Backgrounds

[Guest DiamondDust]

I always have problems making backgrounds, I really want to learn how to make stuff like this

(Credit to Noris Scott)

(Credit to ?)

Thanks for the help

Edited March 5, 2005 by darkfire

[paidelr]

Here is what I've been doing lately and it's been working:

go to google and search "texture" or download a few stock photos

Make a new image

Post your big stock photo on and find a spot you like.

Now duplicate your stock photo and move it around so that your graphic focusses on another part. Change the blending of this new layer to something you like (Sometimes Overlay work, sometimes its Hard Light, maybe a Color Dodge even).

If you want duplicate again, move, and change the layer.

If not, you can either open up another stock photo for move on.

If you want another photo, take a stock and put it on, changing the blending mode to something (I prefer overlay).

Now make a layer and pick some brushes in the color BLACK.

Go abstract with the black, don't overdo it on the brushes.

Change this brushes layer to black.

Make a new layer and fill with WHITE brushes.

When your done, change it to something like Hard Light (Overlay works too)

This is where mine usually looks really good. Slap on text, name it, and go.

When you want a special graphic (say of trees or an angel), use an angel or trees as your stock and use the same method.

Hope it helps.

[Docpepper]

paidy has the right idea. for me making backgrounds are jsut experiments with stocks , brushes , and adjustment layers.

[The Mask of Norro]

Which is exactly what I do. I get a shitload of stock photos, experiment around with my brushes and different layer effects and just see what comes out best. Right now I'm learning how to color using Photoshop as well, tricky as hell to make it look good...I'm amazed my girlfriend does it as well as she does.

Once I get this down I'll start trying coloring shit in and seeing if I can manipulate this coloring thing into my graphics...maybe I can come up with some cool effects with it.

[Guest DiamondDust]

Sorry, I just realised I credtied you wrong in the post. I'll fix it now, and thanks for all the help. Does anyone have any good stock sites?

[Boogey131]

At the top of the GFX forum there is a Sticky post entitled The Resource List - that has a number of useful sites...the one that's probabaly most well-known which has a qwide variety is http://www.deviantart.com

[Guest DiamondDust]

One question, should I greyscale the images, or keep them in color?

[Lord Nibbler]

One question, should I greyscale the images, or keep them in color?

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[Boogey131]

it depedns really on what you want - if it's say somebody like Abyss, you'd want to make it dull and dark - so you should maybe try grayscale some if not all of the layers. But if it's somebody like Styles or Shark Boy - you'd want the colors to be a bit more vibrant and deep so grayscaling wouldn't really fit in.

Try colorising layers different colors as well so when they blend it's not just one colour but a number of shades.