Guides

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Q9jqOJk.png[/img] [size=5][b]Intro[/b][/size][/center] [center]- is this your first time making a Flight Rising skin, after being hit with inspiration and finally being fed up with just watching others do it? Have you searched far and wide on how to make skins, especially in Krita? Well, this is the place for you! In this tutorial I will blab, then blab some more, but most importantly, I will try to explain my skin-making process as best as I can. All of the information about this is specifically based on the Krita software, but most other art programs that support the .psd format work incredibly similarly. This will not be a tutorial on how to draw because...I myself don't know how I do it. [img]https://i.postimg.cc/dtGJkymj/Hor-divider-100.png[/img] - I have heard many a people say that the official skin tutorial is either not clear enough, is too hard to read or doesn't share enough info, so that's something I'm going to try to cover in here.[/center]

Rules:

• all skins and accents must remain inside the lineart of the dragon; as much as it is desired and suggested by players, we are not allowed to create full-on apparel
• the skin which has a dragon coverage from 0 to 30% is called an accent and should be submitted with an accent blueprint, skincents cover from 30% to 99%, while skins cover 100% of the dragon; latter of the two need to be submitted with a skin blueprint
• the lineart you draw with, as well as any large area, should not be fully black as to make sure that the lineart and shadows of the dragon remain visible
• the Clip Lines lineart must remain visible, fully intact and considerably darker than your skin art
• the Clip Shadows layer can be slightly manipulated but must remain fully intact
• the only supported file type your final image can be is .png
• large textured areas, repeating patterns and photos are not allowed, but the clever usage of brushes with coherent blending is allowed
• the use or drawing of copyrighted material is not allowed, with the only exception being Flight Rising property (such as apparel edits for Ancients or similar)
• nothing which is against Flight Rising's ToS is allowed to be included, such as mimicking moderators and Staff avatars or creating skins that are only meant to be avatar alteration

[center][size=5][b]Software[/b][/size] - in this section I'll discuss the requirements and the starter process of creating skins. This will cover the software, the files and little tips and tricks. [img]https://i.postimg.cc/dtGJkymj/Hor-divider-100.png[/img][/center] [center]- hint: open images in a new tab to preview their full size![/center] [columns][b]Step 1)[/b] - What you need to have is [color=#731d08][b]a drawing program and a tablet[/b][/color] (and a device that can support all of that). Of course, if you're as stubborn as I am, [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/game-database/item/35234]you could use a mouse[/url], but I do not recommend it. Ideally, you would have some sort of graphic tablet and an electronic pen, screen or no screen. The program I highly recommend is [url=https://krita.org/en/][b]Krita[/b][/url]. It's incredibly easy to use once you get used to it, it has a nice amount of brushes, it's a stable, fast and solid art program, it supports lots of fiddling with it, the way the layer groups work is incredibly simple and helpful for this sort of stuff and, most importantly, it's free. Definitely try it out if you haven't.[nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/tGa2NPI.png[/img][/columns] [b]Step 2)[/b] - the first part of the skin-making process is [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/wiki/skins/2][color=#731d08][b]downloading the ZIP file for your .psd skin template[/b][/color][/url]. Of course, you choose which one. When you've downloaded it, [color=#731d08][b]you right click on it, unzip it (depends on what sort of unzipping software you have) and then you can access the files.[/b][/color] In the image below you can see a folder I've had for quite some time, which now has multiple files in there because of my work. A newly downloaded folder should just contain the x_x_dragon and x_x_dragon_elements_friendly versions, as well as a tertiary version for Ancients. [color=#731d08][b]The moment you open this file, save it as a separate file as to not overwrite the main one so you don't have to redownload.[/b][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/wefGD3Y.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: on the left a drop-down menu is visible, showing the unzipping process, while on the right there is a preview of the unzipped folder[/i][/right] [b]Step 3)[/b] - I'll use the Coatl skin I made as an example. As you can see, my file's canvas size (the one on the left) is 2000 px X 2000 px. That's because [color=#731d08][b]it is much easier to make art on a larger canvas as the pixelisation is not as severe![/b][/color] Don't worry about it, the details will most likely remain preserved, but keep in mind not to make way too many tiny components because, in the final product, they'll be reduced to like 3 pixels (believe me, been there, done that). To do that, you go to [color=#731d08][b]Image -> Scale Image To New Size -> input your desired resolution.[/b][/color] After you have a comfortable size, you can get to work. Make sure that you have your stabiliser enabled (if necessary), that you're using your most preferred brush and so on. [center]- hint: you will NOT be using this file for the finalisation of your skin. More info down below.[/center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/pOK1Qxd.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: on the left is the large file, on the right is the original, unedited file, comparing the canvas size as well as pointing at the brushes[/i][/right] [b]Step 4)[/b] - Here you can see the layers you'll be working on. [color=#731d08][b]The shadow and lineart layers in the top group should not be messed around with a lot in the final file, they must stay intact, but slight colour and intensity differences are ok. The group beneath is just your template so you know where you're drawing and that you're not going outside the lines.[/b][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/58vhBxw.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: image with numerous layers[/i][/right] [size=4][b]Elements:[/b][/size] [LIST] [*]visibility toggle - helps you quickly make a layer or entire group visible or invisible; it does not delete it [*]transparency lock - locking the transparency of a layer forces all transparent areas of the layer to become locked and not be affected by a brush [*]alpha transparency - applies the art of the layer or group the Alpha Transparency is activated on to the layers below; that way all transparent areas will remain transparent and those with some transparency will be faint [*]stabiliser - adds drag to your brush to stabilise your hand [*]stabiliser level - a lower quantity decreases drag, higher quantity increases drag [*]brushes - tons of options, from erasers over pens and pencils, all the way to brushes and chalk or special effects [*]Clip Lines - one of the two main layers that must remain intact; it goes above your art and is applied to it [*]Clip Shadows - one of the two main layers that must remain intact; it goes above your art and is applied to it [*]accent goes here - layer where you can draw; you can turn it into a group in Krita because it doesn't mess the file up [*]background - a background of your colour choice for better visibility [/LIST] [img]https://i.imgur.com/LGzfc2h.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: simplified diagram of necessary and/or useful toggles mentioned above[/i][/right] Speaking of files, know that you have a LOT of freedom in this file. You can mess around with the lineart and the shadows, you can do just about anything you want as long as the final product follows the skin rules. For example, what is very useful is [color=#731d08][b]making a background layer with the colour of your choice.[/b][/color] That way you can lower the opacity of the dragon template group so you can more easily see what you're drawing. In Krita, [color=#731d08][b]you can recklessly create multiple layers on which you draw, even group them[/b][/color], and the necessary effects will still work. [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/730766440210235492/937521384890966106/ezgif.com-gif-maker.mp4]Here you can see the immense amount of layers on another skin of mine,[/url] while the image below shows you the template group with its opacity lowered to 25%. [img]https://i.imgur.com/BMaRgu6.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: screenshot showing the lowered opacity of the dragon template group[/i][/right]

