fullMETAL

<p>Here's an idea or two:</p><p> - In your gradient settings, make the color that'll be in the middle into a darker one.</p><p> - On a much larger document, make a vertical Linear gradient (instead of a Reflected/whatever your program calls it) with your "center" color on the left, the dark color on the right, and make sure the gradient has plenty of room to switch from the left to the right (you might want to play with the position of the "color stop", which is usually a white dot on the bottom of the gradient setting bar). Then you duplicate, flip horizontally (so you have a darker-lighter-darker gradient), rotate -45 degrees (or whichever rotation you're most comfortable with), seam your two layers together with Flatten (making sure it looks like a Reflected gradient beforehand), then import into your logo as the background, and scale it down however you like.</p><p> - Play around with Brightness/Contrast settings, lowering one or both of them. Similarly, you may also want to play around with your Hue/Saturation settings and (while upping the Saturation), lower the Brightness.</p><p> - On your Levels setting, bring the middle tick towards the darker end, and don't bother with the hard-brightness setting on the bottom of the dialog.</p><p> - Render a layer of Clouds using White/Black as the colors, then Invert them, and use the layer lighting to make it Overlay or Soft Light the gradient background.</p><p> </p><p> Any of these (or any combination of these) ideas may work. But the easiest one is to make a diagonal darker-lighter-darker gradient with the middle (the lighter, but not TOO light) having plenty of space to transition to the darker corners.</p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="legend43" data-cite="legend43" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26152" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>First time poster, long-long time lurker here.<p> </p><p> As the rest of the board I'm a huge admirer of your work, Kamchatka – those logos are simply tremendous.</p><p> </p><p> I've made some logos myself (simple ones), but one thing I've been trying to do for quite som time now is to make the backgrounds in the same cool style as you (and the C-Verse ones) – that is with only one color, and slightly darker on the top right and lower left sides («a corner fade background», as you once called it).</p><p> </p><p> I was wondering if you perhaps would like to share how you do that?</p><p> </p><p> I'm using Gimp, and have successfully made backgrounds where one of the corners are darker in the same style (using the 'Blend Tool', with the 'FG to BG' gradient and 'Linear' shape, the rest default, crossing diagonal). However, when I try to make both corners darker (with 'Bi-linear' shape) I end up with a bright stripe in the center that clashes horrendously with the rest. I've tried changing the opacity and offset levels to all kinds of different combinations, but with no success.</p><p> </p><p> Any help here would be highly appreciated.</p><p> </p><p> ~Legend43~</p></div></blockquote>

<p>Here's the "easy" way to get it down to 150x150:</p><p> </p><p> first you resize and change the height to 150, leaving "proportional" checked on (which means you'll get, like 200x150 or something), then change your canvas width (in the Canvas Size under your Image menu or whatever) to 150, leaving the anchor point centered (rather than a corner or something).</p><p> </p><p> Hope this helped!</p>

See, here I am thinking Tommy Cornell wants to make TCW more "cutting edge" than SWF, and he'd use a "scratchier" font for TCW inside of the oval. Like Beast Wars or the NO FEAR font or something. Cornell doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who wants to be mired in the "classic" era of wrestling, you know? That's why I always end up scratching my head when I see these TCW logos where the font on the big text is plain or blocky or even a little techno. You know?

<p>Just putting the 3 belts together to see how they look together...</p><p> <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt=":D" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />:D:cool:<img alt=":)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/smile.png.142cfa0a1cd2925c0463c1d00f499df2.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> Ahhhh, kismet.</p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="ReapeR" data-cite="ReapeR" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26082" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>NWA: Joshi Power<p> World Women's Championship, Lovely Angels Championship, Devil Woman Crown</p><p> <span>http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n230/jhall2129/TEW%202010/NWAJPWomens.jpg</span><span>http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n230/jhall2129/TEW%202010/NWAJPLovelyAngels.jpg</span><span>http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n230/jhall2129/TEW%202010/NWAJPDevilWoman.jpg</span></p></div></blockquote>

Reap, you are absolutely something else. You're like Manna from Heaven on this forum, really. Those belts are just beyond what I could've hoped for, and I'll probably be making more requests as a result once you re-open them.

Those 2 are absolutely beautiful, Reap. I can honestly say I couldn't have done better myself (I maybe could've done as well, but certainly not better). I can't wait to see what the 3rd one ends up as.

Yup, what he said. BTW, @ Stennick: "contouring" is in the Bevel & Emboss section in the Layer Properties option in PhotoShop. Also, PS is the shorthand for PhotoShop, naturally. Thus: "PS contouring" refers to the Bevel & Emboss in PhotoShop. Hope I was helpful.

Nah, it's not a photograph (and it certainly ain't YOUR giant leather pic, Lin), it's just his usual PS contouring presets. I would know, as I've saved them to MY presets as a result of perusing his publicly-offered PSDs (and the ones he sent me of my old requests).

Reap, you do an awesome job as usual. Also, here's a "temporary" logo for my Joshi Power belts for you to use. http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Miscellaneous/ft-JoshiPower.png

I hope you're just listing the ones you've gotten to, because my previous request (which I made on my birthday, no less) is still on your queue, right?

