looking for an artist to draw my first commision
By
Bayani,
Posted on: 2008-12-04 13:40 in Multi-Media Fan Creations
also if anyone can help me make a reference page for my character that would be nifty.....mostly I'm useless in photoshop <.<
Volt Sentinel Reference
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but lightning does the work.
There are a lot of people doing commissions, TA keeps a big list of the majority. I've recently started up again as well. Rates are posted on my deviant page and samples of my stuff. Feel free to send me a pm or email if yoiu have any questions.
Blacklisted
"I'AM SATANS FAVORITE CHILD!!"
The two I would recommend most are ImagesbyAlex and Brandon McKinney. They offer the best bang for your buck and have an understanding of the costume designs in game. There would be less back-and-forth getting your look just right.
If you're planning on turning it into a hobby, I recommend getting a model sheet done. Eventually, you might do what I did, and start commissioning artists who don't know a thing about City of Heroes. A model sheet will show all the details an artist needs to draw your character accurately. If they screw up even with a model sheet, well it's because the artist was f'ing lazy. 
edit* (deleted the guide because all the links were broken)
yeah I plan on commisioning art in the future, any recomendations for a model sheet
Volt Sentinel Reference
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but lightning does the work.
do you have a link to images by alex I can't her a link on TAs guide
Volt Sentinel Reference
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but lightning does the work.
Oh....forgot to post a sample one. One sec...
Sample Model Sheet
Obviously, you'll want to take screenshots of your character with matching views. I'm pretty sure both Alex and Brandon could do one for you. The benefit of having a model sheet done is that you can include details that aren't depicted in-game, so I would highly recommend that as your first piece.
ImagesbyAlex
http://b-mckinney.deviantart.com/
Yeah I get over-enthusiastic sometime when I build references (cuz I didn't know what a model sheet was either) and they end up looking like this.
I think it my too busy to actually be helpful.
Char Site | My DeviantArt
Global=@Thornster
Well, for the bits I've had done, I usually get shots like these done. I use photoshop, you can cut-and-paste away using nothing more than screenshots and MS Paint though. (Or if you want something more powerful and free, The GIMP fits the bill. Little learning curve there though.)
Artist wise, while I'm a big fan of Alex and Brandon, I've *got* to point out someone who's a favourite of mine (and very affordable.) semaj007 over on DA. All digital. If you go through the commissions, "who wanna dance" and "vonDrakkar" are mine. 
Gallery of my various commissions. Most of these are digital. The only ones I have physical *pieces* of are from Graver and Sorah Suhng (and Wassy, soonish.) There are several artists in there, usually referenced in the title.
I'm prolly gonna due a model page like you electromage cat...and I like the look of sema work, and 30 bucks aint bad
Volt Sentinel Reference
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but lightning does the work.
JG, if you want a drawing done, I could whip up one for you pretty quick. PM me if you're interested. Check out my links in the sig if you'd like.
Yes, I'm pimping out my wares, so sue me!!!
Jim
The Neverending Battle Continues; Be Heroes!!
Stuff I've Drawn
My Deviant Art Page
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yeah I plan on commisioning art in the future, any recomendations for a model sheet
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Here's where I keep mine. You can take a look at a couple that way. The artist doesn't need a whole lot other than a clean view of the character from several angles. You can see where I've used an occasional inset image to show off some particular detail. If they don't have an aura, I put mine on a 50% grey background so it doesn't alter the way the eye percieves the character colors.
If you are doing it youself I recomend manual screenshots taken from the supergroup costume editor (it tends to crowd the character less than the tailor one does). Now that we have the ability to save and mail each other .costume files you could send someone a file directly to do the photoshoot/photoshop. I'd set you up with one but my account's about to lapse and I might not be able to do it before the end of the month.
wow nice toons
what program do you use.
Volt Sentinel Reference
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but lightning does the work.