[center][size=5][b]Drawing process - file 1[/b][/size] - here we go into the nitty-gritty of the drawing process, explaining how to work the Krita program to get some desired effects. [img]https://i.postimg.cc/dtGJkymj/Hor-divider-100.png[/img][/center] [b]Step 5)[/b] - I don't know what sort of artist you are; maybe you sketch, maybe you go straight for the lineart - doesn't matter. I don't know how to sketch and I am extremely slow at my art, but I learned that even random scribbles will help with the composition. That's why [color=#731d08][b]you can try to compile your accent elements with some scribbles.[/b][/color] This is something I'm currently working on and it's in its very rough stages, but I already know how to fix the rough parts. So sketch and scribble to your heart's content! The sketch can easily go outside the lines, it doesn't matter since you will most likely be completely deleting that layer afterwards (I always do as to not look at the sins of my past). [img]https://i.imgur.com/mFAoQpz.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: screenshot showing a rough sketch stage of a skincent in the works[/i][/right] [b]Step 6)[/b] - After you're finished with your sketch, you can go to the next step and that's [color=#731d08][b]lineart[/b][/color]. Of course, this entirely depends on whether you are a lineart sort of person. Some people (not me lol) are very skilled when it comes to painting so some people actually paint their accents and skins, especially when they're supposed to be effects and areas of large covering. If you're a person who does lineart, then continue reading. If you're a person who knows how to paint, you probably don't need any of this information because you're a level above mine. To stay inside the main lineart, you scroll down to the dragon template group, find the layer that's called [i]Base[/i], press and hold left Ctrl, then click on the small image in the layer menu. The selected group will stay highlighted as long as you don't use some sort of different selection tool. [img]https://i.imgur.com/dieXw35.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: screenshot showing the Base layer and the selection effect[/i][/right] I love layering different parts of my accent so that results in numerous different subgroups. Once you've finished your lineart, it should look like this. Yes, this is a complex nightmare but it works. [center]Hint: each component is on a different layer in a different group as to not interfere with the colouring process.[/center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/8e61qMF.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: a preview of the finished lineart on individual layers[/i][/right] [b]Step 7)[/b] - After that, you could go ahead and [color=#731d08][b]do the base colour, then the shading and highlights[/b][/color]. To make your colouring much simpler, make sure to enclose all of the lineart of objects, you can follow the lineart of the dragon in some areas. That way [color=#731d08][b]you can use the magic wand tool, also known as the [i]Contiguous Selection Tool[/i][/b][/color]. You just [color=#731d08][b]select your lineart layer, click outside of the lineart so it selects everything outside of your object.[/b][/color] Then go to [color=#731d08][b]Select -> Invert Selection -> Shrink Selection -> choose 1 or 2 pixels.[/b][/color] The shrinking will prevent the bleeding of colour outside the lineart. Then you just [color=#731d08][b]create a different layer beneath your lineart layer and colour it in.[/b][/color] That way all the colour will remain inside your lineart. Just make sure that it is all properly enclosed, otherwise the selection tool will penetrate your lineart. [center]Hint: an easy way to stay inside the element you're editing is to hold left Ctrl and left click on the group of the individual element, just like you did with the dragon base. This is where groups come in handy because that way you can quickly highlight the entire group.[/center] The modes I use for shading is [i]Multiply[/i] and for highlights is [i]Overlay[/i] since it affects the colours beneath while not painting over it. It's fine to experiment with colours and shading at any point. Sometimes I have to redo the whole base colour numerous times, but what makes my life easier are the filters. You click on your layer, go to [color=#731d08][b]Filter -> Adjust -> HSV Adjustment[/b][/color] if you just want to fiddle with hues, lightness, etc. There are some other filters that are great as well so keep experimenting. Do what you do best. [center]Hint: note that in most of these images I have some dragon shadow and/or lineart layers visible for my own sanity, they are not necessary for the process.[/center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/68gTvnm.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: screenshot showing the Select section, the Filter section, the Contiguous Selection Tool and different layer modes[/i][/right] [b]Step 8)[/b] - Next step is [color=#731d08][b]lineart colouring[/b][/color]. Even though in previous images the lineart is already in adjusted colours, here's a close-up of the process. Realistically, unless you use a brush colour different from black or immediately adjust colour as you go, the lineart in the beginning will be black. After you've coloured everything in, shaded it and highlighted it, you can mess around with the lineart more precisely. That way the contrast between the lines and the colours is less severe, but [color=#731d08][b]I usually recommend leaving the lineart fairly dark and visible.[/b][/color] Not only that but the lineart should ideally not be pure black so there's a distinction between the dragon's lineart and the lineart layer of the dragon. To do that, you click on the lock transparency button of the lineart layer so anything that is not a part of the layer is basically non-existent to your brush. Then, you just select a different colour and use your brush to colour it differently. [img]https://i.imgur.com/eY2s5nO.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: the difference between black lineart and coloured lineart, recoloured by using the transparency lock toggle[/i][/right] [b]Step 9)[/b] - You are now in the final stages of your skin/accent and what you need to do is just retouch your components. Firstly, if you feel like maybe some element could be moved, this is where groups come in handy. You just [color=#731d08][b]left click on your group, then use the [i]Rectangular Selection Tool[/i] to highlight all of it, then the [i]Transform a layer or selection[/i] to move it around.[/b][/color] After you're sure you're done with the individual elements, if you so desire, [color=#731d08][b]you can create a new layer (or layers if the element layering and depth are complex), put it on 40% opacity and then just use a black brush to create shadows.[/b][/color] This is of course completely optional, I just like doing it. Now just [color=#731d08][b]group your entire art in one group[/b][/color] and you are done with this file. [img]https://i.imgur.com/8iwo5wT.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: image showing the selection moving, and the shadows[/i][/right]

