Be Right Back, Uninstalling

I ragequit my last thread. So I'm going to post how I get shit done in this one. I have an 80 dollar commissioned I'm going to start soon, and its relatively SFW. I'm going to go through it step by step. Anyone interested?

Hopefully this will answer some of the questions in my last thread as to why I do some things.

me

(12-18-2008, 06:04 PM)Sponsmas link Wrote: [ -> ]I ragequit my last thread.

Wait.........what?

The client wanted the highest quality transformation picture I could muster up. So I'm like, dude, for 80 bucks sure thing (that d-bag Scott R. from VG Cats charges 80 for one colored picture of one character, I charge 1/4th that). Its from a bland scientist gal to a sexy bombshell.

What I usually do from this point is just research. He gave me a story which was 10,000 words (dude, seriously!?), and it had a bunch of stuff I really didn't know what looked like. Like cats eye glasses. Those things look stupid.

I then try to set up my composition, its what makes the picture tick and look good. You can draw something awesome and have a shitty composition and you would have just an awesome picture. Think of composition like your base health, and the skill quality is the medic's overhealing.

Client wanted a comic format, so I start laying out my composition, and I work it heavily.


This may or may not be the end result, but its what I've got currently. I've got to draw the viewer's eyes across properly, so that the eye doesn't naturally jump out of order, to do this I set up proprietary panels. #1 and #5 being most important (with number 5 being more important than 1) because this is the beginning and end result. Step 3 is pretty important, and 2 and 4 are least.

Notice how panel 1 over laps 2, and 2 overlaps 3, this makes panel 1 "closest" to you, and therefore speaks with the most dominance, as I need it to be an entering piece. Number 5 will be the biggest drawing of the group, which may interfere with number 1, but I'll cover that later.

I might need to fix the panels around a bit.

Edit: Oh yeah, I do some basic sketches showing pose/action, this will also dictate viewer's attention. Its also good to note I have SOME semblance of character looks and color palette. I'm going to adopt a brownish/reddish look using a palette I created a few months ago for some other pictures.

Most of this stuff comes preternaturally. I don't have to think very hard about it to know whats right or wrong. Its ingrained also in the human psyche, so you guys also know subconsciously why a picture will do what it does.




You guys still paying attention?

yes

indeed

I've started putting in the colors, I altered the black sketches from before a bit like I said I probably would. Minor changes here and there and I started some more rough preliminary work to get some things nailed right.

The heavy actions in 2 and 3 don't mesh and blend right with 4, so I'll have to go back and change the expression in panel 4 to reflect what has happened.
But so far so good. Wavy hair is going to be a complete motherfucker.

On hindsight, the bg is prolly way too dark. I'll have to lighten that up a bit.

I've sent the image to my client, and I'm requesting the payment be made up front. If I'm going to put a lot of work into this, I better get damn well paid. I don't trust people very much when it comes to money.

(12-18-2008, 09:35 PM)Sponsmas link Wrote: [ -> ]

I like it already

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1453/...biggk5.jpg

Big full version, when you full view, its not as dark as you'd think it was.

Wow this process is fascinating. Where's Budr with his moonwalker popcorn?

Do most clients type up a story? Do they do a story on your own, or do you usually prompt them to write up a story for what they want?

(12-18-2008, 09:48 PM)rumsfald link Wrote: [ -> ]Wow this process is fascinating. Where's Budr with his moonwalker popcorn?

Do most clients type up a story? Do they do a story on your own, or do you usually prompt them to write up a story for what they want?

This guy wrote 2 stories. Some other guy gave me a few paragraphs. One of 3 for this good man who commissioned me. NSFW
Caff gave me one sentence. And I pretty much quote, "Draw Ceceil for me, for Ceceil, doing what ever."
NSFW, Caff's Commission
I saved a WIP of Caff's piece. I was stupid and forgot to make a 2nd layer, I ended up having to do some crazy shit to get that red to disappear without me redrawing everything.

/shrug

School has taught me a few things, control, some patience, and given me experience in drawing people really fast. Did I mention I drew This Picture in 30 seconds? We were doing 30 second gesture drawings of people.

(12-18-2008, 09:48 PM)rumsfald link Wrote: [ -> ]Wow this process is fascinating.

Glad you're enjoying it. I got a response from my client, he wrote

Quote:The prototype layout looks great; a very promising approach to this concept as I see it.
Though, I might have some ideas to air before we begin finalising the project. I was wondering if it was possible to add legs and feet to phases 2 and 4 and completely to 5; with phase 2 disgarding shoes in the process. Also, regarding payment, my funds are open and i can send the payment anytime you want. Thinking back, i think we spoke about 80 but we can talk it over still. Excellent work so far.

