Calling all customizers

[Starwars4J]

I'm trying to design a face in photoshop but...I'm rather new (as my other topic states) and I'm having some difficulty. I made one eye which I'm satisfied with, but when I tried to copy it the second eye came out...significantly different. Also when I tried to make an ellipse, I got the full oval, when I just wanted the outline so I could fill the line in later. Any idea why it's happening? Also, I'm still getting used to layers, so it's been awkward. If anyone knows what I'm doing wrong, feel free to respond or IM me on any of my accounts (just remember AIM is a closed list, so ask me to add you first).

Sorry for the trouble, but now I've decided to give it a shot, and if I can't even add pupils or anything of the like...anyway, I'd appreciate the help. Currently I've only one good eye, and a smile. Thanks for any help!

Edit:

Worked on it a bit more, this is what I have so far

I know it's really bad, that's why I need the help :-P I need to fix the eyes (want them just to be outlines...not black ovals), make blue pupils with some level of detail, etc *wacko*

[Brick Miner]

well, i wouldn't use photoshop to "draw" anything... i know people do it, but i don't see why :-D i would use photoshop for photo editing. and abobe illustrator (the counterpart program, and more appropriate program) for design/drawing.

all of my original digital drawings are done in illustrator... that includes all the original elements of the skin designs, and all of my stickers and minifig torsos for my MOCs... and more to the point of your thread, all of these...

- BrickMiner

[Starwars4J]

Damnit...so all the work I did in that is lost? Yes, sadly I DID put a decent amount of work into that, playing around, making sure I didn't have so much as one stray pixel... *wacko*

But it's not like it was that good to start with :-P Thanks for the advice. Now time to "buy" Adobe Illustrator ;-)

[Brick Miner]

well, im not saying you have to abandon this... some people use photoshop to draw decals... if i recall SirScottLego does this...

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so i could take a stab at your dilemmas:

I made one eye which I'm satisfied with, but when I tried to copy it the second eye came out...significantly different.

well, first i would keep each element a different layer... for example never add a pupil on the same layer as the eye. that way you can always go back and do a "free transform" to adjust the size and shape of each element independantly.

however, first of all, i would scan a minifig head (or whatever it is you are trying to make a decal for), so that you can see the proportions of the decal in relation to the actual item it is going to cover. just keep it as a layer on the bottom, and maybe at 50% opacity. that way you can tell the difference between the elements you are drawing, and the scanned piece. also, try tracing the basic features first. like eyes, and mouth... that will give you a good sense of where to place these things in your custom graphic.

the next thing is to design the symmetrical parts first. once you have one good side, just delete the half you don't want, copy-and-past the good side. then do a "flip horizontal". line the two up, and then you have a symmetrical face, which are probably the basics of the face anyway... then you can start adding the "extra" elements on top... like hair, scars, monocles, etc... (keeping everything on separate layers, of course)

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Also when I tried to make an ellipse, I got the full oval, when I just wanted the outline so I could fill the line in later. Any idea why it's happening?

well, you can't make a line thickness in photoshop, only in illustrator... because when you draw an ellipse with the selection tool, you are only selecting the pixels within that designated area... you aren't actually drawing anything, just selecting. make since ??? with illustrator, when you perform the same action, you are actually drawing that element.

but what you can do is fill the ellipse, then modify your selection by "select-modify-contract". that will reduce your selected pixels. you will then have selected only the pixels in the middle of your ellipse, then just delete those pixels. your result will be a linear ellipsis, that is not filled.

however, none of that probably makes sense :-D

in any case, i wouldn't recommended actually designing this way, modifying your selected pixels is a good way to loose your crisp edge... sometimes corners loose their edge and become rounded, and other un-friendly things can happen.

if you get illustrator, you never have to worry about this. because it's a vector based program... and the crispest way to render digital graphics. period.

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I've decided to give it a shot, and if I can't even add pupils or anything of the like...anyway, I'd appreciate the help.

for pupils, just make a new layer and draw more ellipses on top... that is all i can think of !!!

