Post: Guide: GFX for beginners
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07-06-2010, 10:27 PM
#1
Helios
Coolest Kid Around.
So you've decided to attempt GFX, this thread will help you under stand what the following are, hopefully at the end of this guide you'll be well on your way to becoming a well known GFX-Artist.
(A). What is a C4D render and how can they be used?
(B). What is a "flow"?
(C). What a focal is?
(D). Where to get your resources.
(E). Why should you always save a project as a .PSD first?
(F). Text
(G). Blending
(H). Borders
(I). Depth
(J). Lightening
(K). Colour
(L). Tips
(M). Thanks[/COLOR]
-(A). What is a C4D render and how can they be used?
A C4D is a render created in Cinema 4D, this program is most likely the most popular to create 3D images. Other well known programs to create C4Ds are Maya and Blender.
You can download these programs below if you want them.
You must login or register to view this content.
You must login or register to view this content.
You must login or register to view this content.
You must login or register to view this content.
A C4D is mainly used in signatures to create extra effects and lightening, C4D's are not to be confused with "fractals." - Fractals are generally created in Apophysis and are usually made up of lines. Back onto C4Ds, there are many different ways they can be used when making signatures. C4D renders come in 3 forms, normal, effect and wireframe renders.
In abstract signatures, a single C4D render is often used as the main focal point. These often come with a transparant background.
One of the most used types of C4D renders, are the so called “effect renders”. An effect render is a great way to spice up your signature and add all sorts of cool effects.
An example of an effect render is in this signature as 90% of the effects was done by an effect C4d:
You must login or register to view this content.
Effect renders almost always come with a black background, so when you add them to your signature you will need to get rid of the black background somehow. This can easily be done by changing the layers blending mode to colour dodge, linear dodge, screen, or lighten.
Basically you will just need to play around with the layer settings until you find one that looks good.
Wireframe renders are the last type of often used C4D renders. They are often used to make skin look “robotic” or in the background to make the signature look more interesting.
An example of a C4D -
You must login or register to view this content.
An example of a Fractal -
You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Flow](B). What is flow?
To put it simply flow is direction most of your signature will flow most of these can be predicted by what Stock (a picture) or Render (a cut-out image) a good example flow when everything flows corresponding with the direction or apart of the render or stock.
A good example of flow -
You must login or register to view this content.
A bad example of flow -
You must login or register to view this content.
The best way i find normally to create a good flow is to place your C4Ds that already have the same flow as the signature or by rotating a C4D correctly. Another way you can create flow is by manipulating what you already have in your signature by using Liquify although using this technique is alot harder and id consider just using positioning to create your flow.
[multipage=Focals](C). What is a focal?
To put it simply the focal is what your audience should mostly be drawn to. The common parts of a signature that can draw the audience away from the focal are:
Text being to bright or different colours from the signature.
Effects are too strong.
Crowded areas.
A Focal is mainly a render or a person, car or flower etc in a picture.
A good example for a focal is in this signature:
You must login or register to view this content.
As the scarecrow is most obvious and draws most of the attention, the main thing can draw attention from this signature is the glow at the bottom, you always want to make sure your focal is what people focus on Usually taken from an image, it is transparent around everything but the focal. Most common to use when new to gfx.
A render is most likely the most type of used focals used with beginners, A render is usually rendered (cut out from a stock) from an image, everything in a render is transparent except for the actual render.
How to use a render? - You can very simply use your render by opening them in Photoshop and posting it into your canvas, normally in beginners tutorials they will tell you to duplicate your render a few times to create your effects from the render such as smudging, A render should always be your focal in your signature.
A stock image isn't like a render, it comes with a complete image, which means you'll have to use little more gfx knowledge to use them and create a good effect.
An example of a render -
You must login or register to view this content.
An example of a stock -
You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Resources](D). Where to get your resources from.
Resources are the crucial parts for signatures, resources are mainly:
C4Ds
Fonts
Brushes
Gradient maps
Stocks
Renders
Best known place to get Renders: You must login or register to view this content.
The best known place for fonts: You must login or register to view this content.
The best known place for C4Ds, Brushes, Gradient maps and stocks are from: You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Save As .PSD](E). Why you should always save a project as a .PSD
a PSD is a File format saved in photoshop to preserve the layers. This type of file CANNOT be uploaded to image websites such as You must login or register to view this content.
A PSD will keep all of your layers so you can edit your layers after you've finished your signature and closed Photoshop.
