Warriors Wiki talk:Charart/Apprentice Tutorials

Tutorials Needed
So i came up with a couple of tutorials that could be necessary. Feel free to add to this list.

Programs/Tools

 * Photoshop tools/layers explanation
 * Paint Tool Sai tools/layers explanation
 * paint.NET tools/layers explanation

General

 * Plain cat shading tutorial
 * White cat shading tutorial

Method

 * Blurred shading
 * Smudged shading
 * Explaination of light sources
 * Highlights
 * Shading tint

Advanced

 * Understanding of how cat anatomy affects the fall of shadows/highlights. E.g. File:Mistystar.deputy.alt2.png
 * Understanding of shadows/highlights

Method
'' Note: Users may present in their different styles of texture. These are just some general styles I've noticed. ''
 * Tabby-smudge style
 * Paintbrush style
 * Blurred style
 * Smudged style

Advanced

 * Understanding light and fur texture
 * Texture/shading combo

Tabbies

 * Smudging/blurring tabby stripes
 * Textured tabbies

Tortoiseshells

 * Many different styles of tortoiseshells. Dappled, patched, etc.

Matching

 * Matching an image

Tweaking

 * Tweaking the color of an image
 * Removing a patch
 * Shading tweaks on different cases

11:01, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

Archives 1

=Tutorial Approval= Please post within this section to have your tutorial approved by PCA.

'Please post your tutorials under this section. Burntclaw will come around and approve the tutorials with "Approved.". Please see the tutorials needed below.

Mackarel Video - For Approval
Sorry for talking so much. I didn't know how to skip the time. 06:06, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

Tortoiseshell Video - For Approval
^ 06:06, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

Eyes Tutorial ~ For Approval
I personally updated and saved to my computer long before this was opened. Might as well share my hard work around. Here's the credits for the edits I made:


 * Queen - Bluestar
 * Softpaw – Half Moon
 * Ancient Cat – Hawk Swoop
 * StarClan - Bluestar
 * StarClan kit – Mosskit
 * Dark Forest – Clawface
 * Cats of the Park – Riverstar
 * Early Settler - Shadow 07:52, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

Could you add the Cats of the Park blanks? Also, you might as well state that this is for reference, and that eye shadow changes according to the selected light source. 08:06, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

Vote of tutorials that need updating/elimination
Because it has been a long time since the apprentice tutorials have been open/updated, many of the information here will be deemed as outdated, and as result, there will be a vote to keep/redo /eliminate some of these tutorials. Cast your vote under the heading if you think it should be redone/eliminated or if it should stay. If you think it should be redone or eliminated, put and state if you want it redone or simply gotten rid of. If you vote to keep the tutorial, put down and state the reason why. If you are the OA of the tutorial and happen to wish for a redo on your own tutorial, then you may simply bring it up under the heading with {{comment. STATE YOUR REASON AS TO WHY. If a tutorial receives five votes of yay, then it will be eliminated from the page. If it receives five nay votes then it shall stay was it is. The eye tutorial and the shading placement both need automatic updating due to new blanks and such. When a vote has reached five of either yay or nay, I will come around and render the votes and the reasons as valid, then remove/keep the tutorials as per community consensus. {{User:Burntclaw/Sig}} 05:37, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072241%21PCA_Tut.png

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * The image above does not state the functions of any of the GIMP tools, or the function of layers/clone tool/flip tool etc. I propose a redo on this one. 05:39, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * Agreed. 07:54, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * Agreed. 07:54, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072300%21PCA_Tut.png

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * i suggest this one to be updated for the functioning of photoshop layer functions, and the clipping mask. 05:40, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * some of the text I struggle to read because of the colour. 07:55, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * it also doesn't specify the program :/ 10:25, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072215%21PCA_Tut.png

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * some of the ear pink colors could be updated as they lean too close to orange. 05:41, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * Can also expand a little too. More colours have been coming it recently. 07:56, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * Can also expand a little too. More colours have been coming it recently. 07:56, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

We all know that sometime you just can't describe a colour. You want somebody to darken the image, but when they do, the colour looks weird. You want somebody to lighten the earpink, but when they do, the colour is just off. If you really just want to show the artist the colour the earpink or eyes or pelt really should be, you can just use the. Just save the image to your computer and bucket fill it with the proper colour you want the artist to use, and then reupload the image over the previously mentioned file with what the colour is for, the artist, and the image the colour is for. For example, you could say, if you were uploading an earpink colour for my TB image of Rain. Then you would go to (again, just an example) my section on the Tweak Page and put this code:  under the section. You'd then say "" or whatever you were going to comment on. Remember, guys, the image shouldn't be used every time you want the artist to darken the stripes or lighten the earpink - just when they really don't get it. Hopefully that was helpful.

