[X] My Assistant

Since theres a thread for font, why not one for the second most important job to putting out decent looking Manga, Doujinshi or even CGs you're proud to say you did(and offer cheap tips for aspiring editors)

Sooo.... Like I was just saying in the Font thread.
Sometimes the original scanner may not notice that their contrast settings on their monitor makes there manga look normal b/w, but it really turns out off white. Which is alright until you try erasing the old text and notice(or unfortunately don't) there are eraser marks(being the true white).

Since I didn't have photoshop back in the day and had to rely on mspaint, I came up with this super simple way of dealing with it, without changing the contrast of the pic overall.... Which isn't much, but it's a thread starter.
1: Use eye dropper tool on the "white" part.
2: Put new color on the second color box
3: Erase like normal(since the eraser is now the off white color)
4: Don't forget to reset it when you're done with it. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

This post has been edited by Super Shanko: Oct 5 2010, 14:56

Hmm, I do think you'd be better off leveling it though.

Chances are, if the pages aren't properly leveled, there's some kind of grain still to it, so you can still see where you used the rubber tool.

Yeah, I prefer leveling too. Check out this page from one of my translations, and then check the source I used. Getting rid of the grayish cast just makes the whole image crisper and more aesthetic.

Agreed. Although I've been using Brightness & Contrast adjustment to take care of that matter instead.

Granted, it's been long time since I've used Photoshop on regular basis so I've become rusty, but that's what editing is for - getting back into shape and remembering what's good to use and what isn't.

Here are some things that beginners can find useful:

Ero-Otoko's guide to translating and editing

[www.mediafire.com] Japanese slang and SFX

Dictionaries online:
[www.studyjapanese.org] http://www.studyjapanese.org/
[jisho.org] http://jisho.org/

Hope it helps, good luck with the editing (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

That SFX guide is also very helpful, I wish I had it several months ago.

And the clone stamp tool is also another great thing for those patterny looking bubbles.

Right, clone stamping is very useful and pretty much necessary if you want to edit stuff outside text boxes. One tip: zoom in when clone stamping. Maybe it's obvious to others, but I used to do it at 100% magnification, and the results weren't pretty.

That's pretty much the best way to use it, zoomed in I mean, otherwise you could screw it up and tear into the text bubble. Which is why you should make a habit out the history brush, another wonderful tool for those tiny mistakes.

With everything PS(and all similar programs) has to offer, its a wonder why anyone uses mspaint.

This post has been edited by Super Shanko: Oct 8 2010, 02:50

I have yet to wrap my head around the history brush... no clue what it does.

Clone stamp is very useful though, right. Learning how to use it right myself right now, haha...

Any tips for redrawing bubbles? My lines kinda end up crooked sometimes, and I can only fix that by going back and trying to get the angle right and stuff... sucks.

The history brush basically undoes any changes back to it's original state. Theres exceptions to it that vary, so you just have to mess with it. But it's very useful.

For instance, you just did one continuous erasing of text and you went alittle too far and took out some art. Instead of clicking to undo it, you just use history on the mistake and it returns it to normal.... It's basically Orihime's power, for photoshop!

As for the text bubble, try using the calligraphy brushes and move quick in one stroke.

Another way to redraw text bubbles is to use paths. Use the color picker tool on the text bubble's border, draw a path between two points on the bubble, adjust the path so it curves properly, and then stroke the path.
Here is an example text bubble with several bits of the text poking out:

And here is the result after I redrew the bubble:

I feel like there should be a power point presentation for this ^^;; I use to use photoshop back in the day too, but I never had real training on how to use all the tools, or even what they were for.

I'm considering making my own real guide(for beginners). So I'll have to work it out with all the little things so I don't forget anything.