# My Photoshop artwork...



## Hidden Gekko (Feb 14, 2003)

Well I've been using the program for over two years and I just wouldn't mind some opinions on my stuff... I'm trying to get into an art college right now FYI so yeah... here it is

www.digitalizedzone.com

Just enter the main page and click on my name, Gekko, near the top on the menu. I have over 50 pieces there so far. ALSO, I have made many desktops which you can check out on my site too, they're also made with the program.

Thank you fellow art lovers for any opinions


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## JetwingX (Feb 17, 2003)

ones that i like:
stork - nice how you used layers
Got Phazon - i have a thing for mech robots
life and death - simple
crystal sky collection 2 - leads your eye around the piece very niecly

ones that i don't like:
stars - lens flare over used
earth sun - ""

over all you did very well and i like your art work with the exception of overloads on a few sets of art like the fans and the army men (you should spread them out )


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## tamma (Feb 21, 2003)

I have checkout all of your images and some are interesting but...... others... what were you thinking.

OK here are the ones that i like

Sprite-(from the trash can series) it is great very realistic

Abstract-Enter the Zone, Series-1 Kool a little odd but Kool

I would mention the ones i don't like but it would serve no pourpose. I say keep things positive

My best advice to you would be to do some work in photo retouching or do some more work that is realistic. you use lens flair way to much. Some of the best photoshop work is undetectable. Just look at any fashion magazine.

If you want to get into an art school you really should expand your portfolio to cover more than just some funky photoshop images.

But all in all i think that the work you have done so far is a good jumping off point.


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## fbp_ (Feb 22, 2003)

a couple of nice ones along with a whole lot of 'name the filter' type images...

my advice is to learn to play around with all the less known aspects of photoshop: custom brushes, paths, layer masking, adjustments, etc - you seem to have mastered the layering and filtering, with these whole new possibilities will open up

i wouldnt count on what you have there to get you into an art school, but like tamma said, it is a good jumping off point. 

check out these sites

http://adobeevangelists.com/

http://deviantart.com


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## Trip (Feb 22, 2003)

I'm going to be brutally honest here: for 2 years on the job those works really arn't works in my eyes.

I think that if you were working towards more of an art style (professionally to make a living) then you really should cut back on the filters and focus more on the actual placement of pieces, colors, lighting, and maybe 1 filter per image.

Keep working on it!


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## Jason (Mar 1, 2003)

i hate to sound nasty as well, but maybe it will help

these look amature really, filters are the clue here... most people when they first use photoshop, its all filters, my advice, is the same as aboves... also lay off a bit on the font treatments 

good luck


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## Arden (Mar 5, 2003)

I hate to say it as well, but I can see a lot of the techniques you use because I have used Photoshop for many years.  I think you are very creative, but you need to branch out, like the others said.  (Do I sound like any of _American Idol_'s judges here?  )

I have a suggestion:  Go to www.image-edit.com and see what they are all about and what they do, and try to replicate some of their techniques, especially the harder ones like colorizing an image or removing people/objects.  I did just this, and I came up with some interesting effects.  Tell me if you'd like a sample, as this may help you see what I mean.

Also, check out my website for some of my sample works.  You can use that as another starting point.


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## Hidden Gekko (Mar 6, 2003)

Wow, I guess I suck!

*gives up and shuts down site, off to do things he's actually good at*


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## Arden (Mar 6, 2003)

Yes, you suck, you're a horrible artist, you should never be allowed near a computer again. 

We don't think you suck, Gekko.  You asked for constructive criticism, right?  Well, that's what we gave you.  Constructive criticism may make you feel bad, but it's there for you to see where you need to improve.  None of us think you should give up; we just think you need to learn more techniques and methods of design.  That's how you master an art, by taking criticism at face value and improving on what you think you need to improve, not by throwing in the towel just because someone says it could be better.

Don't give up on our account.  We're just trying to help.  Think of _American Idol_.  We may sound like Simon Cowell on that show; what do you think all the singers think of him?  He's honest and up front, and sometimes his opinion may be off, but other times he's right on about a person and that person does have room for improvement per his suggestion.  Think of this that way; we're trying to help you, not discourage you.

Besides, do you really want to give up?  Don't do what we tell you to do; do whatever you want to do.  If you're trying to get into an art school, then giving up is definitely not the way to do it, but the improvements we suggest may help you increase your talent and someday become a well-paid professional.


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## Trip (Mar 12, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Hidden Gekko _
> **gives up and shuts down site, off to do things he's actually good at* *



It's your choice.
I mean really: if you are going to take crap from us then go, you're just wasting your time with design like that! But then again: you could always listen to what we have to say, work a little harder and then show us all how really great you can be.

