Iconorama

[itsallovernow]

In which I clearly have never met a filter that I didn't like.

So, I stayed up until the wee small hours making a few icons because I was correct in assuming that I'd screwed up the "how" of getting the images, i.e. I was using the thumbnails and enlarging instead of grabbing the full size and shrinking.

I, uh, wow. I really, really love the filters and should probably just work on playing with basics first so don't expect any great shakes from these:) They're clearly first-timer efforts:) I also don't know how to put in a layer of pure color and keep forgetting that when I merge layers I can't unmerge them:)

The caps are from farscape-tv.com. Dude, this is double the techno challenge - Figuring out how to make the damned things, then figuring out how to post them!!

1. 2. 3. 4.

Comments

[electricland.livejournal.com]

Oooh, very nice!

To put in a layer of pure colour I generally create a new layer, Select All, then use the bucket tool with whatever colour you happen to want.

I also find it handy to make copies of every layer you kinda sorta like, then play with the copies -- that way if you do something disastrous, you still have the original. ;)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

hee - that last suggestion was one I just figured out:) It sort of coincided with the - oh that's what they mean by dublicate revelation:)

And hee. Thank you. They're oddly shaped and little overdone, but I'm proud of them:)

[elishavah.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. Isn't it fun to play with images?

On posting/using them on LJ, they have to be under 100x100 pixels. Anything bigger in any direction, and LJ will spit it back out at you. Not fun.

On putting a layer of solid color...are you using Photoshop? (I ask only because I don't know the specific commands for Paint Shop Pro.) If so, go to Layer-Layer Style-Color Overlay. You can also do gradients (multiple colors blending together) with the Gradient Overlay option under Layer Style. And definitely play around with the blending and opacity of that color layer once you have it. Sometimes just a little tweak to one or the other can make a huge difference.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

It really is fun!

I need to resize the last three then:) Thanks!! Looking at them here I thought that might be the case.

I am using Photoshop so that's incredibly helpful! Thanks honey.

[life-on-queen.livejournal.com]

You're so cute when you're geeky.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

It's so very, very true!! Well, the geeky part. But I didn't do to badly, right?

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

OH! I love the bad influence one, but then I'm a sucker for John and Chi. ;)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee. Thank you! I like it too:) I was pleased that I figured out how to get the text where it is.

[kixxa.livejournal.com]

They're great! And isn't it fun? Photoshop is really, really addictive.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Soooooo addictive! hee, number 2 is an example of me in the throws of the learning process. The tiny text at the top was legible - when the pic was 400x400! And since I'd merged the layers, I couldn't get rid of it and had to write it again when the text was smaller. Hee, when I make it the real size for an icon, it's going to be illegible once again. Snort.

But so, so very fun!! And thank you!

[kixxa.livejournal.com]

In Photoshop, there is a history function that lets you go back to a certain point. Check it out. Hee, speaking for myself, I find it very handy.

I know Scorpy808 actually makes her icons at the 100 x 100 pixel size, so she knows exactly what she's going to get. When I heard she did this, I did the same. And really, you're not going to get a nasty surprise when it's already shrunk down (especially with the text which tends to go illegible).

Have fun!! *g*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

The history function doesn't seem to help with the merged layers:) I'm all about the step backwards:)

I figured out to put the text on at 100x100 - after this current adventure:) But it's hard for me to see the nuances at 100X100, still, it probably leads to less frustration eventually:)

[kixxa.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, it should take you back about twenty separate steps, merged layers and all. Instead of clicking on the side bar, click on the layer you want to go back to. That should do it.

Yeah, if our icons could be larger, just think how wonderful they could be!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

How does that work with layers that are already merged? Will it unmerge them? That's mainly my problem.

[kixxa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it'll undo back to whenever you choose, and it'll unmerge layers and all. Open the history palette and just click to where you want to go back to. Instead of clicking at the side of the palette (like you do to switch layers on and off) just click on the layer description and the little blue marker at the side should point to where you are. If it's not working try going back one step further (the layer above the one you want).

