Wallpapering Newbies

[lyf_deth]

:blink: Everyone, I need some help. I have a lot of questions about making anime wallpapers. Do you have to have a certain program. If so what program and where can I find it. I am having so many problems! I need help so bad. I would be so grateful if someone could point me in the right direction! (Please excuse any spelling errors, hehe, I am just having a really bad day).

[Tal]

i cant count how many times this was asked

photoshop is the weapon of choice for most

get it, learn it, apply it

[lyf_deth]

Originally posted by Tal@Nov 11 2003, 08:41 PM
i cant count how many times this was asked

photoshop is the weapon of choice for most

get it, learn it, apply it

Do I download this or do I buy it somewhere? (Sorry to bother you).

[Gestahr]

I'm going to answer this before someone says "Oh, you can download it from KaZaA/eDonkey/eMule/WinMX/etc." and the flame war starts anew. Buy it. It's pricey, but it's worth it. If you want a cheaper alternative, check out Paint Shop Pro. I don't use it myself, but I know a few professionals that like it more than Photoshop. If you want a free alternative, check out IrfanView. Google any of these and you should get plenty of info on them, as well as how to obtain them.

[escaflownemoon]

or if you know a really really good friend of yours who would glady let you borrow it. (I wouldn't want you to copy it shhhhh!!! )It's against the law!

[_hades the wicked]

I think Pooky should make a pinned thread saying this... I bet everyone is tired of saying it over and over and over and over and over again...
Photoshop is a good alternative
Paintshop Pro is said to be good, but I didn't like it when I used it
GIMP is a free program for image editting... Didn't use much it, but it looks very... Odd...

[MistressPookyChan]

topic pined; good idea. ^-^

A lot of people also use illustrator. not a bad program, especially for the backgrounds.

Please do not discuss illegal downloading activities in the public forum. Don't need AW.com or AG.com getting in trouble. Thanks!

[kadaan]

The Gimp is by far the most powerful free graphics program out there. It's open source and made primarily for linux, so the interface isn't as "pretty" as photoshop and the installer is more than just a single file you double-click to install.

The windows version is available from http://www.gimp.org/win32/. There are some screenshots there of it in action as well.

[lyf_deth]

OK! You guys are awsome! but uuuh.... hehe. What are scans, and how do you go about making the wallpapers. You guys seem to no so much about this. I've never actually seen anybody make a wallpaper and my friends aren't really into that kind of thing.

[kadaan]

The first step is to find a good image (aka source image). It takes lots of searching to find that "perfect" image that speaks to you saying "Make a wallpaper with me!". In selecting an image it's very helpful to find a high quality one. the majority of bad wallpapers are bad because the image they use isn't high quality. It's possible to retouch a screencap or low quality image, but it's extremely time-consuming and difficult (aviod it if possible).

The second step is extracting the image. Zoom in as much as possible and go along the edges of the main character with the eraser tool to get rid of the background. This is the most difficult step, but it's easy to tell when extraction is rushed.

Third step: create a background image. There are thousands of ways to make one, and this is what makes wallpapers unique. You can have a hundred wallpapers with the same source image that are unique because of their background. Look at wallpapers you like and try and examine their backgrounds to find out what you like in a background, then reproduce it in your own style.

Next it's a good idea to play around with different color schemes for the background to find out which one complements the main image. Don't just dismiss it because you _think_ it won't work. Try it. You'll be surprised.

The final step is optional, but highly recommended. Post your wallpaper here for critique to see what other people think about it. Some people will outright say "It rocks!" or "It sucks!", but some will tell you exactly what they like/dislike about it and these are the comments that help out tremendously. They tell you what areas of your technique still need some work, and which ones you're doing good in. In either case, you'll always have something to learn and improve from.


Some tips I've found out from personal experience:
1. Stay away from the lens-flare filter. It looks cool at first, but is overused and actually looks corny.
2. Same goes for the cloud filter for the background. However feel free to use the cloud background then apply filters on it to change it (LOTS of backgrounds use the cloud filter with various filters applied on it).
3. http://random.cynicallyinsane.net/ has EXTREMELY high quality scans, but unfortunately only a couple dozen images at any given time.
4. Text... always go for as little text as possible. Try to do something artistic with it other than just applying multiple filters with default settings.
5. People _will_ say your wallpaper sucks. Don't take offense, but rather find out how to improve.
6. HAVE FUN! If you're not having fun, you're boring and your wallpaper will suck! ^_^
7. Have more fun! (because fun stuff is good)

[Daenerys]

Actually, I highly suggest just getting PSP, sure there's things you can't do in it easily that you can DO easily in Adobe, but it's cheaper, easier to run, and all the brushes at etc for Adobe work in PSP.

