Creating templates from scratch

[kingjohn3]

If I wanted to design a few covers how do I start?  Is there a thread with a detailed, very thorough step by step guide for dummies? Bein' serious. Like, links to title art, sprite art, existing spines (custom or retail), etc.  Dimensions, best software and a support group for  people that have pulled their hair out and broken keyboards over being totally clueless. Thanks in advance for your responses and time. I've looked all over and can't find what I'm looking for unless I'm completely missing it.

[Blumpkin]

You should really explore more of TCP. A lot of the resources you're looking for are in the FAQ sub-forum.

[larryinc64]

Title Art: Search TCP, or Google.
Images - Search Tools - Size - Large
Good for finding better quality art.

Sprite Art: The Spriters Resource

Best Software: Photshop
Gimp is a acceptable substitute.

Dimensions: Build of a existing cover, Or mesure the case yourself if a cover in your case type does not exist.

Support Group: Feel free to toss any problems my way, Also Google is a good place as well. Tutorials are a novice's best friend.

[kingjohn3]

I'm using ugc's. so just take the existing size and transfer it to photoshop and cut and paste whatever I want?  Can I change the size of any type of artwork?

[kingjohn3]

Title Art: Search TCP, or Google.
Images - Search Tools - Size - Large
Good for finding better quality art.

Sprite Art: The Spriters Resource

Best Software: Photshop
Gimp is a acceptable substitute.

Dimensions: Build of a existing cover, Or mesure the case yourself if a cover in your case type does not exist.

Support Group: Feel free to toss any problems my way, Also Google is a good place as well. Tutorials are a novice's best friend.

Do you happen to know the ugc's standard size?

[FritzWhite]

If you click "Forums" on the Links that are on the left hand side of the The Cover Project screen, then you can enter some of the terms you want to know more about into the search bar there. I am also learning how to photoshop; just downloaded it last night. Search TCP and watch some photoshop tutorials for answers.

[Head of Desserts]

http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/

[Nacho3]

I'm using ugc's. so just take the existing size and transfer it to photoshop and cut and paste whatever I want?  Can I change the size of any type of artwork?

Not really any cover, if you try to do a DS sized cover in a UGC it will look stretched. The UGC is 11.22 by 7 inches. If you just take a cover and resize it to those dimensions it still may not look right because the spine may not be the same proportions. You really want to break it into 3 parts: front, back and spine. Front and back are 5.11 x 7 and spine is 1 x 7. It really helps if you set guides at 5.11 and 6.11 (make sure it's in inches not pixels) vertically, in CS6 click view then new guide not sure if it's the same in CS2. I usually set one at 5.61 vertical and 3.5 horizontal also to help put the spine logo in the middle.

[Dravenae]

Title Art: Search TCP, or Google.
Images - Search Tools - Size - Large
Good for finding better quality art.

Sprite Art: The Spriters Resource

Best Software: Photshop
Gimp is a acceptable substitute.

Dimensions: Build of a existing cover, Or mesure the case yourself if a cover in your case type does not exist.

Support Group: Feel free to toss any problems my way, Also Google is a good place as well. Tutorials are a novice's best friend.

Do you happen to know the ugc's standard size?

3366 x 2100 (Back 1536 x 2100, Spine 294 x 2100, Front 1536 x 2100).

Most people on the site have a width of 300 on their spines, and 1532 on the front and back covers, but according to Snowcones post ("Templates"), the dimensions I gave you are correct. These measurements are in pixels. This is what you'll be working with if your using GIMP or Photoshop.

[larryinc64]

Sorry, I have been very busy lately and had no time to finish the tutorial I promised, I'll try to do it today, currently I gotta be at work in 1/2 hour.
Is this what you had in mind for NES games?

[kingjohn3]

Sorry, I have been very busy lately and had no time to finish the tutorial I promised, I'll try to do it today, currently I gotta be at work in 1/2 hour.
Is this what you had in mind for NES games?

YES!  Almost  exactly what I was saying!  The ONLY thing different is the top spine logo would be the publisher (capcom, konami, etc) from left to right like the bottom and maybe no red stripe across the top. Other than that there's nothing else I would change.

[larryinc64]

The pic above is part of a tutorial I was making showing how to make that from scratch. It's fairly easy.
I'll post it sometime after work.

[kingjohn3]

Sorry, I have been very busy lately and had no time to finish the tutorial I promised, I'll try to do it today, currently I gotta be at work in 1/2 hour.
Is this what you had in mind for NES games?

