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Sep 10, 2016 12:55 PM
#1

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Apr 2016
57
I want to start but obviously I need some help to get me started. I'm not a bad artist, but other than pencil and paper I'm clueless. My end goal is to be making things like signatures, backgrounds and other things like that. So, I need help specifically with:

1. Software or program
2. Terminology
3. And maybe a link to good tutorials

Again, I don't want to make things from scratch. I want to edit pre-exisiting pictures and make them look cool so to speak. I know this post is pretty vague but I think you know the gist of it.

Thanks!
Sep 10, 2016 1:33 PM
#2
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Jul 2018
561862
In all honesty, I suggest you experiment on your own. Use programs you already have, GIMP, Photoshop, PicMonkey, etc. I'm sure you'll find it boring if you get started with terminology and tutorials. You can do your own research on specific things like "how to add lighting and shadows" and stuff. Then, once you feel you are at your limits, find tutorials.

That's what I did at least. (I have stopped editing because I'm focussing more on drawings right now, so you won't find any on here)
Sep 11, 2016 8:54 AM
#3

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Apr 2015
529
Would some text adding be ok?

Im not bad at english Im just a horrible speller
Sep 11, 2016 9:12 AM
#4

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Jun 2015
2258
Experiment yourself first. Use photoshop or gimp, and start with the simple stuff first. Thats what I did, and kinda still do.

I have limited knowledge, but you can ask some experienced editors too.

set by secret santa ; thank you! ily ♥️
Sep 11, 2016 9:59 AM
#5

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Dec 2012
24355
I don't recommend ''experimenting'' at all. It's very pointless if you don't understand the basics of it. Start with beginner tutorials then move to intermediate ones and when you feel like you have a hold on the whole thing then you can experiment and what not.

Just google it. There is thousands of guides in youtube, DA and other sites.
an example
https://dawnstormgraphics.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/zenronguide.jpg

Photoshop is the best editing software
Sep 11, 2016 7:20 PM
#6

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Apr 2016
57
Senpaoi said:
In all honesty, I suggest you experiment on your own. Use programs you already have, GIMP, Photoshop, PicMonkey, etc. I'm sure you'll find it boring if you get started with terminology and tutorials. You can do your own research on specific things like "how to add lighting and shadows" and stuff. Then, once you feel you are at your limits, find tutorials.

That's what I did at least. (I have stopped editing because I'm focussing more on drawings right now, so you won't find any on here)


Thanks for the advice.

Mayumi said:
Experiment yourself first. Use photoshop or gimp, and start with the simple stuff first. Thats what I did, and kinda still do.

I have limited knowledge, but you can ask some experienced editors too.


What is gimp? Heard about it, never understood it.

tsudecimo said:
I don't recommend ''experimenting'' at all. It's very pointless if you don't understand the basics of it. Start with beginner tutorials then move to intermediate ones and when you feel like you have a hold on the whole thing then you can experiment and what not.

Just google it. There is thousands of guides in youtube, DA and other sites.
an example
https://dawnstormgraphics.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/zenronguide.jpg

Photoshop is the best editing software


Any specific software?
Sep 11, 2016 7:54 PM
#7
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Jul 2018
561862
tsudecimo said:
I don't recommend ''experimenting'' at all. It's very pointless if you don't understand the basics of it. Start with beginner tutorials then move to intermediate ones and when you feel like you have a hold on the whole thing then you can experiment and what not.

Just google it. There is thousands of guides in youtube, DA and other sites.
an example
https://dawnstormgraphics.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/zenronguide.jpg

Photoshop is the best editing software

By experimenting, I'm not talking about clicking random buttons and clicking around your picture if that's what you're thinking...
Sep 11, 2016 8:33 PM
#8

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Mar 2016
23
I definitely recommend Photoshop, but I think Adobe is a little expensive.
Grimp could be a good alternative but sincerely I don't like it, however each person has a personal opinion so try it out.

About tutorial, try searching only thing you have no idea what to do.
For example: when I start using 3dsmax I used to create experimental objects and scenarios, this way I was able to know if my knowledge was enough to complete my objectives or if there was something new to learn in order to complete it.
Sep 11, 2016 10:13 PM
#9

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Jun 2015
2258
Gimp is another photo editing software, like Photoshop. Just google gimp, and you can see download links. But i don't personally like gimp, and photoshop is better, but you can only get CS2 for free, and the other ones can be quite expensive. Bit if you can buy the others, go for it.

And by experimenting, I meant to explore photoshop, not click random buttons and expect something to happen. Like putting text, or the blending options. For starters, try this club https://myanimelist.net/clubs.php?cid=19736

There are steps of using photoshop, editing with it, making backgrounds, sigs, cards. All with ps, so you can try there. Then you can start doing other experiments, once you're used to it.

