digital coloring

NakedZerglingNakedZergling A more apocalyptic post apocalypse Portland OregonRegistered User regular
edited January 2008 in Artist's Corner
Hey guys.
I wanted to get some ideas on how to improve my digital skills, so i was wondering if anyone might be down with this. It's one of my characters from a story i have been writing for years "Attack of the Killer Pink Fluffies"

this is the color scheme for him, and i was wondering if anyone else wanted to take a crack at it, and maybe give some pointers.

perhaps then other people could post up some original b+w stuff for others to color. One of those "only post after you have colored one" deals.

just a thought, but i would love if someone would like to give me some pointers. thanks:)

kpf2.jpg

NakedZergling on
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Posts

  • bombardierbombardier Moderator Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    We haven't had a colouring thread in a while. That's a good idea!

    My only complaint is the poop JPG quality! PNG is perfect for stuff like this where you have large areas of the same colour. It would probably be about the same size or smaller, and essentially flawless quality (lossless compression).

    bombardier on
  • RavenshadowRavenshadow Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Zerg: I'll take your challenge. What I did to it was punch up the colors, and paid more attention to the cast shadow (mainly the bodies core shadow). But I kept the graphic style you used on it and went a little more flamboyant with it. I'm not the best at painting, but maybe this'll help?

    kpf2.jpg

    Here's the best linework I could find of mine, it might work to put the lineart and top, set it to multiply and color underneath.

    line_art_small.jpg

    bigger line art

    Ravenshadow on
  • Synthetic OrangeSynthetic Orange Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    of0qiu.jpg

    As far as I got before being distracted by a squirrel.

    Synthetic Orange on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    set it to multiply

    Why this step?

    multimoog on
  • Synthetic OrangeSynthetic Orange Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I guess so you dont have to worry about painting over the lines.

    I'd just bump up the contrast so it's just lines without the interior shading first though.

    Synthetic Orange on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I guess so you dont have to worry about painting over the lines.

    What, like, for inking? I always just make a copy of line art and paint on a layer underneath it. If it's being painted painted, I'd think you'd want to go over the lines anyway.

    multimoog on
  • NakedZerglingNakedZergling A more apocalyptic post apocalypse Portland OregonRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    ok i'll ask..how does multiply work? i've never understood that.

    raven + orange...both looking good. you both have a better sense of light and shadows than i...dammit.

    NakedZergling on
  • Creambun 007Creambun 007 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Assume you've got line art that is not separated from the white of the page it was drawn on. Instead of extracting the black lines from the artwork and putting that on a different layer, likely causing the lines to look dirty and gross, have two layers, one with the artwork on the bottom, and an exact copy on top set to multiply. The multiply pretends there's no white to be seen, making it possible to paint on the bottom layer. The color comes through, but the dark lines stay intact! Everybody wins.

    Creambun 007 on
    Diggity.
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    likely causing the lines to look dirty and gross

    This has never happened to me. I always scan in line art at high resolution as bitmap, so there's no antialiasing to get screwed up.

    multimoog on
  • Creambun 007Creambun 007 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I assume you use nice dark sharp lines? If you've got a sketchier style, you'll never have good luck if you try to separate them.

    Creambun 007 on
    Diggity.
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Yeah - this is an example of a magazine spot I scanned in (please ignore the weird leg on the chick). Though I have done the same thing scanning in pencil lines as line art as well. If I want to get rid of excess lines, I just erase them on the top layer of line art.

    multimoog on
  • MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    My understanding was that Multiply simply renders white values as transparent values.

    MagicToaster on
  • RavenshadowRavenshadow Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    My understanding was that Multiply simply renders white values as transparent values.

    Multiply does a little more than just ignoring white. For example, take a normal color like pink, paint a couple marks then peel a new layer, set it to multiply and color over those marks with the same color. You'll see that it darkens the color.

    Mathematically I'm not sure how it works, but it takes whatever color your painting in and multiplies it by the color beneath it. (This usually darkens it) It just so happens that if you multiply anything by white you get the original color and if you multiply anything by black you get black. Thats why it works so well with line art. If you put the line art on top set it to multiply then everything underneath the black lines will be black and it'll ignore all the white in your lineart.

    The draw back to multiply is you can't make anything lighter, you can only go darker.

    EDIT: Someone needs to throw up some more line art. That was fun. Synthetic, I'm lookin' at you.

    Ravenshadow on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    That all is why I don't understand using Multiply for line art - it just seems to complicate things a ton. But obviously it works for some people, and gives results they like.

    multimoog on
  • MagicToasterMagicToaster JapanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    My understanding was that Multiply simply renders white values as transparent values.

    Multiply does a little more than just ignoring white. For example, take a normal color like pink, paint a couple marks then peel a new layer, set it to multiply and color over those marks with the same color. You'll see that it darkens the color.

    Oh yeah! I forgot it does those things too.

