Social The Artist's Lounge - Social Thread Ver. 2.0

Since this isnt Star Wars art I thought I'd throw it in here for people to give their opinions on...

[image=http://img172.exs.cx/img172/2231/morphphotoshopped3xt.jpg]

You get a cookie if you can guess who it is.

Um.... Is it that guy from the Matrix?

*hands corellian_chic242 a cookie*

Yep, glad you got it right, would have been embarasing for me if you hadent.

Announcement : This has absolutely nothing to do with anything we're talking about right now but it is art related. Anyways I noticed they finally updated the Fan Art Museum, Just thought maybe some of you would like to check it out.

I gotta say the art keeps getting better and better.

Oh and the guy in the pic is totally Mace Windu. Now Where's my cookie??

I already got it, Ty.

And I'm surprised I got it; I only saw the Matrix once and it only held my attention for a few minutes....

Oh and the guy in the pic is totally Mace Windu. Now Where's my cookie??

Ha ha its amazing how Lawrence Fishburn and Samuel L Jackson get misstaken for each other so often. No cookie for you.

Ooh, busted.

Sorry abuot not being around much today guys, I had an 8 page paper to write today and only finished it a few hours ago. Then again, it's due tomorrow and I waited till the last minute to start it, so I guess it was my fault.

odj, I was gonna guess the guy from the Matrix - really I was...

Ty, thanks for posting the Fan Art Museum update. I just browsed over there and there's some nice work that was uploaded this time around.

I hate writing papers. I was supposed to write a DBQ yesterday, but I was having a nervous breakdown, so.... Lovely zero for moi.

Ehh...that can never be good. I'd rather throw something together quick then take the zero. Then again, I don't know how I'd react with a nervous breakdown. I hope you get better, corellian_chic.

Once more thanks to Otis Frampton!

Okay, I need your help...See, the thing is that everytime I look at my icons compared to what's uploaded on the JC, my icons just flatout suck. And I don't know how to get better. It was an improvement when I went from my old software to Photoshop and Paintshop, but I just don't know how to make good and proper use of those programs. I...I dunno, it makes me depressed sometimes because none of my icons are ever uploaded. So...what I really need right now is good, solid constructive critiscm. And if you know how to use either Photoshop or Paintshop, if you could tell me how to make good icons from those programs, I'd be eternally grateful.

Anyway, so here's my latest batch of icons!

Yane's Icons

I can help you with this one since I'm an icon artist myself.

The real trick here is to find a solid composition that works well with the limited size frame you have to work with. From what I can see from your icons, they are definitely along the right tracks, but some are lacking. One way to heighten them up is to add a border of some kind. If you notice by just browsing around the boards, all of the icons have a border of some kind. This makes it look clean, in some cases, fancy and most of all - complete. Using Photoshop, this is real easy. In the lower right hand box on the screen, click the Layers tab. Running along the bottom, you should see a bunch of different symbols - click on the one on the far left that looks like a circle with an "F" in the center. When you hover your mouse over it, it should say, "Add a layer style." This should bring you to a drop-down menu. Click on Stroke... and another window should open up. This is where you actually add your border. Change the Size setting to "1" and the Position to "Inside." Now click on Color and choose which color you think would look best for your particular image and that's it! (Please note that this is for a standard icon - you are free to set the Size and Position to anything you like). Just make sure you cropped the image before adding the Stroke or else it probably won't show up.

Another thing that helps to heighten the appearance of an icon is transparency(cutting out an image and placing it on another background. Example: <img src=http://www1.theforce.net/jc/icons/collecting/lukeghsw_misc_tsc.gif> ) This is fairly simple as well - just got to the toolbar and click on the Magnetic Lasso and using this, cut out the desired image. One you traced the image and the "dancing ants" appear, move the image to the 50x50 layer. From here you can add the background of your liking and adjust to your heart's content.

I would also fool around with the Sharpen tool as well as the Brightness and Contrast option. This helps to heighten the appearance of your image and just helps to make it look compelete.

Hope that helps!

WOW! Okay, so I followed what you said, and I made a pretty good icon! I was so proud of myself! Well, I think it's good anyway...but the only thing is, it only looks like the border is on two sides of it...

Icons are too high tech for me....

Hmmm. I have another question for you guys:

What kind of non-Star Wars art do you do? Portraits, ceramics, stained glass...?

When I had art class in my K-8 school, I used to love doing pottery and ceramics and all that. We had a pottery unit every year and it was my favorite! I pretty much sucked at everything else.

Here's an update for my icons! I fixed my Padmé Amidala ones this time.

Fixed!

Artwork I do other than Star Wars? Well, at the moment it's mostly stuff I need for school. I have a lot of paintings I did in the past few weeks, and lots and lots of pencil and charcoal drawings. I also have a fair share of nice artwork left over from high school that I have stashed away in my portfolio.

I also want to point out that the thread index is completed and posted at the top of the forum. Cheveyo, if you're out there, I'd appreciate if you could add the artist list directly under the rules. Thanks!

Hi everyone

Wow, the new thread index and forum guidelines thread looks just fantastic HanSolo29! I know those can take a long time to put together so thank you for making it so nice. The forum looks great.

I've been woefully behind on art lately. With Celebration 3 right around the corner I've had to switch gears back to sewing to get my costumes done in time.
Is anybody else from here planning to go to C3?

Mostly dolling: Alexandra's Dollz.

Obi-dawn Kenobi, I'm planning on going to CIII, but it's one of those "so close, yet so far" things...I really wish I'd planned this earlier.

hmm i dont really know where to post this but i was looking for a good resouce of SW images, right now i need plenty of pics from the jedi temple

ok...i see you all talking about icon...can we make and use our own icons? i have always been curious about that.

a refernce material thread would be very helpful for folks inthe fan art section. it could be locked at the top of the thread page. every one could contribute as we go.

i guess ill start one