Rules Of The Fan Art Forum!

[WildWill]

Rules of the Fan Art Forum

1) This is the section of Pojo.com to show off your art, be it drawings, sketches, computer art or signatures.

2) There are a few VERY talented, very ARROGANT users in this forum who seem to think that they are the end-all, be-all of artists. Well, I know professional artists and designers, heck I'm related to a couple. You're not all that. You may be very good, but that doesn't give you license to criticize everything without helping those who are not as good as you think you are. BE HUMBLE and also use your supposed advanced skills to help others.

3) If you get banned for your actions in this forum, you ain't coming back. If you spend ALL your time in here bashing other users, guess what? You won't be around much longer. And if you think you can make multiple names and come back, you're wrong.

4) The MAXIMUM allowed size of your signature image is now 500 x 100 pixels and 30 KB.

5) You may request ONE signature per month. And if you request a signature, you should show it for at least a month.

6) All other forum rules apply to this forum as well. No spamming, bashing, flaming, games, etc.

[Coin Flip]

Since this is an excellent resource, I figured I would post it here to help out the numerous people looking for assistance with their matzorz. Proper credit goes to koalaznbear for actually making the guide. It is an excellent guide, well-written and it even has pretty pretty pictures for all the inept people out there. It was essentially quoted and pasted here.



Custom mats are becoming the rage. From custom drawn mats, to air brushed, the rage is everywhere. How can you make your own? Well, I’ve taken the time to write out a Mat-Making-Guide for you. This guide explains how to make a mat with iron on transfers. I am doing this out of my free will, so please keep any negative comments you may have OUT OF THIS THREAD. Although making a mat is a simple process, you must be very careful because you can easily mess up. Furthermore, making a mat is NOT CHEAP. It will be more cost efficient for you if you and 3-4 friends got together and made mats with the materials you buy. Throughout the guide, there are links to pictures that will help you understand the process even more. Enjoy.



Be sure you have adult supervision if you are not of mature age, as I don’t want you getting burned using an iron or wasting money on mats and paper that you’re going to mess up.





To begin, let’s gather up our materials, shall we?


Laptop/Computer – You’ll need this to design your mat.

Printer (preferably inkjet) – You’ll need this to print your design out.

Ink – You’ll need this to print, duh. Cost : (this is for my pixima 1600 cannon printer) 16.00 for color, and 6.00 for black.

Transfer paper – HP Transfer Paper. I’ve tested all kinds, and this is the best. Cost: 16.00 at Office Max, Office Depot, or Fry’s Electronics.

Scissors – Nice big blue sharp ones are good. Careful, don’t run with them.

Blank Mat – be sure to get the kind described as “the same material as top 8 mats”

Iron – most generic irons suffice

Note: The cost of the printer, computer, scissors, and iron are irrelevant for this guide.


Total cost for materials: $ 48 (with one mat) + taxes = about $54

PICTURES:

THE MAT, SCISSORS, INK, AND IRON (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09985.jpg)

THE TRANSFER PAPER (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09986.jpg)

THE WORKSTATION (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09987.jpg)

MAKE SURE THE FERRETS DON'T EAT YOUR SET UP! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09993.jpg)


Now, be sure you’ve got ALL of your materials, as it will be impossible to make the mat if you’re missing any of them.


Before you go on, make sure you completely understand the process before you try to make your own. I messed up on at least 5 mats before I got the level of experience I have now.



Step 1 -

Get on your laptop/computer and find images that suite your taste. Using photo-editing software (this can even be MS paint), crop and edit the images to your liking. Be sure you’ve got them the way you like. Tip: I find it best to put dark borders around your images/ text, which makes it easier to cut them out while adding a vivid image effect to the mat.



Step 2 -

Print the images onto the transfer paper. Be sure to select “Transfer paper” from your printer’s settings, as the images need to be printed in REVERSE. (this is also told to you in the instructions you get when you buy the transfer paper). Tip: Use Microsoft PowerPoint to insert the images into slides before you print. That way you can move them around, stretch and size them to your liking. Furthermore, this allows you to fit more on one page so you don’t waste your precious paper.


PICTURES:

PRINTING (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09981.jpg)

REVERSE PRINTED! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09991.jpg)


Step 3 –

Make sure you have all your images printed out. Take time out to make sure everything printed correctly (reversed). Grab your scissors and begin cutting your images out. Leave a small border of about 1/12 th of an inch in white transfer paper. In other words, don’t cut the picture itself out, but cut around a small “invisible” border on the picture. This will take you the most time, as you want to cut as neatly as possible. Tip: Do not try to make a mat with a lot of small images, they are a pain in the rear to cut.

