The Official LK Resource Thread ;)

[Ladykiller]

thanks

just updated the screenborders part to make it easier to take apart. now I'm done

[Techne]

Here's my PlayStation 2 template. Don't go assuming that I copied Techne's template. I hope you like it.
http://img460.imageshack.us/img460/7...emplateeq9.png

It just looks like you edited my template.

[Star89er]

Must... revive thread!

Credit would be appreciated.

[Ladykiller]

a fine addition.

Looks great man

[Kirbylore]

well, after reading through just the first page of this, I've decided that I cam offer a bunch about graphic design and stuff like that, because I've taken actual courses on them! I wont give program specific tips to narrow it down, just things like:

Kirbylore tip #1: too many cooks spoil the soup, as well as too many pictures can ruin the front page of a box. instead of filling the space with a lot of small images, use a large image and a fitting background. Having trouble finding these? Try going to google image search and typing in various searches that relate to what your trying to find. So you could put; legend of zelda background, or just legend of zelda, or even hyrule background. Typing in different searches like that in the image search will get you a very vast number of images to work with, and if you want to be specific to size, there is a drop down option of extra large, large, medium and small images. I recomend using only images that you find in large or extra large, but in some cases you can use a medium image, such as screenshots for the back of the box, etc. Good luck!

this one is for photoshop only:

Kirbylore tip #2: Making titles from scratch can be difficult, but very necesary for creating an imaginary game. A tip that I recomend using is to make text, with a fitting font of course, and use an outer glow on it with large spread (remember to eyeball it based on how the image looks) and 100% opacity. When you finish this, duplicate the layer and go to the blending options on the new layer. Change the color on the outer glow, and increase the size. This will create a text with two borders on it. when you are happy with it, I also recomend using the warped text function, although that could look a little cheesy if used too much, it is an effecting tool none-the-less. Play with color and shape a lot when making your own titles. Good luck

[MugglesMan111]

my super fly awesome custom ea logo from my shooter box!

[NakaBeast]

Hi. I'm new to VgBoxArt and I was directed here. I posted an "okay" LoZ MMORPG box and I found your Zelda Kit ideas awesome. When I use them, do I just give you credit ON the box or on a comment?

[Ayron]

Hi. I'm new to VgBoxArt and I was directed here. I posted an "okay" LoZ MMORPG box and I found your Zelda Kit ideas awesome. When I use them, do I just give you credit ON the box or on a comment?

That's your own choice, i find it easier to just type a small credit part underneath the box or so, but whatever pleases you works best.

[Ladykiller]

Hi. I'm new to VgBoxArt and I was directed here. I posted an "okay" LoZ MMORPG box and I found your Zelda Kit ideas awesome. When I use them, do I just give you credit ON the box or on a comment?

It doesn't matter, like Ayron said it's your choice

I'm just glad you like them.

P.S. An editorial and tutorial are coming up soon! As well as a very cool looking background.

[Ladykiller]

*Notice*: Though this editorial is geared towards accomplished and veteran boxartists, it by no means cannot be helpful to an amateur/newb designer. On the contrary, knowing these principles and keeping them in mind during the design process will immensely help any artist of any skill level to develop their technique and style and thus improve and define themselves as artists.

The following editorial, however, will assume that the said artist has a reasonable amount of skill in making boxarts and has a firm grasp on technique. This first part will not go in depth with technique, which is basically how well the boxart is made in terms of errors in placing, quality and what not.

Technique is basic though, what makes your boxart truly yours and what makes others appreciate your work is none other than your own style. That said, I strongly encourage everyone who is interested to read the following and stay tuned for more coming up. Let us begin.

LK Editorials | Advance Design Principles - Part 1: Color Emotion

Before talking about color, let's talk about what happens when the designer looks at his boxart presentation. If it was a familiar game that he has played, whether he loved or loathed it, it will bring back memories of the game itself and the feelings that the said designer had when he/she last played the game. Though quite different, the same can be said about an artist who makes a boxart without playing the game. Just looking at the art-style of the materials will give the designer a feel of how the game is.

So what happens when the viewer looks at the boxart presentation? Will he/she share the same memories or emotions that the designer had while looking at the final piece? Will they share the same feelings as the artist even if they played the game before?

Most likely not.

But that's exactly how successful artists make their boxes. They must present their boxes in a way that it shares the emotion and passion that they felt during the design process. Those same artists establish a "connection" with the viewer. (Be mature here guys) And thus, to some degree the viewer can appreciate the work.

Color is one of the ways that the artist communicates to the viewer. Color conveys meaning and emotion to the viewer, and influences him/her in both a mental and physical level. Thus it's wholly important to have a firm grasp on color when it comes to design. You're probably thinking "duh! Of course color is important! My boxes all have a unique/cool/awesome color schemes yadiyadiyada" Having an awesome color scheme is not enough, however. As the artist, you control what meanings and emotions you want to convey through color.

