Recently I have been spending some of my free time trying to help new texture artists learn the basics and to become better at making texture packs. Thre are a few errors which many beginers make that I would like to correct and to help them to keep from making the same mistake again. Some of these are just my opinion on what a good texture should be like though.
First, try to do your best to avoid using black on 16x or lower resolution packs. EXCEPTION: Obsidian can use black, but not a complete black, the minimum brightness is 10.
Second, don't ever just put a filter over a default texture, try to edit the texture by hand. A trick for doing this is to erase the original block and to start over with a blank square.
Third, check how the blocks fit together. If they don't fit together the way you wanted them to, go back and edit it! Repeat this until yo get it just right.
Fourth, never use someone elses textures in your pack without permission. If you do get permission, make sure to put thier name in the post giving credit to them. Also, Painterly packs don't count as your own original work, be sure to give credit.
Lastly, in the end it is your pack, don't let any negative comments out you down.
Keep Texturing!
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The official Bluebird continuation is underway! Please come and help keep the pack alive!
One trick you left out there, which saves much time in some cases.
For anyone with a good and decent computer, with at least 4GB ram/memory. There is a way to make life simpler. Say you making a 128x128 texture pack, per block/item you are making a texture for, make a new layer and make it 128x128 pixels. Move this layer to square up EXACTLY with the block/item you are remaking. This will prevent over lapping near by textures and causing unwanted things to happen.
Sure it is time consuming, but in the end, makes life more easy. Also rem to use grids if you know how, or rulers "like photoshops rulers".
Now that is said, decent tips there. Making stone/dirt/grass/snow and etc tile up right and not stand out per block is not easy, but when done, be proud of yourself.
One trick you left out there, which saves much time in some cases.
For anyone with a good and decent computer, with at least 4GB ram/memory. There is a way to make life simpler. Say you making a 128x128 texture pack, per block/item you are making a texture for, make a new layer and make it 128x128 pixels. Move this layer to square up EXACTLY with the block/item you are remaking. This will prevent over lapping near by textures and causing unwanted things to happen.
Sure it is time consuming, but in the end, makes life more easy. Also rem to use grids if you know how, or rulers "like photoshops rulers".
Now that is said, decent tips there. Making stone/dirt/grass/snow and etc tile up right and not stand out per block is not easy, but when done, be proud of yourself.
I use MTE which lets me open each individual block as it's own file.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The official Bluebird continuation is underway! Please come and help keep the pack alive!
Is anyone saying same-sex couples can't love each other? I love my children. I love my friends, my brother. Heck, I even love my mother-in-law. Should we call these relationships marriage, too?" –Rick Santorum
I fixed it for you.
I can understand that this is meant to be useful, but, it really isn't. A bad graphic artist won't look at this, because the bad ones are the ones that think,"This is amazing and could never be improved!" and that is the only percentage of graphic 'artists' that could use any of these tips. They're all common sense.
Now, Flutterwry, I have to disagree with your tactics on keeping tiles from 'overlapping'.
The easy way to do it is to have each tile made in it's own [size] file, preferably saved individually, in an organized manner. This is especially helpful when you make textures using multiple layers.
I fixed it for you.
I can understand that this is meant to be useful, but, it really isn't. A bad graphic artist won't look at this, because the bad ones are the ones that think,"This is amazing and could never be improved!" and that is the only percentage of graphic 'artists' that could use any of these tips. They're all common sense.
Now, Flutterwry, I have to disagree with your tactics on keeping tiles from 'overlapping'.
The easy way to do it is to have each tile made in it's own [size] file, preferably saved individually, in an organized manner. This is especially helpful when you make textures using multiple layers.
Each has their own methods, but my method demands at least 4GB to 8GB of Ram, else you wont be able to use it. Thus your method will work fine there, unless its a small resolution based texture pack.
I draw on 1 layer, painting like style, so my method is sufficient for me. Block by Block in its own file, gets messy after awhile. But I will not argue over this, as anyone can have their own method, if it it works for you, use it.
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First, try to do your best to avoid using black on 16x or lower resolution packs. EXCEPTION: Obsidian can use black, but not a complete black, the minimum brightness is 10.
Second, don't ever just put a filter over a default texture, try to edit the texture by hand. A trick for doing this is to erase the original block and to start over with a blank square.
Third, check how the blocks fit together. If they don't fit together the way you wanted them to, go back and edit it! Repeat this until yo get it just right.
Fourth, never use someone elses textures in your pack without permission. If you do get permission, make sure to put thier name in the post giving credit to them. Also, Painterly packs don't count as your own original work, be sure to give credit.
Lastly, in the end it is your pack, don't let any negative comments out you down.
Keep Texturing!
For anyone with a good and decent computer, with at least 4GB ram/memory. There is a way to make life simpler. Say you making a 128x128 texture pack, per block/item you are making a texture for, make a new layer and make it 128x128 pixels. Move this layer to square up EXACTLY with the block/item you are remaking. This will prevent over lapping near by textures and causing unwanted things to happen.
Sure it is time consuming, but in the end, makes life more easy. Also rem to use grids if you know how, or rulers "like photoshops rulers".
Now that is said, decent tips there. Making stone/dirt/grass/snow and etc tile up right and not stand out per block is not easy, but when done, be proud of yourself.
I use MTE which lets me open each individual block as it's own file.
I fixed it for you.
I can understand that this is meant to be useful, but, it really isn't. A bad graphic artist won't look at this, because the bad ones are the ones that think,"This is amazing and could never be improved!" and that is the only percentage of graphic 'artists' that could use any of these tips. They're all common sense.
Now, Flutterwry, I have to disagree with your tactics on keeping tiles from 'overlapping'.
The easy way to do it is to have each tile made in it's own [size] file, preferably saved individually, in an organized manner. This is especially helpful when you make textures using multiple layers.
Each has their own methods, but my method demands at least 4GB to 8GB of Ram, else you wont be able to use it. Thus your method will work fine there, unless its a small resolution based texture pack.
I draw on 1 layer, painting like style, so my method is sufficient for me. Block by Block in its own file, gets messy after awhile. But I will not argue over this, as anyone can have their own method, if it it works for you, use it.