I'm still learning, but I'm having fun in the process! (more wallpapers) Options

[awakeaftermidnig...]

I'm aware that I tend to use the same brushes. Those are the ones I like. I'm also aware that I leave blank areas. I don't like putting too much on because then I think it looks cluttered. I am very appreciative of all of the advice I have been getting on here. Thanks everyone! I think it is helping some. but it's hard for me to change the way I've been making art just like that *snaps fingers*

I'm working on it. I'm trying out new things. playing with brushes, etc. Moving the images around.


here is some more stuff that I made tonight. Feedback is appreciated always. suggestions also welcome as to what else I might add to them or what sort of textures might look good on them.










clicky clicky

[lovescream]

I know what you said, I know you're aware, but you SERIOUSLY need to get some new brushes. Like honestly, the style's all the same. People, blended together, brushes in bg (but the brushes are all the same). Try looking through dA or other showcased topics for some more ideas of wallpapers. I also think they look somewhat low-quality.

[awakeaftermidnig...]

I have dial up. Do you know how long it takes to hunt for brushes and to download them? an eternity! I also live with my parents who have lame-ass rules about when and how long I can be on the internet. even though I am paying for my own internet service. but I'm tying up their precious phone line. pfft. I know I need new brushes, I am very much aware of this. if you could point me in the direction of where to get brushes so I don't have to hunt all over the internet for them, I would like that very much.

[lovescream]

http://www.deviantart.com has great brushes. You just gotta search or go into your specific category.
And then there are direct links at the bbor
http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14636

[mysticalazxn]

the blending look pretty good. but the quality of the photo look low.

[awakeaftermidnig...]

the blending look pretty good. but the quality of the photo look low.

thanks. I don't know how to fix it so the quality of the actual photos isn't low. because I start out with high quality, but when I resize them to fit into the art I'm making than the quality diminishes. and I don't know what to do about that.

[awakeaftermidnig...]

http://www.deviantart.com has great brushes. You just gotta search or go into your specific category.
And then there are direct links at the bbor
http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14636

thank you for the links. appreciated.

[xtrancie]

the image qualities in these picture are REALLY low. Also, i know you try not to leave blank spaces. but your blank spaces are still randomly blank. Agree with toby, you SERIOUSLY need new brushes, check DA. Also your brushing is very random too. how can i say this... it's not COHESIVELY put together. and your choice of color need to be tune up lol. I suggest, you do dual brushing, dont let just one brush sit by itself, do different set of brushes. Also dont change the brush color unless it's really gonna look good.


To improve the quality of the image, if your using ps set the JPG image quality higher. i usually set mine on 12. either that or you can save them in PNG. it's the best =)

[adolelolz]

To find new brushes, I just went to saruna.net (because it's easy to remember lol) and looked at their brushes, and then looked at all their affiliates' brushes, and their affiliates', and so on. That way you don't have to "hunt all over the internet."

It also helps to find brushes that you don't have to download...Just imagepacks that you can copy & paste and make into brushes yourself.

But yes. You really, really, really, really need new brushes. xD

But those graphics are pretty nice despite the image quality.

[awakeaftermidnig...]

I don't use photoshop to make my art, I use Paint Shop Pro 8. the image quality for the Sandra Bullock wallpapers were really high quality until I resized them heh. I have been stuck in pinks, blues and greens as far as color goes. what is dual brushing? is that like laying one brush on top of another?

and I usually save my work as PNG, but it was taking an eternity to upload them. stupid dial up. pffft.


so I started saving them as jpgs. I got some new brushes. and made a Niles/Daphne wallpaper. low quality images. but I just wanted to play with the new brushes I got. I combined them with some of my old ones.





there's the result of that little... experiment? heh. I'm trying to figure out how to place the brushes so they look good and not...

like I randomly placed them?

[*SinfullySweet*]

I think what everyone means by the images looking low quality, is that the images look.. "pastey" You have to work on using your images correctly =/ And the brushes need to be high quality. The grids are nice. But the brushes and images you placed have no structure at all.

http://www.createblog.com/graphics/preview.php?id=32618

Do you see how that wallpaper has much structure? And its theme is clear. The colors flow smoothely, and the brushes go perfectly.

Although there is alot of unused/blank space, the textures used and brushes make up for it.

I highly recommend, you go out and get some cable/dsl! Dial up is NOT for future designers.

[xtrancie]

I don't use photoshop to make my art, I use Paint Shop Pro 8. the image quality for the Sandra Bullock wallpapers were really high quality until I resized them heh. I have been stuck in pinks, blues and greens as far as color goes. what is dual brushing? is that like laying one brush on top of another?

and I usually save my work as PNG, but it was taking an eternity to upload them. stupid dial up. pffft.
so I started saving them as jpgs. I got some new brushes. and made a Niles/Daphne wallpaper. low quality images. but I just wanted to play with the new brushes I got. I combined them with some of my old ones.

there's the result of that little... experiment? heh. I'm trying to figure out how to place the brushes so they look good and not...

like I randomly placed them?