[center][size=5][b]Drawing process - file 2[/b][/size] - the finishing touches of your artwork before submission. [img]https://i.postimg.cc/dtGJkymj/Hor-divider-100.png[/img][/center] [b]Step 10)[/b] - After you've grouped everything and saved your file, [color=#731d08][b]collapse the entire group of your work, click on it to select it, then go to Image -> Scale Image To New Size -> resize image to 750 px X 750 px. Make sure that the resizing mode is [i]Bicubic[/i]. Open the original, unedited x_x_dragon file, then right click on the group you have selected, select Copy Layer, go to the unedited file and paste the group right above the [i]Accent Goes Here[/i] layer.[/b][/color] In this file you will have less freedom but that's ok. [center]Hint: Do not save your big file after you've resized it because you will overwrite all of your large resolution work (again, I have suffered through that)[/center] Save this new file as a separate file. [img]https://i.imgur.com/5OvRKba.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: the process of grouping, resizing and copying[/i][/right] [b]Step 11)[/b] - BAM. You have a clean, crisp, new file in a smaller size. Everything here should fit perfectly onto the dragon, if you resized and copied it properly. Now is the time to [color=#731d08][b]add a layer beneath the dragon template layer. Just colour everything in with the [i]Bucket Tool[/i] and use some really harsh, vibrant colour like Cyan, Lime green or Magenta.[/b][/color] It will temporarily be your background colour while you do lineart checks. [color=#731d08][b]You zoom in and look at individual groups of elements, making sure nothing is left uncoloured inside your element and that no colour from your element has gotten outside the main lineart. Fix what needs to be fixed.[/b][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/gGY8aIy.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: colouring errors on the left, the fixed version on the right[/i][/right] [b]Step 12[/b] - Now it's time to be a little evil. [color=#731d08][b]Play around with the lineart colour and the intensity of the shadows (the layers above your art). You can lighten the colour of the lineart itself by locking transparency, then recolouring the [i]Clip Lines[/i] lineart as you've done with your own, or you can simply lower the opacity of the lineart (much faster). All you need to make sure is that the lineart remains clearly visible AND pray to the gods that whoever's checking the skin submission will let it slide. The same opacity trick can be done with the [i]Clip Shadows[/i].[/b][/color] [img]https://i.imgur.com/21DyrNx.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: the difference between a black lineart layer and a coloured lineart layer[/i][/right]

