ask1's NBA Live 2004 Cards

[ask1]

Inspired by Cocobee's idea, and the fact that I have way too much time on my hands:
http://photos.yahoo.com/kurupt604/

[ask1]

Added CWebb:
http://photos.yahoo.com/kurupt604/

[idiot]

some of the edges are not very clean... and they seem to lack something... like a border?
but they're still good tho

i feel a trend is coming

[ask1]

some of the edges are not very clean

Yeah, could be that I have the resolution too low in Live - or that I'm just a newb at Photoshop. I'll try setting the res up next time and see what happens; but yeah, chopping out the player from the screenshot is pretty tedious so I sometimes get lazy on the edges.

-Update - added borders and fixed the Odom card a bit

[Mark.]

I rekon they are pretty damn good, i really like the Odom one.

Well done

[ask1]

Thanks!

[Hotshot]

i like the odom one

Inspired by Cocobee's idea

wasn't redz the one who first came up with the idea of nba live cards?

[idiot]

wasn't redz the one who first came up with the idea of nba live cards?

lol it goes this way...
redz inspires cocobee inspires ask1 inspires ???

[ask1]

Added Baron Davis:
http://photos.yahoo.com/kurupt604/

[ask1]

Added "Forces of Nature: MVP" card!
http://photos.yahoo.com/kurupt604/

[#12]

wasn't redz the one who first came up with the idea of nba live cards?

lol it goes this way...
redz inspires cocobee inspires ask1 inspires ???

no its

NHL Cards inspires Madden Cards inspires redz inspires cocobee inspires ask1 inspires ???

[ask1]

Added Steve Francis:
http://photos.yahoo.com/kurupt604/

[cocobee]

That Steve Francis is HOT! I like that motion stuff!

[idiot]

yeah the francis one is (Y)(Y).......

[Ruff Ryder]

Ask1, do you use any patches in your game?

[ask1]

Ask1, do you use any patches in your game?

Nope - (as u can probably tell from the cyberfaces and shoes).

[StevenK]

They're great, but I just wish you used players at a higher resolution. Thats another reason why cocobee's look so nice.

[busta_cap]

First off, the Steve Francis card is pretty sweet. Nice idea, nice execution.

As a longtime Photoshopper, you should view and practice with some of the thousands of Pshop tutorials out there. Just Google the words "photoshop tutorial" and you'll have enough instructions available to keep you busy learning cool stuff for three months. You've got potential ... if you develop it, you could turn out a really good graphic designer.

Some ideas (and a judicious bit of criticism):

- Try to smooth the edges of the computer players a bit -- either tighter or more 'feathered' selection techniques can help you lift out the players more smoothly;

- See if you can enhance the shadows on the NBA Live players (the NBA Live shadows are really flat and adding depth really improves the image);

- Likewise, the computer's skin tones are also flat and uninteresting ... a little modeling with a slightly darker color and a relatively transparent airbrush tool can work wonders for the depth and realism of a player's image;

- Try using dynamic, eye-catching graphic elements to integrate your players into the image as a whole (on some of the cards, your players look almost 'pasted on' to the background; try to make them more a part of the image rather than a stuck-on picture);

- Try to improve the player photos used as backdrops; i.e. if you're going to distort them (like the CWebb image), make it more dynamic and action-oriented (a zoom-blur, for instance) than the "painted on a brick wall" effect;

- The use of lighting effects in the Odom image is a good start in the right direction; using lighting effects more subtly and in the right amount can lend a sense of drama and tension to an image;

- Use a stronger, more graphically interesting border or use no border at all. For instance, reversing a player's name out of a strong dark bar at the bottom of the image is a tried-and-true graphic touch that lends a nice horizontal graphic element and conveys information at the same time.

All that being said, I really like your start. Your instincts are good and could be very good, if developed.

For some inspiration and visual examples of what I'm talking about, see the following images. Many of these are created by a very talented Rockets fan named Dave Cebrero, whose expertise and artistry are a joy for any Rockets fan to behold

http://www.clutchfans.net/images/wallpa ... ets35b.jpg
http://www.clutchfans.net/images/wallpa ... kets36.jpg
http://www.clutchfans.net/images/wallpa ... ets31b.jpg
http://www.clutchfans.net/wallpaper_archive.cfm

Keep up the good work, and you can create some kick-a$$ images.

[ask1]

Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it.

[idiot]

those are some really in depth tips he gave you (Y)(Y)

[ask1]

Added Vince Carter:
http://photos.yahoo.com/kurupt604/

Comments welcome!

[Null17]

whoa, every1's starting to get into making nba live cards... kinda cool. sorta like in real life where diff companies make diff bball cards.

[Mazzocchi]

heres the answer to your questions...

NHL Cards inspires Madden Cards inspires redz inspires cocobee inspires ask1 inspires MAZZOCCHI inspires ???
all i need is a server for the pics and I'll be one of the next great card makers