Guides

I'm not sure if this Guide is needed, but a friend recently tried to make an accent in Elements and while I was trying to help her I realized something.... If you didn't know, the FR tutorial on Accent making only shows CS layers and not Elements.These are the layers you see when you load up a skin file in any of the Photoshop CS' programs: [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/df6e26e1f17d230bc2a1daeecaf7918d/tumblr_inline_n137uri0a91qe7o9s.png[/img] Here I'm showing the Female Coatl skin file, but it's the same for every breed. On the other hand this is what you'll find if you open the Element's friendly version of the skin file: [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/b52fe41fdd9dccc927e1e4b6c1969175/tumblr_inline_n137zrvxKO1qe7o9s.png[/img] As you can see, there's no accent group/layers. And if you're not familiar with how to make a Clip Mask well, then you can't really use Elements to make an accent. Now I know [url=https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?e=cs2_downloads]CS2 is now free to download from Adobe[/url] (as long as you have an adobe account), but if you don't have that either because your computer can't handle it, or it doesn't like the file for some reason, and you're stuck with Elements that can be a big, giant, bummer. I'm gonna try to help with that by showing you how to make those missing layers. (Shown is Photoshop CS2 and PS Elements 6.0)

First, lets make a new layer and put it at the very top. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/efe15a265c509494076f00c0b426229a/tumblr_inline_n138o0p2Dx1qe7o9s.png[/img] And since in the CS layers it says "Accent Goes Here", lets make it named that so we don't get confused. Now we're going to duplicate the Shadow and Inks layers. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/ee40bb2bd852d845f74bc0d9d014a9cf/tumblr_inline_n138y0zmAo1qe7o9s.png[/img] Just Right Click and select "Duplicate Layer". A little box will pop up with the option to name the Duplicated Layer. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/4b9a6f11866f74f1312a3e9a3111e786/tumblr_inline_n1392uTuwr1qe7o9s.png[/img] Again, we'll go with what these Layers are originally named in the CS file. "Clip Shadows" and "Clip Lines" We're going to move those above your "Accent Goes Here" Layer. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/76e63899e46f7f708a13663b7d45eb4d/tumblr_inline_n139628sR81qe7o9s.png[/img] We're not done yet, however, since those are just normal layers above everything else. We have to group them with the "Accent Goes Here" layer To do this select your "Clip Lines" layer and go over to the "Layer" Tab. Select "Group with Previous" (Or hit the hotkeys Ctrl+G (Sorry I don't know what they are for Macs)(You can also hold ALT (Option on Macs) and click on the lines separating/between the layers. Your cursor will change into little overlapping circles. There's no image for this since screenshots don't take a picture of your cursor.)) [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/c6b19638eb18812c5e7e1f26f36bc7af/tumblr_inline_n139ee3YsD1qe7o9s.png[/img] It'll make a little arrow pointing down to the layer under it [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/6841fec26be9c7a8cb5aea7a9c542db9/tumblr_inline_n139hfp3IA1qe7o9s.png[/img] Do this again for the "Clip Shadows" Layer. Should end up looking like this: [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/6fcf7175e2b677d0d2977054ba74c20b/tumblr_inline_n139kl1e921qe7o9s.png[/img] We're good to go now! Draw your Accent on the "Accent Goes Here" Layer and have fun! [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/dd275965fbd0771331afe92e0957616d/tumblr_inline_n139oss5dh1qe7o9s.png[/img] Weee! Isn't this FUN. But we're drawing over the whole canvas and out of the lines! That's easy enough to fix. Just select the "Base" Layer (The very last layer of them all) Then select the "Magic Wand" tool [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/8ea4fc3750f9fb2a80643ee3bf2815c3/tumblr_inline_n139tfeVfE1qe7o9s.png[/img] And then with the "All Layers" box unticked you can click anywhere on the inside lines of the art. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/04fe5ea4aa53c2ef5e9f291d0219ccaf/tumblr_inline_n139xpZnyA1qe7o9s.png[/img] Look at all those ants. (Alternatively you can also click on the transparent part of the image and go to Select>Inverse so you're only selecting the inside of the art) Now just select your "Accent Goes Here" Layer and you won't go out of the lines as long as the base continues to be selected! [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/de53b16a36be34a8b4767ea33c519f0f/tumblr_inline_n13a1sHFs01qe7o9s.png[/img] Look, I'm staying in the lines, ma!