First i'll tell you, GREEN AND BROWN DOES NOT GO TOGETHER. If you cant seem to choose the right color, you should go and read about the color wheels. Yes by dual brush i meant placing them over laping each other, but dont do them all in 1 layer, spread them out, batch them in layers. play around with your blending mode in them.

I highly recommend, you go out and get some cable/dsl! Dial up is NOT for future designers.

LOL! yes i agree with her. especially when you start making your own portfolio page and dealing with uploading a bunch of php script. isnt so great =)

[awakeaftermidnig...]

I think what everyone means by the images looking low quality, is that the images look.. "pastey" You have to work on using your images correctly =/ And the brushes need to be high quality. The grids are nice. But the brushes and images you placed have no structure at all.

http://www.createblog.com/graphics/preview.php?id=32618

Do you see how that wallpaper has much structure? And its theme is clear. The colors flow smoothely, and the brushes go perfectly.

Although there is alot of unused/blank space, the textures used and brushes make up for it.

I highly recommend, you go out and get some cable/dsl! Dial up is NOT for future designers.

pastey? well i copy/paste them into the space i'm working with. I was looking at that wallpaper, it's very nice. I decided to see if I could... duplicate it. in a way. the style, not really the art itself. using the same basic layout, but with different images and brushes to see if I got what you were talking about. I tried to... keep the same "theme" with the brushes I used. swirls, butterflies and flowers.

Here is the result of that... am I getting the hang of this stuff yet?

[1angel3]

Don't resize them. I have a trick, you have to know how to capture a sreenshot. Get the zoom out button and sreenshot your picture and chop it out and it's the size you want it without the low quality picture.

[*SinfullySweet*]

I'm going to agree with trancie about the colors. You have to find better colors that match. I think green and brown CAN match, but it depends on the shades of those colors you choose

<---That is just .. EW. no. The colors, do not correspond to eachother, nor do they compliment eachother

<--- While in these shades, both the colors are toned, and faded, which match.

[awakeaftermidnig...]

I'm going to agree with trancie about the colors. You have to find better colors that match. I think green and brown CAN match, but it depends on the shades of those colors you choose

<---That is just .. EW. no. The colors, do not correspond to eachother, nor do they compliment eachother

<--- While in these shades, both the colors are toned, and faded, which match.

I beg to differ. green and brown DO indeed go together.


or do they not have trees where you live

[*SinfullySweet*]

Okay. I think, we REALLY have to define what we mean is bad quality.

. Do you see her chin and hair? It looks chopped and pixelated. And looks like it has some sort of diffuse glow.


While in this image, the lines are smooth, everything is crisp and clear.

Edit//

That is NOT a good brush. The brush is EXTREMELY pixelated. You have to stay CLEAR away from those sorts of brushes.

[awakeaftermidnig...]

that brush was one of the very first ones I got a few years ago. it's originally for PSP 7, but I imported it to 8... so okay. don't use that brush, gotcha.

[*SinfullySweet*]

awakeaftermidnight, if you are having trouble finding good quality images/brushes, I would be happy to help you

[xtrancie]

I'm going to agree with trancie about the colors. You have to find better colors that match. I think green and brown CAN match, but it depends on the shades of those colors you choose

<---That is just .. EW. no. The colors, do not correspond to eachother, nor do they compliment eachother

<--- While in these shades, both the colors are toned, and faded, which match.

it can be use together, if the person know how to use it.
and they only can be use in certain amount, a whole bg with green and brown is really "yuck" it's like putting your vegi in poop. lol

Also, the purple you use to top the blue does not match, blue and purple match but they both have to be really dark, not light. I think you should stay away from gausian and glowy effect on the image. and here's my trick of how to blend a picture to a bg, dont use the default brush to erase and blend. use other brushes, and erase them with the brushes.

[lovescream]

well i think your second wallpaper you've shown is a good step up. Though it may still need improvement, it's great that you now have a new style and new brushes.

I have to agree with Sinfully when she said that your colour scheme of that green and that brown DO NOT go well together. It would if you were drawing a tree, it would if you were colouring a tree, but it wouldn't if you were trying to make a graphic, such as a wallpaper. Unless it has CG trees in it. o_O

[awakeaftermidnig...]

Okay. I've got a background. I've got a few brushes here and there. I've got images placed. and for once they (images) actually look decent and not pixelated. 1angel3, i tried your trick and it seems to have worked. thank you!

but now i'm left with blank space and i don't know what to put. the other brushes i have, don't..."go" with what's currently there. any thoughts?

[*SinfullySweet*]

YESSS THE IMAGE QUALITY IS MUCHHHH BETTER! The blending also has much more structure

What I would do with all the extra space is add some sort of text, or add some textures, or gradients

[xtrancie]

this time, try to actually extract the image out instead of erasing it. lol.

[awakeaftermidnig...]

YESSS THE IMAGE QUALITY IS MUCHHHH BETTER! The blending also has much more structure

What I would do with all the extra space is add some sort of text, or add some textures, or gradients

ohh, thank you. I will play around and see what I can come up with.