YES!  Almost  exactly what I was saying!  The ONLY thing different is the top spine logo would be the publisher (capcom, konami, etc) from left to right like the bottom and maybe no red stripe across the top. Other than that there's nothing else I would change.

Or maybe leave the stripe and just add the publisher name. Man thats as close as I've seen to what I want for all my Nintendo releases. Wouldnt want to make a few dozen covers would you?   

[larryinc64]

Ok, you opened up a random NES cover into Photoshop, I use CS3, so if you are usingCS6 or CS2, processes may vary, but hopefully this sends you on the right path.


2nt: Useful for templates, Blue Guidelines! Open the ruler, shortcut in CS3 is "Ctrl R" Click on the ruler and drag into the image feild, a blue line should appear. I suggest showing what would be the spine with it.


Now create a new layer, Ignore my doodles.


 covert the cover from a BG to a layer, Right click on the layer Background, and select convert BG to layer. This allows the layer to have transparency, and have other layers under it.


Creating a Gradient! Select the gradient too, then click on the image of the gradient on the top bar under "image" It is not pictured here, but clicking that should open this window. Edit the Gradient to your liking.


When you are happy with it, click and drag on your new layer and the gradient should appear like MAGIC!


Now for the stars! Select the brush tool, and fiddle with the settings.


Click randomly. Change size and occupancy also with some of them.


Now move your stary night below the NES cover layer, use the Magic Wand tool select the Black and then defeat it. Holding down shift will make your next click add to what was already selected, Alt will remove. Holding nothing will deselect what was selected and selet the new area. The icons on the top will do the same thing.


For the text, you could re type it or manually select each black part in Ps and Os and Ds and such, or you could select the text with the highlight tool, move it to a new layer and then create another layer underneath the text with Mode: Lighten or something. Then merge the two layers, the layer on top will inherit the bottom layers properties.

Also:
Image => Adjustments ... everything you need for fixing color and contrast and such
Layer => Layer Style ... You can find Drop Shadows and Bevels and such here
Filter ... Sharpen, Blur, and a bunch of filters in here

The best thing to do is just play around in it, try every option on something, see what happens.
I would help make some covers, but I have been very busy lately, and I have my own projects I'm working on, hopefully this tutorial will put you on the right path.

[kingjohn3]

Ok, you opened up a random NES cover into Photoshop, I use CS3, so if you are usingCS6 or CS2, processes may vary, but hopefully this sends you on the right path.


2nt: Useful for templates, Blue Guidelines! Open the ruler, shortcut in CS3 is "Ctrl R" Click on the ruler and drag into the image feild, a blue line should appear. I suggest showing what would be the spine with it.


Now create a new layer, Ignore my doodles.


 covert the cover from a BG to a layer, Right click on the layer Background, and select convert BG to layer. This allows the layer to have transparency, and have other layers under it.


Creating a Gradient! Select the gradient too, then click on the image of the gradient on the top bar under "image" It is not pictured here, but clicking that should open this window. Edit the Gradient to your liking.


When you are happy with it, click and drag on your new layer and the gradient should appear like MAGIC!


Now for the stars! Select the brush tool, and fiddle with the settings.


Click randomly. Change size and occupancy also with some of them.


Now move your stary night below the NES cover layer, use the Magic Wand tool select the Black and then defeat it. Holding down shift will make your next click add to what was already selected, Alt will remove. Holding nothing will deselect what was selected and selet the new area. The icons on the top will do the same thing.


For the text, you could re type it or manually select each black part in Ps and Os and Ds and such, or you could select the text with the highlight tool, move it to a new layer and then create another layer underneath the text with Mode: Lighten or something. Then merge the two layers, the layer on top will inherit the bottom layers properties.

Also:
Image => Adjustments ... everything you need for fixing color and contrast and such
Layer => Layer Style ... You can find Drop Shadows and Bevels and such here
Filter ... Sharpen, Blur, and a bunch of filters in here

The best thing to do is just play around in it, try every option on something, see what happens.
I would help make some covers, but I have been very busy lately, and I have my own projects I'm working on, hopefully this tutorial will put you on the right path.

Hey Larry I actually have paint.net and gimp that I downloaded from cnet. Also ms paint. Do you think you could do a detailed   t ut oriallike you have here using cs3 for these other programs?  I think if I knew terminology and had a picture guide like these that I might be able t ofigure it all out. As of now I am completely clueless in regards to anything like this. but I'm willing to learn