(or just smoothening those in lo-res)I keep getting asked how I edit the effects for my chars (twice yesterday ), so here's a tutorial about that to make it easier for everyone.I'll be using Paint Shop Pro (9 and up should have all these features), but similar programs like Photoshop can also achieve the same results, just don't ask me for directions on anything other that PSP because I'm not very familiar with anything else.Now, as for how to do it:0- Err, grab the effect you want to edit. I'll be using one of Cammy's for reasons you'll all understand later. 1- Change the background color to black and convert the image to grey scale.The reason for changing it to grey scale is so that colors mix in an homogeneous manner, if I left this image untouched there would be areas where white would mix with black, and others where blue would mix with black. If everything's grey instead then you can get those nice uniform gradients.2- If necessary, adjust the contrast a bit so that colors fade into the black background a bit more smoothly.3- Resize the image by 200% (or whatever you need). Usually pixel resize is enough and keeps the image cleaner than other resizing methods, but sometimes you'll find it better to use another such as bilinear resample.(I also removed Cammy's legs from it because they'd end up blurred out anyway)4- At this point, the filters vary immensely depending on the effect you're editing, but I find myself using Radial Blur most of the time so that's what I'm going to use here (also picked this effect for that)(If you find that the effect lost some definition after suffering the Radial Blur, try using Unsharp Mask and then applying a Radial Blur again)5- Many effects look fine with only one filter applied, but you can also spice them up by adding more layers with other filters. To do that just duplicate the layer you already have and apply the new filter on that separate layer, then adjust the layer's transparency until it looks right. Merge all layers when you feel it's done.(Since Cammy's powers here are flame-related, I added a layer with the Wave filter applied)6- Now it just needs to get some color back, but first of all remove the image from greyscale and convert it to 8bit colors. Never (ever) convert the image to 8bit colors after adding color, because if you do it while the image is still just a bunch of grey shades then there will be zero color loss.Then to add color just adjust Color Balance.And that's it, with these basic steps you can pretty much edit anything, just adjust steps 4 and 5 according to the effect you have and the rest is the same for everything.One last note, to have the effect's colors able to fit in the char's main palette (so effects vary with each palette), just convert the image to the ammount of colors you want in step 6 (I usually go with 64).
This Really helped, i got the Hang of it.Thank you, this is just another one of the Servers you're a Phantom of. Cheers, Rajaboy
Awesome, man. Even though I don't use PSP, I should be able to apply these methods to Photoshop anyway.
i figured most of this out on my own but i could never get the color without using color table,thanks alot P.O.T.S.
[Kira] said, July 27, 2008, 10:51:22 pmAwesome, man. Even though I don't use PSP, I should be able to apply these methods to Photoshop anyway.Just for the record: PS's Radial Blur completely sucks.
I agree!!i would never have thought of using Radial Blur! i used Gaussian (spelling?)thanks for this tutorial.
this comes up handy as I had not double resed fx because it seemed to be a bothersome thing; but it is good to see that oen can achieve good results without wasting weeks that re better spent coding chars.
Yes.To Start it has to be a jpeg 1. Grayscale under the Image tab.2. Normal Blur under Filters tab3. Use the use the hue or any other color option.Gimp is a pain in the ass when it comes to saving in 256 or PCX so copy image from gimp and paste into MSPaint. Save as 256 color bmp.
i have hi-resed up my "god rugal", all fx look great with pots tutorial, except the 1 above.somebody has a clue how this "god rugal" effect could be nicely hi-resed!?would be nice, cya
hey pots i have a question.i did your method but the Radial Blur i have makes the blood look like its coming from a certian point. Where should i set the radial blur when i use it?i'm using Paintshop Pro 11
When use radial blur, I set it at zoom and put it at the end at the fx or at the start (usualy end though).