Kalon's Portrait Studio

[Kalon Ordona II]

Lately I've been starting to receive the inevitable requests for more of the Character Portraits I make.
I couldn't be more thrilled, despite the daunting task that lies ahead.
And so.... *drumroll*

Welcome, dear Eliterate denizens of the FOG... to my humble Shoppe!

These portraits are made by modifying Character Sheets from the Fire Emblem games.
I do not draw all these from scratch, therefore I give much credit to Nintendo and the developers and artists who worked hard to create all the marvelous artwork for the games. I hope they'd be pleased that their efforts are being passed on, serving as the foundation for my Character Portraits.
Here are samples of my work thus far.

As you can see, my skills have been progressing for quite some time.
I love making these, so feel free to request one.
However, please be kind. I only have so many hours in a day, and I have a hard time saying no.

I give priority if the portraits requested are to be used for your avatar / signature.

You may use the portrait I make for you however you like, and you may even modify it of course.
However, make sure to give credit and advertise for me. I'm not getting paid for this ( yet ), so do please consider the poor artist and give him a plug or two if anyone asks.
If you manage to sell the picture, I get 50%.

You may NOT use a portrait I have made for someone else without first asking both the person I gave it to and then myself.

So step right up, friends! Don't be shy! Let the creativity abound!!

I will place no limit on requests. I'll tackle it primarily on a priority basis, secondarily first-come-first-serve. Please be patient. I don't know what to anticipate--a few or hundreds--so just realize that you might have to wait a while. Even if there aren't many requests, I still have a lot of other things to take care of all the time. Not least all the role-plays here at FOG.

Thanks again for visiting my Shoppe! Do come again!

[Update: January 3rd, 2010]


[Update: March 15th, 2010]


[Update: March 9th, 2011]

[Kalon Ordona II]

[Update: September 30th, 2009]
Now that many of you have seen what is possible with these Character Portraits, I imagine some of you might be desirous of making your own!
To that end...

Welcome to Kalon's Portrait-Making Class!

First things first.
Even though other people (rare, but they exist) also make portraits such as these, I came up with this method before I knew of them. Since you're hearing of these techniques from me, I'd appreciate being credited in some small way for your future masterpieces.

Some of you know Tkwiget. He was the first person I passed on my knowledge to, and already he's doing some cool stuff on his own. I think he has more advanced software, as well.

[Update: March 1st, 2010]
I now have a second person who has made use of my knowledge and techniques, and I doubt not that she's bringing her own expertise into play. Ryona Noel is fast becoming an experienced portrait-maker! A thousand huzzahs!

As well, it seems our Weiss has joined the party! The first evidence of this is seen in his new avatar of enviable quality. Bravo!

Credits
I must once again give enormous credit and thanks to FEPlanet.net. (The link will take you to the Spriter's Resource for Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn) Without their abundant available images and expansive site, making these custom portraits would scarcely be possible. As well, those who have acquired the images from the games--to make them available for public use--are the real benefactors of this art-form, so a HUGE thank-you to each and every one of them! This enterprise would truly be impossible without their hard work!

And last but greatest, once again, the artists themselves, without whom these works of art would not even exist.
Thankyouforever!


And now... BEGIN!

In which the tools I use are revealed....

I do not have any version of photoshop at this time, so here again are the two programs that I use to create these Character Portraits.

MS Paint
Ulead PhotoExpress 3.0 SE

In addition, sometimes for re-sizing and always for saving to appropriate file types, I use
IrfanView 3.80

I know both MS Paint and PhotoExpress quite well by now, though by no means thoroughly.
PhotoExpress is actually quite versatile and user-friendly.
I'm also quite good (though nowhere near excellent, awesome or professional) at pixel art, thanks to MS Paint.

[Update: March 1st, 2010]
My toolset no longer includes PhotoExpress 3.0 SE
It has been replaced by GIMP 2.6.7
I still use MS Paint, though, , as well as Irfanview.

In which the Portrait Process is explained....

I start with a description or idea of the character I want to make. Sometimes I have a picture as well, sometimes not. I get my base images from FEPlanet.net's collection of sprites and choose one or bits of several that have what I need to create the character.

