Warrior

[ThunderAxe]

My first serious attempt with Corel. Feedback?


http://www.axiomfiles.com/Files/55353/Thunderaxe1.3.JPG

I have no idea how to post the larger pic...could use some help... :roll:

[Lightning]

Originally Posted by ThunderAxe

My first serious attempt with Corel. Feedback?


http://www.axiomfiles.com/Files/55353/Thunderaxe1.3.JPG

I have no idea how to post the larger pic...could use some help... :roll:

Looks good in tiny format To host the larger version, try www.imagedump.com - works wonders

[ThunderAxe]

Thanks!!

Here is the larger photo...I'm still wrangling with reimaging issues with Corel, think I 'm just going through a learning curve . This is a mixture of a number of different pics I googled. I took what I wanted from each one and manipulated the integration areas to make it look more or less seamless. I'm adding some backdrop and other flare to make it less cartoonish...

http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?p..._id=0&warned=y

[Lightning]

Nice

[Fisty]

oo, nice warrior = ) suggestion: up the contrast on his beard and a bit on the axe blade so they visually blend in better.. that's my only complaint, nice work = )

[ThunderAxe]

<------feverishly typing and double-clicking suggestions

[ThunderAxe]

OKay, check this out. http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=361190

I had a hard time with the contrast on the blade and beard, the wand masking tool didn't want to select what I wanted it to!!
I think it stands out a bit more. I added the sun flare to give it some character...I also experimented with other lighting techniques, but I'll save those for other pics.

[Lightning]

Originally Posted by ThunderAxe

OKay, check this out. http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=361190

I had a hard time with the contrast on the blade and beard, the wand masking tool didn't want to select what I wanted it to!!
I think it stands out a bit more. I added the sun flare to give it some character...I also experimented with other lighting techniques, but I'll save those for other pics.

Other than the lense flare (not a big fan) I think it came out rather well. I'd suggest moving the text away from the very edge of the image, a little spacing helps the text stand out (note the use of space in Fisty's / my sig). The image behind "Sgian Dubh" also obscures the text somewhat, you might want to enhance the text (perhaps with outer glow), or make the image less obtrusive I noticed you're using a reduced size version for your sig, you may want to make the text thicker - I know it sounds overkill, but it really helps the ledgability when you shrink it down.

As for "fun with the wand masking tool", if you're using Photoshop try raising or lowering the precision, failing that zoom in and use the magnetic lasso tool - I find that often the best tool for creating more complex masks.

[Lightning]

While I don't have a copy of Photoshop here at work, I do have Irfanview... So with a little resizing and a 100% quality JPEG we get this:



Looking good so far, the text works better in the new position. I don't know much about Corel, but if it is possible I'd suggest adding a glow effect to the smaller text to make it more ledgable, and / or go for a thicker font

I tend to design my sigs at the size they are intended to end up at, as it allows you to more accurately account for layout, effects and ledgability. I don't know how Fisty goes about this process, but I'd resize the background image to the size you want it to be (329x200 in this case) then start to place the text Don't be afraid to allow the Vanguard logo to go infront of the Axe either, I don't think it'd cause too much of a problem and would help keep the text layout aligned.

If you want to get REALLY clever you can make the Vanguard logo go behind the axe, could look good... I have some ideas that I'd like to try, I'll have a poke at it tonight... 200 pixels high might be a tad large, I wonder how it'd look at 150... hmmm...

[Fisty]

I design at the size it's going to be as well... do all the modification to the figures at a large size but shrink it before I add background and text and effects.