User:Piranha

on dreamwidth: piranha

on LJ: pir_anha

on IRC: pir

email (also used for zilla): pleochroic@gmail.com

TO DO:

write wiki page on how i make the pesky little style previews:

setup:

• set up userpic for generic user
• make some test posts with the same tags,
  • 1 tag with 1 post
  • 1 tag with 2 posts
  • 1 tag with 3 posts
• create new layout and/or theme
• pick tag for posts that fit best with theme, fill most of screen
• take screenshot of window at max browser size. often have to take two; one upper, one lower, because themes don't all fit well horizontally

in photoshop:

• set background colour to background colour of image.
• combine the screenshots if you had to take two (enlarge canvas, use difference trick)
• with very vertically oriented themes, add additional empty space on the sides.
• flatten image
• set marquee to aspect ratio of 150 wide 114 high
• draw marquee starting at left upper corner, fitting as much as possible into it.
• snap guide to lower edge of marquee
• redraw the marquee to the guide.
• crop the image.

detail work:

• if there are fine lines outlining modules/entries, pull guides to line up with each one.
• save the image as png (this will save the guides as well), name it after layout and theme (eg. stepping stones red october)
• duplicate the image, replacing "copy" with "150x114"
• resize the image, bicubic sharper, size 150 wide 114 high
• if there are fine lines to draw:
  • create new layer above background layer
  • zoom in so you can see
  • for rectangular outlines use marquee along guides and edit -> stroke with 1 px center
  • for lines use pencil 1 px along guides
  • hide guides, zoom out when done
  • adjust line layer's opacity until it melds nicely with theme
  • sharpen background layer
  • flatten layers
• save image as png

upload to zilla