I use Layer Mask when i fade the edges
Yeah, I use Layer Masks to mask the picture, that way I'm not erasing anything and if I ever change my mind about what I remove/keep I can make a quick adjustment instead of starting over. To create it I usually start with the magnetic lasso and then make fine tune adjustments using quickmask, it so easy to paint the alpha channel.
As for the edges, I usally just use the alpha channel used in game to "erase" the edges. Looking through EA's images, it seems that on most they do not do more than this. Dain is a good example. I also found that the best way to achieve the color I want is to use the blank scroll map I created using three layers. The top layer is a copy of the scroll set to color and about 80%, the second layer is the image that I am using with the layer mask to hide the areas that I do not want, and then the bottom layer is the scroll again. That way the top layer is "coloring" the portrait, but a little color still comes through.
I also use the same techique for redoing the textures. I usually split the textures up into logical areas, copy the texture to a new layer and add a layer mask to only affect the area I want. Then I do whatever I wish to that area. When I'm done I usually have about 5-10 layers each isolating different parts of the texture so I can play with the color, contrast, saturation, texture as I see fit while still maintaining the integrity of the original textures so that I can jump back to them whenever I want to grab any piece I might want to change. I've thought of uploading some of these photoshop files, but I'm not sure how many people would find them interesting or use them. Yeah, it allows you to create 10 sets of dwarves slightly different with using randomtexture in just minutes, but oh well.
If anyone is interested in these files - they are photoshop 5.0 (my copy I purchased is just plain old) let me know and I'll at least add the three dwarven textures.
Robert J.
