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LOL I didn't notice it until you pointed it out. I'll have to play with the surfaces to see what I can do about it or just paint it out.
unexpected allies
What did you use on this one ?
Oh man, that looks good. Like those old Hardy Boy/Nancy Drew book covers.
Paint effect, done really well.
Comicraft is having their new Year's Day Sale.
All fonts are $20.18 for today only, even their most expensive one, Comicrazy ($395).
Personally I`ll be grabing Comicrazy and Samaritan (a remaster of Astro City) for it`s simple, classic look.
You may want to grab the international versions which comes with... international characters. Even if you don`t need them, they are the same price because of the sale.
Here's my first crack at creating a comic using Daz Studio and Photoshop.
This is set in my Sladen Stories universe. Most of the time it will revolve around the lighter side of sci-fi.
I have no intention of doing any full blown web comic, just a series of fun comic style panels exploring whatever comes to mind during Clara Sladen's tenure as Captain of her ship (That I have not thought of a name for yet...)
So....
Here is Cpt Clara Sladen and Security Chief Astrid Langford staring in the first comic!
Click on the image for full size, And here's the link to it on my Gallery Page.
Great one, James.
Here's the first speech page for Demon Division: Dwellers, a webcomic I'm currently working on: http://demondivision.thecomicseries.com/
It also has a German language version, http://demondivision-de.thecomicseries.com/
I'm struggling with speech bubbles at the moment... lettering is truly a science to itself.
Here's some OLD PAGES from an Ultraman/Godzilla crossover I'd started, then my desktop died.... these are from around 2010.
I just finished my script for one of my planned graphic novels. So now I am experimenting with how to do the artwork. This is a simple 3DL render and then some filters in photoshop. Trying to come up with something decent looking, but also efficient on time to complete. Would love to know people's thoughts on this image.
That looks GREAT! What filters did you use?
Thanks. I wasn't sure at first, but the more I look at it the more I like. The story for the graphic novel is also more on the horror side, so I think this style might be the winner. It also was not too bad on the render times.
I am actually using Filter Forge. It is two different layers on top of the image and set to Multiply and adjusting opacity. The top most layer is a line art layer and the next one is a water color paint type layer. So the actual 3DL render itself is still showing through below.
But now I need to experiment with resolultion sizes. Not sure how large I need each render to be so I can work with them in something like Clip Studio (formerly Manga Studio) and not suffer any pixelation or quality loss on a final printed copy.
Hard-arse/creative-type person (kill your darlings) criticism to follow...
I think it looks like it went through filters. That doesn't mean bad, but it's maybe a little too machine-y and digital.
It doesn't have that organic art feeling for me.
I think the harsh line art doesn't fit the limited use of watercolor effects on the bottom layer.
If it's supposed to be watercolor, there's not a lot of blending, especially the face. It looks like a watercolor filter rather than watercolor painting.
The line art is too detailed. Like someone took an exta fine black pen and went overboard on top of a watercolor-y image.
The hard arm hairs, the black dots on the face and arms and hands, the crisp cloth texture details... these are not working for me. Not with a watercolor. Maybe pen over watercolor, but it's an extra weird pen that does dots and speckles on the face and arms... I didn't like that.
The lines could be stronger rather than being as fine as they are. It's not the degree of black but the use of black in ultrafine detail that is weird.
The black could still be stronger, thinking of the original Walking Dead comic art. There's a lot more black in that... but it's big swaths of black, not fine detail work in fine black pen.
The watercolor effect also could be stronger, and less blobby. The face was particularly savaged by the gradient of the filter. I don't mind decolorized detail (that is the comic book style of old), but it's such a weird blend of art styles between the high def line art and lo-fi color schema. It throws me.
Your avatar image is better because it takes all those harsh details (the non-watercolor-y stuff) and tames them.
It would look better in less detail, lower resolution, IMO. I would go for the color schema above the line art. The colors are good, it's the line art that is freaky.
I don't think pixelization should be a concern.
It's the hyper detail (Resolution turned up to 11) that I'm not really liking in your image.
Anyway, that's the criticism. It's what I'd say in a creative critique roundtable, anyway.