    MagicToaster on
  • srsizzysrsizzy Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    And "Screen" does the opposite (black is transparent). I don't really get the other layer effects though. I used to use multiply to do shading, since then I could use tinted grays to darken the colors beneath (and I'm not the only one that does that). Now I'm trying to get more painterly, so I'm just using direct colors.

    will edit with line work in a sec.

    where's cybermonkeytron when you need him? I'll be coloring something in the next few days. I haven't done it in a while.

    the closest thing I have to my own line work:
    abstracttobiyz9.jpg

    sidenote: You know what's great? When forum admins give you infractions basically for disagreeing with their opinion. Ugh, can someone go under my profile and PM me the link to my old dump thread? I might need to utilize it soon.

    srsizzy on
    BRO LET ME GET REAL WITH YOU AND SAY THAT MY FINGERS ARE PREPPED AND HOT LIKE THE SURFACE OF THE SUN TO BRING RADICAL BEATS SO SMOOTH THE SHIT WILL BE MEDICINAL-GRADE TRIPNASTY MAKING ALL BRAINWAVES ROLL ON THE SURFACE OF A BALLS-FEISTY NEURAL RAINBOW CRACKA-LACKIN' YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE HERE-NOW SPACE-TIME SITUATION THAT ALL OF LIFE BE JAMMED UP IN THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL FLOW BEATS
  • FantasyrogueFantasyrogue Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Sorry srsizzy, but that won't work, search has been disabled.

    I might most some lines up later, I've been working on fixing up a set of really old lines (like, first thing I posted on the doodle thread here, ever) to see if I can make it look better.

    Fantasyrogue on
  • Synthetic OrangeSynthetic Orange Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Just take our word for it okay? Some peopel either multiply the colour layer, or multiply the linework layer. It's not rocket science and it's just a click of the mouse. I dont see how else you're going to colour scanned linework in unless you're tracing it out later. Or for some horrifying reason you're actually colouring inside the lines on the same layer.

    edit:
    What, like, for inking? I always just make a copy of line art and paint on a layer underneath it. If it's being painted painted, I'd think you'd want to go over the lines anyway.
    Wait, how the hell are you getting colouring to show up by painting underneath the lineart if the lineart layer isnt in multiply mode?

    Synthetic Orange on
  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    I set my layers to multiply or darken paint my base colors and then paint over them.
    depends on what Im doing, there really is no right way to do it, just figure out what process best fits the way you want to work.

    I could post some lines later if anyone is interested, but I dont clean up my sketches so they are alittle rough.

    If some one wants to tackle this though:
    thoughtprocess.jpg

    go for it.

    Iruka on
  • NakedZerglingNakedZergling A more apocalyptic post apocalypse Portland OregonRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    i seperate line art using this method
    1. scan your line art.
    2. use levels to do any necessary adjustments
    3. go to channels and duplicate the blue channel
    4. invert that duplicate channel (ctrl i)
    5. go back to layers and make 3 new layers.
    6. set the bottom layer to white or any other bg color you want.
    7. highlight the top layer and go to load selection. choose "blue copy"
    8. you will get an outline of ants. fill that with whatever color you want...
    9. paint on the middle layer.

    anyone else do this?

    NakedZergling on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Just take our word for it okay?

    Wow, sorry I questioned your religion.
    What, like, for inking? I always just make a copy of line art and paint on a layer underneath it. If it's being painted painted, I'd think you'd want to go over the lines anyway.
    Wait, how the hell are you getting colouring to show up by painting underneath the lineart if the lineart layer isnt in multiply mode?

    Scan art at 300dpi, B&W bitmap. In Photoshop, convert art to Grayscale, then RGB/CMYK. Use the Magic Wand to select all the black. Copy, paste, thus creating a new layer. Delete the original BG, create a new layer of base color/white (depending). Color on the base layer, adding new layers between the base and ink layers as needed. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until cripsy.

    multimoog on
  • Synthetic OrangeSynthetic Orange Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Jesus christ, and you call that less complicated than simply setting the layer to multiply?

    Synthetic Orange on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Yeah, considering Multiply doesn't make any sense. Anyway, I learned how to do it my way - say it with me now - from the DC Comics guide to coloring. I figured they knew what they were doing.

    multimoog on
  • Synthetic OrangeSynthetic Orange Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'm just more stunned by the fact that someone's calling multiply layers overly complicated when it's the most basic of colouring techniques.

    Synthetic Orange on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I can live with you being stunned. Somehow.

    Edit: It makes more sense to me because it seems a more intuitive way based on the tools I know well. Whenever I've used Multiply, it's been to darken colors on a layer. It's not immediately obvious that the tool would be used to somehow make a piece of art safe for coloring.

    multimoog on
  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Yeah, using a Multiply level makes much more sense (in terms of amount of work involved). The effect is the same.

    Mayday on
  • NakedZerglingNakedZergling A more apocalyptic post apocalypse Portland OregonRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    guys..try my way. it takes literally 20 seconds to do.

