GFXing For Dummies

Elpizo Rank: member Forum Rank: Special Jounin Posts: 741 Joined on: February 22, 2008

#1 This is a guide to explain different GFX terminology. This guide is meant to help new GFXers and old gfxers alike understand certain things that are important in GFXing. I hope this helps out a lot. Also if you feel I may have left something out you can add it on. The Basics 1. Flow- Flow is the direction of the sig. So that means that the components of the sig(the effects, focal etc.) must all be flowing in a certain direction to give the sig meaning. 2. Depth- Depth Perception is the ability to view something in three dimensions or 3D. So what depth means in GFXing is to make the sig look 3D-ish. So for example you would want to blur things that should be farther away to make them look farther away, and you would want to sharpen things that you want to seem closer. 3. Lighting- Lighting is well.... The light of the sig. Or where the light is coming from. The lighting must be consistent with the shadows and light of the focal and the rest of the effects. If you put a lighting source in a place where the light points in a direction where the shadows are coming from that means they conflict and it does not look realistic. It looks bad. 4. Colors- The colors of a sig are well the colors the sig is composed of. The colors must be consistent with the effects and the focal of the sig. For example if you have a purple focal you'll want purple effects and everything else purplish. Or you'd want it purple and another color that fits well with purple like yellow. Here is a basic guide for coloring: Basic Vocabulary 1. Render- An image without a background.(Mostly used for focals) 2. Stock- An image with a background.(Mostly used for focals and effects) 3. C4D- An image that is used for effects to accentuate the sig. 4. Abstract-A visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which exists independently of visual references to the world. 5. Vector-The use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygons. 6. Sprites- Little animated, or computerized renders or stocks of focals. These are usually from games like Pokemon, Street Fighter etc. 7..PSD- This means Photoshop Document. These are usually used for learning purposes, allowing someone to open the document in Photoshop and see how exactly the sig was made layer by layer. I probably didn't cover everything so please let me know what else to add. Types of Signatures 1. Abstract Sig- A signature made to show a visual of something with no clearly defined focal. 2. Vector Sig- A signature made with different shapes and such. It is a sort of technological style. 3.Image Manipulation-These are signatures where not much is done to them. They may seem plain but they look very nice. Most of the edited things are depth, lighting, and some effects. 4.Pentool Sig- A signature made mostly with the pen tool. Focuses on hand made shapes and lines, circles, etc. 5.Sprite Sig- A signature that has a sprite as a focal. Resources Render Resources: 1. Planet Renders 2. Game Renders 3. Photobucket <You have to be a bit specific in your search here. 4. Google Images <You have to be a bit specific here too. 5.Anime Render Stock Resources: 1. Photobucket 2. Google Images Other Resources: For most of these you must Register and then go to the Resource section!!!!!(Registration is Free and Simple) 1. National Sig League 2. Planet Renders Forums 3. Virtue Arts Tutorials: 1. National Sig League 2. Planet Renders Forums 3. Spartan Tut(Basic Photoshop Tut) Brushes: 1.Deviant Art(Photoshop Brushes) 2.Deviant Art(GIMP brushes) Image Hosting Sites: 1. Photobucket 2. Tinypic 3. Image Shack 4. SYDN Dump Fonts: 1.Dafont I know this is short and I know it seems a lot like Takachi's guide, but I wanted to make one that was a bit more extensive. Please give feedback and if you know of any places to find resources that I don't have up there do not hesitate to tell me and I'll add them on. Also if you do not understand a GFXing term and it is not in the definitions I put please tell me what the word is so I may put it up there. I would also like to add a tutorial section so please post some tutorials if you want them up there. Shin's Perfect Gift Of Greatness for Me =3||Tenzion's FC|| God is just Dog backwards

bulletgun Rank: member Forum Rank: Jounin Posts: 1005 Joined on: June 2, 2007

#2 lame everyone knows this already click

natenate96 Rank: member Forum Rank: Genin Posts: 132 Joined on: August 29, 2007

#3 hey how do i become a mod Click here to feed me a Rare Candy! [ Click here to feed me a DigiTreat! Get your own at Pokeplushies! url=http://www.pokeplushies.com]Get your own at Pokeplushies![/url]

-__FinalBoss__- Rank: member Forum Rank: Jounin Posts: 1151 Joined on: July 21, 2008