Well, the question I always ask is would I read a whole series based on that look? It seems kinda cool- to distort characters, but what about buildings and objects with intricate details?
Is a gun a mass blob of color that is good because it looks painted? I need to see full pages and get into a flow of the story before I can say "this style is the way to go"
And there's so much that happens in comics beyond a person standing in a pose, that I'd need to see that translated too.
That is a lot of work - to create a new style and keep it consistent.
I think I could read a book done in that EXACT style. I'd just need to see that character in context and interacting with the environment.
The style with the filters sure looks interesting and intense, but I agree with Griffin Avid that it has to hold up in an environment. If there's too much lines, it's hard to focus on what is important.
I think I have to re-dress my lead character.... he's using the same hair as your character, and the beard makes him look similar, but he's also wearing the same clothing... the only difference is the nose, face shape, and the lighter skin set.
EDIT: On second thought... they look different enough.
I think similar enough to confuse at a glance, but that's going to happen once everyone is using the same assets and scenarios. Clothes are the least since everyone will be changing into different clothes all the time. If it was a starship uniform or action outfit, then I'd be concerned, because that look will show up over and over.
Also, the chances of the readers really getting confused are slim to none.
I admit I get pulled out of my readership when I keep seeing those same robots show up in everyone's comic and futuristic series. I'm actually tired of seeing them, but they're one of the few original (not based on an established property [unless I just don't know what inspired them]) character themes in the store so it makes sense.
They are the ones where the legs bend backwards below the knee. I LOVE everything about them, but that. But once I keep seeing them in every CGI comic, I'd have to do some major flipping to make them feel fresh to me, which is probably why-
as a general rule, you should flip your assets in some way. Pick your character and dial in a little someone else. Noodle with those morphs.
I don't mind so much if I see something similar in the Daz gallery- as I don't make comics for other comic-makers or CGI artists...
But meh, what am I saying? There are soooo many characters in the daz library, it's almost uncanny that you two could come with anything similar.
That's so true.
Seth, the character, is dialled, and mixed, and texture-edited... tweaked with for, like over a year until I was happy with him. The difference would become more prominent if you had both characters without a beard. Clothing, on the other hand... I needed something strong for the title, and the jeans&shirt just nailed it.
But then, another of the character, Frank, uses that same outfit regularly... I guess I'll have to turn to more own texturing. That's the punishment for taking the lazy way out, eh?
When I first joined Daz, I liked the Darius character so I used him. I had NO IDEA Daz had so few black figures. There's basically 3 different types and after that, all generic.
So I started dialing him in with a bunch of characters until he moved far enough away to feel somewhat unique. But I didn't/couldn't go too far or else it'd be like "Who's this new guy, he looks nothing like the guy from the other book" lol oh well. Some characters I feel the opposite about. I would love to have the Aeon Soul character appear
and the Pretty woman also.
It's hard to take Daz stuff and then make it look new... at least for us who buy the things from the Daz store. You can't help but say, "Hey, I know what that is!" I guess it's just a problem that we, as hobbyists, have to deal with.
Of course, why not? If your audience isn't Daz hobbyists, then it's new to them.
Anyway, I've been messing with paint effects. Super hi fidelity renders are great, but lo fi isn't a bad thing, either. There's a whole genre of comic books that do use the painted style, even if so many comics have such a big digital component these days. The new Battletech PC game has a lot of this kind of look.
It's one way to take a Daz product and make it look different, I think.
This required a bunch of layers... 2 or 3 layers for the background (a multiplane cyclorama thing), more like 8 or 9 layers for the mech. The bottom layers have the least transparency, and the highest amount of painted filters. The top layers have a lot of transparency, but a lot less filters. That's how I blend the higher detail layers with something that looks more like a painting.
Not perfect, but I'm still learning.
When you use Iray, use canvasses to help you separate things out for layers and easy retexturing, postwork, etc.
