Developing a 'graphic novel' style
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@kylebeaudette have you thought about using a silhouette for the falcon with certain details (like the cockpit windows) picked out? Instead of a full render I mean?
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@Braden-Hallett i took out the line work and liked that, but didn't play with it too much. I'll give it a shot
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Two old characters of mine, a boy and the monster in his closet (the olde cliche
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Trying to carve at the lines with an eraser, colouring it early to see how it looks and editing repeatedly -
@kylebeaudette I love seeing this evolution. I do see a tangent with his collar and the mountain behind him though...
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@chrisaakins here's the latest! Took Bradens advice to make the falcon a silhouette, and I moved mountains to get rid of that tangent
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Okay! I've been inspired. I'm gonna get this short story done up.
There are a few places I feel I fell down in my webcomic. Getting caught up in details and overbaking textures; too many lighting details in regular panels Sound effects; and probably a few other areas.
SO! I got a couple fo questions for you guys as I 'develop my graphic novel style'.
1.) I'm using the same tools as I use for my regular illustrations. I like the idea of being able to do a graphic novel in the same way as I do a kid's book. Do you think this works?
2.) Do the hand-drawn sound effects work? (the 'HRRNNNNNNG' and stuff) or should I use a SFX font?
3.) I used very limited lighting passes. On the characters I did a very small occlusion shadow pass, and a very simple light pass. Is this enough? Not enough?
I wanna settle on a style before finishing this thing, so feedback is most appreciated
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@kylebeaudette I think you really improved the silhouette, but I think the contrast is too vast between the foreground/background (the values start to get lost around his legs). It just feels unnaturally dark on the lower side without much reason for it. I think it would help the foreground characters jump out to push all that into the background.
Something like the Falcon would be recognizable even if it was like 3% different from the mountain. So you don't need to make it really stand out that much to get the recognition.
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@Braden-Hallett
Just one thing - specifically I'm not sure you need to "halo" effect that's around the character on the barn panel. I think the shadows and light are overall enough and separating the characters just fine. Overall I don't see any reason to change really much of anything.
Not sure about your #2 point. I think that'll come down to preference. I wouldn't count that as something you'd definitely do or not do. It communicates the point clearly. I think maybe the background white on it might be too much visually. If you even made it fade into the background a bit more, there's little chance it would get missed or misunderstood and it might put more emphasis on the character interaction.
I mean, despite the minor things you could change here and there, this really could be on a shelf somewhere.
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@Braden-Hallett
It's really gorgeous! I think this style works beautifully
As for the handwritten font for sound effects, it works better for me in the hnnnrrggh sound than the 'plod plod plod' part, but really only noticed that because you brought it up.
And as much as I dont want you to, I bet you could simplify this style even more (backgrounds-wise)But hey, no need because it's very nice!
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@jdubz yeah, I see what you mean.
I also know these characters are super flat and animated looking, while I like that, they could probably use a few passes... -
Fought with this this morning. Saving it would merge all layers into something very different from what I was seeing while drawing. I use Sketchbook pro, not sure what I was doing wrong.
In the end, I used snip tool to take a picture of the drawing. -
@jdubz said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:
Just one thing - specifically I'm not sure you need to "halo" effect that's around the character on the barn panel. I think the shadows and light are overall enough and separating the characters just fine. Overall I don't see any reason to change really much of anything.
Iiiiiiinteresting! I'll take it out and play around with it.
@jdubz said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:
I mean, despite the minor things you could change here and there, this really could be on a shelf somewhere.
Thanks
@kylebeaudette said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:
As for the handwritten font for sound effects, it works better for me in the hnnnrrggh sound than the 'plod plod plod' part, but really only noticed that because you brought it up.
Cool cool
I think I may get some options together and compare side by side. -
@kylebeaudette said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:
Saving it would merge all layers into something very different from what I was seeing while drawing. I use Sketchbook pro, not sure what I was doing wrong.
Are you using a free version that doesn't let you save in layers? Seems strange it would flatten everything down on saving.
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@Braden-Hallett
Sketchbook usually lets me save in layers without issue. I mean, I thought it did?It's all free now, but I'm using a light version that works better on my Surfacebook2. I'll try opening the file in the other version I have...
I've been toying with the idea of getting Clipstudio, and learning the ropes on that. I doubt a publisher would be thrilled to receive my .tif files from Sketchbook
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@kylebeaudette If you're going to be manufacturing graphic novels then clip studio is worth it for its balloon, panel, and text tools alone. It's VERY good. Super easy to learn if you're familiar with other paint software, too.
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@kylebeaudette Clipstudio sometimes also goes on sale. Like, extremely on sale, so keep your eyes peeled
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@Braden-Hallett you had me at 'sale'
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@kylebeaudette said in Developing a 'graphic novel' style:
I've been toying with the idea of getting Clipstudio, and learning the ropes on that. I doubt a publisher would be thrilled to receive my .tif files from Sketchbook
As far as I knew, you can open up the tif files in Photoshop and it did keep the layers, but I haven't tested it to know what does and doesn't work. But yeah they definitely would need to know to open it that way so it's be a pain
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Messin' about with some simple character silhs. Hats are fun.
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I've settled on bubble style, fonts and sound effects. Gonna try and see this through