#4 Quote by natenate96 hey how do i become a mod gtfo!!!! And nice for people that are new to gfxing........... ------[:::]-[:::]-[:::]-[:::]-[:::]-[:::]-FALLEN LEGACY-[:::]-[:::]-[:::]-[:::]-[:::]-[:::]------ F-L GFXer::_|_::Alt acc: Kimimaromaniac::_|_::Latest Quote by Lil wayne Straight out the dragon's mouth, Fire you can't put out, tires are standin' out, The coupe look pigeon-toed, I be in a different mode, I be wit' them different hoes, No I mean them different hoes, I mean them Weezy bumbaclot different hoes, And as far as terrific goes, They kiss that dick wit' no mistletoes ~But Till' the day I die I'll be your mutha' f*ckin' stunna'~|||~Theme Song (CD)~

pikedog55 Rank: member Forum Rank: Jounin Posts: 1323 Joined on: February 4, 2007

#5 hmm nice guide. Good for the new gfxers and raters. Good job Chatbox .:|Sig Made By Me|:.Kyokushinkai Warriors Leader|+| Click for Kyo Thread

ZabuzaMomochi13 Rank: member Forum Rank: Chuunin Posts: 267 Joined on: June 6, 2007

#6 Niceee... .

Beowulf_720 Rank: member Forum Rank: Kage Posts: 4287 Joined on: June 12, 2007

#7 Nicely done. Sources: Renders: Animerender.com (Requires a post count of 25 for renders in the basic gallery, but it's well worth it.) Stocks: Animestock.com. Edit: I would suggest adding links for finding brushes as well.

Elpizo Rank: member Forum Rank: Special Jounin Posts: 741 Joined on: February 22, 2008

#8 Quote by Beowulf_720 Nicely done. Sources: Renders: Animerender.com (Requires a post count of 25 for renders in the basic gallery, but it's well worth it.) Stocks: Animestock.com. Edit: I would suggest adding links for finding brushes as well. Thanks Shin's Perfect Gift Of Greatness for Me =3||Tenzion's FC|| God is just Dog backwards

jouninneji Rank: member Forum Rank: Sannin Posts: 3003 Joined on: February 24, 2007

#9 Very Nice. I think this is great for beginners. I LOVE NEAR Sig by Simmy ^ ^ My latest above

Elpizo Rank: member Forum Rank: Special Jounin Posts: 741 Joined on: February 22, 2008

#10 Thanx Does anyone have any links I could add up? Shin's Perfect Gift Of Greatness for Me =3||Tenzion's FC|| God is just Dog backwards

tj1425 Rank: member Forum Rank: Missing-Nin Posts: 2057 Joined on: June 18, 2007

#11 this would definatly help those who want to know how to gfx ARENA 2 THE CAR CRASH COULDNT LAY THA HUSTLER DOWN NAH NOLIMITGURL IS MY NA/NB SIS TJ1425'S PLAYLIST 1 2 3 4 THE REAL ME

-adnan-, 3shadowheart3, acepilot, agiyr, akatsuki-joshy, Alex000, andreea2006, Angelic_Anbu, Avenger1, BrainiacRav, bugmaster, chris108, cooper6, CostyRevenger, darkwashu, DragonWarrior, dzeysonm123, endaksi, fathy2m, fepa, flamekid_ninja, fongpayman, Froggy, Gaara9123, gaaradesierto, Gaara_Of_The_San, GAI_SENSEI_MAN, garrarules12, GuitarxxZero, HIDDENKUNI, hman123456789, icekold14, I_am_Hokage, Jinchuuriki_915, Jiraiya_666, juan_uzumakix, kakashihatake99, kakashsasuke, kakshi002, keiner, Kemo_, KidSpud, koko-jambo, larisa4321, Lazy_Genius_13, lesniok, Longobard1995, Lord_Jure, marko505, Masterninja111, NarutardIsPwnzor, naruto7xy, narutoasakura1, nasadigital, Neji_Avenger, NIMI777, Ninetailsboy, NoLimitGurl, Noob16, nutforeword, omariman, orochimaru768, Pabelko, Pein_of_the_Dark, peloncio123456, Pinoy-Knight, pint, PredatorPL, Prince*Itachi, Randy_Uchiha, Reaper434, Ri-zetsu, riley-chunin, roneferreira, saintsz, sasuke_50, Seddy, setz3r, SEXY-GAL, Shadow_Hokage, Shino*Girl, smish, smn501s, Spirit_in_Black, stephan, Subroc, Takachi, temari37, Ten-no-Juin, tsunadewave, tubsu10, uchia-kakashi, Valex, vasko97, vg14, Wisdom-GFX-Shop, xSaSuKex15, Yondaime10101, yon_yon, Zombilau, Zure, _The-Game_.