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The Photoshop Blues [IMAGE HEAVY]


Citrus
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[SIZE=1]Ok so as most of you know I have recently purchased Photoshop CS. It is truely a great program to make graphics, and banner and avi sets. So without further delay here are some of the banners I have cooked up mysef. Please give me comments! And maybe a few tips on PS CS!

These first few banners are used with simple filters. WARNING, THEY ARE NOT RESIZED. I just forgot...lol[/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/banner4.jpg[/IMG]
[SIZE=1]1. Purple Summer- This is actually my favorite filter to use. I just like the little bumpy things, heh.[/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/banner3.jpg[/IMG]
[SIZE=1]2. Dark Summer- ooooo. *creepy sound here*. This proves that even cute things have a dark side to them.[/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/banner2.jpg[/IMG]
[SIZE=1]3. Cartoony Summer- Ahh. My second favorite filter, I just like the cartoony appearance it gives. Tee Hee.[/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/banner1.jpg[/IMG]
[SIZE=1]4. Odd Summer- This banner makes me go "Lali" don't ak me why it just does. I don't like this filter very much but, oh well.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]This next set is what I made for Who Am I? but I didn't like them.[/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/finishavi.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/whoamibanner.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=1]See? The banner's text is kind of hard to see. Remember to comment! I'll be poting more of my wannabe "master peices" after I get a few replies. Ciao.[/SIZE]
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[COLOR=Navy][SIZE=1]Hehe...Isadora.

[B]Banner 1: [/B] I like the purple texture and the bumpy stuff like you said...

[B]Banner 2:[/B] It looks kind of smudgy. Like you are making a pastel drawing and you smudge it.

[B]Banner 3:[/B] I like the outlining!!! Wavy kind of texture.

[B]Banner 4: [/B] Woah...*puts some shades on* It's bright!!!

[B]Banner for MEE!!!:[/B] I didn't like it as much either...the picture you chose was good though.

^ ^

[B]-Who Am I?[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]
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Your first two are the ones that really stick out to me.

Banner1: I like the "pURple Bumps" and it blends nice.... But the text just dose not seem to fit in my eyes.

Banner2: Same as above really its nice and blends well, but the text is ruining it.

Banner3: This is quite nice, I do like it not as much as the first two but the banner dose have a nice feel and look.

Banner4: I just don't like it. It dose not blend and its just :(
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[SIZE=1]Forgive me if I seem overly harsh in the following post. I don't intend to be mean/snobby/pissy or whatever else you may want to call me. Or maybe I'm just being overly apologetic.

[b]Banner 1[/b] it looks alright. I don't like the size of it, or the filter you used. It's a little too simple for my taste, and the checkers are a bit overwhelming in their sheer multitude. I don't like the cloud much either. It's a white whisp on a purple background. But the purple is good -- I like the color scheme to this. Mellow and calming. But the typography doesn't fit, as the word "Summer" isn't in a good font, and could be placed better if the image were smaller.

[b]Banner 2[/b] I'd wager this is your best banner. I don't like the smeary look, and you've lost alot of vital details. It's good that the mouth is gone, as it was smiling and would give this a happy feel. But in the process, it seems that the chin as this ... tan-ish dribble coming out of nowhere. I'd get rid of that, and add in a small mouth, so she doesn't look so ... empty. The typography on this I can't see. The purple is too close to the other shades of blue and black, and gets lost amid all the colors. Go to Blending Options > Stroke OR Outer Glow, and play around with those to give your word more shape. Either that, or just change the color. Finally, the font is lacking. I trust you've heard of [B][url]www.dafont.com[/url][/B], but in case you haven't, they have a great many fonts for free.

[b]Banner 3[/b] is pretty low-quality. The background is too defined, and doesn't flow well. The blues should go together ... maybe smearing would work. Another option is just applying the filter(s) to the stock (whatever image your modifying). What I said about banner 1's font/typography stands for this as well.

[b]Banner 4[/b] is probably the lowest of the four banners. I can't really make out the girl, and the background is pixelated. The typography's colors don't match the rest of the banner, and it feels messy in general.

[b]Avatar 1[/b] is good, but the font doesn't work. I have the feeling of smoothness and confusion radiating from the stock. You didn't edit this one much, but sometime's simplicity is key.

[b]My recommendations:[/b] I'm no expert, so take my word for a grain of salt. But I think you could improve in the following ways.
[1] [I]Use more than one filter per-banner.[/I] Don't be afraid to mess up, or all the banners will look relatively plain and boring. Triumph is sweetest after many defeats.
[2] [I]Use fonts that will compliment the mood of the banner.[/I] For instance, "Bambino" or "Billo" (I think) may have been good choices for such a happy girl.
[3] [I]Banner clarity.[/I] It was something lacking in these, and you should try to make sure all your images are crisp and non-pixelated. Make sure you save all your banners on high quality settings for that.
[4] [I]Borders.[/I] These make the world go 'round, giving definition to the banner's size. Try different sizes, colors, and stuff like that.
[5] [I]Backgrounds.[/I] This is the hardest thing I've named so far. Read a bunch of tutorials, and incorperate different steps together for different effects. This'll allow you to change the mood of a banner, or customize it completely.