Pictures:

PRINTED IMAGES READY TO CUT (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09984.jpg)

BEGIN CUTTING
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09990.jpg)

Step 4 -

Now place your cut images onto the mat to give you a sense of how it will look. Next turn them around (so that the images face down). Make sure you don’t accidentally turn one the wrong direction! You don’t want an upside down picture on a part of your mat! While the images are on the mat, carefully measure where you want them to go. Place small dots (very tiny) to help you place them in their spot when you’re ready to begin ironing. After you’ve done this, remove the images from the mat in an orderly manner and place them in an area that is within reach. While you do this, turn on your iron to pre- heat on it’s highest/second to highest setting. Tip: Do not leave the iron near anything flammable such as: clothing, furniture, animals, small children. (I put my ferrets back into their cage!)

Pictures:

IMAGES ON MAT (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09997.jpg)

FLIP THEM OVER (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC00001.jpg)

MAKE SURE ALL FERRETS ARE PROPERLY SECURED! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09989.jpg)



Step 5 -

After your iron is hot, place ONE image back into it’s place on the mat (with the image facing down) and carefully iron it into place. The transfer paper goes into more depth as to how to correctly do this, so read that. In brief terms, just press down with some strength as you iron. Do this for about 1-2 minutes and then add another picture. As you move from picture to picture, revisit old ones with the iron to make sure they completely transfer. Tip: Do the ironing on a sturdy table that is below your waistline, that way you can apply pressure without putting yourself in compromising positions. Also, DO NOT do this on an ironing board.

Pictures:

BEGIN IRONING (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09999.jpg)



Step 6 -

Go grab yourself a coke/water, at this point you’ll be sweating form all the heat you’ll be exposed to. You also deserve it for getting this far into the process. As you do that, you allow for the images to cool off on the mat. After a good 15-20 minutes, the images should be completely cool. Carefully pull off the paper. Soon you will have your mat! Tip: If the transfer doesn’t completely work, then don’t panic. DO NOT remove the paper, leave it on. Reheat your iron and give it about another minute’s worth of ironing.

Pictures:

PEEL AND REVEAL (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC00002.jpg)

YOUR COMPLETED MAT (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC00004.jpg)

MAT CLOSE UP (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC00009.jpg)


Step 7 -

There you have it, you’re very own mat! Why is there a step 7? Well you need to clean up, of course.

Pictures:

CLEAN THAT MESS UP!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC09980.jpg)









I hope you guys enjoy this guide. I’ll be updating it/ revising it when I have the time. Here are a few pictures of mats I’ve made using this method:

FFSERIES (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/DSC00004.jpg)
D.Predator (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/P5110222.jpg)
Koalaznbear, Drakar, Carbs
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/koalaznbear/Matts/P5110219.jpg)







Finally, a disclaimer-

I am not responsible for your actions if you try to make your own mat. Again, if you are not capable of handling scissors or using an iron, please seek adult supervision.




Last, this is MY GUIDE. If you want to take something from it to put on another website or whatnot, please give credit and ask me. I don't mind you copying from it/ it, just don't take credit for what I typed up.


Blank mats can be found on eBay very easily. Very, very, easily. (http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&frpp=50&maxrecordsreturned=300&from=R10&catref=C6&satitle=blank+mat&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&bs=Search&fsop=1&fsoo=1&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=ZIP%2FPostal&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=)

As well, a number of pojo users (including the quoted koalaznbear) will do custom mats for other people.

Alternatively, you could be very lazy and go here (http://bobgames.com/custommat.html). Thanks to gamebreaker for finding this.

If you have anything that would fit well in this sticky, please PM it to me or another mod and it will be added. Credit will be given, of course, and you will have gained the favor of the lord your Mod. (Or, in the case of the lovely and soon-to-be-married-so-don't-even-think-about-hitting-on-her-because-she's-taken seto_kaiba0101, the lady your Mod.)

[Secret Squirrel]

I was asked to post this by artists who kindly offer their time for your requests forum. If you were directed here or are coming here to make a request, please read this -

When a user requests a banner to be made, most of the artists require that a URL link for whatever image or "stock" that they would liked to be used. The URL should be provided to so the we do not have to hunt the image down ourselves.

It's not entirerly important that it be added to the FAQ, but it would allow the artists to not be long winded and frustrated over the fact that a user hasn't been informed about providing the images.

If you look at a number of Requests in the Fan Art Forum, you would notice a user making a request, then on of the artist in the forum following it up with a comment about posting the URL to a stock.

The frustation for myself is that users come into the forum and assume we all play yugioh...

[soraokyut]

Being the Artist how requested this, this should be in your banner request as well:

Stock link:
Placement:
Text:
Placement:
Size of Sig:
Background:

The more information you give the better chance that someone will do it.

[TMD12]

Week 1: 9/23/08

Winner: Blayze Ciddy
Theme: Freestyle

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/TehCid/mrmadison.png

Additional Comment:

[/COLOR]
Week 2: 10/01/08

Winner: icEPICk
Theme: Movie Stars

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/icepickx/meganfoxsig3.jpg