I do get what you're saying, Wasser, about the rope and the edge coinciding in an icky tangent; in the beginning (when the top loop there bled off the page) I was compensating in the other direction. In the end moving him further in is a better fix.
A paintover would be too rad for words, sir. Thanks for all your help.
That first one bugs me just because you don't see Vane's face. It's a thing I think would work if you were trying to tease the character's identity, or if there were a reason to make the reveal of her face a big deal in the comic, but from reading the pages you've done so far, that doesn't seem to be the case. If this is going to be a reader's first introduction to the characters, I think you want to show them off a bit more. Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead, Invincible) actually discussed this in the back-matter for the Capes trade-paperback, saying that he was told to change the first issue's cover from this to this. They're both conveying the same image, the latter's just doing it in a more interesting way.
If you've never seen any of his work, Marko Djurdjevic is a Marvel cover artist that often does very explosive, powerful fight-y images. You might try browsing through there if you're looking for a little inspiration. I'm particularly fond of this one.
I do get what you're saying, Wasser, about the rope and the edge coinciding in an icky tangent; in the beginning (when the top loop there bled off the page) I was compensating in the other direction. In the end moving him further in is a better fix.
A paintover would be too rad for words, sir. Thanks for all your help.
I think he might have also been referring to the cape, which is just barely hugging the borders
It's a bit tricky, because that cover design feels like it should inherently be surreal to me. It's not a literal snapshot, but a representation of the character struggle. So when you place it in an actual background, my brain tries to make sense of it in a way that just doesn't work. Where is Hunter jumping from? How did this scene get to this point? Why is Vane shooting at him pretty much point blank while he's not appearing to do anything about it?
It might be better with a more ambiguous background, like the cover Wasser posted.
Sorry this is getting so frustrating. If it's any consolation I actually think not seeing Vane's face works, given that she's not really revealed until the 13th page of the comic. Hunter is the star of issue one.
I actually share that particular concern with this switch, but find I'm getting worn down in the "does this make sense" department in favor of just trying to make something look cool. Does this make sense?
While this doesn't address the face issue, possibly it's compositionally stronger?
I actually really like how you rendered the horse, but I'm entirely sure of its significance. Overall, I think the piece has a lot of rhythm and potential--keep pushing it!
I've been working on and off on the Vane model. I blocked in most of her clothing and started detailing the jacket. I'll send you some screenshots sometime.
Actually, I may be able to help you out in this regard. I could potentially pose Vane in a pose--say like the one in your thumbnail--in 3D and you can paint over it potentially? I don't know, just an idea.
Squidbunny - i like your updates, but personally i think you where spot on with your original composition
BEING THIS ONE
The new one looks a little too complicated for a cover, and it looks like you're trying to save your initial drawing by fixing and fixing and refining and painting over and fixing etc.
So i think the issues raised where wrong. Go back to your original composition. It was fine.
______________
Heres a doodle colour comp of that image posted a few pages back. fixed up most perspective issues. not the strongest composition, but im going to roll ith it anyway
bought some cheap ass illustration board a while back and forgot about it. decided to do a still life today. im happy with the fruit, but i struggled with the tea towel they where resting on.
I've been working on and off on the Vane model. I blocked in most of her clothing and started detailing the jacket. I'll send you some screenshots sometime.
Actually, I may be able to help you out in this regard. I could potentially pose Vane in a pose--say like the one in your thumbnail--in 3D and you can paint over it potentially? I don't know, just an idea.
Awesome, GP! I can't wait to see it.
I appreciate the offer for a solid render to paint over, but I think I'll pass. I'd rather the final (whatever the hell that ends up being) look ... uh ... swooshy? :rotate:
First off, I promise I havnt forgotten about saying I would do a paint over :P
Secondly, there are two compositional (hah, sorry if I seem like a broken record) issues with this one.
- Cutting off her feet at the ankle. Its a huge pet peeve of mine!
- Value! Actually this is a problem with your last previous piece as well and was going to be the subject of my paintover. This is a problem I feel a lot of comic artists have because they are so used to using line and flat shapes to break up a panel rather than lights and darks. Its not too bad in this one as you have a clear dark focus in the foreground, but theres still some confusion with throwing the highest key values all over the place. One of the exercises I was taught was to try and use three basic value structures. Dark focus on light background, light focus on dark background, and high contrast focus on middle value background. Its something thats more of a guideline rather than a rule (like the 'rules' of thirds), but I think trying to work within those confines would help strengthen the composition until you've done enough of them where you feel you can start to break those guidelines strategically.
PW, for a first attempt at a PS painting that is amazingly strong. Awesome.