My opinion would be pick up the pace and start making up to 6 works a day and don't even use filters. But that's just me.


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## Arden (Mar 12, 2003)

Is he even still here?


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## Trip (Mar 12, 2003)

I think so...


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## Arden (Mar 13, 2003)

Well, Mr. Moderator, maybe you should try to contact him...


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## .jeremy_a> (Mar 13, 2003)

If you stick at this, take in the comments posted, and REALLY take them to heart, you will be MUCH MUCH better off. Continue to work with photoshop, like everyone has said, stay away from the filters. Work with blending layers, placement, good use of typography.  Search for some tutorials, learn a couple new tricks, and then practice them. People saw your work, noticed you needed a push in a new direction, and gave you advice. I would be thankful for this, it might bruis your ego right now, but you will be that much better down the road...........
if you want to be told you are great, stick to your family. 
Use your bruised ego to motivate yourself.


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## habilis (Mar 13, 2003)

Gekko, You might be a talented artist with a pencil and paper, but, honestly filters don't mean jack shi* in the real graphics world, so stop using them right now. Pros don't use them at all. Also, it takes about 5 years before you really master digital graphics, and even then, you gotta be incredibly talented and crative, you know, a real artist, to keep up the pace of the competition.


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## Arden (Mar 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by habilis _
> *Gekko, You might be a talented artist with a pencil and paper, but, honestly filters don't mean jack shi* in the real graphics world, so stop using them right now. Pros don't use them at all. *


Not necessarily true... almost all graphic artists use certain filters like Gaussian Blur and Unsharp Mask, plus many use other, more exotic filters to a limited extent to achieve certain effects.  The point is don't go overboard.


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## Urbansory (Mar 20, 2003)

I rarely use filters, and like arden mentioned the ones I do use are mostly blurs. Personally, school kinda kilt my style. I did killer work, my stuff is more corporate now and I've been trying to get back to my old ways and it is hard. I like to think i can do anything in Photoshop, my limitations are only whatever i have to work from. Gekko just try new things, and try not to pick up too much on the latest trends, because they die fast. And if you use a filter, you really need to distort it and make the end result your own.

Too see what i mean by corporate, look at what was going to be my more recent site. The site was never finished, I woke up one day and decided I'd redo the look and feel. The data of the site is out of order and is being setup for the newer site, so ignore most of the text. I never used so much white space before, so school has its negative effects, cookie cutter portfolio's, but I'm not saying you should not go.

http://www.urbansory.com/indexmar_03_2.html


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## Hidden Gekko (Mar 29, 2003)

Well guess what, I got into my college even though all you thought i sucked so


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## nickn (Mar 29, 2003)

Didn't they say you had talent..only not a lot of it....errrr....

I don't think anyone said you sucked, now me, I suck. I can't draw a straight line, in photoshop or on paper.


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## Perseus (Mar 30, 2003)

Which college if you dont mind me asking?

-Perseus


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## Hidden Gekko (Mar 30, 2003)

Ringling School of Art and Design...


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## Arden (Mar 31, 2003)

Gekko, didn't you read any of the stuff we said?  We want you to learn from your past, mistakes or not, and become better at what you like to do.  I don't think colleges like people who jump to conclusions while ignoring contradictory evidence.


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## Urbansory (Mar 31, 2003)

Look at it this way, it's a good thing that you used the plug-ins. I think all beginners need to go through that phase, that way you learn what they can do and know the abilities and limitations of each and how they work together to create unique effects later.


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## Arden (Mar 31, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Urbansory _
> *Look at it this way, it's a good thing that you used the plug-ins. I think all beginners need to go through that phase, that way you learn what they can do and know the abilities and limitations of each and how they work together to create unique effects later. *


Exactly!  The wild & exotic filters are sort of an initiation to Photoshop.  They are fun to use (and abuse) at first, but eventually you find yourself using them hardly at all, exactly as I did.  Much of what I do now is editing, where I don't use but a select few filters at all; rather, I concentrate on the tools I need to use, such as Levels, Hue & Saturation, etc.

Nick: I hope you actually can draw a straight line in Photoshop... select the line tool, hold shift, click, drag, and let go.  If you're referring to the brush or pencil tools, well then neither can I, but that's not what they're there for.


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## Trip (Apr 5, 2003)

If it makes anybody feel better: i REALLY suck when it comes to design. I just like to pretend like i'm good. 

*TANNERSITE.COM*


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## Jason (Apr 5, 2003)

I think your new sig should be

"Hi, my name is Tanner, and I'm a modest asshole."


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## Arden (Apr 6, 2003)

But he's not an asshole...


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