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * I think this could be worded to be clearer, and the image linked does not work. 05:42, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * I'm confused by this, tbh
 * ^ 07:58, November 16, 2015 (UTC)



Eliminate?/Redo?

 * the shading is quite blotchy and flat on this
 * confusing light source too. 07:59, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * The shading is really flat. 10:24, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229071938%21PCA_Tut.png - Fill it in with the paint bucket (GIMP) with a dark gray color.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229071949%21PCA_Tut.png - Make a new layer. Name it "Shading" and with a size 9 black brush, add the various shading areas in.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072127%21PCA_Tut.png - Blur by going to "Gaussian Blur" and blur it at any rate between 15.0 and 40.0.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072015%21PCA_Tut.png - This is optional. Create a new layer and with white, dot areas that you'd have highlights on.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072056%21PCA_Tut.png - Now, blur it with the same rate you blurred your shading at. Change the layer mode to multiply.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072139%21PCA_Tut.png - Make a new layer. This is for the ear pink. With the path tool, make a triangle. Press enter on your keyboard, then fill it in. Then, press Ctrl + Shift + A. Blur your ear pink.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072159%21PCA_Tut.png - Eyes now. Go on the background layer and put in four pixels. I used blue. For the eye color, I usually put one lighter pixel at the top on the left side, underneath it with a tad darker color, then a really darker color. Then I put two pixels for the pupil and white.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229073355%21PCA_Tut.png - On the background layer fill it in with a color you haven't used in your charart before. Then color select it and press delete on your keyboard on every layer. You now have a clean picture, ready to be put for approval. 03:12, September 11, 2011 (UTC)

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I can redo it with a video. 06:09, November 16, 2015 (UTC)
 * because the OA wants a redo, then I will archive this and delete the image from the tutorial page. Icy can put up the new version under the approval section. 07:23, November 16, 2015 (UTC)



Eliminate?/Redo?

 * very flat shading

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229080540%21PCA_Tut.png Step 1 - Make a layer below your lineart and fill it with your white. I usually use one or two shades away from pure white.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229080636%21PCA_Tut.png Step 2 - On a new layer, block in your shading. The key on white cats is to not make your shading too thick, otherwise it will spread over the entire image when you blur the shading, making the image look gray.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229080651%21PCA_Tut.png Step 3 - Blur/smudge your shading as desired.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229080716%21PCA_Tut.png Step 4 - Though this step is optional, a nice trick is to pick a color a shade or two lighter than you the darkest you want your shading to be. Then lock the opacity of your shading layer, and paint bucket over it. Set the layer to multiply and leave it at that. By doing this, you ensure your image will never be darker than you want it.

If you don't want to do this step, set your layer to multiply anyways, and change your black shading's opacity till it looks right.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229080822%21PCA_Tut.png Step 5 - Finally, add earpink and eyes and remove the waste. Just a tip on removing waste, it's sometimes a good idea to not remove the waste on your shading layer if it's on multiply. The waste won't show up as long as it's set to that, and leaving it there will make blurring easier later if you need to.

Hope this helped.

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * it's fine

''I use GIMP and Paint, but you're free to skip where I use Paint and use GIMP instead. I just find Paint to be a simpler program to use.''

Step 1: Insert image into Paint.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065728%21PCA_Tut.png Step 2: Fill in base fur colour. Now, we're going to making this little guy grey-and-black, because he's just awesome like that.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065736%21PCA_Tut.png Step 3: Add markings. Woah, woah, WOAH. It's green. Don't worry kiddies, I did that on purpose :3 It's a lot easier to separate the markings into layers if the black is a neon colour. Like green.

''Add image into GIMP. On Paint, go to Select, then Select All. Copy the image (or press CTRL + c). Go to GIMP, click File, then underneath New, it should say Create, with a little arrow beside it. Hover over that, and then click on From Clipboard. Your image should show up, in its own layer. Be sure to right click on the layer and select Add Alpha Channel, or it won't be transparent. On the subject of transparency, see here for information how to make an image transparent on GIMP. If your cat has markings (tabby stripes, patches, ect.) use the Select by Colour Tool to select all of the marking colour in an image. Then I cut the selection (CTRL + z), and re-paste it (CTRL + v), effectively starting a new layer. Create a new layer (don't ask why, it just works) and there you go. Now, select all the colour in the marking layer and go back down to the layer you started on. Use the dropper tool to select the base fur colour, then use the bucket tool to fill in the now-transparent markings.''

