Art critique, also background and coloring advice requested

Ophiuchus · Post by **Ophiuchus** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:05 pm

I've got one comic up and three more drawn, but I want get specific advice concerning my art and my PS/GIMPing before I'm too far in to make a drastic style change. Also, tips or tutorial links for backgrounds and coloring I would appreciate, since I suck at them and I'm going to be totally unable to get away without them once I've finished my introductory mini-chapter. Thanks in advance.

http://sixdragons.comicgenesis.com/

Wp · Post by Wp » Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:41 pm

I can see you used levels to get rid of smudges and things like that, but your lines are way too unclear. Try inking so you can get nice black lines. Then work on color afterwards.

Ophiuchus · Post by **Ophiuchus** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 5:08 pm

Owch, yeah... actually I did ink, but in the process of cleaning I ended up blurring a little. By the time I realized that I really should go back over the lines, it was too late... my second and third are better, I think. Thanks. Any thoughts for fixing that?

Castle_Builder · Post by **Castle_Builder** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 9:43 am

I don't know how big you are working, but if you are drawing this and scanning it I would try a Sharpie marker for the inking.

The kind that has the fine AND ultra fine tips.

I recommend this because . . .

It appears you don't have a ton of detail so this would be perfect and give your lines a real strong quality. Also when you go and erase the pencil after inking the lines will not fade, which is a big problem with Microns.

EDIT:

ALSO I will have to REQUIRE you to go to:
http://www.blambot.com/fonts.shtml

On the left is a list of fonts. Thise without dots by their names are FREE. Download and use. It will really help your dialogue look more better.

ALSO
Check out:
http://evilbeaver.homestead.com/HowTo.html

Just a couple really easy tutorials for PS I found.

Thirdworldvillian · Post by **Thirdworldvillian** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 10:25 am

I suggest digital inking for this comic.

Traceing over the crappy scanned lines in PS is your best bet.

Ophiuchus · Post by **Ophiuchus** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:47 am

Wow, Sharpies never occurred to me. When I think about it, you're right, a low-detail comic might look better with thicker lines. Thanks a lot... so, what sort of font do you recommend? I've used Arial my whole life, reports, comics, and everything else, and I think it looks nice, but if you think another font would look better for the kind of characters 6D has, I'd love to take a look at them.

DGC · Post by **DGC** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 9:25 pm

It's not an art critique, but I have to point out that the file size seems a bit large for b&w in the image size you're using. Might want to check on ways to reduce the png size, or even use a different format. I think your comic should be coming in under 100k easy.

LibertyCabbage · Post by **LibertyCabbage** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:37 am

Yeah first thing that I thought is that you're not using good inking pens. Looks like one of those cheap pens that people buy in bulk =/ There are better pens you can use for inking (I use Pilot G2 pens a lot). Sharpies work well but they don't give as much detail as a pen.

here's some good tutorials

http://www.between-worlds.com/tutorials ... pdown.html

edit: oh and please draw some sort of background. i have no idea where this story is taking place. in someone's house? on a street? in the afterlife? in a palace? a simple background could help a lot.

Castle_Builder · Post by **Castle_Builder** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:43 am

I think Anime Ace is a good clean font.

But honestly the only reason I linked Blambot is to show you (if you didn't know already) that there are LOTS of different fonts available that you can't find in a basic store bought computer package.

Also using different fonts can, in a fairly easy and not very time consuming way, set your strip apart from other strips.

I would just go there and click on the various fonts until you see something you like and go for it. If you like Ariel then by all means stay with it, but I think it's worth while to explore some other possabilities, ESPECIALLY since it's FREE.

Christwriter · Post by **Christwriter** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:06 am

thirdworldvillian wrote:I suggest digital inking for this comic.

Traceing over the crappy scanned lines in PS is your best bet.

Don't ink digitally unless you have a tablet. I have a tablet, I use it, I love it, but it's very expensive and working without it is a pain in the butt. I'd suggest being MUCH more careful with your real-world drawings, ink majorly, then scan them in and use levels to make them DARK. You can always erase smudges, and they don't show up very well when you color.

Color by setting the lineart to multiply, and then color beneith it. The black will be black and the white will be transparent. Keep everything you can possibly keep on a different layer until you feel comfortable with the techniques you use.

CW

Bwerith · Post by **Bwerith** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:56 am

Or, if you want to keep things really simple (i.e. if you don't have either photoshop or a tablet, like me

) you can try scanning your inked drawing as "black and white" at a really high resolution, which makes it pretty easy to edit and clean up, then colour it with simple fills, and resize it small.

It won't look as professional, I don't think, as you'll have to do without shading and highlights and stuff, but if you just want to bung in some simple colour this method works okay.

Ophiuchus · Post by **Ophiuchus** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 1:25 pm

Nice. So I've started using (crappy) backgrounds, and after the end of the mini intro chapter thing, I'll be using full backgrounds. Also I got a couple of decent pens. Thanks, everyone!

Levi-chan · Post by **Levi-chan** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:54 pm

Just a note - can you try changing the background color for the site? It's a bit on the ouchy side. Try a cooler/less vibrant shade.

Ophiuchus · Post by **Ophiuchus** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:01 pm

Okay... what's a cooler color than 128-green?

Castle_Builder · Post by **Castle_Builder** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:57 pm

I kind of dig the green.

On the one hand it is a little bright, but on the other hand as one of your main characters is in green and there is green in the strip it's kind of a nice complimentary color.

I wouldn't be sad to see it go, but I'm not overly distracted by it.

MERBman · Post by **MERBman** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:52 pm

I like the green, too. Seems fine to me.

Ophiucus? Wait, like, the 13th constellation of the zodiac that no one knows about?
The one I always have to explain to people?

Legendoftrinity · Post by **Legendoftrinity** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:18 pm

Yeah, like I keep telling you, smooth out the lines on the hard copy. You know how I go over it so many times at school? Try that. Otherwise, I think, since you've started, your artwork has improved.

ShineDog · Post by **ShineDog** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 4:52 am

ChristWriter, its entirely possible to ink in Photoshop with a mouse, the difference is you want to use the vector based pen tool and not the brushes. its much harder, but it also leads to silky smooth lines because of its vector nature.

this image doesnt really show it off too well, but compared to my normal work, this is silky smooth, much cleaner lineart.

http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... oop3hp.jpg - pencils
http://img108.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ade8ns.jpg - pen tool only.

also. alien crotch lump! o_o

this is my first attempt at using pen tool, however, and youll notice im having trouble with certain areas, particularly feet etc, and i lack line weight. (also its badly aliased because im a monkey >_<

but yeah, id suggest much heaver linework for your images.