An example of a PSD icon and saving as a PSD.
Icon -
You must login or register to view this content.
Saving as a PSD -
You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Text]
Text is normally always the hardest part in signatures, even some of the best GFX-artists have trouble with text. There is already some rules that has been posted by Caspa it can be found You must login or register to view this content..
With text it is always best to use default simple fonts as they normally fit with all types of signatures, fonts that aren't default normally ruin a signature, remember TEXT CAN RUIN A SIGNATURE so if your not good at it just leave it, but if you dont want people stealing your signatures, with a good default font such as Ariel you can apply clipping masks.
To apply a clipping mask apply your image make a new layer then go to Image -> apply image then put your mouse between the layers on the layer palette while holding alt and simply click, this will make the top layer now be a mask for the bottom.
Some Text tips:
1) Use fonts like verdana and arial, they might be plain but always look good
2) Give the text the same color as used in the rest of your signature, dont let it stand out to mutch
3) Never ever use bevel or something like outer glow on your text (if you dont know what im talking about, lucky you)
4) Dont tuck it away in a corner, but also dont slap it right onto your main picture, also make sure its easy to read.
[multipage=Blending]
Blending is also very important to your signatures, if your blending isn't correct your signature can be ruined, blending is normally done by smudging your render or your stock to blend your focal with the rest of the signature.
There are many other ways to blend your focal in. You can also have some C4Ds behind your focal and some in front of your signature, it is the simplest way to blend. There are other ways to blend in your signature such as using effects like Motion blurs.
Simple way to blend for beginners:
1) Duplicate your render once and hide the top one (click the eye next to the layer)
2) Select your bottom render and go to Filter -> Blur -> Motion Blur
3) Choose an angle of 45 and a distance of 2
4) Unhide your top layer, select your lasso tool then go to the top and put your feather setting as 5, lasso around your render and then click the vector mask button (next to the F at the bottom of your layer palette.
[multipage=Borders]
Borders, most likely the simplest thing to do when finishing off your signature and can make your signature look better or it can ruin your signature.
Although, the only way it can actually ruin your signature is by having the border too big.
The way to make your signature to stand out from other beginners is NOT to use a faded border or one with a clipping mask. a nice 1px border makes it look professional and is easy to do.
How to add a border
And now you've got a nice border.
[multipage=.Depth]
Depth
The most common and easy way to create depth is by blurring. There’s several ways you can do this. you can using lightening to create depth.
The easiest way is by going to Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian blur and using 1-3px and erasing your focal (see previous chapters) the way more advanced GFX users do it is using the blur tool and applying how much blur you want to certain parts to add better depth
Such as adding more blur to certain parts and less blur to other parts
such as in this signature
You must login or register to view this content.
Notice how the top right is blurred more then just underneath it to help create that some parts are closer then other parts are.
[multipage=Lightening]
Lightening isn't the most important thing in your signature but makes everything even better as on all your renders or stocks they all have a light source.
This where the light hits your render, a good example of lightening is in this signature.
You must login or register to view this content.
This shows directly where the light hits the render.
[multipage=Colour]
Colour
Colour is an important part of making a sig. without good looking colour, even the best sigs can look very bad. There are many ways to use colours in a sig, most of which ill be explaining in this tut. But first off, well look at this version of the colour wheel.
You must login or register to view this content.
Some important things to remember-
colours on opposite sides of the wheel will rarely work together. as a beginner, try to use colours that are close to each other, and not have a huge range of colours in one signature. colours that are within about 90 degrees of each other will often look good with each other (blues-greens) (yellows-reds) (reds-purples) Colours are important to experiment with and try diggerent combinations with. remember to always use a wide range of each, with dark, and light versions of each colour. lastly, always use more than one colour. a sig with only one colour is normally considered "monotone" and will very rarely ever look good, especially when there is a low range, as mentioned above.
When determining colour-
mainly, to determine colours you should use in a signature, look to your render or stock. use the dominant colours you see there, to create your effects. The colours in your render should almost always match the colour of the rest of the signature.
[multipage=Tips]
1st - Always keep in mind text. Text is one of the hardest things to master. Just remember to keep it simple. Use Visitor -BRK- or Arial or something like that... nothing to extreme. Because text can RUIN a signature.
2nd - Don't let the render be the main focus of a signature. Make it so that what ever you did shows up first. Because a signature is to show off what YOU can do. Not what a photographer can do.
