So as the title suggests, I'm not doing all that well with icon backgrounds. I've been following http:www.sc2mapster.com/forums/resources/tutorials/1563-video-icon-tutorial/ to put my icons into a format for the editor to better use, but as you can see from the picture(the icons in black/white) they are kind of standing out in a bad way. I tried the obvious solution of just grabbing the color off a screenshot, but it is turning out brighter than I would like.
My basic strategy for icon making thus far has been:
1. Draw basic picture in a white background.
2. Apply gray background(which results in that HORRIBLE white)
3. Open w/ Gimp, rescale to 72 pixels by 72 pixels.
4. Enlarge canvas to 76 by 76, center original image
5. Change Layer to image size (76 x 76)
6. Use Color to Alpha, with black as the color to alpha (000000)
7. Save as .dds w/ BC3/DXT5 compression.
8. Import into map, change icons accordingly.
I know I could probably play with this until I make it work, but I would like to instead see if there is something I am missing here. I would like at the minimum to be able to duplicate the kind of coloring the default icons have in blue/black, and if at all possible it would be great to have red/green versions too, so maybe I could color armor as blue, weapons as red, potions/scrolls as green? Just thought I'd see if anyone in here had some advice for me here, as it has become obvious to me I will be making most the icons for my mod, lol.
As another question, is there a way to make the wireframe icon not want to apply an ugly green mesh to the icon?
I think you have to make the background black and then use the Color to Alpha tool with as color black, because when you use it on grey it will remove the black out of the image leaving you with an alpha white color. Don't know bout the 2nd question. Maybe somewhere in the actors it changes te color of the wireframe.
@Deadzergling: Go create your icons with transparent background and you're good to go. If you want the same effect from Blizzard's colored icons for abilities and upgrades grab the alpha channel from one of those icons and use in your 76x76 image, then you're good to go.
I'm not sure how it works with gimp cause I use photoshop, but it can't be much different.
Could use a little clarification on what a transparent background is, I know that black/gray/white have been failing for me. Same goes for alpha channel, I been following the directions on that tutorial, even though I don't know some of the terminology so well.
Also, any ideas on the wiremesh? Or do I need to make a hollowed out dds specifically for that?
@Deadzergling: Go Well, I believe gimp can create an image without background just like photoshop. In most programs, if not all, a transparent background is displayed as small wihte and grey squares (see attached image with the resulting alpha channel converted by photoshop). If your standard image has a background you can work on a new layer (or whatever it is called on gimp). I find it way easier than working directly with alpha channels.
You should have been able to get what you want with alpha channels though.
I see what you mean now, see that every time I enlarge the canvas. Just have to work on my selection skills probably. Although, question, is there such a thing as a transparent color you can just flood fill the background with?
What I would do is select the colour of the background using a colour picker, then select just that colour and then apply the colour to alpha.
Actually, normally I just use colour to alpha on the whole image as I use a black background for all my icons, and I don't ever use my icons on anything but a black background in SC2, which means they look nice in game. However, if you're planning on using them for hero icons then you'll want to take a bit more care with them. You can see how I do it in my video here: although that's a bit crummy and I made it in a big hurry it shows how it's done.
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So as the title suggests, I'm not doing all that well with icon backgrounds. I've been following http:www.sc2mapster.com/forums/resources/tutorials/1563-video-icon-tutorial/ to put my icons into a format for the editor to better use, but as you can see from the picture(the icons in black/white) they are kind of standing out in a bad way. I tried the obvious solution of just grabbing the color off a screenshot, but it is turning out brighter than I would like.
My basic strategy for icon making thus far has been:
I know I could probably play with this until I make it work, but I would like to instead see if there is something I am missing here. I would like at the minimum to be able to duplicate the kind of coloring the default icons have in blue/black, and if at all possible it would be great to have red/green versions too, so maybe I could color armor as blue, weapons as red, potions/scrolls as green? Just thought I'd see if anyone in here had some advice for me here, as it has become obvious to me I will be making most the icons for my mod, lol.
As another question, is there a way to make the wireframe icon not want to apply an ugly green mesh to the icon?
I think you have to make the background black and then use the Color to Alpha tool with as color black, because when you use it on grey it will remove the black out of the image leaving you with an alpha white color. Don't know bout the 2nd question. Maybe somewhere in the actors it changes te color of the wireframe.
@Deadzergling: Go create your icons with transparent background and you're good to go. If you want the same effect from Blizzard's colored icons for abilities and upgrades grab the alpha channel from one of those icons and use in your 76x76 image, then you're good to go.
I'm not sure how it works with gimp cause I use photoshop, but it can't be much different.
@SoulFilcher: Go
Could use a little clarification on what a transparent background is, I know that black/gray/white have been failing for me. Same goes for alpha channel, I been following the directions on that tutorial, even though I don't know some of the terminology so well.
Also, any ideas on the wiremesh? Or do I need to make a hollowed out dds specifically for that?
@Deadzergling: Go Well, I believe gimp can create an image without background just like photoshop. In most programs, if not all, a transparent background is displayed as small wihte and grey squares (see attached image with the resulting alpha channel converted by photoshop). If your standard image has a background you can work on a new layer (or whatever it is called on gimp). I find it way easier than working directly with alpha channels.
You should have been able to get what you want with alpha channels though.
@SoulFilcher: Go
I see what you mean now, see that every time I enlarge the canvas. Just have to work on my selection skills probably. Although, question, is there such a thing as a transparent color you can just flood fill the background with?
@Deadzergling: Go No, but the eraser should do it. Although it depends on some details in photoshop.
What I would do is select the colour of the background using a colour picker, then select just that colour and then apply the colour to alpha.
Actually, normally I just use colour to alpha on the whole image as I use a black background for all my icons, and I don't ever use my icons on anything but a black background in SC2, which means they look nice in game. However, if you're planning on using them for hero icons then you'll want to take a bit more care with them. You can see how I do it in my video here: although that's a bit crummy and I made it in a big hurry it shows how it's done.