<p>Reap, that NWA National is genius.</p><p> Even my version (which I pitched to replace the default one that comes with the game) can't hold a candle to yours. <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> <span>http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/OriginalBelt08.jpg</span></p>

Take a look at these belts that somebody had made for the Fire Pro-based fed C-CWA back in the day. (I didn't make these) http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Miscellaneous/C-CWA_ClassicBelts.png Got a good look yet? All right. Around 2002 I'd offered the owner a new belt for the main title (with possible new belts for the rest) and this is the Beltenstein I'd sent him. He understandably turned it down (but for the wrong reasons): http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Miscellaneous/ccwaworld-byFM.jpg So last night I revisited these belts and made a commemorative TEW belt version of the C-CWA Title to commemorate my find: http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/Renders/C-CWAWorld_lg.jpghttp://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/C-CWAWorld.jpg I'll probably go through the rest later. Also, here's a preview of the new Beltensteins I'd just made for returning e-fed UCWF, before they even get to see them: (Note: the strap itself behind the plates is entirely custom-made by me using my inimitable TEW belt-making style ) http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Miscellaneous/UCWF_HW-2010.jpg http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Miscellaneous/UCWF_US-2010.jpg http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Miscellaneous/UCWF_TT-2010.jpg (I've taken more to experimenting with pieces of plates lately, just so it doesn't feel like I'm TOTALLY wholesale ripping off plates)

And also, the ring isn't smaller, it's just that the ropes are being moved further in. Probably.

They're using the stupid names because WWE gets to OWN those stupid names and market them. It would take incredibly short-sighted stupidity on the part of Hennig and Rotunda to let WWE merchandise the family names without a great benefit to them. Think about it this way--WWE can't make any money from "Rey Mysterio Jr.", but they can make BOATLOADS from "Rey Mysterio" (taking the "Jr." away), because they OWN the merchandising rights to "Rey Mysterio" (sans Jr.) but not to "Rey Mysterio Jr.". Similarly, CM Punk, Rob Van Dam, Booker T (BEFORE "King Booker") and the myriad of other known stars who came to WWE and kept their names were likely benefitting from a partnership agreement in terms of merchandising. Remember, it's why we change people's names when we contract them in TEW (well SOME of us do, anyway), and why TNA marketed Low-Ki as "Senshi" (and why WWE is marketing him as "Kaval"). It's why Undertaker is "Undertaker" and not "Mean Mark Callous" or "The Punisher". People can recognize the person, but if they get to keep their name, that means the COMPANY is missing out on money. And we all know "It's all about the mon-ey..." (/Vince) (and of course, there are certain to be exceptions, like Matt and Jeff Hardy)

Finished these for 20LEgend: http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/Renders/DEAD_lg.jpghttp://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/DEADWorld.jpg http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/Renders/DEAD_KO_lg.jpghttp://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/DEADKO.jpg

Weapons of Mass DISTRACTION! HA

That first one's very nice looking, but I worry about the eagle's wings when the belt gets worn over and over (something similar results in the TNA Title being sent in for repairs WAY too often). Kinda kidding, awesome belts. I especially like the shape of the 2nd belt's center.

I was pre-emptively requesting that nobody flame him about it, because there will inevitably be the "that's ReapeR's belt, you just put a ribbon logo on it" complaint. Sometimes verb tense gets lost in type. (shrug)

A good place to start for centerpieces is to Google Image Search the terms "globe stencil", "eagle stencil", and "lion stencil"--since those are the most common centerpieces on belts. "Barbed Wire" yields some pretty usable results. Then you can expand beyond stencils, try to find other variations, other birds, other large cats (maybe large dogs), and play around with your filters to make them look belt-able (like using Bas Relief, Find Edges/Glowing Edges, Posterize/Poster Edges, Cutout, etc.). In Fireworks though, you've gotta use more ingenuity with your filtering (and get Xenofex and Alien Skin, seriously) to get good results. But regardless of which gfx prog you use, gradients ARE indeed your friend. Experiment with the other types (besides Linear/Reflect), like how ReapeR makes his shine using the Angle gradient and some Adobe-Fu. Sometimes I use Contour gradients (Fireworks) and Fireworks-Fu, but mostly on the strap. Sometimes subtle texturing for the strap is best (but not so subtle that you can't see it when it shrinks to a 200x100 belt pic), but there was a giant 10MB PNG a page or 2 back that had a bunch of Leather textures on it that you could use to good effect. Also, shape layers rather than bitmap layers, because paths are editable after you finish and you'll have to almost start from scratch with rasterized layers.

Excellent logo work, laz (though you can tell rather easily that the logo ribbon was just pasted on, you'll have to work on that). You may just have gotten your start in Beltensteining. (Please, nobody flame him for modding a ReapeR belt, he's just doing a logo mod, that's all)

Payne, you never cease to amaze. Someday, I'LL be a big enough belt maker here for you and Reap to hijack MY belt threads. :lol:

That's a pretty nice first effort! And yeah, some color alterations (along with some playing-around-with of gradients) would really make it POP.

Hey 20LEgend, you've still got a couple of belt requests with me that need filling. PM me with what 2 belts you want me to make for you.

Finished these for BobInc's "Wrestling Queens" mod: http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/Renders/RoseofRoses_lg.jpghttp://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/RRRoseofRoses.jpg http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/Renders/BouquetofRoses_lg.jpghttp://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/RRBouquetofRoses.jpg http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/Renders/DOAWomens_lg.jpghttp://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/DOAWomens.jpg And this one for the FPC (Fire Pro Club): http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/Renders/FPCPPWorld_lg.jpghttp://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Belts/FPC-PPWorld.jpg

And just for fun, a spreadable meme GIF I made myself. http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx166/FullMetalitia/Miscellaneous/Copenhagen.gif