3rd - Have a focial point. When someone first looks at the signature have them have some appealing show up first. That can make a signature alone look A LOT better.
4th - Make sure to keep a signature simple for the most part. Don't over do effects and use a bunch of filters for a signature. It can rune it very fast.
5th - Contrast is a very valuable tool. But DONT OVER USE IT. Having too much contrast in a sig runes it. Keep it pretty low for the most part.
6th - Make sure to properly blend a render. Although some renders dont need to be blended. When you blend an image, make sure that its equally blended in most areas. Don't blend to much in. Don't completely take out a face from a render so only the eyeball is left so your jsut looking at the eyeball with a big blurr... but don't under use it... keep it so that you can still see the render but its nicely fades into the rest of the sig.
7th - Don't leave open gaps. Emtpyness is bad. If you look at a job you did and see a big empty space with nothing to bring it out it will just look bad. And if you do have an empty spot, one good way to fill it in is put text by it.
8th - Size does matter. If you make a sig too big it runes seriousness. If you make it too small then its not very appealing. Keep the sig at a good size. Personally i use 390-120 for the most part. But dont be afriad to make it pretty small... just dont go too much under 500-200.
9th - Borders. Not all sigs need borders but some do. You should always check if your sig needs a border and how to border it. Sometimes it looks good to have a 1 px all around and a thick border on the top and a less thick but still thick border on the bottom... or a random line going down or across the sig to go with the border.
10th - Make your own style. After a while of using Photoshop you'll gain some good quailites and some bad ones. Take the good ones and bring them out. Originality is key!
[multipage=Thanks]
Thanks for reading my guide, hopefully my guide will help beginners. Please do not repost without permission it took me along time to write this.
Credits::
Thanks to Caspa for writing his text tutorial.
Thanks to the creators of the C4D's and to the creators of each website mentioned.
Thanks to the creator of the colour wheel.
All signatures created by me.
(A). What is a C4D render and how can they be used?
(B). What is a "flow"?
(C). What a focal is?
(D). Where to get your resources.
(E). Why should you always save a project as a .PSD first?
(F). Text
(G). Blending
(H). Borders
(I). Depth
(J). Lightening
(K). Colour
(L). Tips
(M). Thanks[/COLOR]
-(A). What is a C4D render and how can they be used?
A C4D is a render created in Cinema 4D, this program is most likely the most popular to create 3D images. Other well known programs to create C4Ds are Maya and Blender.
You can download these programs below if you want them.
You must login or register to view this content.
You must login or register to view this content.
You must login or register to view this content.
You must login or register to view this content.
A C4D is mainly used in signatures to create extra effects and lightening, C4D's are not to be confused with "fractals." - Fractals are generally created in Apophysis and are usually made up of lines. Back onto C4Ds, there are many different ways they can be used when making signatures. C4D renders come in 3 forms, normal, effect and wireframe renders.
In abstract signatures, a single C4D render is often used as the main focal point. These often come with a transparant background.
One of the most used types of C4D renders, are the so called “effect renders”. An effect render is a great way to spice up your signature and add all sorts of cool effects.
An example of an effect render is in this signature as 90% of the effects was done by an effect C4d:
You must login or register to view this content.
Effect renders almost always come with a black background, so when you add them to your signature you will need to get rid of the black background somehow. This can easily be done by changing the layers blending mode to colour dodge, linear dodge, screen, or lighten.
Basically you will just need to play around with the layer settings until you find one that looks good.
Wireframe renders are the last type of often used C4D renders. They are often used to make skin look “robotic” or in the background to make the signature look more interesting.
An example of a C4D -
You must login or register to view this content.
An example of a Fractal -
You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Flow](B). What is flow?
To put it simply flow is direction most of your signature will flow most of these can be predicted by what Stock (a picture) or Render (a cut-out image) a good example flow when everything flows corresponding with the direction or apart of the render or stock.
A good example of flow -
You must login or register to view this content.
A bad example of flow -
You must login or register to view this content.
The best way i find normally to create a good flow is to place your C4Ds that already have the same flow as the signature or by rotating a C4D correctly. Another way you can create flow is by manipulating what you already have in your signature by using Liquify although using this technique is alot harder and id consider just using positioning to create your flow.
[multipage=Focals](C). What is a focal?
To put it simply the focal is what your audience should mostly be drawn to. The common parts of a signature that can draw the audience away from the focal are:
Text being to bright or different colours from the signature.
Effects are too strong.
