Beginner

[kirby8933083]

Well, one day I just decided to try out GIMP and after all too long I figured a few things out on it so I'll put some of the fail results of it here. 8( I'm still finding out how to use brushes & textures, and I have very few currently. I don't really have my own style at all now, most of it as you can see is just that notebook/lined paper look I happen to like. But anyway here's some random icons and such. Sorry sorry about how terrible these look. Hopefully with time, practice & different brushes & textures they will improve.

I hate editing this post to update things, so there are extra things scattered through the posts. \o/

Icons:

Banners:

I'll take all of the crit. I can get, so load it on. Every little bit of every tiny detail. If it took me weeks to get only this far, well.....you get the idea.

 

[Insidious_Dreamer]

The notebook look is very nice - would love to see more from you

 

[Zero-Wolf]

That's pretty good. BTW what does the blur written say? It looks like Calvin and Hobbes.
Go to Gimptalk.com for helping you. =) You will be improving.

 

[nacirema]

Okay time out. You drew the notebook banner from scratch?

 

[kirby8933083]

Okay time out. You drew the notebook banner from scratch?

Oh! I wish I could have draw the whole banner art from scratch. X3 No, the art was a wallpaper from one of my favorite comic artists, Patrick McDonnell. The I just cropped the image and stuck it on the notebook texture.

And thank you Insidious Dreamer and Zero Wolf. ^_^ The text on the banner is just some lyrics from a song that I flipped upside down. Not supposed to say much or even be read, just the texture made it a bit more interesting. Also your brother has been helping quite a bit with my banners, but I'l check out Gimptalk also.

I'll try to create something new one of these days, just now that I have the materials I have no idea what to create. o_o; But hopefully I find an idea.

 

[nacirema]

Whatever you do, make it pretty! People tend to like a bit of gloss in the sigs now adays. You should try it. Lots of fun to make.

 

[kirby8933083]

Glossy signatures are very nice. ^.^ I'm very fond of them.

These icons however aren't really what you'd call glossy. Well, I tried to do some recoloring on icons. They all turned out terribly though. I'm not too keen on layering colors. Recoloring tips needed.

 

[Zero-Wolf]

Those pics are really good. So third pic: need to reduce the bright light.

 

[Metamence]

Well, I tried to do some recoloring on icons. They all turned out terribly though. I'm not too keen on layering colors. Recoloring tips needed.

/redumbrellaicon.png[/IMG]

Well my favorite way of recoloring images (banners, and etc) would be using Gradient Maps (Colors>Map>Gradient Map).
To apply this properly, make a Copy Visible(Edit>Copy Visible) and paste it on a new layer. Then choose the gradient to your liking. (or you could make your own by setting your FG and BG colors to what you want, and then use the first three gradients)
Then apply the Gradient Map and set that layer mode to:Overlay,Color, Hue,etc..
As you might know, Color and Hue changes the image entirely, so change the opacity for all of these, if the colors get a little dark/etc..
My favorite gradients are: Deep Sea(Mainly on Overlay 30%),German Flag Smooth(Mainly Overlay at 30%), Incasdescent (Mainly Hue at 20%) and etc..

 

[kirby8933083]

Zero-worlf: Yea, I knew that one was a bit bright. I'll redo it later.

Metamence: Thanks for the new technique. ^.^ I'll be sure to try it out soon and I'll post the results here.

Soooo....I was just futzing around on gimp, and I ended up making a failure of a friends only banner. -_- The art I was using to make the banner from was really....cute (imo) so I didn't know how to form the background around that style without being girly. Tried that sort of rising sun look with a grunge-ish texture, looked ok then gimp unexpectedly shut out on me. So by then I was not even caring so I went for a boring notebook look. Sorrrry about it being Nejiki. I'm having a stage of Nejiki fangirl-ness. Anyway, the result:

Yea, I don't know. :/ I'll move the "friends only" text around, change colors, ect. Critc. please.

 

[Zero-Wolf]

That one is really good. Then try to do w/ err....*goes to GIMP* dodge/burn and blur/sharpen(for cleaning those black smoothly) If you could blur them ,so they are light to see through everything.

 

[kirby8933083]

So that would help to smooth out the lines a bit? =o I just noticed how terribly jagged the lines look. Then again, the art before hand was meant to have lines like that. x_x Phweee.

Meh, just decided to make another banner. ^_^;;; Dang, I need too look a few more tutorials and such. All of these results are crap.

I have another version with a bit more text on the other side and a little light circle but I prefer this one a bit more.

Then the umbrella stock returns. Made one with very faded text, then I tired again with less faded text.

Oh, and I found a picture of Nejiki that I just adored so I made it into an icon. XD

 

[kirby8933083]

Eeh, feels weird putting a double post, but I started up on a TGC banner that's turning out to be ok. I'm starting to understand GIMP a bit more now also. n_n Anyway:

Made two, exact same picture and concept but in different image sizes.

Version 1:

Version 2:

Yea. XD Kecleon it's self looks boring, so I'll try try again with coloring. ;~; I'm looking at more coloring tutorials, but the more tips the better. This was my first TCG banner, so if you're experienced with making them I'd appreciate tips. So, more brushes, more textures, less, whatever. C&C please. ^o^

 

[Sweet May]

I dunno I think you should make the "FRIENDS ONLY" text more visible in the FO banners since it took me a while to see it. ^^;

I really admire the Kecleon banner. Although you shouldn't worry about coloring most of the time. Where's the use of textures and brushes? (I did see you used some circle brush/texture there but I could be wrong if it's part of the art seeing how it was used again . . . XD; ) But I see you are improving so far.