Wasser, you have been a super pal re: my cover thumbnailing. I agree that cropping at a joint looks jarring and amputated; I don't think I'm very objective when I sketch things.
This is really undynamic, and has another, [slightly less] awkward crop!
I should get out of the doodle thread with this; I'm cluttering the place up.
Prox - Have you ever considered taking $$ to do some custom minis? I run an AMAZINGLY KICKASS weekly Dungeons and Dragons game, (crushbrewsslayorcs.blogspot.com) and I like to design maps and art and whatnot for it, I'd love to blow some minds with some custom minis, maybe as rewards for a PC keeping a character alive for more than ten sessions! (I work really hard to kill them, like a good DM should)
This might be a dumb question, but what is this? I mean, physically, like what's it made of? It is a physical thing right, not just a 3D render? My brain is having trouble understanding what I'm seeing. It looks freaking cool whatever it is.
Arfen - It is the best campaign I've ran in a long time. My players are all legit dudes, no nerfherders. If you lived in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, I'd def invite you....but then the downside would be having to live in my crap town lol.
Smof - I think that's a mini made by one of those 3d printer dealies. It takes 3d models you've made and prints them in a way that top scientists say is a miracle. (lol) But I'll let prox confirm/deny that.
Arfen - It is the best campaign I've ran in a long time. My players are all legit dudes, no nerfherders. If you lived in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, I'd def invite you....but then the downside would be having to live in my crap town lol.
Smof - I think that's a mini made by one of those 3d printer dealies. It takes 3d models you've made and prints them in a way that top scientists say is a miracle. (lol) But I'll let prox confirm/deny that.
Zcorp printers work off a 3D model you've made. The cool thing is that also do color, so whatever texture you do can be printed as the model is being built up. It works via gradually building up layers of resin starch and glue.
Afterwords the Resin must be "cured" with Zap a gap so that it wont be brittle. Once cured, the thing is solid as a rock.
I mentioned this I think in the other thread but I'm fine with portraying their relationship ambiguously on the cover; one of the key points of the story is Vane is not actually a bounty hunter pursuing an outlaw or a jealous hag out for revenge on an old flame as is apparent in the beginning.
I'd love for more folks to express a preference among all these thumbnails I'm junking the place up with; I really appreciate all the great, pointed crits but I feel everyone's effort is going to be largely wasted since I only plan to develop one of these ideas.
That said: what about something more graphic and less literal?
I prefer this latest one, I think, but then I don't like book and comic covers with a straight-up narrative excerpt. Or worse, a scene which isn't even part of the story.
Anyway, the gear element is cool and I like the silhouette-against-the-skyline idea.
Yeah, I love that one. It reminds me of the recent redesign the Iron Man covers received. But then, I've always loved book/comic covers that take a more graphic, kinda Criterion Collection approach.
Anyhow, just to add some art-content, I drew this a little while back.
I mentioned this I think in the other thread but I'm fine with portraying their relationship ambiguously on the cover; one of the key points of the story is Vane is not actually a bounty hunter pursuing an outlaw or a jealous hag out for revenge on an old flame as is apparent in the beginning.
I'd love for more folks to express a preference among all these thumbnails I'm junking the place up with; I really appreciate all the great, pointed crits but I feel everyone's effort is going to be largely wasted since I only plan to develop one of these ideas.
That said: what about something more graphic and less literal?
Yeah, I love that one. It reminds me of the recent redesign the Iron Man covers received. But then, I've always loved book/comic covers that take a more graphic, kinda Criterion Collection approach.
Anyhow, just to add some art-content, I drew this a little while back.
Posts
I do get what you're saying, Wasser, about the rope and the edge coinciding in an icky tangent; in the beginning (when the top loop there bled off the page) I was compensating in the other direction. In the end moving him further in is a better fix.
A paintover would be too rad for words, sir. Thanks for all your help.
If you've never seen any of his work, Marko Djurdjevic is a Marvel cover artist that often does very explosive, powerful fight-y images. You might try browsing through there if you're looking for a little inspiration. I'm particularly fond of this one.
Edit: Beaten by Wassermelone on the Djurdjevic.
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I think he might have also been referring to the cape, which is just barely hugging the borders
It might be better with a more ambiguous background, like the cover Wasser posted.
Sorry this is getting so frustrating. If it's any consolation I actually think not seeing Vane's face works, given that she's not really revealed until the 13th page of the comic. Hunter is the star of issue one.
Our first game is now available for free on Google Play: Frontier: Isle of the Seven Gods
I actually really like how you rendered the horse, but I'm entirely sure of its significance. Overall, I think the piece has a lot of rhythm and potential--keep pushing it!
