Tips on making artwork
Below are a few dos and don't of making artwork/banners/icons. I hope it helps all those newbies out there.
1. Don’t use a cap or promo picture that hasn’t been color corrected and or brightened. There are plenty of color correcting tutorials out there that are specifically designed for the program you use. Look them up and use them.
Without color correction -
https://nickpic.host/image/s42bIM
With color correction -
https://nickpic.host/image/s42xYP
2. Do make sure when resizing an image it’s constrain proportioned, which means the new width and height are set to the same proportion. This is so your image doesn’t look misshaped. Also in the same category… if you are using 2 different images make sure they look like they proportionally fit. (In other words, don’t have a 5 inch Buffy with a 2 inch Spike.) If you are not sure how to do constraint proportion, google it for the a/w program you use. (If you use photoshop, PM me and I can tell you how.)
Without constrain proportions -
https://nickpic.host/image/sDxWf5
With constrain proportions -
https://nickpic.host/image/sDxdpP
3. Do use gradient, textures, backgrounds and cropping when making an a/w piece. The use of these tools makes for a more interesting banner and one that doesn’t look like you just put 2 pictures down on a page.
Without textures and backgrounds -
https://nickpic.host/image/s42xYP
With textures and backgrounds
https://nickpic.host/image/sDxyEM
4. If using 2 different images in the same banner, DO try your best to make sure the skin tone of the 2 images matches. Do this by using color-correcting tutorials along with gradients and textures. If you are not sure how an easy way to make the images match is to make the images sepia, it's not as interesting but it works.
Not matching skin tones-
https://nickpic.host/image/sDBG8F
Matching skin tones -
https://nickpic.host/image/sDBIde
https://nickpic.host/image/sDBwKM
5. When more than one image in an a/w piece DO make sure the light is coming from the same direction on each of the figures/faces. (Added per the suggestion of kazzy_cee)
6. Make sure when you find a picture, it is a promo picture or a screencap, not someone else's artwork.
I hope some of these tips were helpful and if you have something you think should be added, let me know.
1. Don’t use a cap or promo picture that hasn’t been color corrected and or brightened. There are plenty of color correcting tutorials out there that are specifically designed for the program you use. Look them up and use them.
Without color correction -
https://nickpic.host/image/s42bIM
With color correction -
https://nickpic.host/image/s42xYP
2. Do make sure when resizing an image it’s constrain proportioned, which means the new width and height are set to the same proportion. This is so your image doesn’t look misshaped. Also in the same category… if you are using 2 different images make sure they look like they proportionally fit. (In other words, don’t have a 5 inch Buffy with a 2 inch Spike.) If you are not sure how to do constraint proportion, google it for the a/w program you use. (If you use photoshop, PM me and I can tell you how.)
Without constrain proportions -
https://nickpic.host/image/sDxWf5
With constrain proportions -
https://nickpic.host/image/sDxdpP
3. Do use gradient, textures, backgrounds and cropping when making an a/w piece. The use of these tools makes for a more interesting banner and one that doesn’t look like you just put 2 pictures down on a page.
Without textures and backgrounds -
https://nickpic.host/image/s42xYP
With textures and backgrounds
https://nickpic.host/image/sDxyEM
4. If using 2 different images in the same banner, DO try your best to make sure the skin tone of the 2 images matches. Do this by using color-correcting tutorials along with gradients and textures. If you are not sure how an easy way to make the images match is to make the images sepia, it's not as interesting but it works.
Not matching skin tones-
https://nickpic.host/image/sDBG8F
Matching skin tones -
https://nickpic.host/image/sDBIde
https://nickpic.host/image/sDBwKM
5. When more than one image in an a/w piece DO make sure the light is coming from the same direction on each of the figures/faces. (Added per the suggestion of kazzy_cee)
6. Make sure when you find a picture, it is a promo picture or a screencap, not someone else's artwork.
I hope some of these tips were helpful and if you have something you think should be added, let me know.