PERFECT SPRITE EXTRACTION

[Endoperez]

I use MsPaint for the extraction because it's very quick to use and to open. Once I define the image size to 64x64 it's very easy to paste, copy unit, ctrl+n for new 64x64 blank, paste, edit and save. I could do the same in Gimp, but it opens much more slowly.

I use IrfanView to open Paint-saved .bmp files and to save them as targa files Dominions uses.

I use Gimp when I need to change the colors of the unit or of (some of) its equipment. It's easy to change e.g. all blue of a Ranger's (LA Ulm) clothes to green. The things you want to be able to do are:
1) use the color changing/shifting tools, and the blurring tools
2) use various selection tools (by area, all similar color, the magic wand selector tool) to restrict e.g. the blurring or the color shift into just parts of the sprite
3) use the basic tools for pixel-by-pixel editing to change one weapon to a different one, or to make a shield or change the shield's type, or to add a symbol, or to make an attack sprite.
4) use layers.


Examples:
You take a LA Ulm Ranger: a crossbowman clad in green. You choose a correct option from the toolbar and get to a window that lets you change all blue in the picture to a different hue, e.g. green. the boots are now discolored, so you paste another ranger into another layer, copy the original boots and paste them on the green one. Ta-da: a William Tell the Marksman!

You take a Vanir, and remove the horse. You take a Wyvern. You select the Wyvern's wing and move it into a separate layer. You add the riderless Vanir to a third layer. You realign the layers so that the rear wing is behind the Vanir, but the front wing is before him. Ta-da: a Wyvern Knight!

[Foodstamp]

You make it sound so easy. I may take a stab at graphic editing.

[Gandalf Parker]

Using a paint program is fun but learning layers sucks IMHO

[Endoperez]

Foodstamp said:
You make it sound so easy. I may take a stab at graphic editing.

I have a week of free time. I might make a few simple tutorials, mainly about which tools of Gimp you want to use.

Many nice tools affect the whole layer, so I move copy sprites into new layers pretty often, then use recoloring tool to change their color. Sometimes I have two-three layers of these recolored sprites, with various transparency settings, so that one makes a Great Eagle red, another (recolored orange and with high contrast and adjusted brightness) gives its wings bright red-yellow tips, and a third is another red eagle, almost transparent, that softens the deep shadows of the high-contrast layer a bit. SAttached, and shown below, is a double-size version of a sprite I posted into Fiery Caelum thread. Don't use this jpg in mods!



EDIT:
As for Gandalf's comment...

I can make new layers, and paste content into them. I can also adjust their transparency level. That's all I do with layers, and it already allows all kinds of tricks. At least with Gimp's interface, it isn't hard.

[Gandalf Parker]

I tried to get gimp to do what I wanted. Working with maps of course. The white dots are the most important part of a map. You cant let them get fuzzied or smeared. I tried to grab all of the white dots to a layer for safekeeping. Then the border lines of the map into a layer. Then do some colorations to the map (such as blurs). And make the borders abit transparent. Then paste the layers back together.
Its.. um.. on my list of things to learn.

[Juzza]

I use CorelDraw for stuff like saving it as a TGA file and changing colours, I do all my other work in paint, I find it simple and easy, unlike Corel which is like, woa!!

And if a fifteen year old can do it so can all of you!!

[Foodstamp]

Ok Endo, you inspired me to give it a shot. Here is a Captain of Rohan I created using the Equite of the Sacred Shroud as the base unit. It took me about 30 minutes to make the unit because I am terribly slow and art is not my thing at all. But for a first attempt, I am really pleased with the results.

[Endoperez]

Very good! Congrats for getting started. It takes time, but the results are usually quite good when you have a good sprite or several which you use for reference. Copypasting and color-changing usually gives me the best results. You can get pretty fancy units if you remove the horse of a mounted unit, take sprite of a glamourous/ethereal unit and don't give it either, remove and/or add cape, wings, shield or mount. My avatar is a Horse Brother without a horse, my Warlord from Ulm Upgrade is LA Ulm Zweihänder with Black Lord's cape, Wyvern and DomII Daoine Sidhe (Van dressed in green) make a good Wyvern Knight, etc.

[Foodstamp]

I need a break from modding, I may retire to doing graphics a bit, kinda fun

[BandarLover]

[/quote]

I have a week of free time. I might make a few simple tutorials, mainly about which tools of Gimp you want to use.



[/quote]

Huzza!! A tutorial on how to make units is exactly what I'm looking for!! I use to be O.K. with Illustrator but that was many years ago, and I've forgotten much since then. I NEED tutorials to walk me thru the process a couple of times before I feel comfortable doing things on my own. You'll be my friend forever if you do this Endo.

And I feel sure I qualify as the 'any fool' Sombre mentioned earlier in this post.