I wish you good luck on all your creative endeavors. ^_^[/SIZE]
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[QUOTE=Who Am I?][color=navy][size=1]Hehe...Isadora.

[b]Banner 1: [/b]I like the purple texture and the bumpy stuff like you said...

[b]Banner 2:[/b] It looks kind of smudgy. Like you are making a pastel drawing and you smudge it.

[b]Banner 3:[/b] I like the outlining!!! Wavy kind of texture.

[b]Banner 4: [/b]Woah...*puts some shades on* It's bright!!!

[b]Banner for MEE!!!:[/b] I didn't like it as much either...the picture you chose was good though.

^ ^

[b]-Who Am I?[/b][/size][/color][/QUOTE]Particularly with your comments on banner 2, I'd ask that you please expand on your comments of the banners and get down to your critique about how to really improve them, you know? Some of it was alright, but it would be nicer to be further in detail.
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[SIZE=1]Okay, I'm not breaking down each of the banners as Retri-san pretty much done a superb job of that already, but I would like to add some advice.

I'm assuming that you haven't had Photoshop for long at all, so experimenting with filters is very good. What I do suggest, however, is using the extraction tool, bringing out the girls head and then messing with the background that you have left. That way we can still see the pretty part of the image and a really arty background.

More advice. I [I]never[/I] use any pre-made gradients or backgrounds that were with the pic originally. I know I have a different program than you (PSP9) but I used Photoshop CS for a bit, never fear, I have an inkling of what I?m talking about. When you extract her image, wipe out the remaining background so you have a white first layer, have her on the second layer and then mess around with the brushes. Photoshop has so many it's wonderful. So just go crazy and see what you come up with ^_^

But experimenting with filters is fun, so more power to you on the learning curve.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=1]Well, this took a long time for me to get some new banners and sets up! But anywho I made a new set for Who Am I, it turned out pretty good. I like it, but [B]please[/B] leave some comments on them![/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/daisukebanner.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=1]So that's the banner, I really like the font and shadow behind Daisuke.[/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/daisukeavifinish.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=1]The avi...it took some rotations and stuff but it got a nice outcome, don't you agree?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]And now ladies and gentleman...this next banner took me so long I felt like clawing my eyes out. It made me feel like a failure at times, and made me feel like I was a banner maker extrodanaire. It made me feel as though I was Ozy, Imi, or Retri...sometimes it made me feel like I was a clown :(. But it all came down to 4 minutes ago, when I clicked sumbit image on Photobucket...I felt a wave of excitement flow through my body. I jumped for glee, and cried of joy (not really, trying to be sarcastic here people!). So....without any further delay...my first original banner... *curtains slowly open up*[/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/secondoutcome.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=1]Now, most of you are either laughing your heads off, or going through tissues like the season finale of Friends. But I am ok with both of them...because I know inside of me this is a great peice of art. For you it's a baby step for me, but it's a giant step in the world of Photoshop for me.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=1]Well, the [b]Daisuke set[/b] come out really good! *high-fives* You see, the trick on these two isn't a bunch of fancy effects or flashy text (although both have their places), it's a simple, clean banner on a white background. Good extraction (if you did that), and I like the font placement. It will be completely with a simple, black, 1px thick [i]border.[/i]

Feeling like me, eh? Well, I'm no hotshot.

I really like this [B]next banner.[/B] It's a very good jump, and to be honest, alot more than what I was expecting from someone with a few days of experience. The background is pretty good (I'm fairly certain you distorted it), but the only thing wrong is the girl. Her kimono is red, and I can't see her very well, which leaves most of the banner rather empty. I'd make it larger, so that you could see her face, and maybe change the color scheme so she's monochrome (one solid tone). Also, you could defintely improve on the font, which doesn't seem to fit. I'd look for some cursive ones, to match the feel of a girl. This isn't some digital tech work, although it could be with your abstract background.

Good job. Not even someone raised by a wolf would joke about this -- it's a really good effort. I'm waiting to see more. *applauds*[/SIZE]
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Retribution always seems to beat me to the punch but still I have my ups and downs. Well I will for sure say very very nice job, Its quite amazing that somthing so simple can look so nice. I focus right on the girl and then I see the whole image after that which makes me quite happy.

As for isadora image its nice but the lady seems to ruin it I just cannot see her in this sig. The colors do not seem to blend and Red and Blue have never really been a matching couple. But other than that nice and keep up the good work.
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[SIZE=1]The Daisuke set looks very nice. *claps* I like the text, it looks very pretty. I think you should start adding borders to some of your banners, it may just be me, but I feel they always give it that "clean and finished" look.

