next project(s). Something to do with lighting or other effects would be nice. [If you need a specific technique, I can think about it a little harder.]




{EDIT: I'll go find an example.}

[Malevolti]

Please do, because 'lighting technique' is a little vague.