DDR Custom Backgrounds

Sarcasm, Aeron sarcasm.

I love you guys too! ^^

*smacks Aeron* courtesy of me and Brazen. ^^

EDIT: Another one.

Dazzlin Darlin (Akiba Koubou mix) (Japanese)
Dazzlin Darlin (Akiba Koubou mix) (English)


EDIT2: Another updated one.

stealth (Thanks, Al)

EDIT3: Another SN2 bg:
Unreal (This will be watching every move you make while you dance...)

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finally, Dazzlin' Darlin AKBK mix...

Verry nice!

Unreal... Shine?

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Not when I have the bg video playing instead!

Damn.

Another updated one:

Silver Platform -I wanna get your heart-

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wonderful

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Thank you.

Two more:

HERO
HERO [2008 X-edit]

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inb4 Dan starts making high-res backgrounds for all the old songs. *cough*BUTTERFLY*cough*

The original artwork is still win, glad they decided to use the old stuff for the re-edits in X2 (and wish it had been a retroactive change).

Now if you want something like that, it's gonna require a little but of cash.

Updated:
BUTTERFLY (2008 X-edit)

EDIT: Another updated one. Sorry for the hiatus.

Sakura Sunrise

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Oooo, pretty colors. I love all the bgs you do Dan.

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Thank you.

Anyway, some more updated bgs coming a little later but I remember some people saying that they wanted to see my design process for my backgrounds. I'm going to do a quick walkthrough of how I do it. It's a bit quick but it would take me hours to write down every single detail but I'll do my best. The two main programs that i have been using all this time are of course Photoshop (Ps) and Illustrator (Ai). Usually, when a banner has complex artwork and lines that cannot be done in Ps, I use Ai to draw everything out to the best of my ability. After all is flat out drawn, I move everything into Ps to add color and effects.

And with that here it goes:

Preliminary sketch I did. I do this for the more important bgs and a boss song deserves the attention.


The banner is taken into Ai and I vector the shapes that make up the artwork like Pluto's astrological symbol, arches, the main title, other lines.

Pluto vectors

Backdrop of the entire bg. Looks nothing like the final product huh? I don't normally use Ps filters but when needed, I use them wisely and I try to make them subtle.


Add in some of the colors with some soft brushes and the faded square patterns.


A VERY subtle layer of gray grain added and the black clouds are added in as well to start creating that dark feeling.


The arches and corners are imported and given their red colors and overlayed so they can look like they have those square patterns cut into them. The arches have extra patterns Masked on them.


Big changes here. Layer of rock overlayed to add more texture to the whole thing. Pluto's astrological symbol and backdrop symbols are brought in and masked with red with some bevel effects as well and positioned together. A small easter egg is also in here now...


Finally the customized typeface is imported and has its bevel, color, shadows and gradients added to finish off the entire piece.


Then of course that whole bg is used as a base itself to create Pluto Relinquish. Color and gradient changes, new space like backdrop and "Relinquish" added in.


And that's about it...

I really don't have any secrets that I can divulge but all I can say is to keep a few things in mind when trying to make any banner/background:

- Readability (VERY important) make sure we can read what it says. Standard banners are tiny and it makes things all the more difficult. Album banners allow more space but use it wisely.
- Do NOT use display typefaces too often because they are overly fancy and can clutter up alot of space.
- Contrast. I can't stress that enough. Using dark grey with dark colors or black is just plain wrong and hard to read.
- Low resolution images. This can't be helped sometimes but using an image that is pixelated beyond reason either needs to be scaled down or redrawn somehow or try to find something better to use.

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Did I ever say you're awesome? Didn't have to read everything (will do later), but, I see what you did there lol.
Great

btw, did you read my PM?

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Yea I got the PM but registration closed months ago.

Anyway, updated bg.

smooooch

I'm working on the remaining IIDX songs but it's like trying to dig through concrete with a plastic spoon. Looks like I'll have to dress up as Dai and do the bg that way....

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This is, like, the third time I've +5'd you Dan... I'm all out of numbers.


Bracing for epic...

No way. No one on this site has enough money to pay me to dress up like that and pose. D:

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Maybe Chewi will do it...

Uh, what?
That comment is really unneeded.
And no, I wouldn't...

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Two more heavily updated and finally finished:

Dazzlin Darlin
Second Heaven

About damn time that's I gotta say...

EDIT: Another one:

VANESSA

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Why so shiny Daii! xD

Nice stuff Silverdragon~ But looking at Second Heaven feels very blury. ><;

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Yea thats how all of the IIDX songs are going to be. I dont have access to high quality videos so they're not going to get any better.

That's the best I can possibly do with what Konami gave me.

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I skim through the previous thread and said something about you dressing as "Dai"... xD

Cosplay perhaps? xDD (AKA I really want to see this in action, LMAO!)

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