The next one....I....don't like it now it has the girl on it. I did suggest you cropped the image; it would have looked good if you only showed her head and shoulders. But you resized her and now the only thing I can see is a red blob on what is actually quite a nifty background.

It looks like you've used a chrome filter on it to give it that metallic look? But yeah, the girl totally ruins it for me. Very sorry.

*I hope you safety saved as a.psp (or the Photoshop file, which ever you used) so you can go back and edit.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=1]Thanks again for your inputs, the really help me out! So now I re-did the banner due to popular demand, and I decided to make another banner with soem grunge brushes. [/SIZE]

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/5.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=1]So that's the one I redid. I think I could have faded the image a little bit more. But it definately came out better than the first one, enjoy. Now for the new one I did with grunge brushes, I am fairly new to grungey banners. Phew, but I L-O-V-E them, they give it a....well 'grungy' look to. [/SIZE]
[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/grungybanner.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=1]I bet you like the background color, eh? Well not much to say about this one, all was said in the semi-paragraph above. But enjoy once more, and leave [B]comments[/B]. Bye for now, I am working up some new creations.[/SIZE]

EDIT: I Added a border to it, lol.
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[SIZE=1]I love your updated sig. ^_^

Anyway, the [b]first banner[/b] looks alright, you're getting the hang of this. But, the outer glow color you've used definitely does not fit with the color scheme. Your backgrounds are still simple, which is fine for now, but try experiementing with different effects outside of distort. Try to make your stocks larger, and more dynamic, with a font to match. Your typography has been lacking feeling.

The [b]second[/b] banner is good -- better than the rest of yours. I know you used grunge brushes that were pre-made, which I'm really opposed to but good job nonetheless. But in the process of all the brushing, you've poorly blended the stock -- I can see the outline of glow you added to hide that. Finally, the font is barely there, so next time make it glow or give it a stroke. All in all, this is your best, but it's because you've taken someone else's brushes and clicked a few times on your canvas. In my opinion, you should try to get the basics of Photoshop down and have a few banners under your belt before using pre-made brushes. That way, your skill develops.

Much lub, fangirl. ^_^[/SIZE]
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[COLOR=Navy][SIZE=1]See I told you...

Your banner are super good. The first banner...the picture came out better this time and you finally put some borders.
Your second banner has some good effects. I like it. You can't really read what the words are though.

If you don't mind, could you make the borders for my avi???


Later...

[B]-Who Am I?[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]
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[CENTER][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1][FONT=Tahoma]Simply lovin' the third one (In your first post) *Notices it's the same effect you've used on some other stuff* You do need to do your own BG for it, though. (Not lovin' the effect the cloud had on it...) On the first one, I love how you used the halftone effect. I used a similar spinoff of it on my current banner.

I love the Daisuke set. Just love it. Like Retri said,(And I stated in PMs) it could use a nice border.

The second one in your last post also caught my eye. It's really nice, but you can't read the font on it. (I do like the font you used, though, maybe it just needs a glow effect around it to make it stand out...)

Well, you're getting better all the time. Keep up the good work![/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/CENTER]
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[SIZE=1]Yayness. I have people that like my art! Ahem.. thanks for your comments once again. Well...I guess I have more banners for you to enjoy! These two are for my furture SN..yup that's right. Old Isadora is gonna transform to Beta!!![/SIZE]

1. Sweet Beta- [IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/Betabanner.jpg[/IMG]

2. Tough Beta- [IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/betabanner2.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=1]Tee hee. I can't decide which one to choose. Hopefully your comments can help me choose. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=1]Well on another board someone asked me to do a banner for him. So I guess i'll share it with you guys. Tell me what you think, the background is kind of new so it didn't come out so good..

[IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/IceQueen12/kyobanner.jpg[/IMG]

Please comment![/SIZE]
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[SIZE=1]Well, the stock you used looks good, but stocks don't make the banner. ^_^

The stock is facing the wrong way in my opinion. You usually want it facing towards the rest of the banner, like your current signature. Secondly, the outer glow used on him doesn't work for two reasons 1) the glow color clashses with the background color, and 2) looks misplaced in general. I'd remove it, and flip the stock around.

The typograhy, is again, repetitive. Most of your banners have this font if I'm not mistaken. Try branching out a bit more. This might need a savage font, something a bit more lively to match the look in his eyes. The font you used is nondescript and doesn't match anything in the banner. It's floating in the middle of a bunch of space in an attempt to take it up. That's another thing ... most of your banners (like your current signature) use words to make up a bunch of space, and that doesn't work very well.

Lastly is the background. Looks good, but it's misplaced on this. You might need something more dynamic. This one looks like a red/orange sky, but your stock looks angry.

[b]Final Notes:[/b] Make things more dynamic and active in your banners. Make the elements flow together. That's about it...[/SIZE]
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