And the last time I said that, someone said there was no way to duplicate glowing text with PSP, so before anyone bothers, it's not that hard to duplicate, it just doesn't look as precise(Sp?) as it would with adobe.

[lyf_deth]

OK. I feel stupid now. What is PSP and Adobe?

[Tal]

adobe = industry leader in graphic design, they make photoshop

psp = paint shop pro ( not by adobe )

www.projectzen.com is great but its down for a bit.

cyn's gallery over at http://random.cynicallyinsane.net is nice

she uploads a lot of scans, shes great ^^

and well if you want to learn how to make great looking walls

look at other walls that blow your mind and try to imitate, try to look at other walls to get an idea and you'll be surprised how fast you can learn

[Daenerys]

Adobe isn't the industry leader, but whatever.

You can find the trial versions at www.download.com

[Tal]

uh yea it is

adobe is the standard for graphics

macromedia is the standard for authoring

it wouldn't be if it wasn't the best

[Gestahr]

Adobe isn't the standard for graphics, Adobe is a company that makes software. Photoshop is the industry standard for photo manipulation, Illustrator is the industry standard for vector tools. By the by, just because something becomes "the standard", that doesn't mean it's the best, that just means that it's the most widely used.

[Tal]

sorry i mean "industry leader" not the "best"

they make the standard software used at all major studios worldwide for raster and vector graphics

[Gestahr]

Don't make sweeping generalizations; unless you've actually visited every "major" studio in the world that does raster and vector stuff and seen that they use Adobe products, don't say that they do. Adobe makes decent software, but they aren't the be all end all of graphic work. They still have a thing or two or twenty to learn about designing an interface.

[w00tazn]

Photoshop IS the industry standard
Illustrator IS also the industry standard

Adobe IS the industry standard in creating the programs.

[Gestahr]

stan·dard n.
5. Something, such as a practice or a product, that is widely recognized or employed, especially because of its excellence.

Stop throwing words around. The definition for standard as it pertains to this conversation is right there.

[Bantam]

Originally posted by Gestahr@Nov 14 2003, 08:51 PM
stan·dard n.
5. Something, such as a practice or a product, that is widely recognized or employed, especially because of its excellence.

Stop throwing words around. The definition for standard as it pertains to this conversation is right there.

Find me a respectable company that uses PSP and I'll quit the internet in shame

[Gestahr]

I'm amazed at everyone's selective reading skills. If you actually read things before typing in a fervor, you'd notice that the person who posted above me stated "Adobe IS the industry standard in creating the programs." Considering that Adobe is not a practice, nor is it a product, they can't be the standard. Are they the industry leaders in the creation of graphics software? I don't know, I haven't seen the numbers. Some of you people, however, might want to consider dropping your tablets and heading back to English 101 for a bit.

As for companies that use PSP, I know a number of professionals that have been in the industry longer than you've been alive that use it solely because they like the interface better. So what if PSP doesn't have all of the bells and whistles Photoshop does? Not everyone uses photo manipulation software so they can hit images with a flurry of filters and call it art.

[w00tazn]

Widely recognized or employed as a model of authority or excellence: a standard reference work.

what about that definition?? where does it say practice or product??

and does it matter if i use correct grammer or not?? what if im am not from america??? hUH ?? what about that?

Technically "Adobe" can be deemed as the industry "standard" almost all of their products are what standardize the industry.

[Bantam]

Originally posted by Gestahr@Nov 14 2003, 09:19 PM
I'm amazed at everyone's selective reading skills. If you actually read things before typing in a fervor, you'd notice that the person who posted above me stated "Adobe IS the industry standard in creating the programs." Considering that Adobe is not a practice, nor is it a product, they can't be the standard. Are they the industry leaders in the creation of graphics software? I don't know, I haven't seen the numbers. Some of you people, however, might want to consider dropping your tablets and heading back to English 101 for a bit.

As for companies that use PSP, I know a number of professionals that have been in the industry longer than you've been alive that use it solely because they like the interface better. So what if PSP doesn't have all of the bells and whistles Photoshop does? Not everyone uses photo manipulation software so they can hit images with a flurry of filters and call it art.

Sigh, listen. I really dont care about you searching out errors in posts, what you do in your own time is up to you. Photoshop is considered the industry standard in photo magiculation worldwide, you put a cd with PSP and one with PS, which one do you think they would choose?

I've used both, take a look at my work, I think you'll be able to see which one I use. Perhaps after that you might want to pop in to Social Behavior 101 and get along with people you dont really know.

[w00tazn]

you assumed that we are all very proficient in english...
you assumed that we all use tablets....
you assumed that we gradutated from college...
you assumed that we only use filters in our wallpapers...
you assumed that we call our wallpapers "art"
you assumed that your # of professionals that you know use PSP is greater than the # of professionals I know that use Photoshop.

now let my photoshop professionals and me alone. thank you. good day.