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065758%21PCA_Tut.png Step 4: Okay, now you should have an image that's transparent and on two separate layers, but the markings are still green! This is simple to fix. Simply using the Select by Colour Tool, select the green (durr) and use the bucket tool to fill it in with black. I advise not to use pure black; it's very hard to shade. Use a really dark grey.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065826%21PCA_Tut.png Step 5: Blur those markings. Now, if you can't tell, I really love my Smudge Tool - maybe a little too much - so if you just want to have him solidly black (like Barley), simply use the Blur Tool, not too aggressively.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065837%21PCA_Tut.png Step 6: Because of the smudging, it looks more like dark grey instead of black right now, so I just used my Burn Tool to make the markings a little darker. Moving on.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065904%21PCA_Tut.png Step 7: Add some shading. Be sure to start a new layer. I tend to use three shading layers - one for the tail, head, and main body, one for the two legs closest to us, and one for the legs and ear farthest from us - but it's really not necessary. It just makes it easier to blur the way I do it.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065851%21PCA_Tut.png Step 7: Blur, using Gaussian Blur. I usually set it to 7 and repeat it a couple times, but that's also not necessary. You can set it anywhere from 5 to 20 and it'll look fine.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229065914%21PCA_Tut.png Step 8: Now set the layer mode to Multiply. This makes any shading outside the blank invisible, but doesn't delete it, in case you want to blur it more later on. Then, drag the layer opacity to wherever you see fit.

''If you don't use highlights, you can skip this part and go straight to step 11. However, I recommend you use them for an image like this.''

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229070001%21PCA_Tut.png Step 9: Start a new layer, and do this <--- with your Paintbrush. We're making highlights!

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229070019%21PCA_Tut.png Step 10: You already know how to blur, so I'm skipping that step. However, for highlights, you should probably set the layer mode to Overlay, then reduce the opacity. You don't have to, but...

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229070041%21PCA_Tut.png Step 11: Add earpink, and you're done! You can use this method for any type of dual-coloured cats, even for tortoiseshells.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229071926%21PCA_Tut.png ''And here's what he'd look like in black-and-white! Fascinating, no?'' 01:54, December 6, 2011 (UTC)

Eliminate?/Redo?
http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/2/2f/20130121021951!Shellyheart.png

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * lots of triangular tabbies

Hi everyone! I'm Splook, and I'm here to show you how to do my favorite kind of tabby: the thin tabby! I'm using the program GIMP. Open your blank and color select the white inside of it. Press delete, then go up to the top toolbar and press "select" < "none." Then make a new layer and put it behind the lineart layer.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072436%21PCA_Tut.png I'm going to do a brown tabby. Fill in the whole blank with your chosen color. ''Make sure the whole blank is colored. ''Now make a new layer above the base layer and name it "stripes."

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072532%21PCA_Tut.png Put the brush on the smallest possible (make sure the scale is 1.00) and put stripes across the whole image. Connect them, go across the blank, do whatever you want! I like to make sure that every somewhat large spot of empty space is covered.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072554%21PCA_Tut.png Go to the blur tool (the teardrop tool)and put the scale on the largest it can be. Lower the rate to 30 or 20 (this was at 30) and swipe across the blank two times. Now create a new layer named "shading" above this layer.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072616%21PCA_Tut.png Choose a color darker than the pelt and draw in the appropriate areas. Now go back to the blur tool and raise the rate as high as it can go (100) and blur it together. (or use guassian blur.)

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072632%21PCA_Tut.png After blurring, it should look like this. Go to the box where you have your layers and change the mode from normal to multiply. Lower the opacity to your liking. Now make a new layer for your eyes and highlights.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072657%21PCA_Tut.png Fill in the ear and eye. Now go to your base layer and fill the outside of the lineart with neon color (or a color you didn't use.) Color select then delete. Press delete on all your layers. This gets rid of the waste.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072711%21PCA_Tut.png And there's your thin tabby cat! I don't use highlights, my "highlights" are the light source. Thank you for your time and happy charart making! 19:57, August 14, 2012 (UTC)

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * it's fine and this is the tutorial I used for my first charart. I found the steps really clear.



