Pen & Pixel Graphics: How do they do it?? (Pt.1)

Hey guys,

Pen & Pixel Graphics is a 3D Graphics designing company that designs CD Jackets for hip-hop artists on No Limit Records (Master P, Snoop Dogg, Mystikal), Cash Money Records (Juvenile, Big Tymers, Lil Wayne), and others. Does anyone here know what software/programs they are or might be using to create these covers?? You can go to: www.penandpixel.com and click on the "world famous artwork" button to see what I'm talking about. You can click on images in the "Millennium", "Super Deluxe", "Platinum.." (their more advanced work), or any of the other pictures. I wonder what programs/software they are using to make the background images that they add to the artists' photos. I'm ESPECIALLY wonder how they get the text to look like that with the extrusion and adding textures to the front and different textures to the sides of the type and that SHAPE of the type (the funny arch-like warp). I plan on uploading choice examples if I can. If anyone knows what they use to make these images, PLEASE let me know.

I don't want to duplicate their work, I just want to be able to design on that level. Anyway, thanks for your time. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Take care.

(e-mail: mmpact2@hotmail.com)

Hey guys,

Pen & Pixel Graphics is a 3D Graphics designing company that designs CD Jackets for hip-hop artists on No Limit Records (Master P, Snoop Dogg, Mystikal), Cash Money Records (Juvenile, Big Tymers, Lil Wayne), and others. Does anyone here know what software/programs they are or might be using to create these covers?? You can go to: www.penandpixel.com and click on the "world famous artwork" button to see what I'm talking about. You can click on images in the "Millennium", "Super Deluxe", "Platinum.." (their more advanced work), or any of the other pictures. I wonder what programs/software they are using to make the background images that they add to the artists' photos. I'm ESPECIALLY wonder how they get the text to look like that with the extrusion and adding textures to the front and different textures to the sides of the type and that SHAPE of the type (the funny arch-like warp). I plan on uploading choice examples if I can. If anyone knows what they use to make these images, PLEASE let me know.

I don't want to duplicate their work, I just want to be able to design on that level. Anyway, thanks for your time. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Take care.

(e-mail: mmpact2@hotmail.com)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RJ Swift:
Hey guys,

Pen & Pixel Graphics is a 3D Graphics designing company that designs CD Jackets for hip-hop artists on No Limit Records (Master P, Snoop Dogg, Mystikal), Cash Money Records (Juvenile, Big Tymers, Lil Wayne), and others. Does anyone here know what software/programs they are or might be using to create these covers?? You can go to: http://www.penandpixel.com and click on the "world famous artwork" button to see what I'm talking about. You can click on images in the "Millennium", "Super Deluxe", "Platinum.." (their more advanced work), or any of the other pictures. I wonder what programs/software they are using to make the background images that they add to the artists' photos. I'm ESPECIALLY wonder how they get the text to look like that with the extrusion and adding textures to the front and different textures to the sides of the type and that SHAPE of the type (the funny arch-like warp). I plan on uploading choice examples if I can. If anyone knows what they use to make these images, PLEASE let me know.

I don't want to duplicate their work, I just want to be able to design on that level. Anyway, thanks for your time. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Take care.

(e-mail: mmpact2@hotmail.com)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can't say I'm too excited about PPG's work... both technically and visually they all look the same too me (but on the other hand, that is issue in the business of CD-jacket design). Technically they are quite well done, but the "themes" are boring (IMHO).

Most of what they have done is merging different photos and using photoshop filters to achieve different effects. The background photos are probably stock photos. The text is probably also made photoshop, and the different 3D-looks are made with filters (some with photoshop's own filters, others with third-party-filters).

So if you want to make designs in the same manners I recommend that you buy a book or two in Photoshop techniques and effects.

-Paul

I have a friend that works there...they do use Photoshop and other industry standard programs, but the also use a program developed specifically for them.

Hey,

Yeah, Hiphop.. I'm fasinated by P&PG. It started when I saw a CD cover that they did for Snoop Dogg called "The Game Is To Be Sold And Not To Be Told". I learned that Snoop was photographed sitting in a chair and his "surroundings" were computer generated (even the "dogs"). The "Snoop Dogg" letters were the thing that also cought my attention and right then I KNEW I HAD to know who to turn out work of that calliber.

Paul.. I thought also that it was probably stock images with photos layered over them. Then again, that might be the case with the "cheaper" designs. But, the more expensive covers the surroundings, backgrounds, etc are all computer-generated. As far as the text goes. I can see that they probably use photoshop styles or actions for SOME of those. But for the thick 3D chrome or diamond and gold etc.. text, I think that's done with something else. I am looking into getting books on Photoshop. But, I have to say. I've been to a lot of galleries and seen some COOL images. But I haven't seen a mixture of photos, effects, and text as cool as P&PG, even though they DO have the same theme and they even go as far as having different artists posed the same way with the same effects as others. But still, I've yet to see anyone duplicate the same work (me included! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]). It's just my opinion, not to offend anyone.

GrfxQn... Seriously your friend works there?? Well, if that is true and not a crock, tell him or her to fell free to e-mail me!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
You know, come to think of it, they said something about having software no one has and having software specificly designed for working with text also, something about the final image being "rendered" in program that was time consuming which was responsible for taking time. Maybe that's why I haven't seen anyone duplicate that type of design. Hey, they can tell me I can keep a secret! LOL Or if they tell me, would they have to kill me?? Well, I can take that chance!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Thanks a lot for your comments, guys. You don't know how much I appreciate them. Also check out the examples I posted (Pts 1 & 2)

RJ

Hi man [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]


I checked out the new links and I gotta say I still dont see anything astonishing.Some of it is pretty good compositing,and that one Pootie Tang is not good [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] .The computer generated backgrounds are called textures,and I am still positive with practise with Photoshop and Xara etc that you could do the same thing yourself in time [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] ,but hey if you are happy then thats is all that matters [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] ,just dont feel that you cant do the same with practise as I am sure you could,with or without their special software [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Cheers

Stu.

Heres some text for you [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] ,I made this with Cinema 4d.


I didnt use the words special software to be a smart ass either,I just preferred it to using say Snoop Dog and getting my butt sued [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]


This still needs work yet as well,its just an example.


Stu.

can you export the text from cinama

"If your not an artist first your still lost"...do mechanical animals dream?

is cinama 4 a 3d base program.....can you animate 3d moving enviroments..with this ........and who mkaes it. company that is

"If your not an artist first your still lost"...do mechanical animals dream?