Colouring in Comics...

[DeeCrowSeer]

Having experienced several near misses with my wacky computer, I began to worry that all of the work I'd put in to lettering and colouring my work was at risk... this got me thinking about alternative ways to colour my work by hand, so that I had a more complete "original" before scanning it in to the computer. I can't paint to save my life, so I opted for colouring pencils (it's much easier to control a lead than it is a bunch of bristles, and you can add shading by just using the sharper edge of the same colour). I'm not overly impressed by the results, but thought I'd throw a link in here and invite comments:

http://uk.geocities.com/deecrowseer/colour.html

The other day I bought a magazine with a little "Manga" supplement, which turned out to be a glorified advert for fancy (expensive) colouring pens, as used by Manga artists (apparently). Perhaps if I were making money from my work, I'd be happier to experiment with alternative colouring techniques. I just feel digital colouring lacks something in the soul department...

[Typhoid_Mary]

I prefer the clean look of the computer colouring. It complements your drawing style.

[mordenkainen]

I think I mentioned Fred Beltran before, in relation to PWV's work. He was a (digital) colourist before he became a (digital) artist. Just check him....well, he actually went back to pencils lately but...oh well, check him.

[Sa-lul]

Hi Dee...did you find Nemi? A good friend of mine gave me a hyperlink to an English-language version of some of the strips...but I should have to dredge it up again from somewhere.

If you DID find Nemi...did it ring any bells? Or was I totally off?

[Grey Mouser]

This isn't going to help Dee but I like both, with perhaps a slight preference for the pencil version. Seeing the pencil coloured one though makes me wonder if you would be willing to combine the script writing with the illustration to produce your own comic book or comic strip. Is that something you'd be willing to experiment with?

[Krimson]

I kind of like the digital colouring myself. Though it doesn't have to be flat. The Smudge tool can very much be your friend. I am still trying to sort out an art style. Being without a scanner limits me to attempting to draw with my tablet, which I am not so great at (for example). The latest Conan comic has an interesting colouring style which is digital colours straight on to the scanned pencils, bypassing the inking stage entirely. You might want to give it a go. I do like your art style, and wouldn't mind giving a B&W or pencil scan the digital once over.

[PsychicWarVeteran]

The Smudge tool can very much be your friend.

Two words: Dodge and Burn. Use these tools. Experiment with them. See how they affect color in ways that would take you hours conventionally adding layers of shading. I can't even begin to explain the power of these awesome features. Try them and you'll see what I mean!

[L'Etranger]

For me the trouble is that often programmes oblige me to sacrifice hours and hours until I know how they work. And then I might need them only once or twice a year. Which is why I hardly do anything about a certain webpage that is entrusted to my care (lacking any better custodian) nor do I delve into drawing and graphic programmes like I have on my pc - "Micrografx Publisher 7.0" which can do many effects and render surfaces in all sorts of ways. I usually make my X-mas Greeting E-Cards with it or fake passports for Arab dog smugglers (mainly Scottish Terriers), but it is really so rarely in use that I often forget most of the procedures until next time. *

As far as things go that I would hang on my wall - which might bring us back to the question of which of Dee's techniques I'd prefer ...: I rather like things that show how they're done, that show shading in pencil, coal or crayon. Unless, very deliberately, I want to hang something on my walls out of a mass production line like posters. Then it is okay to have this flat, industrial, very even colouring. A genuine Dee on my wall would preferably be the pencil version, but I would be happy for ANY and would take what came.
I mainly have oil paintings and acrylics on my wall as my brother is a painter and my main supplier (yes I even paid him occasionally, or we swapped a jacket for a painting etc)
On the web where much is just poorly scanned or very reduced in dpi it is nice to see "cleaner" and sharper images.
... IMHO


* I even bought myself Poser 4 cheap at an auction half a year ago and haven't got round to installing it yet. I am intrigued though by the possibilities it seems to offer.

[PsychicWarVeteran]

For me the trouble is that often programmes oblige me to sacrifice hours and hours until I know how they work... I often forget most of the procedures until next time.

Yes, this is a problem for most. Desire أ· Time. The learning curve on programs like Photoshop are ridiculously steep. One can easily start to feel like Sisyphus.

I even bought myself Poser 4...

Poser 4 was one of the pieces of software I used for my Elric/Cymoril picture, L'E, in case it interests you. Mind you, I've been using Poser for about six years...

[L'Etranger]

I even bought myself Poser 4...

Poser 4 was one of the pieces of software I used for my Elric/Cymoril picture, L'E, in case it interests you. Mind you, I've been using Poser for about six years...

Yes, I knew that, though not which version. Just mentioned I posess it to chum up to you, my friend! (Look, I also have a Lego set at home )
But you could tell me one thing: can one also animate the figure for short sequences? Would use up a hell of a lot of space, huh?

[PsychicWarVeteran]

But you could tell me one thing: can one also animate the figure for short sequences?

Yes, Poser can do animation. The Poser file would be large, yes, but the final output needn't be enormous, depending on formatting. You can see an animation I did in Poser back in 2002 HERE. (It will run slowly until it fully loads.) That animation (.gif) is only 58KB.

[DeeCrowSeer]

I guess for my website, it's probably best to stick with digital colouring, since it seems more suitable for the size of image involved... but I might keep working with the pencils, for my own random amusement. I agree that digital colouring doesn't have to be "flat", but I'm not a big fan of the graduated fills that seem to crop up in a lot of comic strips these days... although I generally bow and grovel at the feet of Trudeau (Doonesbury) and McGruder (Boondocks), I don't always like the way their strips appear... then again, I couldn't do their job for all the tea in China, so I should probably keep my mouth shut (or fingers dormant).

Thanks for the responses though!

[Krimson]

One of my favorite strips which is coloured digitally is Brooke McEldowney's Pibgorn. Though the plot can be a little hard to follow, you might get some nifty ideas for colouring.