LadyJudgement

Since it was my idea to ask people to ink your work, I thought I would follow suit and do an example for you as well...

In this new post... for you to look at.

LJ

Side by side comparison of your pencils with my inks...

I did use the thick outside, thin outside method, but mostly thick on the left. I also varied my thin lines as much as possible on the inside, so that the weight would add depth. The deep blacks I didn't want to fill in since I was afraid it might look too splotchy and take away from the face, which to me is the main expression.

I also used several layers of white to crisp up my straight edges and add highlights. Finally I used a custom made brush (by me) to do the hair... by the way this was inked digitally in about 40 minutes. It was actually a lot of fun to do, I don't usually go this slow, so I learned some things doing it. Slow is the way....

If you want a HUGE version, let me know where to email it. this is only 1/3 of the actual size I think. Anyway I hope this helps. You can achieve the same thing with pens and brushes, and white out, which is the traditional method...

I use Adobe Illustrator, like Brian Denhem who's inked Iron Man... and according to him more industry people are inking this way. I can't say enough of the ease of it, since ALL the lines are adjustable, i.e. less mistakes, and ALL of them fixable in seconds.

Anyway hope you like it.

LJ

You might want to ask some of the artists here to ink one of your pencils, to show you the thinking behind their approach... it' not just thick outside, thin in... some ink heavily on the side where shadows fall, away from the light. Some ink heavily down the middle, if the final color will have two light sources, one on each side.

I could show you some examples, but in the end, I think the best inkers develop a kind of organic approach to their style. That can be entirely brushwork, or a combination of pens.

It really is a choice, some pieces work better with minimal inkwork, some are works of art without any color. If you are trying to achieve either of those goals, you might want to do two versions of each piece and see which you like best...

Good luck to you in any case.

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I could imagine seeing that Ink version inside a 2nd Edition D&D book...

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I'm still reeling over this compliment... a small thank you on my part... if I have time tomorrow, I will ink it for you...

LJ

2nd Edition D&D? THAT is the highest praise I have ever got... thank you! Thank you both...

Don't you hate it when you're just lying there in the dark, and suddenly some super villain appears out of the shadows?

On that note, I give you Wherlwind...

Reference: click here

Inked version: click here

Okay 2 left to go... Heri is making me earn my keep...

LJ

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Dayum Bobby!


You just keep getting better and better. Is this with the new rig? Absolutely love the coloring there. The 'test' even looks cool. How was the holidays?

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Thank you sir, yes the new rig is invaluable to me... and no worries sir, I have your piece ready to go on the desktop, just gotta finish these last commissions up. The holidays were great, now if only the snow would vamoose!

Wherlwind shadow test... question: how to make a Dark Melee/Dark Armor toon appear in shadow?

Anyway just a quick 20 minute sketch... have more to add tomorrow, this is no way near the final, just a study for me... that I wanted to share with you Heri.

LJ

Well perhaps on the last one, though Wherrlwynd will be very intricate, and Wherrlwind who is next up, will be a bit dark (no pun intended, wait yes pun intended) and Wherlwind's special guest is going to be equally dark...

Thanks Larissa, DD and Heri... yeah I had a lot of fun on the boot-tay... um drawing it. My initial sketch was so much like the last Heri, that I scrubbed it, and happily came up with the back shot... the hand was the most difficult part cause I must have redrawn it 10x...

3 to go!!! One with a surprise guest...

Wherlwynd... latest piece for our own Hericane.

Reference: here... 3 more to go!

LJ

Nicely done, I love the concept and name of your toon...

I like Hifi Color for Comics, try that one... they have a separate forum, that the author will answer questions in. However Deviant Art has a ton of free tutorials on how to use Photoshop, check out my gallery of saved tutes that I've collected.

LJ

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..would you use the wacco board with the lasso tool in photoshop a lot?..

and what dose having some much pressure sensitivity supposed ta do?