Once I have the images ready, I start messing around with them. I might play with sizes of things like body, arms, hair, and so on. I'll also start selecting all the bits from all the different characters and arranging them to fit how I want them to. Sometimes I'll alter the bits I take from other characters so that they'll fit properly on the new one I'm making.

I'm usually altering color throughout every stage. Sometimes I wait till the end, sometimes I do it at whatever point I feel like or is convenient. Color altering takes place now almost exclusively in PhotoExpress, where I'm learning all the time how to select exactly what I want. I used to use the Replace Color feature, and sometimes I still do, but now more often I just select what I want to change and then use Color Tone or Color Balance to mess with the colors of the whole thing. There's also a feature where you can Select by Color. Very handy, oh yes.

After everything is ready, I put it all together and weld it together with pixel art. At this point I'll also do the face, again with pixel art. Sometimes I do the eyes from scratch, but most often I pick eyes that come close and just modify them. I almost always at least have to change the eye color.

In addition, I often add accessories like jewels or chains or circlets. Those are fun.

In which my patterns in portrait-making are discussed....

I almost always change the hair color, the eye color, the clothing and often armor when I make the portraits. At first I had to rely mostly on MS Paint for color replacement and I was doing a lot more pixel art. As I've learned more in PhotoExpress, I've needed MS Paint less and less, though it's still a necessity.

Up until recently, I haven't had the skill to take sprites from Fire Emblem 10, and have been just sticking to characters from Fire Emblem 9, which are more drawn-looking and have less colors to worry about. Now that I'm improving, I've finally started taking FE10 characters to use for portraits.

Perhaps someday I'll expand my horizons to include other games, if there are similar resources for them. I'm also getting better at adding bits not found in video games at all. The hat I made for Stion is my first real step in this direction: I got the base image from a pencil drawing he showed me.

Updates
[Update: January 1st, 2010]
I've finally downloaded GIMP! I am now a "Professional."
Bird of Hermes is the first to receive a portrait from me with the upgraded tool set. xD

GIMP 2.6.7
Hail to GIMP!

[Update: March 1st, 2010]
My techniques and patterns of portrait-making haven't changed much, but I'm definitely getting to know my way around GIMP. I'm learning new things all the time. Most lately I've fallen in love with the burn tool, as well as the paintbrush's functions for Hue, Saturation, Value, and more.

The color select is probably the tool I use the most. You can slide the mouse left or right to alter the threshold on the fly. xD Very handy. I'll often need to augment the selection by adding or subtracting with the trace select. Thanks to MS Paint for my steady hand at that. ^^

After selecting something, usually the first thing is to change the color, either with Hue/Saturation or Colorize. I haven't gotten the hang of Color Balance yet, so for now I just sometimes use it for hair, to get multiple tones in there, since you can change the colors of highlights, mid-tones and shadows.

Layers, too, are handy, though often I don't need to use them with my Character Portraits. Still, I'm learning a lot about them by making other artworks. ^^
And I guess that's it for this update!
See you next time!

In which questions are answered....

If anyone has any questions, I'll post them here and give detailed answers for everyone's benefit.
Don't be shy!


Forth, my children! Follow your heart in pursuit of your art!

[Stion Gyas]

You can't stop me. I dunno how you could possibly do Brenard's scars, but I'm sure you'll think of something. If that fails, I can offer a description of his face without the scars.

I'll edit this to fill out your instructions.

[Gunneh]

SUPREME EDIT: Screw my whining lol No edits to the outfit, but could you gimme two swords instead of the one? I'mma make him a badass duel weilder

Oh, I guess I should elaborate: Could you, please, make the aforementioned edits to the guy in my avatar? And could I lose the yellow for white, please?

[Kalon Ordona II]

I was going to edit my portrait as well, so, yes, I will surely do yours too, Gunneh.
Poor Weiss will have to be constantly editing these. Lol. xD

[Kalon Ordona II]

Here's the new Gunneh and Kalon!
*fanfare*



It's all up to you now, Weiss!!

Silvone and Stion, I'll work on yours next.

[Stion Gyas]

Looks good. Oh, yeah. Mine's for an avi/sig. Just have to get my hands onto Photoshop again.

