SYN LAST LAUGH'S APPLICATION

[SYN Last Laugh]

1) SYN Last Laugh
2) Photoshop CS6
3) A couple years on and off.
4) SYN Outlaws.

I left XG in 2013. Before that, I was both a freelance designer for XD, as well as a member of XDC multiple times. I’d leave and come back to XDC depending on the amount of time I had for gaming. It was my way of staying in the community and doing graphics when I didn’t have enough time for a gaming clan. Always had a lot of fun, always loved being there. Below are signatures I’ve made already. For the most part, they are in the order that they were made (oldest being first). Some are out of order but would be from the same general time period. Most of it is just what I still have from when I was making them for the community. The newest ones are the test images. I made them while waiting for my Grass is Greener post to be resolved in hopes that I would be allowed to rejoin the community. And I knew if I was allowed, I’d want to be a freelance designer again. So here we go….

Version1:

Version 2:

 

[TheRealMrNUGGET]

*disclaimer*
The Application area is more like a boot camp than an application process. The design team members are more concerned with helping you grow as a designer and therefore will give more CnC than praise. Please do not take CnC personally, as it is just an opinion that can be used to fine tune your sigs. There is no time frame on how long your application will take. This is due to that fact that in your application we would like to see your growth as a designer, your attitude towards design, and much more. Please do not pick up/ fill any requests until you are excepted onto the team (if you would like you base signatures in your applications off of a request please add a link to the request with the post).

That being said, thank you for applying to the design team!

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

I know the drill. Looking forward to it all.

I'd also like to add that I know the community generally uses a 500x200 standard, but that's always too big and bulky for my taste so mine are 400x150.

 

[TheRealMrNUGGET]

I'm on my phone right now so I don't wanna CnC you just yet, but your sigs look good. Also whatever size you choose is fine as long as it's not larger than 500x200

 

[XGC Muggle]

I love your work!

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

Thanks I owe it all to XG. Before them, I didn't know the difference between photoshop and paint lol

 

[TheRealMrNUGGET]

Thanks I owe it all to XG. Before them, I didn't know the difference between photoshop and paint lol

so im on my laptop now, and your sigs look nice. you definitely have your basics down. id say the thing to work on is different blending techniques. many look to have been blended with the blur tool (which isnt bad) but it's definitely not the only way to blend.

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

so im on my laptop now, and your sigs look nice. you definitely have your basics down. id say the thing to work on is different blending techniques. many look to have been blended with the blur tool (which isnt bad) but it's definitely not the only way to blend.

Good eye. I generally blend with both the blur tool and the eraser. I also have multiple layers behind the finished render with different blur effects (Like gaussian blur, motion blur, radial blur). I don't like the way feathering comes out, so I generally stay away from it.

 

[TheRealMrNUGGET]

Using the contract option with the feather tool helps. Lighting and shadows should also be used with feathering.

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

The next one I make (probably Thursday) I'll try out the feathering. If I don't like the way it looks, I'll use smudging or just the eraser tool and stay away from blurring (except for depth).

 

[XGC Browncoat]

Another good way to get some blending is to use different resources, such as C4Ds, to cover parts of the render. This is clearly my personal favourite, lol. Also this way does help to add some depth.

Here are a few examples:

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

Yeah, that is definitely something I have to work on. C4Ds in general, I've never been too good with. I always use too little or too much, but I love the way they look. Like the one in your signature.

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

A bit different than what I normally do, but thought it came out decent. Used textures to blend it, and a slight eraser in some areas.

 

[TheRealMrNUGGET]

On my phone right now so I don't wanna go to deep on the CnC. What I will say is that you've got 2 focal points; this confuses the eye. The rule of thirds would help with this. If you put the trophy closer to/ behind the player it will be crisper to the eye

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

On my phone right now so I don't wanna go to deep on the CnC. What I will say is that you've got 2 focal points; this confuses the eye. The rule of thirds would help with this. If you put the trophy closer to/ behind the player it will be crisper to the eye

I agree with that, which is why I never use two renders but this was a request (directly to me, not the design team. I didn't break any rules I swear. ). I originally thought about fading the trophy more, but I decided to go with a more artistic take on it. (The reason why I said it's different than I normally do it). With the trophy and the player at equal strengths, it draws your eye to the middle - the faded out team. Then from there you see their accomplishment (the trophy), and then after, a star player.

I originally had text as well, though it was a terrible color, which helped make the player the focal point. Here's it for reference sake.

I also didn't like the text because of the way I chose to stagger it. I'd fix it and reupload it but I'm on my desktop and I only have PS on my laptop.

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

Just made this one. Rule of 3rds. Practice with C4D. No blur for blending. Extremely happy with the outcome, slightly iffy on the "fire" in the upper right hand corner.

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

After seeing it uploaded, went back and smudged some of the lines that threw off the flow of it all. The smudging needs some fine tuning still.

 

[XGC Browncoat]

I like it, there are just a few things that I have to say about it though. The first being there really isn't much of a light source and the one that you have is a little weak. I probably would have used two, a strong one in the bottom left corner, and a weaker one to the right of his head. Also just to add a little more depth try making the edges of the signature darker where there isn't lighting.

 

[TheRealMrNUGGET]

After seeing it uploaded, went back and smudged some of the lines that threw off the flow of it all. The smudging needs some fine tuning still.

You said you didn't much like the fire in the upper right corner, but I think it's really good. It adds to the depth because it is darker and a little blurrier. I have to agree with browncoat. A nice light in the upper left would work nicely.

 

[SYN Last Laugh]

Yeah, i'm going to mess around with it and try that. I had used render>light originally, but then I put so many layers over it that it seemingly disappeared.

I'll repost it once I fix those things. Is there anything specific you guys would like to see from me?