Name: $chix0r
Tools of the Trade: photoshop cs2, quality stock, mood swings and insomnia
Likes to use: sxc.hu, crestock.com and istock.com along with the following awesome deviants for quality stock on dA: =resurgere *tExTuReMaTtIc =Elandria *lucias-stock
Examples of her work:



$chix0r’s tips and tricks:

1.- Find high resolution good quality stock:
Spend time looking for really good high resolution quality stock. If you find a lower resolution of an image which you like, don't be shy in contacting the stock artist to ask if they have a higher resolution available. Many stock artist are actually offering to take specific poses for artists and are open to requests.

Although deviantART has a wealth of good stock - don't be afraid to check out some of the pay per image stock sites too. If you have a quality image to begin with, your work will be smoother, and you'll spend more time in creating, rather than compensating or covering up for bad quality. And of course, the higher resolution that you work in, the bigger prints you can offer!

2.- Experiment with textures:
I love using textures in my work. Aged torn paper and rust are my favourites. Using textures effectively can bring a whole new dimension to your work. I like to mess around with complete layers of texture throughout my manipulations, blending in various ways. Adding a canvas texture over the top of your final image can give an aged painted effect to your work without ruining any of your details.

3.- Use brushes!
Brushes are an essential part of any work which I produce. I use Grunge brushes in particular to develop backgrounds but you can develop very detailed work if you use your brushes effectively. By blending multiple layers of brushwork with varying levels of opacity you will achieve some really interesting effects.

Sometimes when I have been searching for a stock image of a feather to add to an image, I've ended up using a brush to create the perfect detail instead. Lots of artists are providing more retro style type brushes now too, which allow you to create abstract vector type designs with relative ease. Try combining these types of brushes with classic model poses and you've opened up a whole new world to your work.

4.- Bring on the blending.
When I first started out using photoshop, I used to spend a fair amount of time just grabbing an image, adding a layer of of texture or colour over the entire image and then blending it in different ways, e.g. overlay opacity 45%, hue opacity 80%. This type of experimentation gave me a good grounding in understanding ways in which you can change the feel of an image layer by layer.

5.- Collaborate:
If you're feeling that itch to create but you can't quite decide what, try collaborating with another artist. There are lots of opportunities on deviantART to find other artists to work with. Not only does this expand your own individual creativity, but you can learn a lot from looking at how other people work too. Everyone has half finished bits of work laying around and offering them up to people as resources can be fun.

6.- Communicate!
If you aren't already, then you should be hanging out on dAmn to network with artists from all genres and broaden your artistic horizons. Some channels run regular tutorials, feature chats and specific themed artistic events, so be sure to check them out. It's also a good place to meet with individual artists and find out a little bit more about them and their work.

7.- Be nosy!
Ever wondered how a particular artists created a specific image? Ask!!
I learned a lot when I first joined dA by being very brazen and asking artists How did you do that?. Sure, some won't reply, but some will, and you'll often be surprised at how simplistic the technique is.


$chix0r’s 3 favourite tutorials:

My favourite tutorials are found in magazines, so I'm going to provide you with the links to their sites.

Advanced Photoshop comes out once a month and is full of hints, tips and resources to help your skills develop. Each edition comes with a free cd which usually contains brushes, fonts and 50 free stock images.

Computer Arts also comes out monthly and is jam packed full of inspiration. A lot of deviantART artists have been featured in this magazine and I love the way that they present everythign so simplistically to their readers. Each edition provides an cd full of resources too.

Computer Arts Projects provides excellent step by step tutorials on how to create a polished image. They also provide all the images required alongside additional fonts, brushes and other useful resources on cd.


<sub>Please keep in mind that these tips and tricks are never meant as the only way to do something – they are the way the artist does things. They are meant to guide you or give you ideas what can be done and should be taken as such.

If you have any suggestions for deviants you’d like to see sharing their tips and tricks, feel free to write me a note. Just keep in mind that this article is mainly focused on photomanipulators.

Lastly, I would like to thank $chix0r for sharing her tips and tricks
and you for reading them
^kuschelirmel


Previous Issues:
~ #1 Aegis-Strife
~ #2 Tsheva
~ #3 YagaK
~ #4 MelGama</sub>