How much time do you spend on Sets?

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hyperflutterby · #1 Post by **hyperflutterby** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:45 pm

This might belong in Misc Polls, but I thought it was more appropriate here.

I'm just wondering how much time our artists spend on average when making sets.

I seem to spend a couple hours on one set, but I think that is because I'm still new at it. I would eventually like to open a request board, but I want to make sure that I will have the time to keep up with it. So does it always take so long to make a set? Or can you throw together a good one in 20 minutes if you start with a good base image?

Rissa · #2 Post by **Rissa** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:15 pm

It all depends. Yes, I can throw together a fairly good one in less than half an hour if I've got a base image, but good base images are hard to find.

Usually requests that I have or things I make for PPTTG take me about an hour to make, because I like to take my time on them since requests are for other people and since I'm getting judged in PPTTG. If I'm just making one for myself, though, I might only throw in a few effects, text, and a border. Usually the images I choose to make sets for myself are easy to work with and already beautiful and don't need much touching up, cause I'm lazy like that.

Silja · #3 Post by **Silja** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:22 pm

Well yeah, if the base image is good enough I can even manage do a nice looking set in about 15 mins.

But if it needs a lot of other things, like a completely new background, different image effect and etc. I can work on a set for 1-2 hours.

The requests I get vary a lot as do the set contest entries I make, but I usually choose very suiting base images for my own sets, so that I don't have to work on the too much, like the set I have now for example.

And of course now that I have done sets for a longer while I have learned new stuff that can be added to sets to make them spiffier and that adds some working time to each set

vkceankraz · #4 Post by **vkceankraz** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:29 pm

My first set took seven hours, because I wanted cut outs... and because I'm picky as hell. Now on a good day I crank one out in 30 minutes to an hour, sometimes more.
It takes longer to select a picture for myself than to work on a request... which reminds me-- I've got to catch up with those. Sigh.

Shifty · #5 Post by **Shifty** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:46 pm

About 45 to 120 minutes...

Of course it all depends on the image... Neopet items , for example, are much easier to work with since they are small, and you don't have to edit the picture.
Photographs on the other hand...

shinigamisrevenge · Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:54 pm

For me 1 to 3 hours depending on image quality, animation, cutouts, etc. I'm also extremely picky about stuff. I've thrown together a set before in about a half hour and tossed it up for C & C to see if the idea has merit and if it does I spend additional time on reworking it.

Marissa · #7 Post by **Marissa** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:06 pm

I'm incredibly picky about my pictures, so finding and preparing an image (recoloring, cleanup, misc. editing) can take an extremely long time. I think the longest time I spent on preparing a picture for a set was about four hours removing halftone dots and a binding gutter from a horrible little scan of a CD booklet produced my horrible old scanner.
Then the second longest thing (for me, at least) is choosing fonts. I'm almost never satisfied with the way a font looks on its own, so I often make a lot of changes to them, and checking for a potential font takes me up to an hour, even with the assistance of my font manager.
But after those two things are finished, everything else is a breeze, not more than 10 minutes. Back when I used to take requests I could whip a set together in about that time because I was provided an image and I didn't really put a lot of thought into selecting a font.

Yoshi · #8 Post by **Yoshi** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 10:59 pm

I'm pretty attentive to detail and flairs in my stuff. Those usually end up taking longer than the majority of drawing a set. And like Marissa, I have the most agonising time with fonts and text. So...anywhere from 3 hours (no animation) to half a day (animation) to 2 weeks (2 weeks is rare, that's if I use Flash). I take everything gradually and take small breaks, like go on PPT and play random stuff, so that sometimes accounts for the hours. It's because of the long, tedious times I have, which require me to be overly bored and 100% not-busy, and my short attention span, that I don't take requests often. Even in the summer.

Well, making it all has its good sides. The picture you make fits the set in positioning and theme because you make it purposely for a set.

Zero! · #9 Post by **Zero!** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:36 pm

Like 5-20 minutes. Though last time I made a set with mad crazy cut-outs, it took me two days.

kiay · #10 Post by **kiay** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 2:03 am

Anywhere from 1 hour to 5, usually its about 2 though. Sure, I can make one in 15 minutes, but it wont look as nice as the one I spent alot of time on.

Finding the right image can take up a lot of time too, I always want it to be perfect and that is kind of hard to find so if I choose an image and it turns out horrible, I find a new one and make a new set. Choosing a font is the hardest next thing, Sometimes I spend half and hour or more, trying to find a font that fits in my set and I have to do some changes to the set to make it match with the font.

Yep, doing sets can take up a long time for me, but I don't care because I love spending my time doing them, they are so fun!

Medusa · #11 Post by **Medusa** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:55 am

I suppose it varies with the content, what I need to do to the set and also what sort of mood I'm in. If I'm passionate about the subject matter and in a good mood I'm quite happy to work on a set for hours - and I will. On the other hand, if its not something I'm particularly fond of I can get the set done in about 30 minutes.

Starchaser · #12 Post by **Starchaser** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 4:02 am

Let's see, I'll break my time frame down for an average set:

30 minutes - finding an image if I don't already have one
15 minutes - editing picture (size, coloring, contrast) to my taste
30 minutes - place pic in sig, add text, try out 500 fonts and effects and blends
60 minutes - be incredibly unhappy with sig, change fonts, effects, and layers at least 10 times, spend time trying all sorts of time-consuming things on it which I ultimately don't end up using
20 minutes - add borders/effects to sig
30 minutes - now that I already have a pretty clear concept of what I'm doing, make matching avvy

So, that's a little over 3 hours, if I'm not mistaken. Then, if there's animation, add about another 20-45 minutes if it's not too complex, or if it's something like my current set, more like 2 hours.

Yeah.

Although, of course, there are variations. Some sets take a lot shorter, some take even longer.

Noelle · #13 Post by **Noelle** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:00 pm

From 15mins - 5 hours for me. For me it depends if I have insparation or a mental block. Also it can depend on the image. If the image is well crappy, they is image repares. Then there is effects. I could go though millions of effects, working on background (which I make from scrach), fonts, sometimes using scan lines and finding the right one. But it is all in what your looking for.

DM was on fire! · #14 Post by **DM was on fire!** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:42 pm

It depends. If it's something I'm doing just 'cause I'm bored (like the island zafara set I made with the lyrics from Get a Clue.), it fluxes between 30 min.-3 hours. But if's it's for a request, contest or PPTTG. Most likely between 1 hour to 4 hours.

That includes the whole text formatting thing, trying out fonts and effects and if I have to, restart the computer.

Rachel · #15 Post by **Rachel** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:50 pm

waaaay to long. The curse of my life is being indecisive, i'm indecisive about EVERYTHING, and that includes my sets. I also work on it for a little bit then do something else, then a bit more, then wander off and work on it again later. i also browse the internet while i'm doing it.

The one i made for PPTTG the other day took ages as i was being really indecisive about what to do for it. the image took ages to find, and then i went through 3 or 4 ways of doing stuff to it... i still have all the layers saved in the base image i used... :S if i'm not sure i make a new layer, change it slightly and see what i think.... and then probably send the image to my housemate for a second opinion on which one he prefers... as i said, indecisive!