Recreation How do u make avatars?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by *Fabee*, Oct 26, 2001.

  1. *Fabee*

    *Fabee* Retired

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    I have some pretty pics and i was wondering how could i use them for avatars?
     
    #1
    *Fabee*, Oct 26, 2001
  2. That guy!

    That guy! Expecting Father

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    First you need software for image editing such as Corel Draw, Corel Photo Pain, Adobe Photoshop, etc. Then you have to open an image up in this software and cut out the section that you want to use as an avatar using a "cut" or select tool and copy this section to your clipboard(ctrl-c). Next, make a new window that is 64x64 pixels and paste the image (ctrl-v). You'll probably want to shrink this image to the 64x64 size, but it can be hard to do this without losing resolution and stuff.
     
    #2
    That guy!, Oct 26, 2001
  3. BakaMattSu

    BakaMattSu ^__^
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    Well, here's a detailed description of how I produced the last two batches of Avatars - I used Adobe Photoshop, the high-end all-expensive but wonderful graphic editor...Everything falls into about 4 steps:

    1) Gather your "donar" image
    I admit I'm a pathetic artist, so my first adventure was scouring the net for some good pics. Images should be crisp and clean as can be, so when you edit them in the further steps, they'll still look nice. Futhermore, they have to be larger than 64x64 pixels (since that's the target Avatar size at M2A)

    2) Prep the Image
    Next, I open up the donar in Adobe and make sure that it's Image Mode is by RGB Value (The indexed ones don't resize as well...). Next, using the Marquee tool, I make a box around the portion of the image I want to be in the finished Avatar (Usually most of the character's face works well).

    3) Crop & Resample & Crop
    I hit Image, then Crop in the menu to cut off the unselected portion.
    Now it's time to cut it down to Avatar Size...Hit Image, Image Size, Ensure that both "Constrain Proportions" and "Resample Image" are checked, and Bicubic Filtering works best here.

    Now, let's resize! Look at your current height and width, and single out the lower value. With this guy, down him to 64 pixels in height...the other one'll drop as well, but should be some pixel sizes higher.

    You want both to equal out to 64 pixels, so you'll have to do a little careful cropping to drop down that height or width...

    4) Finalization
    I don't know if you see it, but the majority of M2A's Avatars have a 1 pixel black border around them. Use the line tool to draw black lines around the edges... Make sure to View the Line Tool Options, by clicking Window, Show Info from the top menu bar...it should have a line width of 1 pixel, and nothing else in those options should be checked...

    Then, look at your edited creation at 100% View to make sure it looks good after all your playing around...

    If you're happy with it, Hit File, Save As.. and save it out as a J-PEG with Compression Level 6...


    That's it, no more secrets from me [​IMG]
    It can take a while for the first view Avatars to be finished, but after doing a few, it gets easier...

    BakaMattSu, not a qualified instructor, but what the heck...!
     
    #3
    BakaMattSu, Oct 26, 2001
  4. That guy!

    That guy! Expecting Father

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    (I feel stupid now)...


    Do the avatar's have to have the black border around them. I find that the border is hard to draw in photoshop because it draws a one pixel line. Although it makes 2 other lines on either side with a lower opacity...this is kind of annoying.
     
    #4
    That guy!, Oct 26, 2001
  5. BakaMattSu

    BakaMattSu ^__^
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    Yeah, to solve that, make sure in the Line Tool Options (Show Info Window) that Anti-Alias is unchecked (that's what causes the extra smoothing...)

    The lines aren't really absolutely necessity, but they do make the pics stand out a lot more when they are placed on the page...so if at all possible, try to include it...

    I find if I'm at work on a lot of Avs at once, it's easy to just select the border and copy/paste it thru the whole bunch...(Also makes the last crop easier, 'cause the border defines the 64 pixel boundary...

    BakaMattSu, pixelated...
     
    #5
    BakaMattSu, Oct 26, 2001
  6. Zanza

    Zanza .Net-ing & PHP-ing~*
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    GOD !!! THATS REALLY NEEDS LOTS OF WORK ... !!
     
    #6
    Zanza, Oct 28, 2001
  7. That guy!

    That guy! Expecting Father

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    After a bit of practice one can create an avatar in about a minute. You just have to have the picture you want to use for it first...


    ----------
    *feels hurt by the cursing of his God's name [​IMG]*
     
    #7
    That guy!, Oct 28, 2001
  8. Ciel

    Ciel Unoa Freak
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    you are right That Guy, it seemed a bit too drastic... [​IMG]


    Seph..
    listening to an awesome OST, Spriggan.


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    just testing what these look like. At least I can go to the links the images show and see the pic.



    [This message has been edited by Seraphim (edited 10-29-2001).]
     
    #8
    Ciel, Oct 28, 2001
  9. Meaikoh

    Meaikoh See you later, Moderator

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    I only have Kodak Imaging and Paint that comes with your computer. And attaching files to my e-maisl, I'm hopeless. [​IMG]

    ------------------
    ~I am always saving the world. I choose what to eat and save the world. The cereal I choose could cause me to get up for more milk, then maybe I'll be a little later to where ever, then save the guy who's going to invent the "Splitchgork" and end war, or something by making him have to walk around me on the street.He'll be a little later that day. I just saved the world, or changed it. Just something to think about~
     
    #9
    Meaikoh, Nov 19, 2001

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