As for saving... Because we don't have group layers in Elements you'll need to manually hide all of the layers that don't have to do with the Accent. That means all the layers UNDER your "Accent Goes Here" Layer. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/d58fc2cae727e0ee1dc074b1c012cb26/tumblr_inline_n13c5qxpFv1qe7o9s.png[/img] Once those are all hidden and only your Accent layers are seen it should look something like this: [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/ca6dfc7fe7aac49dd244b51a59e8bb44/tumblr_inline_n13c85LSpx1qe7o9s.png[/img] Only, you know, with an actual accent and not just crazy scribbles. You'll now have to merge your accent layers. Select all your Accent layers by clicking the top layer, holding shift, then clicking the bottom layer, then right click on any of them and select "Merge Visible" (This will rename the newly merged layers to whatever your top layer is called, in this case "Clip Lines") [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/f53ca81f04f4c4b4aa67f1dc534519e4/tumblr_inline_n13cd3ms271qe7o9s.png[/img] I'll take this right out of the FR Tutorial for Skins and Accents: [b]Do not flatten your image[/b]. Doing so will negate the transparent areas of the image. Accents that do not have transparent backgrounds will not be accepted. If you have transparency turned off your dragon will be covered by a giant square of white paint with some accents thrown on top. Now we have to resize this baby. Go to the top tabs and find Image>Resize>Image Size [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/89f71861742f026fb67111fd39bc332f/tumblr_inline_n13cne5rXi1qe7o9s.png[/img] This window should pop up: [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/a15e17eeea09dbc2bca2150d730e5af8/tumblr_inline_n13cs6cmGF1qe7o9s.png[/img] We're going to change the Pixel Size to 350x350 pixels. As long as the "Resample Image: Bicubic" box is ticked you can do this. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/eec611b991176fcf66b280b77d1644e3/tumblr_inline_n13cy55boD1qe7o9s.png[/img] Hit OK and it'll resize it. Now we have to save as a .PNG image. (.PNG will preserve the transparency) Lets go to File>Save for Web... [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/ccd626a704e23e665e47975529f10cc6/tumblr_inline_n13d3uYyLP1qe7o9s.png[/img] A large window little pop up. And for me it covers the whole screen and has two images of your canvas in it. On the right hand side there should be a drop down box right next to "Present:" Find and click on PNG-24 [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/d94b3e97c32543a373e07a05479eb271/tumblr_inline_n13dauzuRB1qe7o9s.png[/img] The settings under the Present: PNG-24 will change. Make sure the Transparency box is ticked. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/17a3afe01234d724fbffd6db6d7d03ff/tumblr_inline_n13ddey8Fx1qe7o9s.png[/img] Click OK and the regular Save As window will pop up. [img]https://31.media.tumblr.com/f53fa5eed9e48fffc150e99992d64444/tumblr_inline_n13dh1uXjw1qe7o9s.png[/img] (Ignore my many, many folders, they are silly.) Save it where you like. In my case, no where since I don't wanna save scribbles. But if I was it'd go in my Flight Rising>Skins folder. Follow the rest of the [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=skins&tab=tutorial]FR Skin/Accent Tutorial[/url], and the [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=skins&tab=info]rules[/url], and you're on your way to making an awesome Accent! (Shown is Photoshop CS2 and PS Elements 6.0)

Did this little guide help you? Then yay! Share and comment and stuff so I know it's appreciated.

This didn't help you? Uh oh, I'm sorry. What didn't it help you with? I wanna know so I can fix it!

I'm not sure if every step is the same with every version of Elements as I only have 6.0 to work with. If it is not, let me know so I can add to the guide.


Edit: Added how to resize and save because I realized it may be a bit different in Elements.

Edit: Sent an email off to the FR staff about the missing accent layers in the Elements files and they have forwarded this onto the art team


@Thalestris

@JinxFlux Great job! I'm a Photoshop user myself, but I'm sure that those who only have access to Elements will find this really helpful! ^w^

@Anukai
Thanks!
Even with CS2 being free I'm sure there's some who will still be stuck or prefer elements. So since I noticed it and figured a way to fix it I thought I might as well help anyone else with the problem. c:

@JinxFlux this is amazing :D

@JinxFlux
Great guide, helped me a great deal. :) Haven't got anything but Elements myself, so I didn't have any other choice than to find a way to make it work.

Thank you so so much for this! I'm wondering, would I use this technique for making a skin as well? I couldn't find a tutorial on skins... thanks again!!

@Rileybean
You can just use the existing layers. No need to make new ones unless that's your style/process.