BTS : Avatar Creations

reply to post by Zarniwoop


You look eerrm 'special'

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan
reply to post by Starwise

 

Do you use Photoshop? If so, I can likely give you some tips on how to do the abstract rainbow effect.

The best way: the topmost layer should be clear. Use a brush tool at about 20%, set with a pinkish color. Lightly brush over the areas you want to have that "fiery" efffect. Then go to "blending options", and blend the layer using "Color Dodge". From there you can go back and spray in for greater effect. You can also go to Image-Adjustments, and then fool around with the hue/saturation/lightness to get that fine tuning.

It only really works when you have a high contrast image with colors layered over black.

Yes I have Photshop and Illustrator CS5. Just now trying to learn how all the layers and tools work....It gets frustrating.

As for the fiery effect, I will try that!! Thanks!!

Originally posted by 74Templar
reply to post by Starwise

 

What program are you using for digital imagery?

Most of us use either Photoshop (anywhere between CS3 and CS6), GIMP, which is a free download, or Paint Shop Pro (I use 9, but occasinally break out 7 for other works).

Later versions of Photoshop are expensive, but you can get ahold of older copies on ebay fairly cheap.

I don't know if you can still get ahold of PSP, I got mine off ebay as well, I think there is a version 10 out now.

GIMP can be found here. I personally find GIMP a little hard to use, but there is a great thread by our very own Druid42 here, that explains a lot of how to use it.

Hope this gets you started anyway, welcome to the thread, and feel free to ask away about anything. As BFFT says, none of us are experts at this, just learned at it.

THANK YOU! I am going to download Gimp and have a looksee!! I currently use Photoshop CS5.
Thank you for the welcome! I hope to learn a lot and make new friends!
Nice to meet you!!!

reply to post by Starwise


Just keep practicing, and remember Ctrl-Z is your friendly eraser for any stuff-ups. Then just start again.

There was a request for an avatar either last page or this one, maybe it's something you want to give thought to to get your feet wet.

Remember lastly, artwork is about flow and placement, and what draws the eye. If you do an image and it doesn't look quite right, stand back, step away and come back to it. You'll develop a sense for what looks right if you have an artistic eye.

Keep at it, remember, ask lots of questions. We're always here to help out.

reply to post by 74Templar


Here is another one I created...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Zarniwoop


OMG Zarni you actualy did it.

Props yo.

-SAP-

reply to post by Zarniwoop


It's so lovely, you wear this avatar so well friend! Drool......hehe..not really. Bleh...well maybe...eh nah...

-nat

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Sir..um sir.. I just read somewhere that most of the people on here like to skin cats!!! Say whaaaaa?!?!
Please don't skin me and just make me an awesome new avi!!

Ok, I want a black cat with bright blue eyes and purple thrown somewhere, maybe the cat on a mountain, and more of a kitty cat...oh well maybe a purple moon or something. I know your good in whatever you make, so give me what ya got friend that wants to skin me hehe.

-nat

reply to post by natalia


You know...i seriously wonder where that saying came from. Did people use to skin cats? Is the reference less regarding household felines and more regarding something else, like a bobcat?

I like knowing the origins of the things we say. Pig in a poke, let the cat out of the bag....all these sayings.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


The earliest reference I could find:

1839: "There's more ways to kill a cat than one" Here's a letter from John Smith dated March 13, 1839: But come to look round we couldn t find any thing to make a flag of truce of for Sargent Johnson said it must be white and we hadn t one of us got a white handkerchief or any sich thing so we seemed to be kind of stuck At last says I You needn't bother about that There's more ways to kill a cat than one So I tore off a good large square piece of my shirt and tied it on to the end of my gun and says I Sargent I m ready

Mark Twain used your version in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 1889: “she was wise, subtle, and knew more than one way to skin a cat”, that is, more than one way to get what she wanted. An earlier appearance is in ’Way down East; or, Portraitures of Yankee Life by Seba Smith of about 1854: “This is a money digging world of ours; and, as it is said, ‘there are more ways than one to skin a cat,’ so are there more ways than one of digging for money”. From the way he writes, the author clearly knew this to be a well-known existing proverbial saying.

I like this explanation: (Though I have never found an easy way to skin a catfish)

Writers have pointed to its use in the southern states of the US in reference to the catfish, often abbreviated to cat, a fish that is indeed usually skinned in preparing it for eating. However, it looks very much from the multiple versions of the saying, their wide distribution and their age, that this is just a local application of the proverb.

So nat the cat, you are safe, it appears. Skinning a cat has more to do with a boy's gymnastic exercise.

The version more than one way to skin a cat seems to have nothing directly to do with the American English term to skin a cat, which is to perform a gymnastic exercise that involves passing the feet and legs between the arms while hanging by the hands from a horizontal bar. That name may have been suggested by the action of turning an animal’s skin inside out as part of the process of removing it from the body.

reply to post by Druid42

the beebs at the bottom is cut off

Fixed!

reply to post by SloAnPainful

OMG Zarni you actualy did it.

Hey... at least the week is split between the two and thank goodness Piers didn't win.

Okay, my friends. I think I'm ready for a legit member-made avatar. I am happy with the one I have now, but am not happy with my self-made MS paint job.

I pretty much want the same thing, just a professional job on the lettering. Also, mine is scaled a little off so that the shuttle gets cropped. I would like it scaled so that the entire image fits.

Many, many thanks for anybody who is willing to do this simple job for me.

I am not finding a good reference pic other than the one I started with here:

But for the lettering, I would like it done in the style of the original with ATS, instead of ELO.

I would also like reference to the album removed as in my original avatar. I would also like a re-lettering job with the site's motto. Feel free to take creative license on the lettering style there. (also, adding a few stars into the background wouldn't hurt either, but I'm not going to be picky )

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


I very much enjoy ELO and was all "WHAT'S THAT DOING THERE?!" before I read your post.

I won't be able to work on it until later, so maybe someone else will step up in the meantime.

reply to post by Zarniwoop

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha



One Celtic Goddess.

I tried initially to go for the more warrior theme, but short of Xena and a lot of nekkid women (been in enuff trouble recently ), I decided to go with more of a druidic goddess theme.

reply to post by 74Templar


Ditch the clovers. A De Danann should also have red hair. Fierce, not friendly.

Otherwise, nice eyes and lips.

Originally posted by Druid42
reply to post by 74Templar

 

Ditch the clovers.

Don't do it!

-SAP-

Special request for Bigfatfurrytexan!

I am going to stay well within the T&Cs on this request.

I was thinking of a new avatar to go with the um, changes to my life ambitions. I was thinking of an avatar obviously without any writing, with a forest background, a cheeky child and a big doggy. Something nice!

I am not in a rush, sometime in the next four weeks would be nice if you have the time.

It is almost time for me to celebrate!

I think my wolf needs a rest>

Thanks as always.

P

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


I got rid of the pre-existing ELO font, but I have to go drink beer now . I'd be happy to work on it later (like maybe Monday) if someone else doesn't come a long between now and then, which will probably happen. Anyway... hope this helps the process.