[Weiss]

I feel I should make this known as a preemptive measure: I won't be constantly editing these. I like to think I'm a rather patient person, and I don't mind fixing something, but I want to make sure everyone knows that if switching portraits becomes a frequent habit, I'm eventually going to say no. I'm not saying you guys can't ask me to switch them from time to time, but please try not to be fickle and swap avatars every week, or even every month.

And keep in mind, I'm saying this as a preemptive measure. In other words, I'm not annoyed right now. I'm not bothered at the moment. I just don't want it to become a habit and for everyone to end up being shocked and appalled if I get fed up with it. Find one you like and make it your own. That's what life's all about.

[Kalon Ordona II]

Thanks, Weiss!
It's a good thing you mentioned that. I'll definitely keep that in mind the next time someone asks for a modification.

[Digital Muse]

Wow! Just...wow!

OK Cough up something for Katerina Forbes!!

[Kalon Ordona II]

*cough*
I'll do my best. xD

Edit:
Just for a status update: I'm well into Silvone's request. Engraving the armor is going to be fun. As in difficult AND as in enjoyable. xD

[Stion Gyas]

Awesome, can't wait to see Barthon in "person." Even though he isn't mine.

[Digital Muse]

I know!

[Kalon Ordona II]

I know! I can't wait to finish and show them to you all! xD Stuff just keeps getting in the way. I think Brenard and Katerina might be quite challenging.

[Kalon Ordona II]

Aaaaaaand here he is!
May I present to you all,
Sir Barthon Camlin!



I hope I did okay on the engraving.
I could try again, if you like.
Like if you want to suggest a different kind of image, a sort of style, it wouldn't be any problem to do it over.

[Digital Muse]

*swoons He's sooo handsome!

[Guest]

That is absolutely awesome! Thanks!

[Gadreille]

What do you think of the avi rendition? (I took the liberty of uploading it as his new avatar...Silvone is currently facing ODST complex and should be over it within the next week or so.

[Kalon Ordona II]

Oooooh very nice!
I love the scroll behind him. Among other things, it matches the quill and parchment in his sig!

[Gadreille]

Glad you like it! I will make avatars for others if they want!

[Stion Gyas]

Aaaaaaand here he is!
May I present to you all,
Sir Barthon Camlin!



I hope I did okay on the engraving.
I could try again, if you like.
Like if you want to suggest a different kind of image, a sort of style, it wouldn't be any problem to do it over.

Be still my heart!

Glad you like it! I will make avatars for others if they want!

I may take you up on that, just so you know.

[Gadreille]

That is fine by me

[Sighlent]

Ooh would you make me one?

PM me if you'd be willing too. That way I can give you the details.

[Kalon Ordona II]

Ehhh no need to PM. ^^ If you're going to display it as your avatar anyway, people might as well see the description here so they know if I did it right.
Or you can just PM it to me, like you said; whatever you feel like.

Short answer: Yes absolutely! You'd either be after Stion or after Digital_Muse, depending.

Edit:
I'm starting to feel a little under the weather, so I'm going to try to go to bed closer to on time tonight. We'll see how it goes. There might be advantages in regard to art production if I do get sickish, though, so I guess you don't have to hope too hard.

[Guest]

Barthon is, by far, my favorite role-playing character. And this definitely helps Thanks again, Kalon!

[Stion Gyas]

I don't mean to rush, Kalon, but how goes the portrait work? I really hope you aren't sick.

[Kalon Ordona II]

I was, but I'm not anymore. Brenard is almost done!
I just need to know what kind of hat he has.
I know it's wide-brimmed, but can you give me anything more specific?
It would be easier if I didn't have to make the hat, and I might not be able to in the end, but I'd like to at least give it a try. ^^

[Stion Gyas]

Actually, I do have a picture.

In fact, it's the original Stion Gyas. Unfortunately, he never did get colored...

[Kalon Ordona II]

The picture was a great help. I needed the hat especially. xD

Here he is!
Brenard san Deccour!

[Stion Gyas]

Such an evil glare to his eye! You can just see the depth within the picture! *art connoisseur talk*

Lookin' good. I am very jealous of his hat.

EDIT: If you become any more awesome at this, I'm gonna have to ask you where you get the resource stuff.

[Sponsored content]