Welcome to all SSers with an interest in graphics to Madam Malkin's very own Tutorial centre! Keeping with the Madam Malkins theme, we have decided to name the thread Sewing Lessons.

The objective of this thread is to share. It is for anyone with any background or knowledge of making graphics to give tutorials, tips and certain "cheats" that will help each other as well as anyone who is interested in giving this addictive hobby a try.

It is completely voluntary, that is to say that anyone and everyone is allowed to post a tutorial here. ALSO, we welcome requests from fellow makers who wish to know how to use a function, or to create a certain effect, or simply anything to do with making graphics.

Our purpose? To make sure we're all lookin' spiffy with our snazzy graphics! lol

Rules:

For requesters:

1. Do not post graphics or graphics requests here. We don't make siggies or avvies, we only teach how to make siggies or avvies.
2. Be patient. If you've asked a question, just wait until someone who knows the answer comes along and answers. We don't know everything, but hopefully the accumulated knowledge should be enough.
3. The main thing you should know is that we are here to answer questions starting with "How can I make..." and not "Where can I find...".
4. Before posting, read and make sure your question hasn't already been answered.
5. If you want to duplicate an effect you saw in a certain graphic... ask the maker of that graphic!

For tutors:

1. Try to be CLEAR with your instructions. Make it so that everyone knows what you're talking about.
2. State what program you are using.
3. Name your resources (textures, brushes, fonts, patterns, etc.).
4. Try to post your tutorials in proper English.

We are here to:

- Share tips and tricks of the trade (trade... except we're not making moolah!)
- Learn how to use graphic design programs.
- Tutor and answer.

We sure aren't here to:

- Share icons or banners.
- Share resources (like textures or brushes you may have made).
- Make requests.
- Give feedback on what you may have done.
- Advertise your own graphics thread.

After sales service (lol):

- When using a specific effect taught by someone, be sure to (if not credit) at least give some recognition to the person you learned the technique from.
- This thread is only for posting tutorial requests and tutorials. Comments should be PMed to the specific Tutor.


Yours,
Malkins Makers

This post reserved for List of Tutorial links, to make it easier for future browsers.

Tutorial #1 - Draco Malfoy icon [PSP9]
Tutorial #2 - Avenged Sevenfold icon [PS cs3, translatable]
Tutorial #3 - Rita Skeeter icon [translatable, except MS Paint]
Tutorial #4 - The Beatles icon [PS 7 - Translatable]
Tutorial #5 - London Calling icon [PSP8, translatable]
Tutorial #6 - How to resize graphics [PS cs3 - T]
Tutorial #7 - Removing watermarks [PSP9, PS]
Tutorial #8 - Comic book effect [PS cs2]
Tutorial #9 - Photoshop Adjustment layers

*Abbreviations:
PSP - Paint Shop Pro (Followed by a number, which is the version of the program)
PS - Photoshop
Translatable means it can easily be used on any program

I'm going to post a simple tutorial to kick things off. How to make a simple 100x100 icon:

First of all, understand that you can save your graphics as different file types. The ones most commonly used are PNG, JPEG and GIF. JPEG and GIF are usually smaller than PNG (but PNG is really pretty), depending on the quality of the file you .

Using PS (CS3 for me), if you want to save them as PNGs anyway, just: File > Save for Web and Devices > PNG-8 and save.

Check out the different file sizes of this same icon:
PNG-24: PNG-8:
JPEG (100%quality):

Click on the file types to see how to save the graphic as those types.

I hope that helped!

Well, this isn't here to help you with that. However, the usage of bases is a choice. I don't use pre-made bases, for example, for celebrities pictures, I hunt those down on the internet (usually their fansites) and for stock images, there are a number of websites you can get those from (Getty is a favourite of mine), OR just snap the pictures yourself.

We're really not supposed to remove watermarks, are we? lol but I know when I use an image that has something in it I don't want (like... another person in the background, or smudges on the person's self or watermarks) I usually use the Push or Smudge tool. Push when I use PSP, and Smudge on PS.

Just... zoom in as much as you need, and drag the closest colour over the watermark. Set the brush to a small size, like 2-3 depending on the amount of detail in the picture. After you've done this (you'll need to be very patient), just use the Soften brush, set with a low opacity and go over it to blend it in.

There's probably a better way to do it, but this is how I've always done it. Maybe someone else has another suggestion?

So you know that comic boo effect I do? Well, I figure it's time I teach you all how to do it. It's super easy.

(here's an example):


Anyway, it's so easy you'll be floored.

Oh, and by the way, I'm using Photoshop CS2

1. Open up your image.

2. Change the name of the layer from Background to PHOTO. It will help you keep track of your layers....all two of them.

3. Next, change the levels of the picture (Image > Adjustments > Levels).

The levels I always work from are 60, 0, 220, and you adjust from there. The first number affects how dark the black parts of the image are, and the last number affects how bright the light parts are. You want the dark parts to be fairly dark and the light parts to be fairly bright. Here, I've changed the levels to 30, 0, 150. Just do whatever looks best to you.

See the difference?


4. Next you're going to add the Film Grain effect (Filter > Artistic > Film Grain).

Set the Grain to 4, Highlight Area to 0, and the Intensity to 10.


5. Duplicate the layer and label it HALFTONE.



6. Now we're going to pixelate the image by going to Filter > Pixelate > Color Halftone.

Choose whatever number looks best to you for the Max Radius (the bigger the number, the bigger the dots). The input has to be at least 4. With smaller pictures, 4 works best, but the bigger the picture, the bigger the number you'll want....unless you're zooming in really far.


7. Finally, set the blending mode of the HALFTONE layer to "darken," and you've got your comic book effect!

You can go back and change the size of the dots if you want.


...Sorry the pictures are so small that you can't read the text. I didn't want to stretch the page (I can put up bigger ones if needed).

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy creating your own comics!

- Kelvin

Hey Laura, this is a great question and I know that a lot of people who are just starting out with the more advanced programs are curious as to what each layer means. A lot of the time, people discover the results on their own, but there is a GREAT tutorial posted at Photoshop Tips and Tutorials. I couldn't have explained it better:

Hope that helps, and a lot of practice and experimenting will help loads!

Hey guys! Just wondering if you can help me out on this one... I hope it's the right place! xD

I use a free program on the internet called Picnik. It's pretty good and I don't know if many people use it. It's just for 'photo editing purposes' but I make all my graphics there, and I use the help of MS Paint sometimes.

My real question is - Does anyone know how to blend pictures on Piknik or MS Paint? If not, does anyone know a free, no-download program that can blend? (By blend I mean adding pictures all together and adding backgrounds and stuff. xD)

Thanks guys!