Digital art, now with animation too!

JCM · November 2006

After sufering 2 weks of shaky hands, I got a bigger Wacom knock-off 9X14 now, before was 4X8) and am managing to draw less quaky.

Here's a page in progress
http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/1981/01it7.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/5285/02up3.jpg

(yes I changed the subway wall on panel 1)
http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/8721/03qp0.jpg

The final result-

By december I'll have coloured all the pages Ive done, and hell its easier drawing straight into Macromedia flash than taking the papersketch->scan->ink route, especially with the little time I have.

The One Dark Knight · November 2006

That's pretty nice work for a tablet. Sometimes the lines are a little weird - shaky, but that's understandable, and the line width variation throws me off a bit. But overall, quite nice.

I wish I had a tablet ;_;

Staleghoti · November 2006

What's with that dog?

CyberMonkeytron3000 · November 2006

Flash is pretty cool to ink with- it takes ages though, so congrats on sticking it out for that page so far

I'm not sure how familiar you are with the program, but I would recommend hitting the pressure sensitivity button to vary the line widths.

Chain-Raven · November 2006

I love city scenes, same thing as mentioned before though, the line variation kills it. It looks like you still used a mouse for this, use the pressure sensitivity! Remember line width needs to change within the line as well, not just 'oh this is the line for outside his jacket, it never changes in thickness, here it is for a fold in it, thinner but nothing interesting', lines are affected by all kinds of things like light, distance, focus, atmosphere. The stuff that's more distant needs thinner lines and less detail. More contrast in lines (and values, though no values here)the closer you get.

Hope that helps and keep it up.

Lewis Rice · November 2006

Holy crap those are so fucking awesome. It reminds me of that comic that Frank Miller did the story for...I forgot what it's called, but it had heaps of awesome detail. Love your work.
I'm getting a tablet for christmas! wooo!

EDIT: Oh yes, like someone above me said, put the pressure sensitive on, it gives a better look.

Aneurhythmia · November 2006

The perspective seems peculiar in the first frame.

JCM · November 2006

CyberMonkeytron3000 wrote:

Flash is pretty cool to ink with- it takes ages though, so congrats on sticking it out for that page so far

I'm not sure how familiar you are with the program, but I would recommend hitting the pressure sensitivity button to vary the line widths.

:shock:

:oops: Never used a Wacom before, even more with Flash, thanks for the heads up.

Chain-Raven- I'll try line variation with today's page.
Satehoti- Dunno.. I just got carried away and drew him in... it'll be a pain colouring. :shock:

Here's yesterday's page

Lines are still shaky, but the edge grab in Flash is my new best friend.

Lewis Rice · November 2006

YES! more pictures! so much detail, even the outside of train has graffiti covering it!

Natri · November 2006

I think you should make the train stand out more from the background. It's still (almost all) the same line width, which makes it feel a bit dull to me. Though the details look good :^:

Tam · November 2006

I don't think those little dots and lines are working well for you as detail. It just makes the piece look cluttered since it's all over the place. There's something else there to do with line variation, but I can't put my finger on it.

I like the idea of this lone traveler guy, though.

JCM · November 2006

Thanks for the comments people, Ive retouched page 2 and here's page 3, sadly my life is giving me too little time to draw, I'll take saturday off and read all the crits, thanks again.

Aronaxx · November 2006

sweet ass, that's a freaking obscene amount of detail. I applaud you, good sir. I applaud you.

Lly · November 2006

Liking it so far. I want to know what happens, which is a good sign :P

Grifter · November 2006

I think from a storytelling point of view it's working. I think some character thoughts or other text could work to keep the reader from going through the pages too quickly.

I think the main problem that you have right now is that you're exchanging detail for quality. you're putting in a tremendous amount of detail but you aren't spending a good deal of time making it look good. You might benefit from looking at some of Brian Hitch's work. He's very detailed but he always makes sure that everything looks crisp. Keep that in mind for the future.

JCM · December 2006

After a bad Indian dinner, a week sick, and finishing the pile of work accumulated through those days, Im back again working at my webcomic.

Backgrounds for another page (yes, I draw the people on a different layer.

Once again, 100% digital, Wacom + Flash + Photoshop.

grifter81 wrote:

I think from a storytelling point of view it's working. I think some character thoughts or other text could work to keep the reader from going through the pages too quickly.

