The Magical Homeroom of Gracie

[Gracie]

Hello, students, and anyone who may happen to be reading this! My name is Gracie. Yesyes. You shall call me...Gracie. And, uh. Here's what I teach:

PHOTOSHOP.
Mostly I use 6.0, but I have the occasional chance to use CS. So, I know my way around. Here, I'll teach you the basic program, it's tools, and when they're useful.

SIGNATURE MAKING.
Ah, the art of sigmaking. Virtually everyone here at our wonderful forums of Zelda Universe have some kind of image, and many immerse themselves into the art of creating them. It's not easy, however. I've been at it for a year and half, and could still use some improvements. But here I am, to teach you what I know, and make sure that your signatures look wonderful.

IF YOU'RE IN MY PHOTOSHOP CLASS, FILL THIS OUT.

1. What version of Adobe Photoshop do you have?
2. How long have you been using this program, or toying around with it?
3. What do you aim to use your knowledge of Photoshop for? (Ex., making wallpapers, making sigs, etc.)

IF YOU'RE IN MY SIG MAKING CLASS, FILL THIS OUT.

1. What is it that you want to learn from being in my class?
2. Do you have a preferred style of making signatures? If so, what is it?
3. How long have you been making signatures? With what programs?

IF YOU'RE IN A COMBINATION OF THESE CLASSES...
Fill both of them out.

STARTER ASSIGNMENTS FOR PHOTOSHOP STUDENTS
Fill out the survey, w'ell go from there.

STARTER ASSIGNMENTS FOR SIG MAKING STUDENTS
1. Make me a signature (300x90) using anything you like. Just...make me one. So I can see what you can do.

ADVANCED ASSIGNMENTS FOR SIG MAKING STUDENTS
1. Make me a signature (any size) using this and this. Do not use any brushes or extra images. Simply use these two.


Current Students:
vadruz-Valin
Power Shot

[Nata'kar]

1. What is it that you want to learn from being in my class?
-To make a background neat and, well, better ><

2. Do you have a preferred style of making signatures? If so, what is it?
-Not really..

3. How long have you been making signatures? With what programs?
About 4 months, using only CS2.

Should I have PMed it? o.o

[Gracie]

Nope, that's fine, Petey-my-boy.

First assignment:

Make me a signature. Anything. Just make me a signature.

[Nata'kar]

[Gracie]

Dearest Petey;

The first one...I actually DO like this one, except the metallic color it progresses into gets really choppy and bad. Overall, not bad.

The second one, I don't like one bit. >> The edges of the...whatever it is, are very choppy. It's too pixelly, and I hate the font. I usually tend to stick with...smoother, more standard font.

Since you want to work on backgrounds...

Here's your next assignment.

Take this;
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...nsyou/pete.png

Use it in the signature.

No text.

Make the background out of the image.

[Nata'kar]

None
Right
Left

[Gracie]

Hm, not bad. I like the left one the best.

List the effects you used, please.

[Power Shot]

Daughter, I wish to train with you in both Signature and Photoshop classes.

Photoshop:

1. Adobe Photoshop 6.0.
2. Several months, though I'm out of practice in properly using it.
3. I want to make sigs and promotional posters for my movie.

Signature:

1. To make sigs, of course, but I also want to learn how to properly incorperate the different kinds of programs into proper signatures.
2. I like using the clouds. That's about it.
3. A few months. I can't remember how long I've had the program, though I am a little out of practice.

I hope this is alright.

[Gracie]

'Tis a-ok.

Alright, we're both working with the same program. Good.

Now...where should I start you off...

Hm. Well, just make me a signature. I need to see what you can do.

[Nata'kar]

I twirled that chick you gave me (Filter, Distort) and then used Wave (square). Then to soften it I used Watercolor. I used Hue/Saturation to turn it black. Then I took another one of those renders and highlighted a single pixel with the Rectangular Marquee tool. I dragged it out (using ctrl + t) horizontally to fit the whole sig, then I used it again to make it large. Then I used the Splatter filter on that, creating a sort of wavy layer thing. I faded it out, then used Hue/saturation to add the final red color. Then I added the render.

[Gracie]

Hmm...

Alright, I'm going to give you another one of those assignments. But this time, I don't want it to be washed out one single color. I want many colors in it.

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/2259/snsfm7.png

[Power Shot]

Okay, before I show you this, I believe it is important to remember that I am a rookie, and as such will not do awesome things. Plus I like humor.

[Nata'kar]

Text
2x
None

How like ye?

[Gracie]

Alright, Power Shot. First I'll give you the positive points of your sig.

You cut out the character very nicely, I see no rough edges. Next, you chose the right text color. Many beginners pick some wild color (like blinding red or blue) so you can see the text, not understanding how terrible it looks.

I don't like the background. Backgrounds do not do well patterned, and this one looks far too patterned. Secondly, the color isn't exactly pleasing.

Where should I start you...hm...

Okay, answer this question: How much of the tool bar do you know how to use?

Your turn, Petey!

The first thing that stands out at me in the first one is the large text. Close your eyes, and open them. The first thing your brain registers is the large black text. Text should rarely be the focal point of the signature. Next, I notice the washed out color of the soldier. I'd like you to refrain from washing out colors in the final product, alright? It's generally tacky and most things look better in color.

Lastly, the trees you combined the background with are pretty obvious/recognizable. Also, the trees have that jpeg pixelly look that isn't attractive at all.

I want you to redo this assignment. Here are key points I want to see;

-no washed out colors.
-good quality images
-no focal point text

If you can, don't add any stock to the background. Solely use the image of the soldier to create a background.

[Power Shot]

I know how to use the clouds and spotlights functions. I can use the toolbar functions, like the eraser and those things. Other than that, I'm more or less lost.

[Gracie]

[Power Shot]

Oh yeah. I know how to use those. More or less...

[Gracie]

Sorry for the delay.

Do you know how to make a border?

And Petey, hurry up. :3

[Nata'kar]

I don't like it ;_; But I didn't colorize the soldier XD!

[Power Shot]

I think I know how to make a border. I could use the help info to learn quickly.

[Nata'kar]

Originally Posted by Power Shot

I think I know how to make a border. I could use the help info to learn quickly.

I use the zoom tool and hit Tab after selecting the line tool with 1px. and no anti-aliasing, then do the borders manually. =/

That's how I do it with CS2.

[Gracie]

vadruz, you said you wanted to re-do, so I'm waiting for that.

I can take you both through a border tutorial. Once you got it down, it takes about 5-10 seconds to actually put on the border.

[Power Shot]

Okay. If you can do that, let's do that quickly so I can memorize it.

[Gracie]