For beginners

Discussion in 'Help' started by Ienzo, Jul 6, 2014.

  1. Ienzo ((̲̅ ̲̅(̲̅C̲̅r̲̅a̲̅y̲̅o̲̅l̲̲̅̅a̲̅( ̲̅̅((>

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2007
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    Female
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    In your breadbin
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    For beginners

    Hello! Have you ever looked at people's amazing signatures and just wished you could make something like that? Well this thread is here to help start you on your journey to that place! Sadly, it won't just come to you immediately and you will make pieces that, if they were physical, you would throw at a wall and set fire to them, but it's all part of the learning process and it's always great to see people starting out! So here's to you, whether you've tried it before and don't know where to go or are just interested in the art in general, please I hope this helps.


    So this thread is specifically designed for anyone who is just starting out and has no idea where to actually begin. This thread is open so you can give advice to beginners so if you know something, a link, a piece of information, that would have really helped you out when you started then post it here so anyone can look at it.


    If you are a beginner and you have a small question you would like to ask then please post a new thread in the graphic help section as that is exactly what that section is for : D Also, please check out the FAQ (in progress and coming soon) as that could answer a question you have, otherwise post a new thread.


    Firstly, you will need a program- now Paint is always an option but it is incredibly basic and not designed for high level signature making, I would recommend GIMP for beginners and then Photoshop for anyone looking to have a better range of options and tools but it can be costly to get legally (full list here).


    So basically, I have compiled a small starter pack for you out of resources I have collected and made in my journey through graphical design that I hope you will find useful, in contains:
    • Renders that I have cut out myself (I realise the things you will want to make will use images and characters that you like so feel free to search for them: Planetrenders is a great place to start but I put these here just to help)
    • Fractals and C4D's (these are just general effects to enhance your piece- they tend to be used in almost every piece so experiment with them)
    • Brushes:
      • Splatter brushes are always useful
      • Smudging brushes to make smudging more interesting but default brushes are also just as good
      • Effect brushes
    • Signature backgrounds (There are ways to make your own background but here's some that can add quite a lot to your piece without much effort)
    • Text file explaining how to install brushes
    DOWNLOAD

    (If this link is broken then please contact me and I will get it fixed ASAP)
    (Requires Winrar (it's free) to unzip the file)



    Now my advice is EXPERIMENT! That is the best thing you can do, make stuff you hate, I could post a huge array of pieces I have made and hated but I have learned a lot from them. Also, DON'T FEEL DISCOURAGED IF YOU DON'T GET IT RIGHT! It can be such a ego killer when you can't perfect that piece you were working on or it's just not coming out as you pictured it, don't worry- this in no way makes you a bad graphic artist, it just means you have come across something you can't do. When I say it happens to everyone, I am sure that is not an exaggeration so please don't feel discouraged, try again, post your creations in the Graphic art section and ask for feedback to help you improve. Tutorials are also a great way to learn! So go searching for them and try them out, you will pick up some great skills.


    Speaking of tutorials, I have picked a few that I think are very useful, they are for GIMP unless stated otherwise and I hope you find them useful

    LINK
    LINK
    LINK
    LINK
    LINK Pt 1 | LINK Pt 2
    LINK (Photoshop, a little more advanced)
    LINK (Photoshop, a little more advanced)

    As a fellow graphic artist, I will show you how much you can improve simply through experimenting, I look back on my first creations and am amazed at how far I have come in 3 years so I am just going to post a few of my pieces and the date I created them roughly to help you see my progression (Everyone, feel free to do the same) but it only came to me through trying new things and failing so don't be afraid to make things you don't like.


    Colourful Urahara (December 2010)
    [​IMG]

    Blue Urahara (February 2011)
    [​IMG]

    Blue Toshiro (April 2011)
    [​IMG]

    Toshiro luminous (May 2011)
    [​IMG]

    Aizen (June 2011)
    [​IMG]

    Marluxia (July 2011)
    [​IMG]

    Ienzo ten sig04(December 2011)
    [​IMG]

    The girl who waited05 (January 2012)
    [​IMG]

    Melody Pond (April 2012)
    [​IMG]

    Lightning (May 2012)
    [​IMG]

    Colours (November 2012)
    [​IMG]

    Fifth Doctor Liquify (May 2013)
    [​IMG]

    Spiderman (March 2014)
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Makaze Some kind of mercenary

    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2011
    Location:
    The Matinée
    1,207
    Can you name the tutorials? It's a hassle to open them to see what they are about.