Page 150 Panel Process
(AKA “How to Cheat at Webcomics”)
Just for fun, here are some progress shots from the last panel of Page 150, along with a few tips for being lazier more efficient about drawing:
(Larger version here.)
Step 1: Google SketchUp! Very fun to play around in. Best thing ever when you don’t want to figure out environment perspective and proportions from scratch in every panel.
Step 2: MyPaint! Free and open source. Inking is so much faster and easier here than in Photoshop, it isn’t even funny. Try the Ico_Precise_Pen_02 brush (in the Ink set) with a boosted radius. You can even zoom way out to ink a long line, and when you zoom back in, the line will be perfectly smooth. ♥ So good.
Step 3: Photoshop Actions = Win. Flat fills take about one minute per panel once you have a good select->expand->fill Action set up (assuming you’ve closed most of your lines).
Step 4: I haven’t figured out how to cheat at this part yet. Any suggestions?
November 29th, 2011 at 8:27 AM
Black Magic! Or at least I heard that’s the best way. Beyond that I seem to remember searching out a means of doing so through masking, though I’ve forgotten the process. I’m useless
So MyPaint smooths out the lines nicely? I admit that would be a boon, I typically use Manga Studio 4 (for lack of better tools) and it seems to have the same property.
November 30th, 2011 at 9:25 PM
0.0 MUST. DOWNLOAD. GOOGLESKETCHUP… How have I not heard of this? Always impressed with your smooth style and excellent coloring! Keep up the good work!!
December 1st, 2011 at 8:42 PM
@Dale: Dang… and here I’m all out of Eye of Newt. I do use some masking, though, which is handy indeed. A solid color fill layer set to Multiply is great for shadows, since you can just erase/hide parts of it wherever the light hits.
Aha, so Manga Studio does the same thing with lines? I can see why it’s so popular.
@Kim: YES. GO FORTH AND FROLIC WITH THE SKETCHUP. Once you get used to how the interface works, it’s super-fun.
And thanks! I’ll keep doing my best!
December 2nd, 2011 at 12:09 PM
I should reaaaaally do something with this. As you know, my backgrounds are horrible.
December 4th, 2011 at 7:38 PM
Seriously? They usually seem more detailed (and existent) than mine. XD *pats gradient fill tool*
SketchUp and/or MyPaint might make some things easier, though. Let me know if you give either a try!
February 24th, 2012 at 11:28 PM
This is really making me want to go out and buy a tablet! …and wishing I had more time to play…
February 28th, 2012 at 2:51 AM
Tablets are the best. <3 I hope you have a chance to get one (and more time to play with it)!