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S7* · 02/08/2008 03:28 AM

Sensei's Q&A Guide to Working - The Resources You Need v1.0

I came here for resources!

I know you did but why did I want to create this guide?

...

This Guide was created in order to give a chance for Graphics Artists on this forum to understand what resources are available for them to work with ... but just can't get to. To ease the legibility instead of just one block of information, I'll present it in a Guiding Q&A, just follow through, return when you want to do another work as it'll help.

Give me site links, renders, stocks, bla

Renders are found easily, Google it and you'll probably find Planet Renders, which is a great resource to work with, since it has loads and loads of renders.

... Stock Sites?

See, now I could contact my Team members and ask for sites that provide these ~ but I'm not going to bother.

Why?

Getting Resources for your work is just as important as the process of putting it together - because it's the stuff you work with to make it happen.

YOU have the responsibility to find the Resources you need to achieve what you have in your mind.. be it a SciFi Signature, an Anime Wallpaper or a styled version of your name for an Avatar - YOU are responsible from beginning to end to make it happen.

But I don't know how to get the things I want!

Image Searching isn't a hard venture. Use Google to search for sites SPECIFIC to what you're looking for - that doesn't mean "Shana Render" that would be "Anime Renders" instead. Experiment with your search terms and try different Image Search Engines, don't be afraid of Stocks (Images with backgrounds and such) just get a hang of rendering if you HAVE to use a render of that Stock.

Search Google, Photobucket - using PicLens for Firefox can extremely useful to help you look through searches so you can find what you're looking for much quicker.

I found something else that's nice to work with, I'll just do something with that..

See, now this shows that you're BORED, LACKING ENTHUSIASM - if you really want to make whatever it is you want to make, you need to really dig.

OK, OK, I get the idea

Good. Don't think this Guide is somewhat drawn in - ask around about resource sites that most likely aren't indexed in search sites, there are many out there and a lot of people here willing to help you out. Check sticked threads and MAKE A THREAD concerning it, DON'T PM someone you think would know.

I want to work with stuff that hasn't been worked with 100s of times...

Anime is PLAGUED by this fact - I recommend going to MiniTokyo or Anime-Paper and looking for Scans or large images of the subject you want to work with, you can find some really awesome images to work with and will help you achieve what you want to make.

Otherwise, obvious sources ore often overlooked, for Movies, use Wallpapers provided on their official site and cut out the parts you want to work with.

Try going to UNOBVIOUS sites as well, like related subjects that can lead you to resources you'd be interested in.

I can't get what I want..

Then self-sufficiency is your only choice.

When it comes to Entertainment resources, sometimes taking Snapshots/Screenshots of a Film that you want to work with can work out very well. High Definition has allowed High-Resolution, High Quality video, and you can take advantage of this by using frames from it for your work - avoiding pixellation and other things that some sources are plagued by... if you're not sure which frame, you can use VirtualDub to cut an AVI then open it again and save it as an Image Sequence, you can then look through the Frames and find one you'd like to work with.

My source isn't clean/Isn't exactly what I wanted

You're most likely working with Photoshop, this is the only tool you need to do 2 things that can help you with this.

1. Editing
2. Cleaning
3. Vectoring

Editing - if you learn how to change how your resources look with Photoshop, you shouldn't have any problem - Gradient Maps with Anime and Photo Filters with Actors or Landscapes.

Cleaning - if you have a grainy, scanned, colorless source, learn to be comforable with the tools available to you in Photoshop and clean out the image with simple tools like Brushes, Eraser - and other useful tools available.

Vectoring - especially useful if you want to make your Anime source squeaky clean or enlargable without losing image quality - of course this is like another project altogether ~ it's up to you how much time you want to invest in your project.

I'm just not good enough..

Aww come on, an attitude like that will get you nowhere, there are plentiful amounts of Guides and Tutorials available, and just extended times for experimentation can help you find your unique style.

Anything Else?

Never Rush - if theres 30 minutes till SOTW Entries are closed and you haven't even started - ONLY if you can focus remarkably well and create something you love, only then you should consider entering.

>> Rushing can hurt your own perspective on your own work. Take as long as necessary to achieve what you wanted to create. <<

When you're happy with that you have done. Only then it is finished.

I hope this has helped you out, if you have any suggestions to contribute to this guide, do so.

Say if you think its Sticky-worthy!

Thanks for reading,
Senseito Sakura Drink

MrE · 02/08/2008 03:38 AM

Good guide Madwin

I'm gonna take my time with my next sig. I have to admit I get half way and my inspiration dies. I just end up watching one piece!! I'm still strugling to find my style but, I'm sure with more practice I will get better. Thanks for the info Sensei Hero

S7* · 02/08/2008 04:05 AM

MrE Wrote:Good guide I'm gonna take my time with my next sig. I have to admit I get half way and my inspiration dies. I just end up watching one piece!! I'm still strugling to find my style but, I'm sure with more practice I will get better. Thanks for the info Sensei

Seeing as you watch One Piece and end up watching more, that just tells me you're looking for a scene you're not working with . if you get a top quality source, snapshot a cool scene and get some cool power brushes and experiment ^^

RIKKU · 02/08/2008 04:43 AM

stickyed :P
great guide i used text to speach blaah so much to read :P

S7* · 02/08/2008 05:03 AM

R!KKU Wrote:stickyed :P
great guide i used text to speach blaah so much to read :P

must have been lulz Hahaha

feinicks · 02/08/2008 08:08 AM

since all are saying its good, it must be good! sry.. it a bit too long a read for me right now. But I'll go through it later.. some of it funny!

S7* · 02/08/2008 08:29 AM

feinicks Wrote:since all are saying its good, it must be good! sry.. it a bit too long a read for me right now. But I'll go through it later.. some of it funny!

@_@

its not THAT long, just a dedicated <10 Mins of your time :3

Mickey · 02/08/2008 12:19 PM

i read it in like 2 minutes on my psp...

by the way Great guide Madwin

1-R · 02/08/2008 02:31 PM

sweet guide sensei, hopefully wee'll be able to see some new work from the graphics peeps. ^^

Method · 02/08/2008 02:49 PM

NOICE!!!!

Good clean guide thar ya got yorseehf heeere :D

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