- Brick Miner

[Starwars4J]

This makes me realize how little I know about PS. I mean I tried to do that and couldn't >_> I did do this over an opaque version of the standard smilie though, so the eyes and smile are where they should be. I'm just adding eyebrows and a pupil. Time to take this to illustrator though, I hope I can figure that out faster :-D

Thanks for all your help Brick Miner, I really appreciate it

[Brick Miner]

Time to take this to illustrator though, I hope I can figure that out faster :-D

good luck !!! illustrator is like 10 times harder :-D :-D :-D

it took me a long LONG time to learn it...

if you have questions, i might be able to help... just make a thread ;-)

also, if anyone has anything else to add, feel free... this is a thread, not a series of PMs ;-)

- BrickMiner

[Starwars4J]

good luck !!! illustrator is like 10 times harder :-D :-D :-D

:'-(

But I'll probably just continue it in this thread, since it isn't specifically about Photoshop I guess ;-) Damn...how can illustrator be HARDER? I have exams, I don't have the time for this *sing*

[Lamanda2]

Hey, how much does a copy of illustrator cost? Just curious, as I have been wanting it. (Sorry if you allready said and I missed it.)

~Amanda

[Starwars4J]

It costs about $580US...

BUT

We're on the internet, where everything is free :-D :-P

[Brick Miner]

I'll probably just continue it in this thread, since it isn't specifically about Photoshop I guess ;-)

true... good point.

ok, i'll see you back here !!! BrickMiner

[Lamanda2]

It costs about $580US...

BUT

We're on the internet, where everything is free

WOW, that is steep!

Free eh'? ..How come I can't find the freeness? |-/

~Amanda

[Starwars4J]

It costs about $580US...

BUT

We're on the internet, where everything is free

WOW, that is steep!

Free eh'? ..How come I can't find the freeness? |-/

~Amanda

I'll look for the freeness tomorrow, I'll shoot you a PM when I find it ;-)

[Vader]

You will most likely find free trial versions of most software which is good to try before you buy however if you can get it for free ;-)

Ive done alot of different decals over the last few years but i use coral draw, its another programme thats not cheap but i like it and more importantly i get good results.

[Lost Viking]

This is just a question for Brickminer; how do you print those huge decals to fit on the figs body and still look nice? Sorry for my n00bness X-D

[Starwars4J]

If you go to MCN, you can download templates to use for just about anything. If you need a good printer, Redbean will print them for you at near-cost, and you get nice waterslide decals to use X-D

[Brick Miner]

Ive done alot of different decals over the last few years but i use coral draw, its another programme thats not cheap but i like it and more importantly i get good results.

yes, corel draw is another vector based program like illustrator... though i am not familar with "draw" the principals are the same, and the end product would be just as good. just don't use a raster program like "ms paint" or "photoshop" ;-)

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This is just a question for Brickminer; how do you print those huge decals to fit on the figs body and still look nice? Sorry for my n00bness X-D

well, the above minifgs head are not decals... they are the topic icons for the different forums i have designed. i just used them as reference of adobe illustrators capabilites.

i design everything at around 600%+ of actually print or screen size... that is why they appear so large.

i actually would never make a minifig head sticker... when applied they look to obvious. i want my customes to look as professional as possible. however, im fine with torso stickers... LEGO even applied this technique back in the day ;-)

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If you go to MCN, you can download templates to use for just about anything. If you need a good printer, Redbean will print them for you at near-cost, and you get nice waterslide decals to use X-D

or as i mentioned above, make your own scans of the pieces you are trying to make decals for. it's always a good place to start, as you can begin by tracing the elements of the scan. then altering them to your custom.

i didn't use any help from the MCN in my MOCs.

- BrickMiner

[Starwars4J]

or as i mentioned above, make your own scans of the pieces you are trying to make decals for. it's always a good place to start, as you can begin by tracing the elements of the scan. then altering them to your custom.

i didn't use any help from the MCN in my MOCs.

- BrickMiner

But that implies some level of ability :-D Some of us need a template ;-) :-P

[Brick Miner]

ok, fair enough :-D :-D :-D