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Here's one way of doing the "ink" effect; this is in Photoshop, but should work in comparably featured editors...
1. Load your render, then duplicate it onto a new layer. This will be your "ink" layer.
2. Desaturate the ink layer, and adjust the levels until you have a nice, contrasty monochrome.
3. Apply a Poster Edges filter (or equivalent), and fiddle with the settings to taste.
4. Set the blend mode of the ink layer to Overlay.
5. Adjust Color Saturation and/or Contrast on the base layer to taste.
Thanks for the helpful Tutorial. :)
Here's one way of doing the "ink" effect; this is in Photoshop, but should work in comparably featured editors...
1. Load your render, then duplicate it onto a new layer. This will be your "ink" layer.
2. Desaturate the ink layer, and adjust the levels until you have a nice, contrasty monochrome.
3. Apply a Poster Edges filter (or equivalent), and fiddle with the settings to taste.
4. Set the blend mode of the ink layer to Overlay.
5. Adjust Color Saturation and/or Contrast on the base layer to taste.
Thanks for the tutorial and the screen shots. We really should start a thread with technique tutorials like this, because perfecting "inking" is probably one of the most important elements to help 3D renders work as comicbook art.
I use Manga Studio for my speech bubbles (recently upgraded from using Powerpoint), but I basically use Paint Shop Pro 7 (17 year old software) for everything else. If you get one of the older versions of Manga Studio, it's a really, really cheap investment.
Using PSP and Poser Pro, here is the range of artwork I have put together:
http://shanewsmith.com/gallery/gallery
I've been lucky enough to have most of that work picked up by publishers. Happy to answer any questions!
I make the pictures first, then put them into the panels in comic life and add the balloons and text boxes in CL. It's very easy software to use and extremely quick to make a comic. I can move and resize the panels and the picture and panel resize together unless I press the option key to do them separately.
I use poser and semidieu's toon plugin for inking plus a bit of a photoshop action (usually at less that 100% opacity) over the top.
love esther
I own manga studio too. I like a lot of tools for my comic making.
lol I use it too. Does what needs to be done.
I agree with this for sure. Especially if you are using DAZ renders and or photos. It is truly amazing. I am new to making comics. Here is a page I did the first time using it.
Someone in here said MS has an inking brush...
Manga Studio does, yes. I did.
OT - A note on Panel 4: a lot of the information you state in the square framed text is already mentioned in the speech bubbles, so it's repeating itself. It will help the overall flow if you keep an eye on these things. :-)
Otherwise, a nice start, and good work. I guess that the lady won't sit waiting for the guy! :-)
I have worked in the comic book industry for a couple of years before I became a PA, and one thing that really destroys good artwork is bad bubbling and lettering. It is vital to the overall polish and finishing to the appearance of the comic pages. Comic Lettering is an art form in its own, and shouldn't just be an afterthought. Type of font used etc, space between letters and bubble borders are all vital aspects. Take a look at this quick but useful guide as to the basic rules. http://www.blambot.com/grammar.shtml
Comic sans is great in a pinch but it begins to look like a default figure in a render if it's your go to font for comic design. I'm always looking for new lettering fonts or making my own effects in Illustrator to complement the comics overall feel. I've always loved the lettering in the EC (tales from the crypt/ tales of horror, etc.) Comics that predated censorship and lend government funded psychologists to do research that warned already paranoid Americans that reading Batman or Deputy Dawg would lead your child down the path straight to Hell or the very least a lounge room of a Holiday Inn as Judy Garland impersonator.
EC's typeface was from a device called the Leroy Lettering set.
you can download the font here, and make some horrifying comics to set our kids astray
http (COLON SLASH SLASH) caseyburns (DOT) com/artwork/font-design/
Since this was a device used by draftsman and technical illustrators it may be why I always assume the furniture I bought from IKEA is going to end up like me building a coffee table for the Bride of Frankenstein once I break the instructions out.
