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GFX Tutorial


LiamBaby

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Greetings OSBot members.
 
Today I'm going to show you an easy but effective tutorial on how to create a GFX.
 
This is my own style.
 
So let's start.
 
Chapter 1
 
First we're going to want to download some brushes. "How do we do that?" you may be wondering. Well fortunately for you, these can just be downloaded. So for this tutorial, we're going to be using these:
 
 
Feel free to download your own: http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=brush+pack
 
For those of you who are new to deviantART, the download button is on the right side of the page.
 
Now we're going to want to put these in a folder so that they will work in Photoshop.
 
I use the 64 Bit version of Photoshop CS6 on Windows 7. So my path would be Computer > Windows (C:) > Program Files > Adobe > Adobe Photohop CS6 (64 Bit) > Presets > Brushes
 
Once you have found the directory to the brushes, you're going to Drag/Unzip/Extract the brushes into that folder directory.
 
My folder with the brushes in (with default brushes) New brushes are highlighted:
 
 
 
Once you've done that, great!
 
 
Chapter 2
 
Now that we've got our brushes, it's time to move onto Chapter 2. Now before we get started, I want you to create a folder on your desktop named 'Resources' and in that folder I want you to create 2 new folders called 'Backgrounds' and 'Renders'. Once you've done that we can now continue to what chapter 2 is really about! 
 
Now you're going to download some fractals (backgrounds)
 
So please download:
 
 
Alright, now those are downloaded you're going to Extract these into your new folder that you've just made Resources > Backgrounds
 
Okay so now that we've got our fractals, we're going to need to download some renders. 
 
It is recommended to use Anime/Cartoon renders, because they are much easier to blend than Real-Life pictures.
 
So feel free to pick your own packs: http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=anime+render+pack
 
 
Once you've got the renders that you want, or used my examples above. Please extract these to your folder you've created. Resources > Renders
 
Now we've done all the technical stuff, we're now going to move onto the designing!
 
 
Chapter 3
 
Okay, so you may now proceed to open Photoshop.
 
Now click 'File' in the top left of Photoshop and select 'Open'
 
Now once you've pressed open, select the resources folder that you have created, go to backgrounds and then select a decent looking fractal.
 
For this tutorial, I have chosen this fractal CUwuQlZ.png
 
Now, for a signature this is going to be too big. So press File and then New.
 
Then choose the size 531 x 273
 
MZVsMv4.png
 
And then press Ok.
 
This'll open a new Photoshop tab so now go back to the previous tab (left)
 
 
Double click the layer named 'Background' 
 
5fKrLee.png
 
This box will popup
 
jXE1a8u.png
 
So then press 'OK'
 
Your layer is now unlocked, so drag the fractal on the canvas to the new tab we're using and drop it in place
 
 
Now move the image around the canvas to get it to your liking
 
R2kRj95.png
 
 
Chapter 4
 
Now that we've got our image, it's time to style it. To do so, we can change the colour of it. So press CTRL + U
 
To bring up this box
 
QSMJPM0.png
 
Choose a colour you're happy to work with. For this I am going to use green. So move the Hue bar around to pick a colour, do not touch anything else.
 
So now you see I have made my fractal the colour green.
 
 
 
Now we're going to be using the smudge option found on the left side bar.
 
5UjVA32.png
 
Set the brush size to 60, the strength on 50% and the mode on normal.
 
Now just go diagonal with the smudge tool on the background
 
Until it fills the whole image 
 
jrkLllg.png
 
 
Now the entire canvas image has been smudged smile.png
 
OMvPbTV.png
 
 
Chapter 5
 
Now go to File > Open. And now go to your resource folder > Render > and now pick a suitable render.
 
Your new render will now open in a new tab. If it has a watermark use the eraser tool to get rid of it. (Unlock the layer if it is locked)
 
Now drag this image into your current tab that we're using.
 
Your render is probably going to be a lot bigger than the current canvas we're using.
 
So go to Edit > Transform > Scale
 
And fit the image to the canvas. 
 
Thus far:
 
O1MKgRu.png
 
Now hold CTRL and Click the layers 1 and 2
 
As so:
 
 
Then right click either layer 1 or 2, and press merge layers.
 
The layers are now merged
 
vWqakht.png
 
 
Chapter 6
 
Now we can use our brushes!
 
So go to brush tool:
 
cABbOEY.png
 
Get to here, and then press the cog button http://i.imgur.com/xMFh5uC.png
 
This'll bring up a list of brushes you have installed. So let's use a pack we have downloaded.
 
And change the colour so they're the same colour as the theme. In my case, green.
 
Apply the brushes to the bottom of the canvas.
 
yF2dx0k.png
 
 
Chapter 7
 
Now that we've applied our brush, go to Filter > Render > Lighting Effects...
 
Now this bit should be easily done on your own, make sure you can still see the most of the canvas.
 
 
zu4lWLq.png
 
 
Alright once that's done, we can have some easy fun.
 
On the right side, you'll see the adjustments.
 
 
quQwlY6.png
 
 
I usually add quite a bit of contrast and make it bright
 
BtzjA1B.png
 
Feel free to mess around with the other effects.
 
Now we've got this
 
 
zvIbgcq.png
 
 
Chapter 8
 
 
Now it's time to finalize our image, so now we're going to add a border.
 
So first save our GFX as .png and upload it to http://imgur.com/
 
Now in Photoshop press 'File' and then 'New' now put the size to 531 x 279
 
Now use the paint bucket tool found on the left side bar and choose the colour black http://i.imgur.com/ZULtzzG.png
 
Then fill the canvas.
 
Now go back to imgur and find your uploaded image and right click 'Copy image' 
 
Go to the black filled canvas and press CTRL + V (paste)
 
Now you will see it has a border on it's Height axis.
 
 
 
 
Now save that image again and reupload to imgur.
 
And now you're done!
 
 
Final image:
 
MUYT7Y2.png
 
 
Please press 'Like' if you found this tutorial helpful, I spent a lot of time on it tongue.png
 
 

 

Edited by LiamBaby
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Thank you for the guide.

 

A video would've been a lot easier though in my opinion.

 

It would save me a lot of time, but this way is more detailed so you can step-by-step it.

 

I have updated the thread with more IMG tagged pictures (Maximum amount) and I have corrected some spelling mistakes.

 

The thread is now complete :)

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It's a good tutorial, but you shouldn't depend on brushes. I lot of designers nowadays don't use brushes. Besides for the soft brush, hard brush, and pentool stroke.

You need to get the black intensity out of there; here let me show you:

 

You use a soft brush on whatever size you feel right. You don't go all the way black, go a little above in the color spectrum. 

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7131/lgtfb26.png

 

You black out what the light shouldn't be touching, like so:

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5841/lgt8d69.png

 

Then you lower the opacity to what you see fit:

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7411/lgt4209.png

 

 

Edited by Basic
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It's a good tutorial, but you shouldn't depend on brushes. I lot of designers nowadays don't use brushes. Besides for the soft brush, hard brush, and pentool stroke.

You need to get the black intensity out of there; here let me show you:

 

You use a soft brush on whatever size you feel right. You don't go all the way black, go a little above in the color spectrum. 

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7131/lgtfb26.png

 

You black out what the light shouldn't be touching, like so:

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5841/lgt8d69.png

 

Then you lower the opacity to what you see fit:

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7411/lgt4209.png

 

I don't always depends on brushes, I just used brushes for this particular style :p

 

An interesting tip. I'll keep it mind, thanks. :)

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