I think the main problem that you have right now is that you're exchanging detail for quality. you're putting in a tremendous amount of detail but you aren't spending a good deal of time making it look good. You might benefit from looking at some of Brian Hitch's work. He's very detailed but he always makes sure that everything looks crisp. Keep that in mind for the future.

Yeah... I got the same from my art teacher. I'll try to concentrate more, especially my figures, which seem to be my biggest sin.

Lewis Rice · December 2006

Hmm, yes, great drawings. I can really see that yours lines arn't rushed...Alot like mine

.
The level of detail reminds me the art from the Hard Boiled comic, illustrated by Geof Darrow.

JCM · December 2006

Lewis Rice wrote:

Hmm, yes, great drawings. I can really see that yours lines arn't rushed...Alot like mine .
The level of detail reminds me the art from the Hard Boiled comic, illustrated by Geof Darrow.

God, I wish one day I can touch the feet of Geof Darrow's skill. The sod's latest Shaolin Cowboy issue had a sacrificial temple spread, with every damn skeleton and bone drawn in. :shock:

JCM · December 2006

Colored the cover sketch

Just a question... I tried doing gradients but they kinda took away the attention to the details I didnt want too bight colours, but Imnot sure if others will like it..

Is the simple colour with low saturation ok?

Nucsh · December 2006

Question: He's in a subway, and he's walking along the tracks, but where's the third rail?

JCM · December 2006

Nucsh wrote:

Question: He's in a subway, and he's walking along the tracks, but where's the third rail?

Third rail? :?

Sublimus · December 2006

Nucsh wrote:

Question: He's in a subway, and he's walking along the tracks, but where's the third rail?

Oh shit! Realism and research!

Nucsh · December 2006

JCM wrote:

Nucsh wrote:

Question: He's in a subway, and he's walking along the tracks, but where's the third rail?

Third rail? :?

The rail providing the electrical connection to most underground and above ground rail systems? The only types of subways I've seen utilize either an overhead wire connection or get their power from a third rail.

JCM · December 2006

Nucsh wrote:

JCM wrote:

Nucsh wrote:

Question: He's in a subway, and he's walking along the tracks, but where's the third rail?

Third rail? :?

The rail providing the electrical connection to most underground and above ground rail systems? The only types of subways I've seen utilize either an overhead wire connection or get their power from a third rail.

Looks up LRT third rail
http://www.frohsz.de/Photo/kl/putra_lrt_sm.jpg

Damn! I'll draw that in... thanks.
Just one question, do you like, get killed stepping on one?

Nucsh · December 2006

JCM wrote:

Nucsh wrote:

JCM wrote:

Nucsh wrote:

Question: He's in a subway, and he's walking along the tracks, but where's the third rail?

Third rail? :?

The rail providing the electrical connection to most underground and above ground rail systems? The only types of subways I've seen utilize either an overhead wire connection or get their power from a third rail.

Looks up LRT third rail
http://www.frohsz.de/Photo/kl/putra_lrt_sm.jpg

Damn! I'll draw that in... thanks.
Just one question, do you like, get killed stepping on one?

Pretty much. Stepping, pissing, etc. It's like an electrical fence, just concentrated into one or two bars of metal.

Grifter · December 2006

The flat colours kinda work for the actual comic but your cover needs something more than what you've done. There's nothing interesting going on there. The cover isn't all that detailed. The grads probably didn't work because you're unpracticed with them. Check this out for some help.

http://www.pensnpixels.com/instructional.html

JCM · December 2006

grifter81- God.. there goes my afternoon, sweet tutorial there. Especially the "different light sources for different planes" bit.

Youre right on the cover, comparing to the covers of the comics lying around on the floor here, its quite boring. I'll leave that image for a pin-up/character design page, and work on a new one.

Nucsh- Added the third rail, posting the corected page after coloring it.

Thanks for the crits and feedback.

JCM · December 2006

Man, christmas time in an ad agency is like a slave galley, you only rest when youre exhausted or dead. Finally got some time off, and managed to mess around some more with the wacom.

First off, added a third rail (the thin type, didnt want to cover too much of the stones.
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/845/logo1aq6.jpg

Another page
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4223/logo2yd7.jpg

Character sketch
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/8924/blacknx7.jpg

Somebody suggested I try sepia, its not that bad, but still I personally prefer color-

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/1982/sepia1tz2.jpg
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4527/sepia2ex7.jpg

mully · December 2006

I'm sure a zillion people have already said this to you, but -- props to you for using Flash to ink this. You must have an assload of patience.

