24.3.13

THE TRUTH ABOUT GRAPHICS!

a lot of people who read and comment on this blog are graphic designers themselves, so i thought it would be useful to make a handy guide to making excellent graphics! this guide will contain tips no one dares to cough up, so that you can make graphics that don't look like bad oil paintings.




  • DODGE THE BURN
"that dodge and burned graphic looks so good" said nobODY EVER. the sole rule of graphics: do not use dodge and burn, or you will burn in hell.





  • POSTERISE IT
posterising your reference gives you a rough guideline for shading and highlighting. the crafty tool for suave designers (such as me)



  • ALL SHADE
a rule i remember, shading opacity should always be higher than your shoesize, considering you don't have weirdly small or large feet. under shading looks a thousand times worse then over shading, although over shading also looks like crap.



  • LESS IS MORE
minimal harsher layers look better than many soft layers, that's the way the GOOD stardoll graphics do it. but always remember range distance, if something is closer up, you need more layers. 



  • NO WHITE HIGHLIGHT
don't use white to highlight skin, it gives a frosty or glossy effect, which is MUCH better suited for clothes. instead, fill the area with a colour a few shades lighter than the base.



  • YA SNOOZE YA LOSE
don't be a lazy ass bitch, if you're not going to put 100% into a graphic; don't do it. a graphic is a piece of artwork and should be treated like a masterpiece. you should always deliver your best and never skip corners.



  • POINTLESS IS NEVER POINTLESS
making small graphics in between bigger projects is a great way to boost your skills and practice things you're not good at. no graphic is ever "pointless", as every graphic you make is metaphorically taking the next step to becoming a master!



  • YOU SUCK AT THAT
no designers are good at everything. we all have our weaknesses, so make sure you know what yours are and work work WORK on them. never give up on something you're not particularly good at, because with time and patience, you WILL improve.



  • PSDISASTER
there's a myth that photoshop makes you a better designer. while photoshop does have more features and tools than other programmes, it will in no way make you a better designer.


  • THINK ABOUT IT
always put a superior level of thought into your graphics. never settle for an "okay" reference, always find something that lights up something inside you. be sure that you are confident in the graphic and take your time in making it a beautiful piece of work. if you ever need help, there are plenty of tutorials  you can look at, and designers you can enquire within. don't be afraid to add your own personal twist and always persevere and try your absolute best!



11 comments:

  1. OMG this is inspiring and helpful at the same time :) Thank You Jack for the help
    All hail the Queen

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  2. really helpful :) But I had to read the opacity /shoe size thing twice - I'm not used to american shoe sizes, when I buy shoes, I ask for size 40. Oh god, imagine no layer should have an opacity of less than 40% O__o

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  3. 'Think About It' is me put into words. I cannot make good graphics unless I love the picture idek

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  4. Thanks! =) Is really helpful

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  5. This was a really great post, Jack. Very motivational and to the point!

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  6. Really nice post and the posterise effect is something I never knew. :)

    But I do honestly think photo shop in an easier program to use. Can I ask what program you use?

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  7. Thanks! Those are some really helpful tips!

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  8. I agree highly about your comments on photoshop. All it has is more features. We're meant to draw the crap out of our graphics, not filter it.

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  9. Great post! -really inspiring. I would love to hear more about this. Also i would like to get some opinion on graphic tablets...is it "easier" with it?

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    1. It's not really easier. You can achieve different techniques but you don't need a tablet. I just use my mouse and I'd prefer that any day :D

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