My Char

[Realmreaver]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/Realmreaver/B3.gif

First time I ever tried to color via a PC LOL.

This char is a char I actually played in DnD. (One perk to always being forced to DM for 12 years =)

you guys like? dislike?

[Korthuran]

you nailed the anime color scheme on it, looks good

[Realmreaver]

Thanks =)

I never really wanted to go the anime path but simply put I don't have the time to invest to actually learn how to computer shade properly. Takes to long to actually clean the Image for prep to go all out on soft edges and blending... I do this cause I love my art not so I can hate it for taking forever to get one piece done... sigh if only one could shade as easily as one could do it painting or drawing... But I don't have such software ...

[Tati]

I like the way you shaded it. It gives it a unique look. I was looking at your picture again, and I noticed the cloth near his tail. The scenery was a nice touch. It gives me the feeling like there is depth to the character, as if he had a home somewhere and there is a story to it (part of his history).

I was wondering what your process is for coloring an image and what software. You said it takes you a long time if you were to clean up the image for soft edges and shading.

[Realmreaver]

Ok I will try to answer it's a pain but this is what I did.

1. Draw it, Ink the lines and then add where you'd like the shadows to be.
Note: I will post his brother and you will see where I screwed up and not darkin a spot I set up for a shadow. It looked like a stitch line so I didn't but another look it stood out like blot of ink =)

2. scanned the image in.

3. the REAL pain. cleaning it. I used paint shop pro cause it has sencitivity on oit I needed and that is the best I had to do mass clean up anywhere effectively.
Paint that comes with windows COULD but it's hella slower.

4. correct the broken lines. If you see an area unintendedly fill with the color you dropped then you got a broken line somewhere you need to fix. I sorta enjoy this part cause like debugging if you screwed up where there is a single pixle opening it's gonna spill into everywhere that has an opening.

5.Once that is done it's sorta color by numbers cept you better have a good idea what goes were cause the numbers are missing.

Took about prob a good 6 hours total for a single image but I wasn't in a rush.

I will link his brother and Apple (not colored) in a bit.

Here's Malys
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/Realmreaver/wallpaper2.jpg

I didn't use such a thick ink and it worked SSOOOOOOoooooo much better than my first attempt and as you can see that bloody leg doesn't have a shadow but again it looks like a stiching so I left it in.. lazy me eh?
Anyways MUCH cleaner this time.

Here's Walkwithme.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/Realmreaver/WalkwithMe.jpg

Instead of Apple I thought I'd show you this one. It's an unfinished sketched.... this was done over 10 years ago I think. That was at a time tween jobs so my dreams and thoughts was MUCH more vibrant.

Bah here's Apple.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/Realmreaver/c5c9b599.jpg

Yes I can do more than werewolf types tho he was what I played DnD with like forever. This is his companion.. the wee widdle dragon Apple.
Not much to say about him but he's cute =)

[Tati]

I'm not sure what you did in step 3, but you might try changing the contrast of the image if you are trying to get rid of pencil lines that were picked up by the scanner. It'll give you cleaner, darker lines. Also you might try using a mask. You can create a new layer and color under the mask instead of flood filling.

Also.. I should have asked earlier, but do you use a wacom tablet? I got mine for $50 and next to psp, I'd say its the best money I've invested in a hobby.

[Realmreaver]

Um new to this so I am ignorant of Masking or this wacom tablet.. a link would be nice and I assume it's a tablet that let's you draw on a PC using pressure points. I prob damage it cause I press pretty hard. But using it as a tracing device hmmm I could prob use it if you got a link and is as you say =)

I will try contrast and I think you got the gist of what I spoke of as far as step three as I was trying to make the Image pure white and black to prep it up for color dumping as it makes everything FAR easier with a pure black and white image.

Thank you =)

[Tati]

Wacom Home (http://www.wacom.com/index2.cfm)


This Wacom Graphire Tablet (http://www.wacom.com/graphire/4x5.cfm) is probly the closest to what I use. This one is $100. I wouldnt really use it for tracing per say (although the one I have allows for that), but its like drawing on a pad of paper, except you are looking at your screen and not where the pen is.

[Ciarin]

I use the graphire as well, but I still prefer ye olde pen and paper....

[Realmreaver]

Oh that one is way too small I do tablets among other things including reg size sheet of paper that is too large for that tablet. I would have to go for a bigger and more expencive which I cannot do right now but thank you. =)

[Ciarin]

LOL, the size of the tablet doesn't reflect the size of the drawing. You can make a bigger drawing than 4x5 with a wacom.

[Realmreaver]

Wow I have no clue how you'd do that but I prob need a demonstration from someone who has it for I invest that sort of money cause I'd run the paper right off that thing cause I would trace the pic from a drawing.

crude I need to log for a bit be back later =)

[Devirka]

I want one of these!!! (http://www.wacom.com/lcdtablets/index.cfm)

[Jennivere]

I want one of those too! But am way more than pleased with the Intuos 9x12 I so recently and luckily received.

I really, really like Apple by the way. It would be neat to see it colored some day.

[Devirka]

I have a very old Graphire, i think the first one they sold for 100 dollars. Still I never get used to the "look at screen draw on a blank surface with blank pen" feeling.

A friend of mine has a tablet PC, I played with it for a few minutes and that I fell in love with. Apple has stated they wont be making Tablets, unfortunately, so if i want that feeling on a mac it will have to be with one of those Cintiq.

[Realmreaver]

I want one of those too! But am way more than pleased with the Intuos 9x12 I so recently and luckily received.

I really, really like Apple by the way. It would be neat to see it colored some day.

LOL *blush* well sure would you like a a new one entirely or that one just colored? The pencil shading needs to go so it would be awhile. Give me a responce and I will set work on it prob be awhile for I get done. Been goofing with making an 'address' book and calendar design for my PSP.

I can be done prob end of the week if not sooner.

Hmmm so many things I could have Apple doing... postures and what not.. favs with the female players that used to play my DnD game was having Apple attack their hair like he did Le'tawa's and later on Tea'la's. (Realm's and Le'tawa's daughter. Yes I got a HUGE background on Realm)
He would introduce by striking the hair then hanging in front of their face upside down with a HUGE grin saying 'apple?" He tends to sleep under their hair or on Realm's shoulder.