19 replies to this topic

[IcedEarth]

I've seen a few speed art videos for signatures online, so I thought I'd do one and share it.

It's my first time doing a smudge signature so feel free to critique my technique lol

http://youtu.be/5NdxQnPahO8

Final outcome:

[Nymh]

I LOVE this sig and your style

That video was so fun to watch! Well done

[IcedEarth]

lol thank you

[esotericaKoalan]

Duplicate the layer you're rendering and use vector masks (click on the layer mask button twice), and set the non-masked layer to 50% opacity.
Make sure you're using the pen tool on the vector mask, and not just creating paths.
(This makes rendering easier because you can see what you're doing. And your paths won't get deleted when you accidentally create a new path.)

What version of Photoshop is this, and how do you rotate the view?


For the signature itself, don't try to throw everything in, especially with smudge tags. Many times, simple is better.

Spoiler

The scan lines and "sharpen-squares" are distracting and cluttered (and they destroy the flow from the smudge).
Make the render blend in. This render is particularly easy to smudge into the background (i.e. smudge the hair so that it goes with the background smudge).
The text is bad. It doesn't look like part of the tag at all (just slapped on top without much consideration).

There is a little bit too much negative space. Try having the render take up more space. I would consider making a vertical tag instead, because this render is hard to work with horizontally.

The lighting (not lightning) is a bit awkward - there is too much light. A narrow spotlight on the render might be a little better.

The smudge is pretty good for your first time. It looks like you used a tablet, and I'm envious because I'm stuck with a mouse.

[likerobots]

crying
this is so beautiful
your art is a blessing to my eyes

[IcedEarth]

crying
this is so beautiful
your art is a blessing to my eyes

Thank you Means a lot!

Duplicate the layer you're rendering and use vector masks (click on the layer mask button twice), and set the non-masked layer to 50% opacity.
Make sure you're using the pen tool on the vector mask, and not just creating paths.
(This makes rendering easier because you can see what you're doing. And your paths won't get deleted when you accidentally create a new path.)

What version of Photoshop is this, and how do you rotate the view?


For the signature itself, don't try to throw everything in, especially with smudge tags. Many times, simple is better.

Spoiler

The scan lines and "sharpen-squares" are distracting and cluttered (and they destroy the flow from the smudge).
Make the render blend in. This render is particularly easy to smudge into the background (i.e. smudge the hair so that it goes with the background smudge).
The text is bad. It doesn't look like part of the tag at all (just slapped on top without much consideration).

There is a little bit too much negative space. Try having the render take up more space. I would consider making a vertical tag instead, because this render is hard to work with horizontally.

The lighting (not lightning) is a bit awkward - there is too much light. A narrow spotlight on the render might be a little better.

The smudge is pretty good for your first time. It looks like you used a tablet, and I'm envious because I'm stuck with a mouse.

Thanks for the detailed crits mate, I actually see it now that you say it lol I agree. I don't think the text looks THAT bad though, but yeah as you can see I was fiddling around with it a lot. I suck at adding text.

Yeah, I'm using an intuos 4 and there is a wheel that I have set to rotate the canvas. I'm using CS5 and you press H to bring up the hand tool then R to bring up the rotate canvas tool.

Edited by IcedEarth, 17 May 2012 - 12:33 PM.

[Adam]

How long did it take you to do that in real time? That's some pretty darn amazing work :]

[luvsmyncis]

I'm basically like this guy sitting here

[Melchoire]

I'm basically like this guy sitting here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqUM8lI2aBE

That was an excellent movie.

I've seen a few speed art videos for signatures online, so I thought I'd do one and share it.

It's my first time doing a smudge signature so feel free to critique my technique lol

http://youtu.be/5NdxQnPahO8

Final outcome:

Your sigs totally look like new age Iron Maiden covers.