Photoshop. One like Hedgewitch with the tailor menu background left in place takes under 5 minutes. Trimming them up for the neutal background is about 20 minutes. Ones that I really care about take another 20 minutes or so going in with the smudge, smooth, and sharpen tools to remove the corners where polygons show and blending body areas where the textures don't quite match (the tops of the gloves and boots often have artifacts).
Generally I try to make sure the is a clear back view, one from 45 dgrees off the front, and one close up. I did some attempts at sheets the year before and they were way to busy. The extra details just distracted the artists. I keep this folder as the link I send to artists for Nike. It's the style sheet, one good face (made at a celebrity morph site ), a shot of her powers and a handful of the strongest pieces I've received that I hope can be inspiration to others.
A little photoshop time also lets you play games with the editor to create things you can't have in game but might want art of like this.
What price range are you shooting for? I've got a couple favorite artist ranging from $15-$200 I can recomend.
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Here's where I keep mine.
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Now THIS is how an artist likes a character reference sheet
I guess I'm the only one who would prefer a real artist drawn model sheet than screenshots.. heh
That's a bit more expensive ... and you still need one to get that first model sheet drawn .. hehe
Char Site | My DeviantArt
Global=@Thornster
True true.
I don't like the idea of an artist drawn model sheet mostly because the artist themselves will bias the look of the character, and some of the most amazing art I have is letting the artist I'm commissioning interpret the costume and references without another artists ideas being their starting point.
If you are looking for a standard, consistent, precise way for the character to be drawn its not a bad plan, but a lot of fun can come of letting the artist take creative liberties
(Also, not ignoring your request for artists, its just my personal style/preference is very manga/anime and not very comic booky, I doubt you'd like the artists in my collection )
Well an artist-drawn model sheet isn't suppose to be heavily rendered or precise. Whoever does the model sheet sketches and outlines the important details, knowing that future artists will be using creative liberties and interpreting the model sheet itself in their own styles. I commissioned a model sheet because albout half the artists I've worked with misinterpret details in screenshots or forget to look at the notes I attached; the artist-drawn model sheet just points out the details that an artist might miss in a screenshot: in Bayani's case, the sun emblem should be the sun on the Filipino flag and Bayani's complexion should be somewhat dark. Anyways it's another idea to consider investing in as it can make commissions easier for both parties involved. Less revisions to be done if the piece isn't just right etc.
Maybe I'm weird, but... I don't go with model sheets drawn by artists.
I pull screenies from the Costume Creator (front, side, back, facial closeup) and then include any OTHER details I think are needed to flesh out the character. Composite all that together in an image, upload to DA Scraps, add the text notes, and link to a "Character References" page for easy retrieval.
Of course I've seen LOTS of 'artist interpretation', but unless I'm paying a hefty sum on a commission, I don't make a big deal about it. Shoot, SoulTrain's emblem becoming a necklace was Poison's idea, and it turned out so cool I've specified it to nearly everyone else.
Now granted, a well-drawn character reference (inc. color swatches, detail shots, etc) is an invaluable resource. I'm just not of the mind that I need them, all that much.
"City of Heroes. April 27, 2004 - August 31, 2012. Obliterated not with a weapon of mass destruction, not by an all-powerful supervillain... but by a cold-hearted and cowardly corporate suck-up."
Yeah I use to do that too, Soul but the thing was those other details frequently got lost or omitted. Bayani's shades use to actually have a red to yellow gradient tint to them, but after the first 5 colorists made his shades completely yellow, I switched to that. Then folks started giving him a full jacket instead of the sleeveless vest. Then they started tucking his sleeves into the gloves and making Bayani more ripped than I liked. Then people started coloring Bayani as a white guy and well, I had to draw a line some where.
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Then people started coloring Bayani as a white guy and well, I had to draw a line some where.
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For some reason, i find this hillarous. 
someone with a marvel-esque style thats not to expensive. A little nervouse since this is my first one, but I trust you guys
Volt Sentinel Reference
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but lightning does the work.