# Tips, help, criticism..



## M.C (Jul 5, 2008)

I just started doing graphics in Photoshop and I have a few questions for those who have the answers.

First of all, Is there any easy way to cut images? I've played with the Magnetic Lasso, Magic Wand, etc, I have only found difficulties. I do not think I fully understand how to use them yet, as I don't think it should be such a problem.

Next question is about creating Renders. I have seen many cool looking backgrounds and such that people use. I am wondering exactly how do they make these? Now, I have a few sets of brushes and all this, but I cannot seem to find a wide variety of them. I am using Photoshop 7 and each time I look for brush sets I often get the "Wrong version of photoshop" message. If someone could link me to a site that can offer many good brush sets for Photoshop 7, I would really appreciate it.

Last thing is I will leave a few examples of what I have done.. Please give a lot of constructive criticism. I am learning from simple online tutorials that tell me to "use Magnetic Lasso", yet do not explain how the tool is used correctly, etc, etc, so all the feedback is definitely welcomed.



















Not sure if I like this one or not.. I basically used this one to look around at all the cool filters(wow, there are many, how am I supposed to remember which ones do what?).










I am using this one until GSP/Penn II is over. This is the one that so difficult trying to figure out how to cut the images. Seriously, help on this would be nice. (Thanks to Steph for telling me the background color on the forum).

Well, that is all. 

Thanks for all help that may be presented to me here, I am very greatful.


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## yoda (Oct 20, 2008)

I really don't like cutting images using the lasso tool or magic wand alone. What I'll do is use those to cut away the background around the body and then I'll zoom right in and use the eraser brush to do the rest, otherwise I just never get a smooth result. It's a pain doing it by hand but I think it's best.

I get all of my brushes and backgrounds from deviantart.com, you can put the most vague description in the search box and you always seem to get a result. Just make sure that whatever brushes you download have been made in ps7 or a lower version otherwise they won't work. This being said, it's incredibly easy to download an image pack and define your own brushes in your version of photoshop. Just open the image and go edit> define brush and it'll be in your brushes pallette.

I'm awful at explaining but I hope that helps. I don't think your graphics are that bad at all, you'll quickly do more complicated things once you've been using photoshop a while


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## MJB23 (Jan 26, 2007)

Don't use the magnetic lasso tool. Use the pen tool to cut out stuff. Just make your points tracing the outline of the body then right click and hit select or whatever then go to edit>copy and then paste it onto whatever you are working on.

Make sure you follow the sig rules too. Sigs can't be any bigger then 420X220.


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## M.C (Jul 5, 2008)

yoda said:


> I really don't like cutting images using the lasso tool or magic wand alone. What I'll do is use those to cut away the background around the body and then I'll zoom right in and use the eraser brush to do the rest, otherwise I just never get a smooth result. It's a pain doing it by hand but I think it's best.
> 
> I get all of my brushes and backgrounds from deviantart.com, you can put the most vague description in the search box and you always seem to get a result. Just make sure that whatever brushes you download have been made in ps7 or a lower version otherwise they won't work. This being said, it's incredibly easy to download an image pack and define your own brushes in your version of photoshop. Just open the image and go edit> define brush and it'll be in your brushes pallette.
> 
> I'm awful at explaining but I hope that helps. I don't think your graphics are that bad at all, you'll quickly do more complicated things once you've been using photoshop a while


Thanks, I'll check that site out. Yeah, I think I'll use the erase tool until I can find a quicker way, if there is one.



MJB23 said:


> Don't use the magnetic lasso tool. Use the pen tool to cut out stuff. Just make your points tracing the outline of the body then right click and hit select or whatever then go to edit>copy and then paste it onto whatever you are working on.
> 
> Make sure you follow the sig rules too. Sigs can't be any bigger then 420X220.


I'll try the pen tool, thanks. Fixed size as well.


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## nevrsummr13 (Mar 5, 2008)

i really like the aleks one

i think they're well done
nice work

bj looks a little squished though
thats my only criticism


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## Steph05050 (Jun 4, 2008)

i use the polygonal lasso tool to cut images and feather it at 2px and that works good for me....


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## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

I cant use the magnetic lasso tool so what I do is make a new layer then make a copy of the original pic, drag the copy above the blank layer then delete the original back ground then I just erase around what ever I want to cut out, 

When your resizing pics like the Alexander one and BJ in the GSP/GSP sig make sure constrain propotions is checked because it will keep you from getting the squiched effect by maintaining the original proportions.


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## pliff (Oct 5, 2006)

Like MJ said the pen tool is by far the best tool to cut images. I always use a 1px feather when playing around with 72 dpi images to get a nice blend on the new background.. More than that I find makes it too blurry around the edges.

Get different brushes to make your backgrouds, just plkay around with them and you can make some pretty neet stuff.

I try to avoid the filter effects in photoshop because I prefer to make them myself and have better control over the effect.

Like Toxic said, always hold down the shift key when resizing images because nothing ruins a sig faster than out of proportion fighter.

You basically have to make a ton of sigs and youll definatly get the hang of it. Your sigs already look good, cant wait to see the way you progress.

Hope this helps!


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