MOST USED EFFECT? THE Swirls???

[Guest pillowbox]

i agreed.

lately i have been seeing alot of graphics with filters. I wont deny saying I dont use filters. The only reason why I used filters is because i want to try different styles and find my own. Like chelly said, people began posting icons.. it's a good thing in a way because we get to see variety of graphics. Maybe using filters make you look pro-ish, idunno. I dont use it in every graphics of mine .. to tell you the truth i still suck at filtering and it takes forever sometimes ;____;

[Guest xiLLeNtz]

Haha Im starting to think that you people are starting to look down on filters when I'm sure we all use it all the time. Filter>Blur>_____? Or how about Filter>Pixelate>_____.

The point here isn't how filters aren't great, the point is how a selected few are setting trends while others follow. Some of you feel that the "followers" will eventually evolve into a better artist and that they're just in a phase, others feel that this is how they'll be forever.

"Create your own filtering style so that ol` love.diary here can actually point out which artist made which graphic, alrighty?" (love.diary) I remember when before you can kind of tell who was who and that the graphic didn't even have to have the person's name, now those people are hidden lmao. But it's good to see that this place has evolved.

Anyways.. Anyone want to be my guest and guess what the next trend will be =P?

[Guest illumine*]

they come and go.

but right now, they're the "it" thing in photoshop.

when you see all those funky swirls, you get this feeling that YOU HAVE TO just learn it slash be able to do it.

at least that's how i felt.

i guess these trends we're having right now pushes and challenges PSers to be creative and develop their own individual styles someday

- iris

[Guest Nana]

See I'm not crazy! It's everywhere! I would be okay if I didnt see such a big dose of IT! It's like soft overlay all over again!.. Trends only distinguish the inexperienced.. I've already said how I feel about filtering.. no point in bringing it back up.. It'll just make me angry!..

I like the style, but not when everyone uses it. Change it up a bit people. This is why I have a new philosophy because there is NO artistic growth within this forum. There is only a select few who innovative others and give great avant garde pieces, but sadly they are copied but the many people in this section.

I very much agree with what you said. I've always said that unless you're unique with your art you're really not an artist. Artist don't follow trends but their imagination. Obviously by the examples everyone can do the filtering swirls and honestly I don't see what's so special about it....it just makes everyones art work look the same. So when I look at this "art work" it's not like I have a clear picture and go "ohhh blah blah and blah blah made these" because theres no touch of uniqunes or personality in the artwork. You can use the filtering and try to add your own creativity to it but as I've seen almost no one has been doing that on these forums.

Honestly it's sad how this forum went from so many artist and so many unique artworks to dullness. I don't know if I'm being too harsh but that's just how I feel.

And I'm not saying don't use filters just spice it up a bit give it your own touch. Filters are the things to do use and I think it better than textures but don't be affraid to be unique. Graphic arts is art and art shouldn't follow trends.

[Guest kgurl]

i never really used it...iono...

but u cant say that all people are following trends...its true theres a lot of people who use it and its popular for some reason...but there are people who use it just cuz it looks good on their graphic...

also its just an easy way to blend things together, which is y i think people use it so much=-but i dont use it so i wouldnt know...

just my thoughts-

but i also agree with kiki in saying that its popular so some people use it to get more feedback-

[Guest simply_dZ]

I do filtering, but I don't do the swirling thing that much...I do think it brings the graphic together though, and that's why it's so nice.

I'd love to read all the other replies, but my sister's yelling at me to get off the computer....

[Guest Muddie Murda]

Anyways.. Anyone want to be my guest and guess what the next trend will be =P?

Why don't you start a vector/vexel/cartoonie trend! I want to see those around here more.

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We've been getting loads of questions on how to "filter" in the Photoshop Tutorial thread. That is such a wide topic to touch upon because it's endless.

People are getting confused and some think there's a magic button called "filter" which you'd press and WOW you'll get this cool twirly swirly look or this awesome glowy wavy line...blah blah, you know.

Maybe some designers should stray from the word "filter" and be more specific in what they use. Such as the word "swirl" is a better us than to use "filtering."

Just my thoughts.

[Guest peaches-n-cream]

i think it really depends on the style of the graphic and who makes it. the swirls in the graphics from the battles are translucent and present more of the "wonderland" feel... whereas many bluntly present opaque swirls across the board... when the maker of a graphic uses too many swirls, especially when they are from a preset of brushes, that's when it is over-used. otherwise, swirls will always be around.

[NEVERland]

o.O...I bet people are gonna stop using it now. Like the time someone posted about the Dreamy Effect. EVERYONE, stopped using it. I did too. lol...I think it looks ok. It's hard to get your own style. So no worries. ...

[pachi_A]

yes, i agree that filtering is becoming a trend. i see trends with photoshop all the time. i'm sure that blending will always be in, and filtering is coming back lately. icons are really "in" right now as well.

i've got to say, i am affected by trends. :] i even started to try to learn how to filter, but i'm not good so i gave up. but its nothing weird. its just like fashion. if a certain type of necklace is in style, everyone is bound to buy one, or atleast be tempted to buy one (sooner or later).

[yuns]

i actually think filtering tests an artist's photoshop skills more than the use of textures =) what can one do with default photoshop tools?

but yeah, it is pretty popular lately i don't mind seeing it in artists' works, especially when they can use it to mix it with something really original :]

I agree with you on filtering. That's the philosophy I've always gone with on photoshop, use the tools photoshop gives you. The swirl effect is not the only thing you can achieve with filters. You can make your graphic look for d.grungey with filters etc. The whole "swirl" thing is just the newest thing. It looks nice and you want to figure out how to do it yourself because you think it's cool. I don't think there's anything wrong with doing that but it sometimes does defeat the purpose of art. Art to me is a form of expression. It doesn't always have to be aesthetically pleasing. if there's a good concept behind it then that's what actually matters. When I photoshop for myself, it's a way of showing the world what the image looks like in my mind.

Basically, trends end up making art meaningless. It's not really art anymore if you're just following a trend because it's the new in thing.

[Guest captainEDEN.]

i'll agree w. Chelly on this one. new trends come in and out.

before there were vectors/line art, silouhettes, colourizations,

and BLENDING is huge!

but i dont mind seeing filterings. like Yumi said, it's easy and

it looks pretty. this is just my opinion but i love seeing

filters! i think it's an aawesome effect

[Guest Se7enBoi]

welll I guess most of u guys start PSing with brushes, I myself used filter for the first time I touch PS, and yes, realize that using filter is not that easy. I mean you can creat great effects with the filter, but when you mix the filtered part with another things in your graphic, i mean the way you do it, it makes the differences, and i think it give a pro/noob at filtering feeling. Filtering (and of course another things like brushes and textures and stuffs) are nothing without blending skill, so I think that your own style is your own way of blending

I myself rarely use texture, because it give the graphics similar color/looks and such.

well it's just my own opinion, and the last thing is I love filtering

[baoi]

I've seen that around for ages!

Everyone uses it.. It really looks nice, i don't use it much, but it think it's because i haven't mastered it.. But yeah.. it's over used, but there are a ton of things out there that is also over used.

Good Job kiKi.

[Guest lovecity.]

personally, i DO think it's being overused! and yes, i'm trying to stop it, but i cant =P

and i do agree with everyboduy else =)