Wallpaper Tutorial
Okay today I'll attempt to teach ya'll how to make 
Okay, first I started with these 3 images:
*the first 2 are by me, the last is by idiot_rebellion*
I opened a new blank 1024x768 image, and placed the pictures like so:
I mirrored 'awake River'. I also resized 'asleep River' down 55%.
I then used the eraser brush (Size 200, Hardness 0, Opacity 100)to erase Mal's face from the 'awake River' image, revealing Mal and Simon, and ran the eraser along the widescreen bar on 'asleep River'.
You can see the 'edges' in my layer pallette:
*the key is to use a brush/eraser that has a lot of feathering to it.*
Now that I have my base, it's time for coloring. First thing I did was gray-scaled (desaturate) the top 2 images. I desaturated the bottom image 75%. This leaves just a small bit of color. *Every image is different*
I then applied the following texture, resizing it to 1024x768 and set to Screen 57%.
(If you know who made this please let me know!)
That gives me this:
I then applied this next light texture, resizing it up to 1024x768 and set it to Screen 50%
(made by cauldroncake)
Which gives me this:
Next I created a new layer and floodfilled it with #007792 and set that layer to Screen 65%.
Which gives me...
I created a new layer and floodfilled it with Black (#000000). I set this layer to Overlay 100%.
Wow, you can see them again :)
Okay, now we're going to fill that empty space in the lower right corner. I Copy Merged (crtl-shift-c), and Paste as a New Layer (Crtl-L). I then resized that layer by 60%. I mirrored the layer and placed it in the lower right corner.
Like so:
Remember that big fluffy eraser from the beginning? Well bring that out (Size 200, Hardness 0, Opacity 100) and get rid of the hard edges.
The wallpaper is pretty much done. All that's left is adding some lyrics that fit the mood. I decided on 'Papercut' by 'Linkin Park'. I used Quixotte in sizes ranging from 18 - 36. I tried to match specific lyrics to different parts. Like 'beneath my skin' on Simons neck, 'paranoid' all by itself by awake River.
I set the text layer to 'Soft Light 50%'.
And that's it:
To make an 800x600 size, I create a new blank 800x600 image. I then just Copy Merged the original wallpaper and Paste as a New Layer on the new blank image. I use the 'pick tool' (
) to then resize the wallpaper layer so that it looks good at the new size. Screenshot I have no idea what the Photoshop equivilent is. Basically you just grab one of the corners with your mouse and drag it to resize the image. If you grab a side it won't keep the aspect ratio, so be careful only to grab a corner.
Making the headers and FO banners is exactly like making the 800x600 version. Experiment and have fun!
The wallpaper/journal set post
Okay, first I started with these 3 images:
*the first 2 are by me, the last is by idiot_rebellion*
I opened a new blank 1024x768 image, and placed the pictures like so:
I mirrored 'awake River'. I also resized 'asleep River' down 55%.
I then used the eraser brush (Size 200, Hardness 0, Opacity 100)to erase Mal's face from the 'awake River' image, revealing Mal and Simon, and ran the eraser along the widescreen bar on 'asleep River'.
You can see the 'edges' in my layer pallette:
*the key is to use a brush/eraser that has a lot of feathering to it.*
Now that I have my base, it's time for coloring. First thing I did was gray-scaled (desaturate) the top 2 images. I desaturated the bottom image 75%. This leaves just a small bit of color. *Every image is different*
I then applied the following texture, resizing it to 1024x768 and set to Screen 57%.
(If you know who made this please let me know!)
That gives me this:
I then applied this next light texture, resizing it up to 1024x768 and set it to Screen 50%
(made by cauldroncake)
Which gives me this:
Next I created a new layer and floodfilled it with #007792 and set that layer to Screen 65%.
Which gives me...
I created a new layer and floodfilled it with Black (#000000). I set this layer to Overlay 100%.
Wow, you can see them again :)
Okay, now we're going to fill that empty space in the lower right corner. I Copy Merged (crtl-shift-c), and Paste as a New Layer (Crtl-L). I then resized that layer by 60%. I mirrored the layer and placed it in the lower right corner.
Like so:
Remember that big fluffy eraser from the beginning? Well bring that out (Size 200, Hardness 0, Opacity 100) and get rid of the hard edges.
The wallpaper is pretty much done. All that's left is adding some lyrics that fit the mood. I decided on 'Papercut' by 'Linkin Park'. I used Quixotte in sizes ranging from 18 - 36. I tried to match specific lyrics to different parts. Like 'beneath my skin' on Simons neck, 'paranoid' all by itself by awake River.
I set the text layer to 'Soft Light 50%'.
And that's it:
To make an 800x600 size, I create a new blank 800x600 image. I then just Copy Merged the original wallpaper and Paste as a New Layer on the new blank image. I use the 'pick tool' (
) to then resize the wallpaper layer so that it looks good at the new size. Screenshot I have no idea what the Photoshop equivilent is. Basically you just grab one of the corners with your mouse and drag it to resize the image. If you grab a side it won't keep the aspect ratio, so be careful only to grab a corner.
Making the headers and FO banners is exactly like making the 800x600 version. Experiment and have fun!
The wallpaper/journal set post