If all else fails, just keep clicking! Another good technique is to save your icon before making any drastic changes, and if you don't like them, just go to FILE and REVERT. Though, history is so much easier, trust me. *g*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Ooooh! Excellent!! Thank you, thank you!

[elliejane.livejournal.com]

Photoshop is fun, fun FUN!! Love it! I don't make many icons as I have a free account and only 3 at a time on the go (the last one I made was this winter one I'm using in this post).

Layers are wonderful, and yes I do exactly what electricland said. If I have a layer I think I'll want agin I make a copy. The only down side is it bumps the over all .psd size up the more layers you have, but most people have oodles of storage space anyways.

Layers and blending. OOOH! And brushes! Learning how to make your own brushes is a kick as well!

Back at the start of my life in fandom (snerk) I was very much into making digital art using screen caps etc etc, and filters and the whole malarky. Sighs...good times :)

Now of course I'm obsessed with fic, instead.

Oh with nuances, I do see what you mean. Best I can think of is you can quickly zoom in and out using the *navigator* (I think) so you can see the icon close up then whizz it back down smaller for a looksee.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I'm not terribly interested in the art, outside of the icons:) They're like tiny little presents in of themselves:) And I have yet to learn exactly what a brush is:) I like looking at these particular icons because I know what I learned from each one:) Even the things I don't like taught me something, much like with fic:)

[elliejane.livejournal.com]

Brushes in a way, serve the same purpose as layers and blends. They give you something else to distort/enhance/give special effects to your image.

So a regular brush whould be the equivlaent of a fixed width line,which you can freedhand draw over an image. BUt there are other brushes whose brush stroke is made up of blobs, or stars, or a butterfly shape, or ect etc etc, or pieces of texture. You can use them as a continuous stroke, or as individual dabs. And there are menu options to alter size, shape, colour blending etc etc.

I became very enamoured of one persons web site, where she had made all these textures etc lthat you could load in as a brush. They were effects that looked like the imprint of tprn paper, or torn off sticky tape. There were scrathes and creases and other stuff. POSSIBLY more applicale to larger scale work, but I used one of the edgings to give me a raggedy egde in my Kansas icon.

Sorry, rambling again...some things I can talk about forever. Farscape is one, Photoshop is definitely another!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

No, no worries. That's incredibly helpful!! Thanks!

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

very nice, i love the bad influence one especially as it makes me giggle like a fiend. *g*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee:) Yeah, it definitely makes me giggle as well:)

[elliejane.livejournal.com]

You know, due to the word size, I read it as Bed Influence. Which in the context still works rather well..heh.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

make more, you're very good. *bg*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee hee. Thank you. I need a looooot of work still, a lot of practice:)

But I really enjoyed it.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

i've had some fun resizing and cropping photos i've taken. i'm not doing so well with the other stuff...for example; i still haven't figured out how to superimpose text onto a photo. :::feels dumb:::

i'm looking forward to your practicing. :)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

In photoshop, there's a Text tool. That's about as helpful as I can get:) It makes itself a layer:)

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

i'll go hunt it down. thank you. *g*

ps

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

oooh, you've been a very good influence on me. although *do'h* how could i have missed it! *headdesk*

and now my sick sense of humor may get the best of me. meep. ;)

[scrubschick.livejournal.com]

Pretty pretty! I just bought Photoshop Elements 3 but haven't played with it yet. Love the John/Chiana one most.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee, thanks honey. I think i'll shrink that one and offer it up:)

[kernezelda]

The John/Chi one is my favorite. You're doing complex things! I'm very pleased for you (and M *g*).

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Snort. He did not help with these:) And it's funny, I like the J/Chi one, but the bang bang one is my favorite, and the other two I really like for what I learned and will probably shrink down, but then, they're Aeryn, so...:)

[anr]

Excellent! I really like number two. :)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yeah, thank you!!:) I so appreciate the support - esp. from talented icon makers:) (I like that one too - and it looked very cool at 400x400:) Hee. Clearly, I need to learn a little more about working within my boundaries:)