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

[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: 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)

[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: 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)

[s.winders]

Heres one of my Photoshop images that I though you might find interesting [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]


Stu.

[MORBIS THE MORBID]

image is good ..what where you going for...it reminds me of the old 80's album when I was growing up...I think it was billy square...or maybe earth wind and fire...cant remember...I liek the fence thing...the twirl looks good..or goo?...do you have any fine art skills...

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

[MORBIS THE MORBID]

Im just saying I cant do it ...and I know a lot of programs ....

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

[s.winders]

Hahahhaaaa that go2 sleep site is brilliant [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


RJ pp.com can photograph a high res image of one these stars,then they take another hi res image of a background or dole out some cash and buy the use of a background for their final image,what you dont seem to understand is these people have huge resources at their beck and call,we dont,and we also dont have whatever time it is going to take to make one up just so that you can see whether we can do it or not [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]


Like Mark said it is a fairly specialized style of job to undertake so thus you wont see much of it.Mark is very very competent with PS as is Gary and is Erik,Gary has even written numerous books on PS.If you really want another opinion on PP.com go to the Adobe web site,browse to the Photoshop users group,register so that you can post then ask the members there,their opinion of PP.com,they may even know more about the place then you do,you never know .


Stu.

[Gary David Bouton]

What a lot of hoopla for a very mediocre site, hard to navigate, forces me to install a Java VM (I've already done this at five other sites, so I'm going' in pissed) and artwork I could teach in Photoshop to anyone in about 5 minutes.

Pen and Pixel is hype; enough banners to choke a horse, no taste, and nothing like
http://www.jonathonart.com/

The ONLY thing I saw of interest was image composition. But agian, that's trying to make a silk purse out of you-know-what.

You tell ME which site you'd prefer to visit: beauty or the bust?

Too much OT here: let's model something inspiring today...


My Best,

Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.

[RJ Swift]

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

[MORBIS THE MORBID]

Im just saying I cant do it ...and I know a lot of programs ....

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

[Mark (theKeeper)]

Mmmmm.... i think i feel quite secure in saying that there's nothing in any of the images on that site that can't be done with 3 main apps:

1st & foremost is Photoshop

2nd is any 3D app (even a cheapy one for 3D type effects -- including the wavey, bendy effects -- Ulead's "Cool 3D" can do any of the 3D type effects i saw.) http://www.ulead.com/cool3d/runme.htm

3rd is perhaps Illustrator or any other "vector" program. Specifically for applying 2D type on a path (i.e. the curvey, bendy type effects).

The fact you haven't seen this style of art anywhere else doesn't surprise me at all. You're seeing the product(s) of one or a few artists. It's a very specialized style obviously, and not one you'd see just any ol' place.

I think some of it's pretty good. Very much like big movie posters would look like. And then some of it also is nice, but nothing real special.
And i'm only saying THAT so YOU don't get discouraged about trying to mimic or use it to develope your own style. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Just study the composition and 'trendwhore' techniques used. I don't think it's beyond your grasp to learn this style of artistic expression.

"The lessons to be learned, are found along the path of your journey, not at your final destination. That is only where you will rest, between lessons"