Tips & Tricks on Making Custom Decor

Tips & Tricks on Making Custom Decor
Posted 2024-04-12 15:30:36 #1189943 Before we start here, I'm making this assuming the reader has general digital art knowledge and is looking for tips on making custom decor. This is not meant to be a step by step tutorial on art style or a how to. ^{Not to mention how much time I'm putting into it for nothing, feel free to gift me if you find it helpful if you can/want. Thanks!} Before you start Software and hardware are most important before you start. I'm not going to get super into it as there are spaces for that. Art Tools ART STYLE TUTORIALS, .PSD's and TIPS Here you can download the .PSD files to begin making custom decor. After you download it, I recommmend resizing the file to 1280x1000 as that is twice the size of the regular image and will scale down well. The downloaded .PSD file will be your base file, when you use it make a new save copy to keep the original file to start another project with. I also recommend setting up a layer group style that works for you, here's what mine looks like: Lineart Make sure your lineart is thin but not jagged and still pronounced enough to distiguish. When it comes to lineart I personally try to make it similar to the wolf's. I do this by turning my brush size down to 22px then with the pressure I use that makes my lineart closer to a 16px. This may vary based on how heavy you push down or if the hardware you're using is pressure senstive or not. Use the color 080808 for your lineart, that color is recommended by Xaylax himself and has been approved everytime its been used. Lighting The color I use for lighting on almost every decor I created is called Homebase Sunlight #fdfbd3 I recommend shading before doing your lighting, but maybe that just helps me more and not others. I personally find it easier to see where light needs to go after I do the shading. Depending on what you're doing will depend on light intensity. Obviously things that glow or shine will have a higher opacity on lighting vs something that is not glossy or glowing. Again I'm not here to teach you how to do shine or glow, I recommend watching youtube to learn that. A matted object will probably have the base lighting be around 9-12% opacity along with the secondary shading and the shine might be between 20-30% opacity. In comparision to a metallic shiny object the shine would be closer to 60-71% opacity. A glowing objecy could be at 100% opacity with an added effect and drop lighting to make it appear even brighter. Shading A lot of the times for shading I use straight black. If it seems like its to dark its probably just right is what I've been noticing lol. Your shading that defines the shape of the object should be 40-71% opacity. Other shading should be safe 30-40% unless of course needed to be darker. Drop Shadow Use straight black, make sure the drop shadow is connected to the item. If the item is above the wolf make sure to drop a shadow on the wolf. I do one larger shadow at 71% opacity then a couple smaller shadows around the base of the object or any curves/folds between 40-60% opacity Honestly best thing is to do your best and give it a try, I know it can seem daunting but you can always improve and get critism in groups and main about your decor. I recommend doing this for you, not for profit (unless youre hella good and art is easy for you lol). I've noticed the decors I do for myself are likely to get accepted faster than ones I make for profit (outside of commissions, love my coms). In other words, do things youre passionate about. Good luck and happy creating!	🧊IceOrthrus🧊 #15164

Posted 2024-04-12 15:30:36

#1189943

Before we start here, I'm making this assuming the reader has general digital art knowledge and is looking for tips on making custom decor. This is not meant to be a step by step tutorial on art style or a how to.
^{Not to mention how much time I'm putting into it for nothing, feel free to gift me if you find it helpful if you can/want. Thanks!}

Before you start

Software and hardware are most important before you start. I'm not going to get super into it as there are spaces for that.
Art Tools
ART STYLE TUTORIALS, .PSD's and TIPS

Here you can download the .PSD files to begin making custom decor.

After you download it, I recommmend resizing the file to 1280x1000 as that is twice the size of the regular image and will scale down well. The downloaded .PSD file will be your base file, when you use it make a new save copy to keep the original file to start another project with. I also recommend setting up a layer group style that works for you, here's what mine looks like:

Lineart

Make sure your lineart is thin but not jagged and still pronounced enough to distiguish.
When it comes to lineart I personally try to make it similar to the wolf's. I do this by turning my brush size down to 22px then with the pressure I use that makes my lineart closer to a 16px. This may vary based on how heavy you push down or if the hardware you're using is pressure senstive or not.
Use the color 080808 for your lineart, that color is recommended by Xaylax himself and has been approved everytime its been used.

Lighting

The color I use for lighting on almost every decor I created is called Homebase Sunlight #fdfbd3
I recommend shading before doing your lighting, but maybe that just helps me more and not others. I personally find it easier to see where light needs to go after I do the shading.
Depending on what you're doing will depend on light intensity. Obviously things that glow or shine will have a higher opacity on lighting vs something that is not glossy or glowing. Again I'm not here to teach you how to do shine or glow, I recommend watching youtube to learn that.
A matted object will probably have the base lighting be around 9-12% opacity along with the secondary shading and the shine might be between 20-30% opacity. In comparision to a metallic shiny object the shine would be closer to 60-71% opacity. A glowing objecy could be at 100% opacity with an added effect and drop lighting to make it appear even brighter.

Shading

A lot of the times for shading I use straight black.
If it seems like its to dark its probably just right is what I've been noticing lol. Your shading that defines the shape of the object should be 40-71% opacity. Other shading should be safe 30-40% unless of course needed to be darker.

Drop Shadow

Use straight black, make sure the drop shadow is connected to the item. If the item is above the wolf make sure to drop a shadow on the wolf. I do one larger shadow at 71% opacity then a couple smaller shadows around the base of the object or any curves/folds between 40-60% opacity

Honestly best thing is to do your best and give it a try, I know it can seem daunting but you can always improve and get critism in groups and main about your decor. I recommend doing this for you, not for profit (unless youre hella good and art is easy for you lol). I've noticed the decors I do for myself are likely to get accepted faster than ones I make for profit (outside of commissions, love my coms). In other words, do things youre passionate about. Good luck and happy creating!

🧊IceOrthrus🧊
#15164