Dumb question: How does it work?
I'm a noob who's still trying to get a firm grip kinda thing. lol
Dumb question: How does it work?
http://manga.smithmicro.com/tutorials/manga5/pencil-ink.html
I think it would be Interesting to have a thread just about creating comics.
Feel free to use this one. It is, after all, titled "Comics". :D
Also like the idea of a comics thread.
Here’s an example of going from DAZ studio to Manga studio (this is just an example not a judgment on which is the best program). In DAZ studio I set a figure and some lights, the rendered it and save it as a PNG file.
In Manga studio I start a new document, add a background layer, and then go to File; Import; Image. I browse to my PNG file, select it and it’s inserted on it’s own layer. Since PNG file’s background is transparent, only the rendered figure shows. The inserted image can be moved, resized, flipped, or rotated whatever you’d want to do.
Dumb question: How does it work?
It's a brush you use as you would in Photoshop but it has a way to smooth your stroke as you ink with it. I really like it. A cheaper alternative would be the inking brush in Artrage pro which is a great package for only $80.
Here's a lengthly comparison chart on their site http://manga.smithmicro.com/comparison.html
This is my experience with text and speech bubbles in Manga Studio (EX4 version)
CON: Text limited to 4 options - Black on White background, Black on Transparent background, White on Black background, White on Transparent background.
FIX: Merge text layer into a color layer to change color or add gradient.
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PRO: Huge library of fonts.
CON: Most appear to be regular word processing fonts rather than fonts made specifically for comics.
FIX (partial) : For spooky fonts like those of Halloween, merge text layer into a color layer then distort and use Wavy filter.
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PRO: Include a lot of pre-made balloon templates.
CON: Only useful if you're doing a Manga comic as Japanese word balloon are shaped different from Western comics.
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PRO: Can make your own Western style word balloon with ease. The tail length and shaped can be customized and moved around.
CON: I have not been able to find an easy way to make Thought Clouds with the balloon feature. Although those are rarely used in Western comics nowadays.
Does anyone with EX5 know if these minor issues have been addressed?
By the way, another great resource for free fonts, especially for independent comics production, is Blambot.com
The best open-marketplace (i.e. lots of contributors, free membership/upload/download) site I know for fonts is Fontspace.com; I've got a few fonts up there myself.
DAFont as well.
I recommend Fontspace in part because they actually let you know which fonts are licensed for commercial use and which are not, before you download. I've also gotten better feedback on my fonts from downloaders there.
Thanksx for the example, Greycat. DSo you need to add, like, toon shaders in DS first as well?
I got my MS5 in the mail today!
No, it was just a quick example of taking a render from D/S to MS. Just a figure and some lights no shaders. If I was really working on a comic I would probably do a lot more of setup in D/S. If you have something like Manga Style (http://www.daz3d.com/manga-style-shaders) or Toon shaders (http://www.daz3d.com/pwtoon) those would well if that’s the style your after. The thing to remember is to save your render as a PNG file, which works best in MS.
A few things about Manga studio, MS is a drawing and painting program, so it doesn’t have all the tools to manipulate a render like Photo Shop or Paint Shop Pro. It’s from a Japanese developer, it really setup for Manga, so you might have to find work arounds if you’re not planning on doing Manga style comics. MS works best with a graphic tablet (I have a Wacom Bamboo Create).
Since you just got MS5 I would recommend you go though the tutorial videos at http://manga.smithmicro.com/tutorials/manga5/NewFeatures.html If you any questions about Manga studio the best place to ask is the Manga studio forum at RuntimeDNA http://forum.runtimedna.com/forumdisplay.php?330-Manga-Studio-Forum . Also check out the Jetty Jet Show http://www.youtube.com/user/JettyJetShow?feature=watch . I hope this helps.
Blambot.com is also upfront about what fonts are free and can be used for what. All their fonts that are free can be used for free for independent comic book production use.