@Yhuori

set by secret santa ; thank you! ily ♥️
Sep 11, 2016 11:48 PM
Offline
May 2016
80
tsudecimo said:
I don't recommend ''experimenting'' at all. It's very pointless if you don't understand the basics of it. Start with beginner tutorials then move to intermediate ones and when you feel like you have a hold on the whole thing then you can experiment and what not.

Just google it. There is thousands of guides in youtube, DA and other sites.
an example
https://dawnstormgraphics.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/zenronguide.jpg

Photoshop is the best editing software


I learned a lot by experimenting on Gimp. It is helpful and definitely not pointless :)
not here
Sep 12, 2016 2:41 AM

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Dec 2012
24355
Yhuori said:

Any specific software?

Photoshop CS6 portable. If you don't have problem torrent stuff, download this. It has a small file size.

Senpaoi said:

By experimenting, I'm not talking about clicking random buttons and clicking around your picture if that's what you're thinking...

I know what you mean and it's pointless, and a waste of time.

lostmyshoe said:

I learned a lot by experimenting on Gimp. It is helpful and definitely not pointless :)

Doubt it, but whatever floats your boat.
Sep 12, 2016 6:49 PM

Offline
Mar 2016
1289
Yhuori said:
I want to start but obviously I need some help to get me started. I'm not a bad artist, but other than pencil and paper I'm clueless. My end goal is to be making things like signatures, backgrounds and other things like that. So, I need help specifically with:

1. Software or program
2. Terminology
3. And maybe a link to good tutorials

Again, I don't want to make things from scratch. I want to edit pre-exisiting pictures and make them look cool so to speak. I know this post is pretty vague but I think you know the gist of it.

Thanks!


I make all my signatures using Gimp. It's like a free version of Photoshop. I just mess around with everything until I accidentally make something I really like. There's lots of tutorials online on how to do really cool things as well and that's in part how I went about making my signature right here.
Signature removed. Please follow the signature rules, as defined in the Site & Forum Guidelines.
Sep 13, 2016 3:32 PM

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Apr 2016
57
Senpaoi said:
tsudecimo said:
I don't recommend ''experimenting'' at all. It's very pointless if you don't understand the basics of it. Start with beginner tutorials then move to intermediate ones and when you feel like you have a hold on the whole thing then you can experiment and what not.

Just google it. There is thousands of guides in youtube, DA and other sites.
an example
https://dawnstormgraphics.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/zenronguide.jpg

Photoshop is the best editing software

By experimenting, I'm not talking about clicking random buttons and clicking around your picture if that's what you're thinking...
Mayumi said:
Gimp is another photo editing software, like Photoshop. Just google gimp, and you can see download links. But i don't personally like gimp, and photoshop is better, but you can only get CS2 for free, and the other ones can be quite expensive. Bit if you can buy the others, go for it.

And by experimenting, I meant to explore photoshop, not click random buttons and expect something to happen. Like putting text, or the blending options. For starters, try this club https://myanimelist.net/clubs.php?cid=19736

There are steps of using photoshop, editing with it, making backgrounds, sigs, cards. All with ps, so you can try there. Then you can start doing other experiments, once you're used to it.

@Yhuori


Thank you very much!
Sep 13, 2016 5:41 PM
Offline
Jan 2016
709
I agree with all of the advice already said.

Experimenting could lead to fun hands on results and that's how I started to enjoy professional video editing before reading a full manual(which comes more into play for the complicated stuff).

It really all depends on you! There is no wrong route to choose as you will most likely check references later on regardless to increase the quality of your work : ). Granted, this is not the same style of editing that I'm stationed in.

Best of luck! Hopefully we will see your work sometime :D.
Sep 14, 2016 1:02 PM
Offline
May 2016
80
tsudecimo said:


lostmyshoe said:

I learned a lot by experimenting on Gimp. It is helpful and definitely not pointless :)

Doubt it, but whatever floats your boat.


So you think I'm lying? Lol! In the beginning it can be confusing, but goofing around and having fun does eventually lead you to learning from it. It could be considered practice. It's like playing basket ball. You're not going to be on a professional level unless you keep trying.
Don't be so quick to think things are useless. There are many different ways to achieve the same goals :)
not here
Sep 14, 2016 2:23 PM

Offline
Jul 2009
5805
Gimp is sort of a crutch software. It's got better accessibility and simpler layouts, but once you get a good hang of Photoshop, you'll never wish you started with Gimp in the first place.

But one thing that irks me about Photoshop is the layer-managing system. For some reason it's so much more cumbersome than in Gimp. Not to mention importing pictures into layers is needlessly frustrating there.

Btw before you guys say anything, I'm mainly a Gimp user.

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