ScarletVengeance

i'd say pwning it in 1 hour 35 minutes was pretty exciting [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

i have the snaptooth badge, but consider me signed up for Red Cap farming.

I guess i could always draw. I remember when i was quite young I drew a road with perspective, and my Mum asked me why I'd drawn it the way I had

I just said that it was cos it got smaller as it got further away so that's how I drew it.

I spoke to her about it last night and she reckons I was about 6 or 7 when that happened, so I guess I just 'knew' how to translate stuff to paper.

Hard to explain really. I saw a program a couple of years ago with kids of a similar age and showing how they interpreted stuff. They were drawing 2 apples, 1 behind the other, and some of the kids drew them one behind the other, whereas others could only interpret it as 2 apples and couldn't draw the relationship between them.

So, i don't know why some can and some can't, but i guess I always was able to transalate what i saw to paper

not had time to read your story yet Jon - having a busy day - AGAIN!

Longbow base sounds like a plan. I'll be there to smack them down to be within reach of the mighty Oni!

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...every time I draw something, I surprise myself. I'm sure this will flatten off eventually...

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I don't know if that's true tbh. I still finish a piece now and if I'm really happy with it, I get a buzz from it, so keep going [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Scarlet in 'too busy to check forums at work' shocker!

Fraid so!

Scarlet in 'home at 3pm' joy? Indeed [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Yep, I'm on for wednesday, as is my good friend Lady Doom

Ages-till-you-next-level-Grats Helioss!!!

MMMMM Oni with speed boost! THe demon would truly be unleashed!

FYI, SV's tactics is slotted with 1 end redux and 3 to hit buffs, and I rarely miss when it's on

Any joy on finding that HO list Jon?

Have searched all through and can't find it

Sounds like a fair trade.

Not had one of them yet though. My usual pick-up is dmg/acc

Yeah, that's the one!

Of course I'd very much like it if it's of no use.. [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I have my Vengeance triple-slotted. I had 3 defense buffs in it, but switched one for a HO def/to hit buff, so it's now got 0.1% less defense buff, but a 20% to hit buff included!

If only I had 2 more of those Hami-O's.... [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

One of the things I love about your stories jon is they create really strong images for me.

I've sketched out a "comic cover" of the showdown in front of 'agony' hall (you know, I never noticed that - but I checked back to a screenie and you're right! - bet the devs were wetting themselves when they came up with that!) and it's all well and good, but really hard to fit everyone in.

Then from the latest chapter, I've got a really strong image of Fisty smashing a flier - but again, can't get everyone in.

Think I'm going to be better splitting it across 2 or 3 images, so keep those lovely set pieces coming and give me plenty to work with [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

So, I shall have a play around, and do what I can to get some of this sketched out in time for the hardback release :P

Yes, that's the way it should be! The mighty Oni pwning everything!!

(that's how it looked through my Oni-coloured specs at least!) [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

BTW, this piece is now finished (see it here if you've not seen it)

I took more screenies as I was finishing it, so I'll try to get the 2nd half of the guide up this week.

Union I'm afraid

lol ty jon, although I realise you're biased [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Although seriously, I will do a toon portrait for anyone in exchange for a useful HO if you're interested [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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Seriously, did you get hit by cosmic rays or stuff?


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lol not that I'm aware [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

btw, I posted a step-by-step of me creating this piece on this page in case anyone is interested.

Still gotta post the 2nd half

OT a bit (well, a lot)

Here's my latest:
Scarlet Vengeance

She's also my new avatar, the observant of you may have noticed [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

God I'd had a busy week - barely time to pick up a mouse!

Now I have, however, here's my latest:

This is my main. She's a Ninja/Dark MM

Scarlet Vengeance

I use both. I have got a graphics tablet, but only a small one, and I tend to use that when I want things to be a bit more 'freehand'

Basically, when I'm blocking in highlights and shadows I use the mouse to get a consistent effect, then I use the tablet to fine tune it and try to bring some texture in.

Hi guys

Ok, a bit of a follow-up for you then, regarding colouring.

It wasn't until I got to grips with a computer that I started using colour, and again, it's been a case of practise to get things looking the way I do them now.

I use Paint Shop Pro (and not PANT shop pro like I would have posted if I didn't notice my typo!)

I'm on paintshop pro 9, and I think it's great - it's no photoshop, but then I never really got on with photoshop. What it does offer though is important functionality like dodge and burn (which is essentially all I use for shadows and highlights on my pieces) but it also gives you layers, which are all-important for the way I do things.

Once again, not saying this is the right way of doing it, just saying it's the way that works for me.

Anyhoo, what I'm working on is an image of my main. She's a Ninja/Dark Mastermind and although this is her 3rd outfit, it's the one I've used for the longest period of time as I feel it suits her really well.

first off, I create my image. This starts off as the stick-figure, and gets fleshed out until I like it. Once I'm happy with the shape, I'll trace it through to a new page where I'll sketch in the details, like shown here:

Sketch

Then I trace it through again to give me a clean outline.

Outline

I always sketch in paper by the way, up to the outline stage, then I scan it in and colour it.

When I start the colour, this is where the layer function comes in. I'm not going to go into detail about how to use layers, cos the help files in paintshop pro will doubtless do it far better that I can.

Anyway, I start to block out the colours, creating each element on a seperate layer to make my life easier later on.

Blocking Out

Soon you'll have your drawing set out in block colour and ready to shade. I'd already done the legs by the time I started this guide, so you'll just have to pretend they're not shaded for now.

Ready to shade

Now i need to turn it from a 2D image into one that looks like it has mass and form, which is done with shading and highlights. The reason I broke the image down into elements before this stage is I find it much quicker to tweak the parts later without having to go to the hassle of masking everything off to avoid affecting surrounding areas.

Now I'm going to give myself a rough guide for shading by throwing in some extreme shadow. I create new layer, and rough out in black where I feel the shadows whould go.

Block Shadow

I tweak it until it's roughly what i want, then this is where the beauty of layers comes in - I reduce the visibility of the shadow to about 40%, and I've got my guide in place and I'm ready to start shading proper

40% shadow

That's as far as I'm up to at the moment.

As soon as I've done some more detailing I'll post the 2nd half of this guide, or, you might prefer to leave them in 'toon' style. I'll always save a toon style before going on to shade the details in, as sometimes I like them as much as the finished piece.

Toon example

Guess it's all down to the sytle you're going for.

Have fun

well be sure to post your latest works to show us how you're getting on

I've actually ordered the cutting edge one [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I don't know the latter, but I'm sure you won't regret the former