To be honest, a lot of people who contact me don't type clearly. Its really kind of frustrating trying to decipher everything, so I personally prefer it if people didn't talk so much, like one paragraph is all I really need unless you're going into character specifics. But what ever, its a job. I can't complain, I'm getting paid. To draw. Thats like getting paid to do basic physics.

You may think that all I have to do is add legs and feet. You're forgetting 2 things, A. Composition changes! and B. I just plain suck at drawing legs.
Okay, so adding these legs will change the pose, because in panel 2 the way she's standing really doesn't work. Oops!

Big Version
You can see I stretched the canvas vertically quite a bit, but I also did it horizontally just a little bit as well.

I changed the panels to a more free floating look, to represent the boundaries and how they can be easily crossed. It also adds a certain dynamic, though panel 2 will need some more fixing as well. I'm liking panel 4 and 5 a lot more now.

Look at the page, hit the f5 button in your brain and just look at it fresh. Where does your eye go to first (just relax the eyes and allow them to travel). More often than not it will spend a fraction of a second in the middle, and then shoot off to panel 5. Thats bad, see, we need people to see panel 1 first, and 5 last. But 5 is the biggest and cleanest, its simpler and more pleasing to the eye in terms of space and lines. Its a resting spot so the eye goes there first. Well when I start applying color, panel 1 will be a lot more simple, but I will apply the (hopefully) right amount of contrast and saturation (the how much color is in something, neons colors are generally really saturated, where as the white+color or black+color are less saturated, with greys having no saturation).

Edit: click on the big version, and look at the orange I used to draw the people. Thats the same orange in the previous iteration. Yeah, its the exact same orange.

You can change a color by changing the colors around it. This isn't the best example, there are people out there who can make 2 different colors look the same by changing the colors it is drawn upon.

having larger boobs doesn't make a girl prettier. Actually, they make her look gross, that's why i don't like your art

Just a friendly comment :3, my honest opinion

(12-19-2008, 12:34 AM)Vongore link Wrote: [ -> ]having larger boobs doesn't make a girl prettier. Actually, they make her look gross, that's why i don't like your art

Just a friendly comment :3, my honest opinion

Its in the description. Not my choice this time.

(12-19-2008, 12:30 AM)Sponsmas link Wrote: [ -> ]

Quote:Though, I might have some ideas to air before we begin finalising the project.

This fits my theory that all Brits are Pervs. Also, I can't say that I would have conciously noticed that the legs were missing in the earlier draft, but that relates to an earlier board conversation of using your imagination to fill in the detail. I think your customer has a leg/foot fetish as well.

Also, why wouldn't you want frame 5 to attract the most immediate attention for this client? It seems that he has a hardon for the transformed chick, so that is the most important element. Yes, this ruins the narrative sequential flow, but frames 1-4 are just backstory.

(12-19-2008, 12:34 AM)Vongore link Wrote: [ -> ]having larger boobs doesn't make a girl prettier. Actually, they make her look gross, that's why i don't like your art

Just a friendly comment :3, my honest opinion

homeau

(12-19-2008, 09:57 AM)TDdead link Wrote: [ -> ][quote author=Vongore link=topic=2010.msg56587#msg56587 date=1229664859]
having larger boobs doesn't make a girl prettier. Actually, they make her look gross, that's why i don't like your art

Just a friendly comment :3, my honest opinion

homeau
[/quote]

(12-19-2008, 12:34 AM)Vongore link Wrote: [ -> ]having larger boobs doesn't make a girl prettier. Actually, they make her look gross, that's why i don't like your art

Just a friendly comment :3, my honest opinion

I had a dream about this.
You like my art. You just don't like what I draw. Right?

(12-19-2008, 06:22 AM)rumsfald link Wrote: [ -> ][quote author=Sponsmas link=topic=2010.msg56586#msg56586 date=1229664641]

Quote:Though, I might have some ideas to air before we begin finalising the project.

This fits my theory that all Brits are Pervs. Also, I can't say that I would have conciously noticed that the legs were missing in the earlier draft, but that relates to an earlier board conversation of using your imagination to fill in the detail. I think your customer has a leg/foot fetish as well.

Also, why wouldn't you want frame 5 to attract the most immediate attention for this client? It seems that he has a hardon for the transformed chick, so that is the most important element. Yes, this ruins the narrative sequential flow, but frames 1-4 are just backstory.


[/quote]

Thats a good observation. You could really make a picture do what you want it to do. And right now, it seems that you're right about frame 5 being most important (like I said it was earlier, right above panel 1). Now that I've altered a few things a bit. We're gonna have to see how this thing pans out.

Its time for some trial and error.

15 min quick sketch, done because I like smokers. No planning what-so-ever.