HeroMachine Purists: Is Photoshop Frowned upon?

I think it only matters for contests. Not everyone has access or the experience to use programs like Photoshop so it is important to keep everyone on the same playing field. As for non-contest images I say go for it.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing to use photoshop on your creations if it’s what you want to do, but if you look at some of the work done on heromachine, just by people on the forums, you have to ask, do you need to use photoshop. Some people on here can get just as good an effect just using the program and surely that is the best way to do it. If you give up on trying shading and effects on heromachine you are stunting your own progress on the program aren’t you.

@TheSoupster said:

@Scatman said:

It is mainly due to the fact that the program is called HEROMACHINE,and the forum is for people who use this program and only this program to show others what is possible in using it.

Good point, I hadn’t really thought of that. When I first looked at the forums I was blown away by some of the galleries, but it would have been a bit rubbish if I’d found out you needed an extra program to do them with.

Also, the more drawings I do, the more I find the constraints (by which I mean limited number of items, patterns, etc.) actually make it quite fun. To have to find work arounds, combine items to make better things, develop brilliant techniques (like you said), the constraints actually encourage creativity, and you end up coming up with stuff you never would have done before. I mean, I saw a picture recently where griffin’s feet had been masked to make like werewolf paws or something. VERY cool.

When I first started on this thing in May,I was doin’ these 2D dress-up type quality creations ,but after studying others work taking tips-tricks and the big one MASKING(as you will find is a pandora’s box of awesome stuff) I saw a whole new world,I think djuby said it best when he said that there isn’t only one use for an item,to think outside the box!That was a door opener for me.But the main thing is to have blast and yeah it can be painful at times tryin’ to be your own worst critic and all,but it really makes the outcome so much more enjoyable!dude!!if there is one good piece of advice I can give is that you can mask anything onto anything!That alone will open a floodgate!If you need anything just ask,I will be more than happy to help!

@Hammerknight said:

I don’t mind seeing projects done with other programs, just tell us that it is done with other programs. I use paint.net to make group shots, and comic covers, I use Window’s paint and the snipping tool to crop things. I have been thinking about doing some backgrounds with other programs to add my HM characters to. Most of all have fun doing your art. All of us here enjoy sharing tips and tricks that help other people out. So feel free to use Photoshop if you want to, just let everyone know that you used it.

Also in the Old UGO Forums people used to post character made with Hero-o-matic and I wouldn’t mind in the slightest if they did so here, though the same rules for posting Heromachine pictures would apply.

Edited to Add: Though only pure unedited Heromachine creations ( except for cropping ) can be entered into the Hero Of the Month competition or any of the other contests on these forums and the blog unless the contest creator states otherwise.

Quite the debate! I would have to say I’m on the side of pure Heromachine for these forums. There are plenty of other sites that you can post your “helped” pics like deviantart. I like the challenge of looking at people’s pics and trying to figure out how they achieved the results that they got. But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in seeing what can be done with assistance. Soupster, you should post a pure Heromachine image against an assisted one to show us what you are talking about.

I completely agree, Iv only ever used photoshop in school since then I havnt touched it. I agree with ams I like looking at someone pictures and being amazed with how they used items and what not, dblade is an absolute marvel when it comes to that, your contest entries always drop my jaw just from the creativity. Even though I havnt been here for the years and years some of you have, I do think of myself as having acheived a good skill set in a short amount of time and being there I have to agree being able to make a creation without outside help is a much better feeling of acomplishment.