Klash signatures

[felix]

Late, but Happy Birthday Klash

[Klashikari]

Definitely unusual but... here comes an "non annual" update

It has been few weeks I wanted to do a Homura (Madoka) signature, but can't exactly find the pictures that would tickle my fancy (that and the usual inspiration block).
That being said, playing Aiyoku no Eustia brought some ideas, which coincidentally happened when... that "same customer" is nudging me with a certain CG to work on.

However, woe is me, considering the initial CG:

Cute? Sure sure, but... I think some people will realize how awful it can be to work on that kind of picture (I'm looking at you, Solace ).

Somehow started to have the idea in mind, although it is yet a "crop job" that needs a overhaul touch to spice things up. The rough idea looked like this:


However, "someone" was unhappy with the fact it was a bit too zoomed in (despite I was actually wondering if I couldn't make another close up, even if it means relinquishing a portion of the wings).
So I had to literally go back to square one, since it wouldn't be possible to zoomed out due to the alterations done already.


And here we go... not yet. Why? Because when I was zooming out and applying roughly the same alterations, I realized that I was stuck by a hard place, literally: that frigging pillar. Whilst it was a bit "easier" to distinguish it before, the zoomed out result leads to the impression we got a random purp taint lurking in the middle (as if I clumsily cut a central portion of a bright layer and left to that -.-). Therefore, off I go: second "back to square one" OTZ.

That of course involved a complete removal of the damn rock, but also altering the wings in order not to remove the "natural" impression. I had to craft some artificial ones here and there, but it was just a sketch first, since I had to poke a bit the overal "aura" of it. My main concern was that I could potentially make the wings FLARING which was the worst outcome possible. Therefore, I was going on a snail pace, because I was trying to keep the "bathed in light" impression as well as a "soft radiance feel" instead of making Tia literally "irradiating" like a radioactive mutant.

The text part was a bit a pain, because how the signature itself is quite a standalone with Tia taking the spotlight right in the middle, so I got something like this, but I wasn't really so good with the "hard display" of the text and some touch was missing.
In the end, after a lot of inputs from a certain picky crow, I decided to literally "etch" the text on the wings to remove the "out of place" impressions, and after various attempts, here is the final "product":




I'm still a bit disatisfied with the text, since it still look unbalanced but oh well..
At least I can say that I could avoid the exact result I was afraid the most. In the end, the color pattern and the radiance are balanced I think.

It has been a long while I know but... what do you think, everone?

[Skyfall]

And thus we turn another page in history of my imposing upon Klash for signatures. I guess i am the one who brings him all the pesky projects

Will make a nice change of pace from the Dies Irae sig i was using up to now, though the context actually is ... not so bright, if one knows the story. *Picks up the sig and flies away*

[White Manju Bun]

Text is a bit hard to read but the overall ambience of the sig is very nice. It feels very soft, I like it. Oh and please so a Homaru sig

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Cute? Sure sure, but... I think some people will realize how awful it can be to work on that kind of picture (I'm looking at you, Solace ).

That rock was a pita. It's the type of image that would inspire me....to find something else to work with. Still, the end result turned out quite nice, and I see that "a certain demanding customer" was happy with it.

[felix]

I think the pillar adds personality. I also think the sky has too much white for a night sky, IMO the color should be more like 1st or 2nd bellow. I’m not really that into the blur, but looks good. And lastly, I think there were a few other more interesting angles you could have cropped it at (see 2nd to 3rd for some).

Quick and dirty examples:

Other then that, everything looks good.

Nice to see your making signatures again. Any chance we’ll get one of your classic sword maiden signatures next?

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by White Manju Bun

Text is a bit hard to read but the overall ambience of the sig is very nice. It feels very soft, I like it. Oh and please so a Homaru sig

The only problem with such project is going through the horrible mass of fanarts, and finding at least a handful that would strike me as interesting.
At least, it shouldn't be some material shortage, unlike other series I tried before

Originally Posted by Solace

That rock was a pita. It's the type of image that would inspire me....to find something else to work with. Still, the end result turned out quite nice, and I see that "a certain demanding customer" was happy with it.

You bet he should, considering how much he poked me when I was giving previews ~~
Next time, I should really go with a very quick overview of things that "stand out too much" for this kind of stock... very likely it is because I didn't have that much issues with previous things I worked on.

Originally Posted by felix

I think the pillar adds personality. I also think the sky has too much white for a night sky, IMO the color should be more like 1st or 2nd bellow. I’m not really that into the blur, but looks good. And lastly, I think there were a few other more interesting angles you could have cropped it at (see 2nd to 3rd for some).

Color scheme was a pain to deal with considering I wanted to give some "thick & soft" aura, therefore it was nearly impossible not to affect the sky (at least, it does fall in line with the radiance idea I was following). I guess I should probably have tweeked a bit colors here and there, but at least the theme is present I think.

As for the angle, yes I actually wanted to try something a bit, but I gave up considering the unbalance effect would have been quite clear, especially with the second example: although the proportions are good, you have a clear cut empty space on the left, and pulling a text there would just give a huge "2 pieces stitched together" impression a bit too much.
Likewise, trying to zoom in would definitely not make "someone" happy since he wants the wings to be seen

Nice to see your making signatures again. Any chance we’ll get one of your classic sword maiden signatures next?

I definitely would like to, considering how long I didn't make one at all. I guess I will try something once my exams are done, but before that I guess I shouldn't try, considering I often loiter too much in front of photoshop being utterly empty, pondering "well, how should I start in fact...? >_>".

Anyway, I will probably try out the very first thing that tickle my fancy just like before, provided I don't get cold feet for weird reason midway

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

The only problem with such project is going through the horrible mass of fanarts, and finding at least a handful that would strike me as interesting.
At least, it shouldn't be some material shortage, unlike other series I tried before

To be honest, finding/choosing the material for my signatures take sometime more work and time than making the signature itself; I am still looking for agood picture of a old woman in winter ( I might have to find a way to go over this one... ) and I abandonned the project of making a serie of signature quoting ''Amsterdam'' as I couldn't find the material than I wanted.

[felix]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Anyway, I will probably try out the very first thing that tickle my fancy just like before, provided I don't get cold feet for weird reason midway

Do a Yggdra one. =P

[felix]

(sorry for killing your thread klash)