For example, the boxart for the game "Assasin's Creed" has a bluish-white scheme with silver/gray and red as secondary ones. Now all together, blue lends a feeling of calmness and soothness while white can illustrate purity. Silver and gray give a solid sophisticated feel to it while the red on white gives a sense to the viewer that the purity is thus destroyed by the killing factor/blood symbolized by the red color.

Average artists will project the main themes of the games they design for to the viewer by having a main color scheme. Successful artists, however, control what they want the viewer to feel exactly through the color in their pieces. They can add on colors that they think will enhance the feel of the box's presentation. They can also omit colors that they think is partial and can only detract from the main feel of the game. Not only do they do it in way of colors but also of symbols. As the artist, YOU control your piece and thus how you want your viewers to feel when viewing your boxart through color; not the other way around.

Until next time,

-LK

P.S. If anyone is interested with editorials on basic design principles ask in the thread or pm me, and that works also for any respectable artists willing to write editorials about the basic/advance principles, if you are interested say so in the thread or pm me and I'll put you on staff

Update: I've also put a directory segment on the first comment on the first page. To serve as a directory for the major thread updates, so people can quickly know where to go to for their specific needs.

[Ayron]

Great job LK, that helped me alot.
i personally recognise the fact that artists can change the feeling and tone of the box by means of colour-editing. i recently started doing that as well.[see timeshift box :P]
can't wait for the next part,keep it up.

[Ladykiller]

LK's Partial Image Continuation Tutorial

This is a tutorial that explains how to get the image continuation effect through other graphic elements such as screenshots, logos, other characters etc, while still looking professional. It's a very handy technique to know and can actually make a great difference in the entire box presentation.

While this tutorial is geared towards photoshop users, I think the concept is more or less the same and can be applied to both Gimp and other graphic manipulation programs out there. To those that already know how to do this, I encourage you to help out others that are having problems with it as well as start employing it more often in your creations if you haven't done so yet.

To those, however, that have wondered, but still don't know, those who are wondering and those who will wonder how to achieve this effect, read on

Step1: Simply set the layer you wish to partially continue, beneath the layer it's suppose to go through. It should look something like this:


Step 2: Take the upper layer and decrease it's opacity to about 25% or until you can see part of the bottom layer you wish to continue visibly. It should look something like this:


Step 3: Still in the upper layer, use the eraser tool (with a soft-edged brush for best results) to erase part of the upper layer that intersects with the part of the bottom layer that you wish to continue. It should look something like this:


Step 4: Finally, just set the opacity of the upper layer back to 100% . Your final product should looks something like this:


Congratulations, you've just learned how to pull off a successful partial image continuation. A very handy technique. Cheers and good luck on your future projects

-LK

[Kirbylore]

well LK, that's an interesting technique. I prefer selecting th part that is overlapping (leon's hand/knife) and cut with ctrl/x and paste with ctrl/v. then move the new layer above the other pic (the line of screenshots) and then move his hand back in place. this is a lot smoother for people without LK like reflexes :P I'd like to join the team btw. I'll work on some kinda tutorial w/ pics tonight!

[Ladykiller]

well LK, that's an interesting technique. I prefer selecting th part that is overlapping (leon's hand/knife) and cut with ctrl/x and paste with ctrl/v. then move the new layer above the other pic (the line of screenshots) and then move his hand back in place. this is a lot smoother for people without LK like reflexes :P I'd like to join the team btw. I'll work on some kinda tutorial w/ pics tonight!

A great alternative technique actually! I somehow just prefer the smoothness of the final product by using the soft brush in this method. And thanks for joining the team man. Greatly appreciated

You use photoshop right? aight, I'ma put you on staff.

[Kirbylore]

shweet :P merry christmas by the way

[Ladykiller]

Hey you too man, Merry Christmas

[Justice]

I don't get to be on Staff!?
I HATE YOU LK!

[Ladykiller]

I don't get to be on Staff!?
I HATE YOU LK!

Well, you never said you wanted in man...
I know you posted your 360 temp, but then you took that out shortly.

If you want in, I'd never deny you from being in the staff. You know that. Actually, your contributions would be greatly appreciated. The choice is yours my friend

[Justice]

Well, you never said you wanted in man...
I know you posted your 360 temp, but then you took that out shortly.

If you want in, I'd never deny you from being in the staff. Actually, your contributions would be greatly appreciated. The choice is yours my friend

stab rip stab stab.

[ELCrazy]

Well, you never said you wanted in man...
I know you posted your 360 temp, but then you took that out shortly.

If you want in, I'd never deny you from being in the staff. Actually, your contributions would be greatly appreciated. The choice is yours my friend

Hey, am I actually in the staff?

Considering I volunteered to help from the start.