Snow Sultan explains about canvases in this update. https://snowsultan.deviantart.com/journal/Iray-Canvases-new-trace-4U-536165593
Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time to go over all of that. This is the challenge with trying to do a graphic novel. I am a writer first and foremost, so story is the main draw here. I am also not a DAZ expert and don't have a tablet to do all the line art myself. And hiring a skilled artist is a no go for sure. But I need to come up with an art style that is quick to execute, suitable for a horror genre and visually pleasing or at least unobtrsive might be more appropriate. I am not looking to do this in black and white like Walking Dead. I also don't normally like a lot of the typical 3D comic art I see people doing. It often just looks like DAZ or Poser images in a comic form and generally not that pleasing. Some are definitely well done and photorealistic but usually have that uncanny valley feel to me. It would be awesome to find a DAZ artist that would like to collaborate with, but that is a whole other can of worms.
There was a webinar about advanced graphic novelization from DA, and the presenter, Tasos, is doing artwork based on a combination of render and painting over the image. He made a good suggestion about posterization of the image, to reduce details but keep the basic line. I thought the advice was pretty good, even though it's not the style of my main comic.
Oh, and shirt problem solved.
... an art style that is quick to execute, ... and visually pleasing....
The fantasy goal of every non-artist who wants to create art.
I don't see many CGI comics that do more than "the comic look". Aside from that, there are two types that won't budge. Those that stylistically prefer hand drawn comics and those that mentally want hand drawn comics. No matter how it looks, you won't gain them as a reader. There's levels of purist that don't like 3D sketched backdrops or tracing or reference work. The rabbit hole varies in depth.
I think many people dive in and think 3D rendering is a short cut that's going to get them what they want [more easily].
They find...
1) It requires a massive library of assets (of every kind)
2) It takes a massive amount of time to create/write/render.
3) It's expensive to build/maintain a studio set up for rendering/processing/etc.
4) Sequential story telling is almost unrelated to rendering stills.
5) Post work is almost a must and can take as long as the render.
6) You can't do it all in one program or only knowing one aspect.
7) The comic medium is a language/system/culture all to its own with accepted norms, rules and practices. Better to learn them before breaking or discarding them.
8) Comic creators need to translate their work into a comic format beyond the hand-drawn look.
Can't say I disagree. That's why I'm (slowly) working on my drawing and painting skills and why I've put my graphic novel idea on hold.
Great list. When it comes to comicbooks and graphic novels number 4 and 7 are of significant importance. The artwork will make someone pick up the book and look at it, but it is the storytelling and the way it is presented that will keep them reading.
"4) Sequential story telling is almost unrelated to rendering stills."
"7) The comic medium is a language/system/culture all to its own with accepted norms, rules and practices. "
I'm sure it is some where back in the pages but in case it is new information.
An absolute must read book is Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics The Invisible Art
https://www.amazon.ca/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-McCloud-Paperback/dp/B00LLOMJP8?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duc12-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00LLOMJP8
Interesting. I'll have to experiment.
I wonder how it would work with Spine (2D animation).
With digital storytelling, comics and visual novels (with game elements) can be a lot different than print.
Wow. That's a pretty insulting statement to lead with, don't you think? So am I to assume that you are a true artist then? As opposed to the rest of us here that are still just finding our way?
Well thanks anyway for sharing your insightful list. Lots of good info here.
Thank goodness for PC+ sales.
Totally agree. Hence my desire to find quicker solutions in post such as using tools like Filter Forge instead of hand drawing everything.
Yup. Still paying off my rig, but it was primary bought for my film and video editing work.
That's why I have spent over 10 years writing screenplays and short stories. IMHO comics are no different than film in this regard. Story is key. Pretty CGI or pretty artwork isn't going to keep someone reading a bad story. Just like high production value and shooting with a RED camera won't save a bad film from being a bad film.
Yes, anyway to save time in this is welcome. Especially when you are a team of one.
That is why I have DAZ, Adobe CC, Clip Studio (Formerly Manga Studio), etc.
Yes, I believe that is the whole point with getting feedback on my Non-Art in forums like this one. Always nice to get constructive critique on how to improve.
Or creators can simply develop a process that works for them so they can get their work out into the world. Better to finish a complete project with poor (Non-Artist) execution than to never finish one at all.
I did this using DAZ, Photoshop, and Clip Paint studio and I think it came out great:
Hey Geminii23,
Did you mean it about collaboration? I been looking for someone who good writing who can help me with my writing and would help with art, which I know. Let me know what you think. Here are my last two pages from my comic.