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1. The lasso tool is your friend. I use it indefinitely and daily... if you hold the ALT button down AFTER you make an initial line with the lasso, it turns into the polygonal lasso, which only does straight lines, much like the pen tool in other programs.

2. Pressure Sensitivity, that is 1024 levels of it, NOT 512... allows you to touch the Wacom tablet lightly, and a thin line can be made on screen, much the way you would get a light line if you didn't press hard with a pencil. If you press hard on it, you'll get a darker line, and most likely a thicker line with some brushes depending on the program.

You will also need a matching pen (stylus) that has interchangeable tips to give you the feel of drawing either with a ball point pen or soft like a felt tip marker.

Oh and Liz: I meant the Graphire 2,3 and 4s... I knew the Intuos's were better, pressure wise. But thanks for correcting me - ...

LJ

I like the LJ on my belt, gonna have to steal that idea! Thanks Crest!!!

Love this one!

Roddy Roddy Piper! Why didn't you say so! lolol

Spino: loves me some free art, and ditto to our time this past year, we had a great team... I blame Kilo.

12 x 19? WOW!!! I think though if I could afford that, I would go Cintinq... though the idea of drawing on your screen seems fine, but all that filling in of the spaces reminds me of actual painting... which um I don't miss. BUCKET TOOL to the rescue!!!

I did some creative photoshopping to see if I could proportion the man better... I tried not to alter your piece too much. I had to split him at the belt, decrease the upper torso to give the illusion his legs were longer, which to me was the main problem. He appeared to be missing his calves... I added the other boot, and some minimal touches to fit back the figure's lower body, now thinner and longer back to his waist. Finally I used a perspective adjustment to make the hand the same size as it was before to complete the original foreshortening...

Here is a side by side comparison for your approval, if you would like the original size version (since you worked very large), pm me your email and I will send it to you... hope that helps.

LJ

yeah the metal on the Valkyrie blade is super shiny...

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Well, large ones cost more money, but i'm gonna toss my hat in for that if you're serious about using a tool like this.

See, it's enough of a disconnect that you're drawing DOWN but looking UP, but when gliding your hand down an inch makes a line appear across HALF your screen, like it would with a smaller tablet, it takes getting used to. BUT, if the tablet is about the size of your monitor, gliding your hand an inch on the tablet means you get a line that's actually an inch on the screen.

Of course, that said, if you're USED to drawing small and not having to move your arm too much when drawing, then a smaller tablet is for you. You can always zoom in and out on-screen until you get a good comfort level.

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This is precisely why I suggest the low end model first, learning the necessity to draw with the confines will be less painful to adjust to when upgrading for more pressure...

Bamboo, Bamboo Fun and Wacom 2, 3, and 4 are all 512 levels of sensitivity... okay for starting on but there is a HUGE difference, when you go to the Wacom Intuos 3 and up... which has 1024 levels, allowing your pressure to be felt by the tablet significantly!

If you've never used one before, I recommend starting on the lower end models to get control and second nature-ism, then save 3 bills for the Intuos 3, well worth it.

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It looks awesome. Fav'ed

I always thought LJ was a SS/Invuln tanker. What are her powers?

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Her Epic Powers are Fire based, which she uses a lot!

Edit: what is this GUM you speak of?

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Did a little bit o' searchin'. I knew I had seen it somewhere.

Powerforge's thread.

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I'm impressed by his avatar. LoL. The movement is subtle, but enough to catch your eye. How'd he do that?

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I believe he used that video editor most people use to make fab base videos for the game, the name escapes me, but there are threads on how to use it somewhere on the site. The animation is the normal "waiting" movement...

It is nice work... my wife's company does this kind of thing, but entirely from their imagination "using" premade and altered elements. They call it a "Photoshop Steelcage"... kind of like what we did in this forum a couple of weeks ago... thanks for the background on this, I may do this with one of my WoW toons whenever I get back to that game...