Which looks better?(sorta image heavy)

Johndar · Post by **Johndar** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:01 am

So I was messing with how two of my characters looked in B&W while working on the latest page, and I found some different schemes that might look better then the one I've been using. I'm kinda torn between each one and not sure which would work best, and would like some input from my fellow comickers.

This is an old panel with the characters in colour, so you know what they're B&W versions are based from:

A) This is the B&W scheme I've been using for the last 1 1/2 chapters, with both their outfits filled in with screen tones:

B) This one doesn't use any screen tones and has John with a blank scheme:

C) This one only uses screen tones for Jarrod's armor, and has John filled in with black:

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Thanks, any input would be helpfull!

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:34 am

Colour looks best.

Okay, okay. The second one.

- Joel Fagin

Black Sparrow · Post by **Black Sparrow** » Thu May 03, 2007 6:05 am

I like how clean Ninja John looks when he's colored in all black... although you do loose a lot of detail that way.

Fabio Ciccone · Post by **Fabio Ciccone** » Thu May 03, 2007 6:48 am

I like the first one.

Guess you'll have some trouble to decide

Badguys · Post by **Badguys** » Thu May 03, 2007 6:58 am

Here's my two coppa...

It's a tough call, but I'd have to go with #1 as well. It seems to provide the best contrast with the best detail.

Black Sparrow · Post by **Black Sparrow** » Thu May 03, 2007 7:06 am

Keep in mind that, if you do either the first or the third, you'll probably have to carry those screen tones through to the rest of the comic. For example, in both #1 and #3, Jarrod's sword and belt look flat and unfinished, because they lack screen tones.

Johndar · Post by **Johndar** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:26 am

Thanks for the replies everybody, there certainly is a mixed opinion on this.

Black Sparrow wrote:Keep in mind that, if you do either the first or the third, you'll probably have to carry those screen tones through to the rest of the comic. For example, in both #1 and #3, Jarrod's sword and belt look flat and unfinished, because they lack screen tones.

I see what you mean, but the reason I left them blank was because I didn't want to overload it with screen tones. Maybe if I added some more hatching to those parts it might let them pop out more?

Joel · Post by **Joel** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:29 am

number 2.

the colored one is too saturated and doesn't really stand out.

Phact0rri · Post by **Phact0rri** » Thu May 03, 2007 6:15 pm

number two, though I'd suggest use shadow and highlights on the figures, as well. as imo screen tones with no shadows tend to look really flat.

Tetsuo75 · Post by **Tetsuo75** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:28 pm

My vote goes to #2 and I agree with the suggestion of shadows.

Suika · Post by **Suika** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:37 pm

I like the first one the best. *Is a stickler for textures.*

Johndar · Post by **Johndar** » Thu May 03, 2007 11:43 pm

Hmm. Looks like most people like B, with a few going for A. C's been getting hardly an love at all.

phactorri wrote:number two, though I'd suggest use shadow and highlights on the figures, as well. as imo screen tones with no shadows tend to look really flat.

I'm guessing you mean that I should work in gray scale, as the image already has shading, just using hatch lines. That's definitely an option I'll look into.

Oh and, if anyone wants to say something like example:"Jarrod C and John A would probably look the best" feel free. The way their paired up isn't set in stone or anything.

Nervous Spy · Post by **Nervous Spy** » Sat May 05, 2007 7:39 am

As regards John, I'd like the screentoned version best, although the black (#3) version could also look very good, if you just added a bit of highlights to bring out the details again. Jarrod looks good in #s 2 and 3, although, again, the armor would really profit a lot from a few shinies.

I doubt, however, that there's really a need to be absolutely consistent in this matter. As long as the dark parts don't end up lighter than the light parts, I think you have a lot of leeway to adapt the toning style to suit the individual panel (especially as regards the background) and page design.

McBean · Post by **McBean** » Sun May 13, 2007 9:20 pm

I'd say A is the best one for the reason that there's a lot of linework going on in the image, and the screentones do a good job of breaking down the information. It's easier to define those parts with the screentones.