[center][size=5][b]Saving the file[/b][/size] - the section where we elaborate the saving process of your finished art piece. [img]https://i.postimg.cc/dtGJkymj/Hor-divider-100.png[/img][/center] [b]Step 13[/b] - Read through all of this? Then you're pretty much done. All left for you to do is to [color=#731d08][b]hide your eyeburner background layer, the whole dragon template group and anything else if you added it. The only things that must remain visible is the first group - the one with the [i]Clip Lines[/i], [i]Clip Shadows[/i] and your art group/layer. Hide the other layers by clicking on the visibility toggle.[/b][/color] Once that is done, [color=#731d08][b]you click on [i]Alpha Inheritance[/i] of the [i]Clip Lines[/i] and [i]Clip Shadows[/i] layers.[/b][/color] The way that works is that it only applies the contents of the Alpha-selected layers to the layers below. All transparent areas will remain completely transparent while semi-transparent areas will have a fainter outline. This part is crucial. [img]https://i.imgur.com/xEAbKo0.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: hiding the layers and showing off the effect of Alpha Inheritance[/i][/right] [b]Step 14[/b] - the last step is here. After all of that, [color=#731d08][b]go to Image -> Resize Image To New Size -> then choose 350 x 350 and make sure it is a .png format because nothing else is supported.[/b][/color] That way all of the transparent areas will remain transparent and your art will just be layered above all the other .pngs of Flight Rising's dragon image generator after your skin had been printed and applied. [center]Hint: Bicubic is optimal. Things like the Nearest Neighbour will severely "grainfy" your image and you do not want to use that.[/center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/tXKw5J3.png[/img] [right][i]Image caption: the final resizing of the artwork and the saving process[/i][/right]

[center][size=5][b]Submitting[/b][/size] - you have finished your skin, congrats! Now is the time to submit it with a blueprint. There are numerous different ways to calculate your coverage, there are even some helpful websites that help you with it fast. [img]https://i.postimg.cc/dtGJkymj/Hor-divider-100.png[/img][/center] [b]Final step)[/b] - you are ready to purchase your blueprints and the place for it is the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/wiki/skins/4]Buy Blueprints section[/url]. The quantity is entirely your choice, but keep in mind that using Multi-Copy Packs is the most cost-efficient way to do it. If you are planning on only printing for yourself and maybe a friend, then it's irrelevant, but if you'd like to make some money back, the highest tier is the best option. If you manage to sell your skins, that is. [img]https://i.imgur.com/t5MxaN3.png[/img] On the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/wiki/skins/5]Upload Submission[/url] page you can finally upload what you need. The info there is straighforward: you select your blueprint, input the name of your new skin, select the species and pose that matches your skin and then press on Submit. Then you will receive an automated message letting you know that the submission is being reviewed. [img]https://i.imgur.com/mLEddj6.png[/img] [center]Hint: do not be discouraged if it gets rejected the first or even three times, the Staff make sure to be clear about what things need changing so stay vigilant and persistent![/center]

res

res

day off? nah
spending 5 8 hours on a guide? yeah