Your illustrations are really interesting to look at, there's so much detail!

I feel like a repetitive-rita at the moment though because I agree that the cover art needs more than just flat colour, however it seems to work for your comic in general. (And might I add, you have an excellent eye for colours, it seems.)

Lewis Rice · December 2006

I got Hard Boiled today, and my god does your art resemble Darrow's. That's a good thing by the way, being able to draw that much intricate detail.

JCM · December 2006

New page

Sublimus · December 2006

I think you need to work on your depth in a lot of these. Your colors are exetremely flat, and suggest no depth, you lines weight has very little variation (which suggest equal emphasis) and you level of detail is ass backwards; with great ammounts of detail in the background and much less on the characters.

You work is so cluttered with detail, it is really hard to pull the action out of the frame. I would suggest thinking about why you actually have each frame, and really try and push what ever action is happening. Your latest page is better, but in the old ones, the only clue as to what you are supposed to be watching is because it is continued in the next frames.

Draw the readers eye to the subject. How is up to you, lineweight, saturation variation, something. I dont know, just keep that stuff in mind I guess. Because those first pagest are really really static and flat.

JCM · December 2006

Thanks, many have pointed out the same thing, the lack of focus on the characters, Im trying to apply that to the new pages Im working on and will be posting them as they get done.

Lewis Rice · December 2006

Not quite how I imagined the main character, by the coat, hat and glasses he looked much more threatening than he appears in this page. Nontheless I suggest changing the old mans eyes, they seem to small, also that shading at the main characters elbow area? looks a bit wonky, perhaps take it out or change it.

The One 52 · December 2006

I admire the fact that you put so much effort in the detail, but to me, those cases look overloaded with 'em. There's no main center of attention in those panels, there's no emphasis on one particular element that should catch our attention directly.

Instead, it's an overload of information and details for the eye, and it felt hard to me, especially in the B&W panels, to focus on one thing in particular. The character seems most of the time lost amongst all those details.

My advice would be to pay more attention to a specific element in particular. Do something with your lines variations, play with the amount on details, etc., that will lead the eye to focus on what you want the reader to focus. When they read it, do you want 'em to follow the dude in the trenchcoat? If so, find a way to give more importance to this character amongst the chaos of details of your backgrounds.

That's not to say that you should avoid putting time in your background and work less on them: just... don't overload them with that much details. You can still make them pretty and be in harmony with the rest without having that much details.

(Sorry if my english sucks for critics, by the way.

)

JCM · December 2006

The detail thingy- Ive started checking out Manasume Shirow and Frank Quitely, seems that they tend to put sepia/one colour shades in their detailed backgrounds, I'll try doing that, started working onthe next page.

JCM · January 2007

Cut back a bit on the backgrounds, but dang I can spend an hour drawing some detailed shit and not notice time pass

CyberMonkeytron3000 · January 2007

The distance between the characters seems to have a dramatic change during the panels in this last page. Maybe space them apart more in the top image.

You really still need to stick at least one level of shading on these suckers- as everyone is saying- they are flat, flat, flat when they could easily not be. That glow effect isn't really working- and it just puts emphasis the lack of lighting everywhere else.

Also whats the deal on the darkened corners of the panels? you could probably leave those out.

Yakob · January 2007

I've been working with a Wacom tablet in Photoshop CS...does anyone know what brush or tool i need to use to have the pressure change in my inking become more apparent?

Sublimus · January 2007

There are a lot of things you can do, but ask them in the questions thread.

JCM · January 2007

CyberMonkeytron3000 wrote:

The distance between the characters seems to have a dramatic change during the panels in this last page. Maybe space them apart more in the top image.

You really still need to stick at least one level of shading on these suckers- as everyone is saying- they are flat, flat, flat when they could easily not be. That glow effect isn't really working- and it just puts emphasis the lack of lighting everywhere else.

Also whats the deal on the darkened corners of the panels? you could probably leave those out.

Good points, the flat colours and darkened corners mightve worked with the cityscenes, but look crap when its more up-close and personal, am uploading a new page, and hopefully my colouring wont suck badly this time around.

I've been working with a Wacom tablet in Photoshop CS...does anyone know what brush or tool i need to use to have the pressure change in my inking become more apparent?

Mess around with the brushes menu, there are some that emulate a strong airbrush, I suggest starting a new document and messing around with every brush until you find the one that is just right

Penny Arcade

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