 

[Zero-Wolf]

Eeh, feels weird putting a double post, but I started up on a TGC banner that's turning out to be ok. I'm starting to understand GIMP a bit more now also. n_n Anyway:

Made two, exact same picture and concept but in different image sizes.

Version 1:

Version 2:

Great work. I don't know what to say for them.

Good to hear that. Change color for character: Go to colors>pick one of them:Hue-Saturation,Colorize, or Color balance. If you wish to pick one of colors. Need duplicate layer and another. Go to filters>Blur>Gaussain Blur(whatever you want to do)>overlay(between 4-7.5 Opacity) Another layer does that again. Try to reduce overlay. Oh yeah, Try to do Wind for another layer.

 

[Adeku]

Those are all really good!!!! My favorite by far is the Kecleon banner. I would really use one of those Icons.x]

 

[kirby8933083]

I dunno I think you should make the "FRIENDS ONLY" text more visible in the FO banners since it took me a while to see it. ^^;

Yea, text isn't really a forte of mine. When it's too bright/dark/large it looks out of place, but then as you said too light/faded/small the obvious problem of it being in sight is there. But I'll twiddle with the text on the friends only banners. n_n

I really admire the Kecleon banner. Although you shouldn't worry about coloring most of the time. Where's the use of textures and brushes? (I did see you used some circle brush/texture there but I could be wrong if it's part of the art seeing how it was used again . . . XD; ) But I see you are improving so far.

I'm glad you like it! And as the textures goes, there's a bit of a scribble texture like the swirl going across Kecleon's face. Then there are the small white light flecks to the right. I added the circle brush myself. I just liked the idea of it running off a bit. Anyway, thanks for the feedback with the textures and that color shouldn't matter too much (that's good to hear considering I stink at it). I agree the textures are hard to see. o_o; So I'll edit it a bit and make them more prominent. And double thanks for saying I've improved a bit.

Great work. I don't know what to say for them.

Good to hear that. Change color for character: Go to colors>pick one of them:Hue-Saturation,Colorize, or Color balance. If you wish to pick one of colors. Need duplicate layer and another. Go to filters>Blur>Gaussain Blur(whatever you want to do)>overlay(between 4-7.5 Opacity) Another layer does that again. Try to reduce overlay. Oh yeah, Try to do Wind for another layer.

Yea, I've tried some Hue-Saturations before for things, brightening and making colors stand out above the rest. But not some of the other ways you've mentioned here.

Those are all really good!!!! My favorite by far is the Kecleon banner. I would really use one of those Icons.x]

Ha ha, why thank you for liking the banner & the icons. ^^; Nice to have them admired.

Aaaaahhhhh, thanks again everyone. n_____________n I'll try to make up some new icons and possible more banners since I downloaded a carp load of new brushes and textures. I'll be sure to put credit for all of the users' on the post with the next experiments & an updated Kecleon banner.


Edit: Ok, I made a few icons, but they were eh, so I'll try again with those later but I did manage to make more banners. !

Shinx TCG banner: Quite like the Kecleon banner, but cuter.

P.S. if you want a good idea about the twiddling I've done on the actual image, here's the card image I used.

Love Hina Banner: gee, boring one. Half way into making it, I realized I didn't have any "girly" "dreamy" textures, which is what I wanted for this banner. Will edit with more ~*~*~* pink & stuff, and hope text that stands out more.

Slight friends only banner re-vamp: This thing. Ewh. :<

Also, instead of working on new icons 'cause I'm lazy, I'm trying to improve old icons. XD So you might see a few of my old ones have been replaced and hopefully improved.

 

[kirby8933083]

Kay, so my fanart addiction has not been properly fed through icons so I tried to make some myself with coloring experiments through experiments with layers of color, channel mixer (I think) & just some simple saturation and such.

This is just one piece of fan art (if you couldn't already figure that out) I made these icons with, I'll edit with more at a later date as usual.

Ha ha, can you tell I went a little crazy with the coloring on these. u_u; Sorry about the Celebi one, the little blue ~*fairy dust*~ was lost so I couldn't help but want to add the little light texture to make it a bit less boring, it could still use something else though. :/ The Honchkrow one could use a bit of a light texture on it also. Maybe I'll add some tiny text & cute borders to my next experiments for something extra. n_n

Oh, and I tried my hand at the Kecleon banner once more. Not much of a change but compare for yourself. Still afraid to try any coloring on it. ^^

Version 1

Version 2

 

[sweet_piplup123]

Very nice banners, I loved the Shinx one, and the Budew and Azurill is so cute ^_^

...yeah, you're way ahead of me ^^;

 

[kirby8933083]

Sweet Piplup: Ah, thank you! X3 I'm 100% sure that my skills are behind yours though. I'm really a sad novice. >_<

Ok, so. An update. Entered the latest WBC, G/S remake poll banner. Really had no intent of entering until remember an old Ho-oh & Lugia art I had saved. :>

*sigh* I hate this banner. I really hate text. I have no idea what to do with it. e_e I was researching how to do that nice metallic effect to go on the fading gradient look, but it just didn't look right with the rest of the banner when I tried it. I also tried adding the strokes to the text but it ended up looking really odd. Not smooth at all, and I couldn't even find out how to make the strokes different colors. xD Just kept coming up black.

Not a good choice putting the picture right in the middle, but I disliked how all of the other entries were split, not looking like one cohesive banner. ':/ Certainly there must be other ways to make everything sort of blend.

Eh, after some (if any) feedback I'll redo the WBC banner for my own self for some personal redemption. The contest will be over anyway by the time I feel like doing a re-make.