[esotericaKoalan]

Here's an example of good text (in my opinion):

It fits nicely into the tag (right between the buildings and the render), and it's doesn't overwhelmingly stand out.
And also notice how the fonts aren't overly garish. Simple text is less likely to draw attention away from the focus (and drawing attention away from the focus is bad).
I did NOT make this tag.

Of course, you won't have a spot like this in every tag.
If you're fidgeting a lot with the text to make it fit in, it's probably better just to completely scrap it.

Edited by EmoKoala, 18 May 2012 - 11:41 AM.

[IcedEarth]

How long did it take you to do that in real time? That's some pretty darn amazing work :]

Thanks mate! Um... about two hours I'd say.

I'm basically like this guy sitting here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqUM8lI2aBE

Your sigs totally look like new age Iron Maiden covers.

That's great lol I love Iron Maiden.

Here's an example of good text (in my opinion):

It fits nicely into the tag (right between the buildings and the render), and it's doesn't overwhelmingly stand out.
And also notice how the fonts aren't overly garish. Simple text is less likely to draw attention away from the focus (and drawing attention away from the focus is bad).
I did NOT make this tag.

Of course, you won't have a spot like this in every tag.
If you're fidgeting a lot with the text to make it fit in, it's probably better just to completely scrap it.

Thanks mate, I get what you mean. You reckon if I made the text a touch smaller it'll look a bit better?
I like the quote and font so I kinda want to keep it there lol

Edited by IcedEarth, 19 May 2012 - 07:05 AM.

[trizzle]

The colours are so lovely! I reaaaaaaaaally like this And for what it's worth (bear in mind I am compltely shit at art) I don't think the text looks bad!

[IcedEarth]

The colours are so lovely! I reaaaaaaaaally like this And for what it's worth (bear in mind I am compltely shit at art) I don't think the text looks bad!

lol that's so cute, thank you

[Trichomes]

Here's an example of good text (in my opinion):

It fits nicely into the tag (right between the buildings and the render), and it's doesn't overwhelmingly stand out.
And also notice how the fonts aren't overly garish. Simple text is less likely to draw attention away from the focus (and drawing attention away from the focus is bad).
I did NOT make this tag.

Of course, you won't have a spot like this in every tag.
If you're fidgeting a lot with the text to make it fit in, it's probably better just to completely scrap it.

I disagree.
I think the text on this example looks cluttered. Since IcedEarth's piece is intended to be used as a signature, I don't necessarily think he should try to make his tag blend in.

I also disagree with what you said about the use of negative space. I like the composition, and I think his text placement helps to balance it out.

[McAwesome]

Amazing work.

I can't draw for shit / do anything in photoshop.

Good job!

[likerobots]

oh guys. art is subjective. what is with it with all these shoulds
iced, i followed you on youtube, hope you'll upload more soon, i saw a few techniques in there that looked really interesting and i'd love to ask you about :3
BTW, did you do this with a tablet ?
and where are you getting all these skeletal stocks? if you can't tell, i love skulls as well

[IcedEarth]

Thanks Trichomes and McAwesome!

oh guys. art is subjective. what is with it with all these shoulds
iced, i followed you on youtube, hope you'll upload more soon, i saw a few techniques in there that looked really interesting and i'd love to ask you about :3
BTW, did you do this with a tablet ?
and where are you getting all these skeletal stocks? if you can't tell, i love skulls as well

This be true. Fuck it, I think I'm going to keep it how it is lol I like it.

awesome lol I probably will when I get time. Yeah go ahead, you can ask me anything
Yeah, I have a Wacom Intuos 4.
Haha that's cool. I'm a big digital art fan, so I get those cool stocks from artists I like. That one is from James Ryman, he does cool art, check him out.

[HappyAccident]

This was incredible.

[midna]

Everything -including the text- looks sooooo wonderful. I love graphic art stuff, so this was really fun to watch. You're incredibly talented:)

[Kashi]

Congratulations, you did a very fine job. I liked your style. I just am not an expert to critic it nicely.