COLOR NOOB :B (updated)

The One Dark Knight · October 2006

Top is 30-40 min thingy I did today of Alan Gerrard and the Ragman, post apocalyptic Western heroes.

C+C welcome on the actual image.

Now, I got my scanner with the intention of learning to computer color, since I have photoshop and am fairly proficient in it.

If you have any hints/tips/tutorials for a coloring n00b, they would be very welcome

Cheers ~

EDIT: STARTED COLORING

AMI DOING IT RITE?

This is my first computer coloring work.

earthwormadam · October 2006

Solid character designs. I don't have any coloring tips but I think your lines look pretty good so far. The scarf coming around the guys back took me a while to figure out what it was. At first I thought it was water splooshing out of the guys back.

Also there is a wierd tangent going on with the tip of the gun and the hat though.

The One Dark Knight · October 2006

Thanks Adam, I didn't notice that. :0

Fantasyrogue · October 2006

I like his face, and the expression. Also, the creature behind him, very cool.. and well, it's western and postapocalyptic.. cool hats and stuff, yeah! (That means, I like the characters and the drawing)

The biggest problem I'm seeing is that his torso seems too short and as a result his arm seems abnormally long. Well, his forearm seems long regardless of his torso length, but still.

t i m · November 2006

I posted this in another thread, but it may do some good here.

First scan the picture in around 300 dpi.

Then open it up in photoshop, and check it's dimensions and go to Image --> Image Size and and increase the size if need be

*Skip the following step if you don't want to be able to print it*

Create a new document 3000 H x 2400 W @ 300 Resolution ( it's 8 x 10, and the 300dpi is very important if its set at 72 for the Res, it will look like crap if you try and print it.

Go back to your scanned in image, hit Ctrl + A, selecting the entire image then Ctrl + C, copying it.

Go back to the new document you created and hit Ctrl + V , you've now pasted your image onto a new layer on top of the background.

Now follow the next steps..

Right off the bat create a new layer on top of your scanned image.

Go back to the scanned image layer and lower the opacity to around 60%

Working on top of the scanned layer on the new layer you just created begin tracing with a hard round in black at 100% flow and 100% opacity

Note: to make this easier under your brush presets (Icon all the way to the right, right to the left of "file browser". After you open that, click on "Brush Tip Shape" and decrease the "Spacing" from 25 to about 6.

So to reiterate your layers at this point should go as follows:

- Background

- Scanned Image @ 60% opacity

- Lineart

Lineart. When not working with scanned images, I always start really basic with a light color and when I move to more detail I grab a bit darker color and create a new layer and work right on top.

Example: light pink = really basic, darker red = fine tuning.

Tentacle man, for him I got lucky and using black was able to come up with a decent sketch, but with more complicated poses/compositions I recommend both the use of thumbnails and the process above.

Step 2.

Midtone. This ones easy. Create a new layer on top of the lineart and set it to "multiply" then paint a nice midtone over your piece, in this case gray. Black and white is easier to work with. You can always add color later.

Step 3.

Highlights / Shadows.

If you want go back to your background and add some color behind your character to help you out with the lighting.

At this stage here's the trick, see that "flow" and "opacity" tab up at the top, I'm always playing with that. My tablet isn't that great and it just doesn't have that range of pressure sensitivity. So these are imperative to me. I'm usually working around 45% opacity and 20% flow. Don't ask me why it just works for me and if I'm not getting enough color I'll increase the opacity but keep my flow relatively low, it helps with blending. Lay down those shadows, and highlights so that the piece looks really light and dark then start blending them back into each other...well this should be a start let me know if it works...

Further example:

Midtones ---> Shadows ---> Highlights ----> Fin.

I'm no authority on digital painting but I find this to be an easy way to get started. If you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them.

Cheers,

~Tim~

Lewis Rice · November 2006

Me being a huge Gunslinger fan and Post Apocalyptic fan I can really...relate? I dont know... To these characters. I think some of the clothing is a little off, too much like manga. Reminds me hell of alot of that series Trigun. What's that on the bottom of the revolver?..A wood piece or something? I can't really tell.

The One Dark Knight · November 2006

Thanks a bunch tim! That was really helpful.

Unfortunately, I don't have a tablet, just a scanner. I guess I could get by tracing by mouse (I'm not too bad at that).

But that digital painting help was really useful. I'll give it a go for sure. Maybe I just need to experiment a little.

Given my lack of tablet do you think it'd just be better to ink the original with a pen or clean up my pencil lines and play with the darkness/contrast in photoshop?

Lewis: Yep, I draw a lot of my influence from manga, though as I've stated, it's 'influence'. I'm not trying to imitate the art style in any way.

Yep, that's wood on the bottom of the gun. It will eventually house a grapple/flamethrower/extra barrel/etc when I have the time to think of something.

thevo1ta · November 2006

The One Dark Knight please post more scarecrow companion.
He reminds me of the Scarecrow from Howl's Moving Castle. I think his name was onion head...

The One Dark Knight · November 2006

Might get some more Ragman doodles up if you want some

In the meantime: I started coloring, hope it looks good.

Penny Arcade

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