Eliminate?/Redo?
Here is how I make my torties:

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072313%21PCA_Tut.png First colour pick the line art and put it on a new layer and colour in the background with the dark base colour, usually black or dark brown

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072323%21PCA_Tut.png Then add another layer and add splashes of a lighter colour, usually a shade of ginger, and smudge with circle brush 3 at a rate of 60, and then blur at a rate of 25-30

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072332%21PCA_Tut.png You can repeat step 2 for every colour you want, but adding more than 3 usually looks too busy, so try to stick with 2-3 different colours.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072347%21PCA_Tut.png Then add another layer for shading. I use solid black, but any dark colour would work. Just paint it where the shading would go, erase where the highlights would be, and blur really well.

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072406%21PCA_Tut.png Then lower the layer’s transparency until you have a nice balance between shading and coat colour. I set it to 39

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072417%21PCA_Tut.png Then add one more layer for the ear pink and eye colour

http://images.wikia.com/warriors/images/archive/1/17/20121229072427%21PCA_Tut.png Now the most important step, go to the line art layer and select outside the line art (using fuzzy select). Then go through all the layers hitting Crtl+X and that will get rid of all the waste on the outside.

And there's your finished tortoishell. I would probably be told to lighten the shading, but I'm partial to dark shading so it looked fine to me. There's lots of different kinds of tortieshells, like a dark one like Redtail, tortieshell and white like Cherrytail and calico like Poppyfrost.

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * it looks grey, and this contracts with the new tortoiseshell≠tortoiseshell and white rule. 08:05, November 16, 2015 (UTC)



Eliminate?/Redo?
Here is some ways to change up the lineart to match the character decription better. A few things to make sure of:
 * Make the new lineart thick
 * Check the box that says "Hard Edge" when erasing to make sure you get it all
 * Double check to make sure there's no waste

Chances are this is the only type of lineart change you will need to make. Its simple. Just erase the ears tip and draw in the new gap using true black. Some good examples are Lionheart, Yellowfang and Bluestar. Another likely lineart change is patchy fur. You can see some examples on Dappletail and Stoneteller, or for really patchy fur, Running Horse Pretty much the same steps as the torn ear. All lineart changes are basically the same. Erase, redraw, fiddle with it, put it for approval. Easy peasy. Heres some more abnormalities: Stumpy tails like Halftail and my favorite, Berrynose Ragged fur like Silverhawk and Raggedstar Twisted feet like Oddfoot and Cinderpelt Tuffed ears like Redtail and Tawnyspots A crooked jaw like Crookedstar

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * 08:10, November 16, 2015 (UTC)

''These are how I use layers. Feel free to add in other methods.''
 * Layers are such an invaluable tool for me. You don't have to worry about blurring the lineart, and it makes charart creation so much easier. I typically use three layers in GIMP.


 * Eye: Pretty self-explanatory. Make all pixilations of the eye in this top layer.
 * 1) Lineart: The lineart. Unless the character has a physical flaw that you need to work into the lineart, this layer should remain untouched.
 * 2) Color: Add all color other than eye color here. Add all your shading and highlights here.


 * To add in layers, click the button I've circled in purple. A box will pop up with information in it. For our purposes, just change the name if you want and ignore everything else.


 * To change a layer's name, double click its name in the layer box you see above.

Eliminate?/Redo?


In the first picture, (The top left one) you see that in a new layer, I put black in pencil where I want my shading to be. There are many different spots to put shading, remember, not only one way.

In the second picture, (The top right one), you see that I am going to guassian blur it. To guassian blur, go to Filter, then blur, and then guassian blur. Put it at a rate from around 15 to 23. Mine is at 20. Once you have set the rate you wish to blur it at, click OK.

Lastly, lower the opacity of the shading layer. It depends on how dark you want your shading. In the bottom picture, you see that I put my opacity at 38.7.

When you are done, you can always tweak the shading, such as using the blur tool to blur some parts, or changing the opacity number. If you blur some parts, make sure to put it at a higher rate. Remember that you can get very creative with shading, there isn't just one way to do it.

Eliminate?/Redo?

 * shading's over blurred



Eliminate?/Redo?

 * old blank. And the shading is still looking grey and flat. 08:01, November 16, 2015 (UTC)



Eliminate?/Redo?

 * 11:04, November 16, 2015 (UTC)



Eliminate?/Redo?

 * dodge/burn usually results in excessively saturated and unnatural colors. There are much mor efficient ways to do this, and dodge/burn tbh is not a really good method. 10:22, November 16, 2015 (UTC)



Eliminate?/Redo?

 * what is this