Crowded areas.
A Focal is mainly a render or a person, car or flower etc in a picture.
A good example for a focal is in this signature:
You must login or register to view this content.
As the scarecrow is most obvious and draws most of the attention, the main thing can draw attention from this signature is the glow at the bottom, you always want to make sure your focal is what people focus on Usually taken from an image, it is transparent around everything but the focal. Most common to use when new to gfx.
A render is most likely the most type of used focals used with beginners, A render is usually rendered (cut out from a stock) from an image, everything in a render is transparent except for the actual render.
How to use a render? - You can very simply use your render by opening them in Photoshop and posting it into your canvas, normally in beginners tutorials they will tell you to duplicate your render a few times to create your effects from the render such as smudging, A render should always be your focal in your signature.
A stock image isn't like a render, it comes with a complete image, which means you'll have to use little more gfx knowledge to use them and create a good effect.
An example of a render -
You must login or register to view this content.
An example of a stock -
You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Resources](D). Where to get your resources from.
Resources are the crucial parts for signatures, resources are mainly:
C4Ds
Fonts
Brushes
Gradient maps
Stocks
Renders
Best known place to get Renders: You must login or register to view this content.
The best known place for fonts: You must login or register to view this content.
The best known place for C4Ds, Brushes, Gradient maps and stocks are from: You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Save As .PSD](E). Why you should always save a project as a .PSD
a PSD is a File format saved in photoshop to preserve the layers. This type of file CANNOT be uploaded to image websites such as You must login or register to view this content.
A PSD will keep all of your layers so you can edit your layers after you've finished your signature and closed Photoshop.
An example of a PSD icon and saving as a PSD.
Icon -
You must login or register to view this content.
Saving as a PSD -
You must login or register to view this content.
[multipage=Text]
Text is normally always the hardest part in signatures, even some of the best GFX-artists have trouble with text. There is already some rules that has been posted by Caspa it can be found You must login or register to view this content..
With text it is always best to use default simple fonts as they normally fit with all types of signatures, fonts that aren't default normally ruin a signature, remember TEXT CAN RUIN A SIGNATURE so if your not good at it just leave it, but if you dont want people stealing your signatures, with a good default font such as Ariel you can apply clipping masks.
To apply a clipping mask apply your image make a new layer then go to Image -> apply image then put your mouse between the layers on the layer palette while holding alt and simply click, this will make the top layer now be a mask for the bottom.
Some Text tips:
1) Use fonts like verdana and arial, they might be plain but always look good
2) Give the text the same color as used in the rest of your signature, dont let it stand out to mutch
3) Never ever use bevel or something like outer glow on your text (if you dont know what im talking about, lucky you)
4) Dont tuck it away in a corner, but also dont slap it right onto your main picture, also make sure its easy to read.
[multipage=Blending]
Blending is also very important to your signatures, if your blending isn't correct your signature can be ruined, blending is normally done by smudging your render or your stock to blend your focal with the rest of the signature.
There are many other ways to blend your focal in. You can also have some C4Ds behind your focal and some in front of your signature, it is the simplest way to blend. There are other ways to blend in your signature such as using effects like Motion blurs.
Simple way to blend for beginners:
1) Duplicate your render once and hide the top one (click the eye next to the layer)
2) Select your bottom render and go to Filter -> Blur -> Motion Blur
3) Choose an angle of 45 and a distance of 2
4) Unhide your top layer, select your lasso tool then go to the top and put your feather setting as 5, lasso around your render and then click the vector mask button (next to the F at the bottom of your layer palette.
[multipage=Borders]
Borders, most likely the simplest thing to do when finishing off your signature and can make your signature look better or it can ruin your signature.
Although, the only way it can actually ruin your signature is by having the border too big.
The way to make your signature to stand out from other beginners is NOT to use a faded border or one with a clipping mask. a nice 1px border makes it look professional and is easy to do.
How to add a border
- Select your rectangular marquee tool just under the arrow
- On an applied image layer (at the top of your layers) or a blank layer
- Highlight your signature, (draw your mouse from a top corner to the opposite bottom corner i.e top right to bottom left)
- Now Right click and go down to stroke
- make sure the width is 1PX and press OK!
And now you've got a nice border.
[multipage=.Depth]
Depth
The most common and easy way to create depth is by blurring. There’s several ways you can do this. you can using lightening to create depth.