I've been working on and off on the Vane model. I blocked in most of her clothing and started detailing the jacket. I'll send you some screenshots sometime.
Actually, I may be able to help you out in this regard. I could potentially pose Vane in a pose--say like the one in your thumbnail--in 3D and you can paint over it potentially? I don't know, just an idea.
BEING THIS ONE
The new one looks a little too complicated for a cover, and it looks like you're trying to save your initial drawing by fixing and fixing and refining and painting over and fixing etc.
So i think the issues raised where wrong. Go back to your original composition. It was fine.
______________
Heres a doodle colour comp of that image posted a few pages back. fixed up most perspective issues. not the strongest composition, but im going to roll ith it anyway
Nah she's actually in a military science lab.
bought some cheap ass illustration board a while back and forgot about it. decided to do a still life today. im happy with the fruit, but i struggled with the tea towel they where resting on.
all struttin' and such
Awesome, GP! I can't wait to see it.
I appreciate the offer for a solid render to paint over, but I think I'll pass. I'd rather the final (whatever the hell that ends up being) look ... uh ... swooshy? :rotate:
I think I'll try to come up with some other stuff.
Secondly, there are two compositional (hah, sorry if I seem like a broken record) issues with this one.
- Cutting off her feet at the ankle. Its a huge pet peeve of mine!
- Value! Actually this is a problem with your last previous piece as well and was going to be the subject of my paintover. This is a problem I feel a lot of comic artists have because they are so used to using line and flat shapes to break up a panel rather than lights and darks. Its not too bad in this one as you have a clear dark focus in the foreground, but theres still some confusion with throwing the highest key values all over the place. One of the exercises I was taught was to try and use three basic value structures. Dark focus on light background, light focus on dark background, and high contrast focus on middle value background. Its something thats more of a guideline rather than a rule (like the 'rules' of thirds), but I think trying to work within those confines would help strengthen the composition until you've done enough of them where you feel you can start to break those guidelines strategically.
But cat-people and Bad Brains rule.
FYI - you all rule. I have looked through EVERY page of the Doodle. It is a fuckin' anthology of kickass artists. Stay up!
artistjeffc.tumblr.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/artistjeffc
Wasser, you have been a super pal re: my cover thumbnailing. I agree that cropping at a joint looks jarring and amputated; I don't think I'm very objective when I sketch things.
This is really undynamic, and has another, [slightly less] awkward crop!
I should get out of the doodle thread with this; I'm cluttering the place up.
EDIT: Prox that's really cool.
artistjeffc.tumblr.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/artistjeffc
Squidbunny - Thanks! I guess it's not really a 'doodle' since I spent so much time on it *heh...*
here's a doodle from the other day. It's for my buddy who loves SW but hates luke.
Just a face warmup I did today to get some rust off, I haven't painted in a while since summer's been going on.
He's holding a fire-whip thingy, not a backwards torch.
Also poorwiggum....I wanna play your D&D game. Haha
http://www.arfenhaus.com
http://arfenhaus.blogspot.com
This might be a dumb question, but what is this? I mean, physically, like what's it made of? It is a physical thing right, not just a 3D render? My brain is having trouble understanding what I'm seeing. It looks freaking cool whatever it is.
Smof - I think that's a mini made by one of those 3d printer dealies. It takes 3d models you've made and prints them in a way that top scientists say is a miracle. (lol) But I'll let prox confirm/deny that.
yeah this, projeck knows where it is at
t arfen- your fire dude looks like he's gonna tip forward.
Zcorp printers work off a 3D model you've made. The cool thing is that also do color, so whatever texture you do can be printed as the model is being built up. It works via gradually building up layers of resin starch and glue.
Afterwords the Resin must be "cured" with Zap a gap so that it wont be brittle. Once cured, the thing is solid as a rock.
artistjeffc.tumblr.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/artistjeffc
Feels like they're partners here
I'd love for more folks to express a preference among all these thumbnails I'm junking the place up with; I really appreciate all the great, pointed crits but I feel everyone's effort is going to be largely wasted since I only plan to develop one of these ideas.
That said: what about something more graphic and less literal?
Anyway, the gear element is cool and I like the silhouette-against-the-skyline idea.
Anyhow, just to add some art-content, I drew this a little while back.
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edit: Oops
In progress
http://www.arfenhaus.com
http://arfenhaus.blogspot.com
Cowlanser.
For now I'm listening to the doodle thread and ignoring the people in my thread and seeing where this one goes, I guess: