General Hints on Avatars and Signatures

[General Julio Rodriguez]

So you want to make some sick avatars and signatures but don't know where to start? Here's some tips:

Avatars:

Avatars must be no more than 150X400 pixels. If you want a quick, easy way to find one, do a Google Image search of your playby. On the far left panel, there will be an option for sizes (Any Size will probably be selected). Click on "Exactly..." and enter 100 for both values. It's one of the more common sizes, and there will likely be a decent selection already sized for you. You can also search for other common sizes.

If you would like to make your own, I recommend Tinypic.com or Photobucket.com, both of which allow you to save images on the site and include editing tools for resizing and cropping. Also, Proboards allows you to define the dimensions of your avatar, so you can also just scale it down in the Modify Profile section.

While it is possible to use a .gif as an avatar, keep in mind that this can be distracting and also slow down those with weak internet connections.

Signatures:

First of all, if you're really inexperienced with graphics and don't want to learn how to do them, post a request, and there will more than likely be someone willing to make a signature for you. That said, if you would like to make your own, you have several options.

Photoshop and Pixlr
Many people use Photoshop, which is a spectacular program, but also very expensive. You can download free trials, but these generally last 30 days. Pixlr.com is very similar with most of the same options you will need to make a signature, and it's' free online, no downloads. Keep in mind, you can't save the images to Pixlr, so you will still need something like Photobucket or Tinypic. If you need help navigating Pixlr, comment on this thread or message me, and I'll be happy to help you out.

Design
When making a signature, keep in mind that simplicity is often more attractive than an image that is too busy. A very easy formula which many use is to have an image of the playby on one side of the signature and on the other side, write their name and a short quote. A cool font can really make a signature, and you can find one on a website like 1001freefonts.com.

Low tech
Signatures don't need to be very complex. For those who don't want to bother with programs like Photoshop or Pixlr, it is totally possible to do everything you need in Microsoft Paint, found in the Accessories section of most Windows PCs. The trick for doing this successfully, is finding a good picture. Because Paint doesn't allow for 'blank' backgrounds, find a picture of your playby with a background that you like, preferably a solid color or something blurry/abstract. Size your image so it is 260 pixels tall, and then set your canvas so it is 560X260. Place the image wherever you want, probably on one side of the canvas. Select a solid portion of the background and stretch it to cover the white parts of the canvas. You can also copy & paste the solid part of the background. Add text to the blank part, and voila! A simple, low-tech signature.

Restrictions
Please remember that your signature will show up on every post you make, so it shouldn't be too large. (Generally, if your signature is larger than your post, you're doing it wrong.) I like to keep signatures around 560X260. If it's much wider than that, you can stretch the page, which can be really irritating. It is possible to make a .gif signature, but those can be very distracting and can slow down people with weaker internet connections, so they are discouraged.