Def's First Tags in Years

[Def]

! - Note these tags are not within the sig dimension rules of SigBar because I made them before I joined :p

http://i.imgur.com/9eMym.png


http://i.imgur.com/h07r4.png


http://i.imgur.com/dTGYH.png


As you can see I'm really raw. I need some direction meaning any criticism, negative or positive, is welcome. In fact, I want the negative criticism more. I need to see what I need to improve on.

[ozec]

Looks oke, i like the 3d one(too much light tho), on second one you could add a background or something.Play with filters,and levels for good results!Nice try=)

[Enigma]

Actually, when you become more advanced, you'll see that using a minimal amount of filters is best, especially since most filters don't add anything too special. Work on your quality. It'd help if you don't over sharpen. It makes it look really gross and bad. The third one, the lighting is off in all entirety. Flip Daffy the other way, or choose a different background. Once you start using more FX, you'll start knowing how to brush in your light source, so it makes it look like your render actually belongs in there.
Lighting is off in the first one too. There's a (I think) a light source behind Captain America's back, but there's a shadow there instead. So move it above the head or something.

Work on your text too. Although most feel that text is needed to make a sig, it's not, and most of the time, it ruins your siggies. (Don't put text far from your focal, or in the corner. It's distracting, and it looks bad.)

But not bad!! Good job, and keep trying! :D

[Def]

Thanks both of you, much appreciated :)

Actually, when you become more advanced, you'll see that using a minimal amount of filters is best, especially since most filters don't add anything too special. Work on your quality. It'd help if you don't over sharpen. It makes it look really gross and bad. The third one, the lighting is off in all entirety. Flip Daffy the other way, or choose a different background. Once you start using more FX, you'll start knowing how to brush in your light source, so it makes it look like your render actually belongs in there.
To that last line that was what I was about to look for, some blending techniques or tutorials.

Lighting is off in the first one too. There's a (I think) a light source behind Captain America's back, but there's a shadow there instead. So move it above the head or something.
The light source was added when I blended in the C4D (which isn't obvious at all, but that's how I wanted it). In hindsight though I should've manipulated the shadows.

Work on your text too. Although most feel that text is needed to make a sig, it's not, and most of the time, it ruins your siggies. (Don't put text far from your focal, or in the corner. It's distracting, and it looks bad.)

But not bad!! Good job, and keep trying! :D
Alright. Sometimes text does ruin a sig, but what about an artist's emblem or logo? Reason I ask is because I don't want my sig flying over the net with me not able to prove that it's mine. Artistic theft happens all the time.

But I am working on a Ryu sig right now that I'll showcase in another thread.

---

I could still use some criticism on these though! Anyone and everyone is welcome.

[Enigma]

You don't want people to be known for your sigs, just because you stick your name on it. Anyone can do that with any sig. It'll just get marked out, and someone else will stick their name on it. Either way, ripping happens all the time. You can't really do anything about it, even if you do stick your name on it. (There's a large 11 to 12 page Ripping thread somewhere here, look in it, and see all of the bad cases of art theft, even with their name on it.)
But you want people to be known for your distinct style. So when someone sees something easily recognizable, then they'll be like "Oh, that's so and so's sig!" And you won't even have to have a name on it. Logos are cool and all, but it ruins the effect.
I can give you several off of the top of my head. It'd be better to PM me though, because it'd be really long.
Actually:
-Dodge and Burn. It helps create depth, but don't dodge and burn to much. Dodge in possible light sources, and around lightsources/highlights. Burn around possible shadows.
-Gradient Maps. It helps with your colors a lot. For Gimp it chooses the current color gradient, but idk how it is in Photoshop.
-Take a chalk/soft brush and erase edges or parts. Don't just do it randomly, of course see what llooks good, and if it doesn't look good, CTRL+Z (Or Undo) is your best friend. This is good for like smudge siggy's mostly, but in general it helps.
It would have been easy to manipulate the shadows. Just take the same color of the C4D light sourcce, and brush over those shadows in that color. Set it to an appropriate blend mode. Soft Light, Hue, and Addition are all good choices to make it look like it's casting light on it.

[Enigma]

You don't want people to be known for your sigs, just because you stick your name on it. Anyone can do that with any sig. It'll just get marked out, and someone else will stick their name on it. Either way, ripping happens all the time. You can't really do anything about it, even if you do stick your name on it. (There's a large 11 to 12 page Ripping thread somewhere here, look in it, and see all of the bad cases of art theft, even with their name on it.)
But you want people to be known for your distinct style. So when someone sees something easily recognizable, then they'll be like "Oh, that's so and so's sig!" And you won't even have to have a name on it. Logos are cool and all, but it ruins the effect.
I can give you several off of the top of my head. It'd be better to PM me though, because it'd be really long.
Actually:
-Dodge and Burn. It helps create depth, but don't dodge and burn to much. Dodge in possible light sources, and around lightsources/highlights. Burn around possible shadows.
-Gradient Maps. It helps with your colors a lot. For Gimp it chooses the current color gradient, but idk how it is in Photoshop.
-Take a chalk/soft brush and erase edges or parts. Don't just do it randomly, of course see what llooks good, and if it doesn't look good, CTRL+Z (Or Undo) is your best friend. This is good for like smudge siggy's mostly, but in general it helps.
It would have been easy to manipulate the shadows. Just take the same color of the C4D light sourcce, and brush over those shadows in that color. Set it to an appropriate blend mode. Soft Light, Hue, and Addition are all good choices to make it look like it's casting light on it.

[~RF James2779]

Work on text, quality and as said before.. dont over sharpen your renders... and with light source.. if the sun was on the left there wouldnt be a shine on his right side... get what i mean??? and everyone knows about text... you need to use the rule of thirds... put it on the 3rd graph if u have one because some people do.. i dont tho... so i just imagine it there... so yah...

[AbOsTiT]

Everything is already said :p nice comment enigma, you said everything i would say and more :p
To keep it short you need to work more on blending quality, lightning and depth sound much but with some small changes you can make it all better! also keep the text close to the render, for me the second is the best really think its a good signature but the text should be placed closer to the focal :p Cant wait to see the tag youre working on right now! KIU

[Def]

|at| Enigma

Yeah, you're right I'd much rather be known for my style than just because of me having my name on something. I'd rather have versatility than a set style though but that's a problem I'd like to have anyway. I've headed your lighting suggestions in my Ryu thread (http://www.signaturebar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35178), tell me whatcha think.

|at| James2779

Hmm, oversharpening huh? Well I may have done that on this latest tag. When I first started people told me that my main render should 'pop' which is why I try to enhance it as much as I can. A tag that flows though thoroughly would be better and I'll work on that with my next tag.

|at| AbOsTiT

I've completely done away with the text :P

[~RF -xMacK!]

Yeah enigma is so right you need to add some gradient maps to match the colors and use the burn and dodge tool but not much because it gets too dark/bright this is my opinion :)

[Storm]

Good work, i should change that rule btw, there isnt really size regulations for signatures anymore. infact there never really was... its just a guide so your not breaking any rules ;)

i think there good, a bit empty and allot over contrasted. keep practising :D