    NakedZergling on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    What's funny is that it ALL seems like the same amount of work, since it all involves copying, creating a new layer, then pasting, and some assorted other mouse clicks. And why are we arguing over how we separate line art if it gets the same results? I was just wondering what Multiply did. And now I know!

    * The Moar You Know

    multimoog on
  • Synthetic OrangeSynthetic Orange Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Multiply just adds the colours of that layer to the layer(s) beneath it. Setting linework to multiply just adds the black linework, while if you prefer to use a multiplication colour layer, you just add the colours to the linework. So white areas on a multiplication layer do nothing at all.

    What's your way Zerg?

    Synthetic Orange on
  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    Those types of methods of isolation work great for clean black lines, but the nice thing about multiply is you can keep sketchy lines and textural elements and paint on/under images even if (like the "lines" I posted) its a image with grayscale or color or what have you.

    Really, its the kind of stuff that once in a while you should mess with just to feel out what the program can do for you, PS can be a medium and not just a tool.

    Iruka on
  • NakedZerglingNakedZergling A more apocalyptic post apocalypse Portland OregonRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    its the steps i posted one the bottom of page 1... the reason i think mine may be better is because you can actually change the color of the line art itself which i don't think you can with multiply..and you can go lighter.

    NakedZergling on
  • multimoogmultimoog Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Not to continue any hostilities, but the reason I delete the original art layer when I make a new ink-only layer is because when the new ink is on top of the old, it always makes the lines look too thick - like the new layer is just off to the side a bit or something. Has anyone else noticed this? Does Multiply not create that same effect?

    multimoog on
  • NakedZerglingNakedZergling A more apocalyptic post apocalypse Portland OregonRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    iruka...the stuff you usually post...is that all digital? or are they sketches you drew, scanned, and colored with the multiply way? i always love how your stuff looks.
    how do you go lighter? just make a new layer and paint over the multiply one?

    NakedZergling on
  • Synthetic OrangeSynthetic Orange Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Re: your linework seperation method, wouldnt adjusting your levels produce the same effect?

    I just paint the lighter colours on the multiply layer. If I want to keep the layers seperate for a more complicated work, I'll make additional layers then.

    ou42tx.jpg
    This is the multiply layer I used on the colouring from the last page. That's all.

    Synthetic Orange on
  • BroloBrolo Broseidon Lord of the BroceanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    You can think of the multiply layer as a 'darken' layer - all it does is check if any of the layers underneath it have a greater 'brightness' value than the pixels on top of them in the current multiply layer. If they're brighter, they get darkened to the same amount as the pixel in the multiply layer. If they're already darker, nothing happens to them.

    So if they're lighter - they get darker.
    If they're darker - nothing happens.

    So if you set your black inks as a multiply layer and leave them on top of your image, they'll simply darken anything underneath them to black. The white paper that the inks were scanned on, however, is lighter than everything on the page and won't affect anything.

    http://machall.comicgenesis.com/info/art.html

    This is how Ian Mcconville (Mac Hall, 3 Panel Soul) does his colouring.

    Brolo on
  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    Naked,
    I for the most part just start stacking layers after a certain amount of base coloring, I sketch things by hand, scan them in and get something like:
    doodletatooogirlsk.jpg
    and from that point I may do a little push and pull and pull of the black and white, but I don't do any inking, I set the layer to multiply, put down the basic stuff I want, and then make a layer all the way on top and just start painting. If I want black lines I paint them back in.
    ala:

    doodletatooogirlco.jpg
    I like to work in a way where I feel comfortable completely wiping out part of the picture and redoing it, as if I was painting. That has maybe 3 layers, but something more fully colored has alot of layers, when I feel like Im switching gears or I want to use photoshop to my advantage to change colors and contrast and texture, thats what I do. I end up with crazy layers (20ish, on occasions) That have very little clear logic that I could number but if I slowly took layers off you'd see them build up over time.

    Iruka on
  • BroloBrolo Broseidon Lord of the BroceanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Your work seems so well blended I'm surprised it's layered, Iruka. Have you tried working in Painter before? I've kind of moved away from colouring and scanning in PS to just doing everything on one layer in Painter - I find it helps a lot because blending between tones is so much better.

    Brolo on
  • IrukaIruka Registered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    I've been trying to use painter, it just doesn't like me. There are some very basic functions in PS that I'm so used to (such as changing the brush size with the right click) that trying to use painter literally just kills my flow and frustrates me. I'm working on it, because I feel like I'll find things that painter will be great for so I can use it along side of photoshop, but PS is my medium of choice.

    Iruka on
  • RavenshadowRavenshadow Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I hate to interrupt the line art discussion but...
    thoughtprocess.jpg

    This is fun. And good practice too... more people need to post some lineart...

    Ravenshadow on
  • BroloBrolo Broseidon Lord of the BroceanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    dr11.jpg

    Links to larger PNG version.

    Man it's been a long time since I've done any inking.

    Brolo on
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