The easiest way is by going to Filter -> Blur -> Gaussian blur and using 1-3px and erasing your focal (see previous chapters) the way more advanced GFX users do it is using the blur tool and applying how much blur you want to certain parts to add better depth
Such as adding more blur to certain parts and less blur to other parts
such as in this signature
You must login or register to view this content.
Notice how the top right is blurred more then just underneath it to help create that some parts are closer then other parts are.
[multipage=Lightening]
Lightening isn't the most important thing in your signature but makes everything even better as on all your renders or stocks they all have a light source.
This where the light hits your render, a good example of lightening is in this signature.
You must login or register to view this content.
This shows directly where the light hits the render.
[multipage=Colour]
Colour
Colour is an important part of making a sig. without good looking colour, even the best sigs can look very bad. There are many ways to use colours in a sig, most of which ill be explaining in this tut. But first off, well look at this version of the colour wheel.
You must login or register to view this content.
Some important things to remember-
colours on opposite sides of the wheel will rarely work together. as a beginner, try to use colours that are close to each other, and not have a huge range of colours in one signature. colours that are within about 90 degrees of each other will often look good with each other (blues-greens) (yellows-reds) (reds-purples) Colours are important to experiment with and try diggerent combinations with. remember to always use a wide range of each, with dark, and light versions of each colour. lastly, always use more than one colour. a sig with only one colour is normally considered "monotone" and will very rarely ever look good, especially when there is a low range, as mentioned above.
When determining colour-
mainly, to determine colours you should use in a signature, look to your render or stock. use the dominant colours you see there, to create your effects. The colours in your render should almost always match the colour of the rest of the signature.
[multipage=Tips]
1st - Always keep in mind text. Text is one of the hardest things to master. Just remember to keep it simple. Use Visitor -BRK- or Arial or something like that... nothing to extreme. Because text can RUIN a signature.
2nd - Don't let the render be the main focus of a signature. Make it so that what ever you did shows up first. Because a signature is to show off what YOU can do. Not what a photographer can do.
3rd - Have a focial point. When someone first looks at the signature have them have some appealing show up first. That can make a signature alone look A LOT better.
4th - Make sure to keep a signature simple for the most part. Don't over do effects and use a bunch of filters for a signature. It can rune it very fast.
5th - Contrast is a very valuable tool. But DONT OVER USE IT. Having too much contrast in a sig runes it. Keep it pretty low for the most part.
6th - Make sure to properly blend a render. Although some renders dont need to be blended. When you blend an image, make sure that its equally blended in most areas. Don't blend to much in. Don't completely take out a face from a render so only the eyeball is left so your jsut looking at the eyeball with a big blurr... but don't under use it... keep it so that you can still see the render but its nicely fades into the rest of the sig.
7th - Don't leave open gaps. Emtpyness is bad. If you look at a job you did and see a big empty space with nothing to bring it out it will just look bad. And if you do have an empty spot, one good way to fill it in is put text by it.
8th - Size does matter. If you make a sig too big it runes seriousness. If you make it too small then its not very appealing. Keep the sig at a good size. Personally i use 390-120 for the most part. But dont be afriad to make it pretty small... just dont go too much under 500-200.
9th - Borders. Not all sigs need borders but some do. You should always check if your sig needs a border and how to border it. Sometimes it looks good to have a 1 px all around and a thick border on the top and a less thick but still thick border on the bottom... or a random line going down or across the sig to go with the border.
10th - Make your own style. After a while of using Photoshop you'll gain some good quailites and some bad ones. Take the good ones and bring them out. Originality is key!
[multipage=Thanks]
Thanks for reading my guide, hopefully my guide will help beginners. Please do not repost without permission it took me along time to write this.
Credits::
Thanks to Caspa for writing his text tutorial.
Thanks to the creators of the C4D's and to the creators of each website mentioned.
Thanks to the creator of the colour wheel.
All signatures created by me.
[/spoiler]
The following 45 users say thank you to Helios for this useful post:
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08-14-2010, 01:40 PM
#25
Pyrochemical
Big Daddy
08-18-2010, 01:30 AM
#26
Saints2010
Banned
Originally posted by killakk
Mate great thread but you should have used multiple pages to make it look more neat and easier to read 
If you don't know how to add them let me know
Also may I propose that you ask to get this thread moved to the GFX Tutorials sub section?
Or I could ask for you?
If you don't know how to add them let me know
Also may I propose that you ask to get this thread moved to the GFX Tutorials sub section?
Or I could ask for you?
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaa
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