Have you every wondered around the various Jericho fan forums and wondered how all of the wonderfully talented Jericho artists do their thing? Have you ever produced an image and had no real clue what you were doing? Would you like some tips and tricks for making your next image even better? If the answer is yes, the following entry is for you!
SOFTWARE
Let’s start with software. There are many programs out there from free to very expensive.
In the world of graphic design, Photoshop is the gold standard. Unfortunately it also carries a price tag that would buy you a decent gold ring. You can download a Photoshop demo or purchase it here:http://www.adobe.com.
In addition to Photoshop, and at a tenth of the cost is Adobe Elements. It’s a fabulous program, and can also be acquired at http://www.adobe.com.
Paint Shop Pro is also cheaper and is (from what I’ve heard) a great program. Here’s the link: http://www.corel.com/
Free is, of course, always good and there is an option that is powerful and free. Although I’ve never used it, GIMPshop has an excellent reputation and… Free is good. You can get it here: http://www.gimpshop.com/
COMPOSITION
The way an image is laid out is of the utmost importance. The right things in the wrong places makes for images that don’t pop. Every image should have a good focal point. Try to figure out what you’re saying, and what object/image best says it. Reading up on the Rule of Thirds and then applying them can make amateurs look like pros.
When scaling images, one of the most important rules to keep in mind is “ALWAYS SCALE IN PROPORTION”. Especially when scaling people. Holding the shift key in many programs constrains proportions when scaling.
TEXTURE
Jericho’s marketers have appropriately given the design a gritty earthy feel. While this may look complex, it’s actually pretty to achieve. Using pictures of rusty metal, rough rocks, and other interesting textures will take your designs to the next level. If the program you’re working with has layer modes, try experimenting with different modes other than “Normal”. Overlay and Multiply, often work well, especially with reduced opacity (making the layer more transparent).
FONTS
Fonts can also make or break a design. Choose fonts that have the same feel as the image. There’s nothing worse than creating an image with an edgy feel and slapping Comic Sans on it. Every font has a certain tone. Comic Sans is whimsical and light hearted. Unless you’re doing something somewhat humorous, another choice would be better.
Standard block fonts like Arial and Helvetica, are adequate, but lack that extra something that a more designed font has. For Jericho, grunge (or broken/organic fonts work well). You want to pick something that is cool but readable. Here are some of my favorite Jericho-esque fonts (all are free) some shared with me by other Jericho fans so long ago I don’t recall who:
Bluecake http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/BlueCake.htm
Downcome http://www.dafont.com/font.php?file=downcome
Boston Traffic http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/Boston_Traffic.htm
Distress http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/Distress.htm
321 Impact http://www.dafont.com/321impact.font
BTW- I think the Jericho logo was a custom design, not a standard font. The fonts above have a similar feel.
FORMATTING
For the web, you should work at 72PPI (pixels per inch), using RGB color mode. I’ve discovered that 560 pixels wide fits into the CBS window just about perfectly. Height doesn’t matter.
To avoid pixelization, save your files as high quality JPG. And on a sort of related note, don’t grab small images and scale them up beyond about 130%.
PUBLISHING YOUR IMAGES:
You’ll need to find a place to put your new creations. There are several free services out there. I’ve found www.photobucket.com and www.flickr.com to be easy to use and a great place store your creation.
Various boards allow you to post images in different ways. CBS is the toughest of the boards I visit, to add images to your posts, but it is possible even for the novice.
Here’s how to post on CBS (there a few different ways, this is just one):
You’ll notice when you’re posting a section at the bottom with 2 buttons. Design and HTML.
On photobucket (and flickr I’d imagine) there is a box with various options with code for posting your image. They’ve labeled for various options like email, forums and so on. Copy the code from HTML Code, and paste it in under the HTML tab on the CBS board and then click on the Design tab and your image will appear.
Other forums such as Radio Free Jericho and Jericho Rally Point use the IMG Code for the posting of images. It’s actually much easier on those boards to post images.
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This is by far not a comprehensive list of things to consider when designing an image, but I thought a few tips might be helpful.
I think it’s also worth noting that there are many talented artists out there in Jericholand. I am one among many talented others. Every one of the artists I’ve met are very approachable and would likely tell you how to do something they’ve done if you asked.
Remember that we all have to start somewhere, and I’m only able to do what I do because I took the plunge to learn. My early stuff definitely has some (unintentional) rough edges.
-Rubberpoultry
