Some graphics Advice

[JAGeBoyle]

So I started to make a sig just messing around testing some options not following a tutorial or anything and I came across alot of lighting options and they look fun. Well I have this sig basicly was going to be a bruce lee sig but its hard as heck to find pics of bruce lee of good quality. Now what would people give me some advice to do with this? I need a border and im still working on learning to do them. Any tuts would be cool. My text is really lacking which is why I havent done that yet. Any brushes people would think would be better then what im using for this would be cool. I just threw this together with the colors quickly so its not my best just wanted to see some opinions on what to do.

http://www.justallgamers.com/forum/image/boylebruce.jpg

[JAGeBoyle]

My style if I ever get making sigs down is going to be alot of Martial artists and UFC and such. Ive started rendering pics to use because to be honest i havent seen one ufc or martial artist render pic anywhere. So atleast ill be original.

[JAGeAdam]

Well, A few things I can suggest.

Stop using 400x125 use 350x125 or 300x125 400x125 leaves to much room for background people notice the flaws in it.

Try to match the colors.

Add some scanlines

Border= new layer, control+a, edit, stroke, 1 pixel black. done.

[JAGeBizzaro]

try doing this to the render.

Duplicate layer
select upper layer of the two
go to filter > blur > glasian blur & make it so you cant see the render well at all
then set that layer you just blurred to overlay.. also do some brushing over the render & make it blend..


set some of your "brush" layers to overlay & experiment with things and make it look good... umm yea lol.

[JAGeBoyle]

also do some brushing over the render & make it blend..


wtf does that mean? I dont know how to blend only thing I can blend is a mixed drink

[JAGeBizzaro]

Take one of your brushes & make a new layer which is over the Render(s) & brush that layer then change the layer to overlay. Or you can change the layer to somethng else, whatever looks best.

[WNxKilly]

don't use different colors when you brush, just use black and white. add color later with layers on top set to overlay or softlight or hardlight.

for blending, take your lasso tool, set the feathering to 15px and turn on anti-aliasing, then select your render layer, roughly trace the render, the click the create mask button at the bottom of the layers window (a box with a circle in it).
that's roughly how you blend, you still have to touch it up, but someone else can go into that.

[JAGeBoyle]

Thank you for the advice. I thought I was doing something wrong with the different color brushes. All the tutorials I read always kept it to basic black and white colors.

Thank you everyone for the help, i'll give this all a shot and improve it.