You and your resources

Six

𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 *★.• ·
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How do you go about your resource folder (if you have one)?

Do you just save any image, C4D, background, stock, you name it that may come in handy as an effect when making personal work? Do you prefer downloading big packs, you know the ones uploaded on DeviantArt packed with C4Ds, effects and the likes? Or, do you make your own?

Do you sort your folders on file or effect type? Ie, renders, C4Ds, vectors, etc?

When (if) you're doing paid work, do you make sure the resources you use are free to use (if they're not your own)?
 
I didn't keep one until I started my previous job that I left earlier this year. They let employee's keep a folder on one of the servers and I used it as an opportunity to keep stuff because I liked to work quickly & efficiently. I think when I left it was over 30GB worth of content, which realistically isn't much when you consider there was a lot of PSDs on there that is designed for printing on a press.

I'm still oddly holding onto that stuff even though most of it I won't need anymore, like old yearbook templates & school logos that I've had to re-use and re-draw (you wouldn't believe the low res crap we got, it should be a crime) but I feel like I'll regret losing some of that stuff more than if I just save it somewhere.

Mostly in my folder are:

Actions - Mostly secondary shortcut keys but also actual actions
Brushes - Photoshop brushes for free use or things that I've created
Gradients and Patterns - There isn't much but they're all ones I've made myself.
Phonts - Fonts I normally use. I saved these at work because having to get them all back again is a pain, but now that I'm just on a home computer I don't need it much.
Stock Images - A huge variety as we were given unofficial-official permission to take it all with us
Templates - For things I need templates for.
Textures - Mostly grunge stuff but other things like parchment, denim & whatnot are there too. These are mostly all flat images but I have some layered files as well

I also have a Set Ups folder. Initially I made this because when we would return after our off-season we would have to set our computers back up again and it took forever remembering how I had everything exactly (I work from muscle memory a lot) so it included shortcuts, printer things & other work-related content. But most importantly it had my Photoshop layout & my custom shortcut keys.

My stock images is just a big flat out mess. I merged my own stock images from the inherited folder from work, but they did a terrible job at organizing everything. Because there is a mishmash of stock (as we did various types yearbook covers) it's easier sorting by subjects like People, Office, Paint Drips, Galaxy->Stars->Planets, etc... But, erm, I suppose as of late I don't really save things anymore since I have a lot of stuff to pull from & just like creating as I go. Not that I'm really creating things anymore 🤷‍♀️ But I do often work off of stuff that I've created before, so that helps too.

I absolutely save all of my PSDs though, there's nothing worse than needing a layered file and only finding a JPG >_<



I try and make sure all of the stuff I use is free for use, especially if it's commercial work. It's good practice anyway and I wish schools would really emphasize more on copyright. Eh, yes, sometimes I do use things that are probably gray area, so it's a bit hypocritical of me, but I try my best to use images that are official or artist-given permission. Never on commercial work though, but I don't really do much of that anyway.



I'm definitely due for an update. Stuff is a mess and I hate that! But most importantly I like to keep my actions & shortcut keys in check, I hate manually having to set everything because I never remember them all in one go.
 
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