[EyeAmPhibian]

Ok, hi everyone. My name is Joe and I'm just posting stuff up that I have done this evening. I feel I have struck upon a character that has some potential.

I'm uploading these preliminary sheets so that anyone interested could tell me if I'm missing out something potentially interesting or maybe that I am going down the wrong path.

Just to let you know. I am totally knew to comics, yet I have created stories and drawn all my life. I just feel right now comics are the way to go for me.

Thanks!

[EyeAmPhibian]

Thought I'd have a go at colouring and toning that portrait of his face. I just need practice with photoshop really. Here they are.
I have no idea if I was doing this efficiently, didn't feel like it... I am just using a mousepad and photoshop, and lots and lots of lassoing...





I think I am getting better at sizing the images to a suitable scale?

[EyeAmPhibian]

I thought that perhaps the screentone one was too much of a jumble so tried the Edit-Stroke thing that I think Angieness suggested in a tutorial. Anyway, here goes.



No ones replied yet but I'll keep going with this character for now.

[Animeshen]

I'm a bit new myself, too, but from what I can tell, this is not a particularly fast responding forum, so you will have to be a bit patient with us.
I like the tones. But I don't know who I am looking at. Can you tell us about him?

[cultmasterflex]

you definitely have an interesting style, i however dont like the colours gradients are a tricky slope and when over used flatten your piece. i would say work on your anatomy as it seem s like you avoided showing any, and lets see some comics instead of different variations of the same pics
happy comicing 

[EyeAmPhibian]

OH yes, a description.

'His name is Fredric.
He had a very troubled and flawed upbringing which contributed to his very Charles Manson-esque character. He is utterly incomprehensible to the outside world, others do not know if he is mad, delusional, messianic or some incredibly gifted shaman. And he himself seems to drift through the world oblivious to many things.

He claims, as part of his tragic childhood, he was abducted by aliens at the age of nine. This is apparently the reason why he has these strange organic pipes sprouting from his neck and the back of his body.

The gas/liquid hybrid which is emitted from said pipes is almost hallucinogenic in nature. Able to morph and transform the world around it. The complexity of it, for example whether the change is real or imaginary, psychological or physically damaging, or being commanded by Fredric himself are all hidden and do not seem to make much rational sense due to the 'alien-ness' of it all.'


Thankyou both for your contributions. I am not thinking response is too slow, I just didn't see the point in waiting for a reply to carry on developng the character and doing more work.

The colour gradients I agree are very yacky. I am experimenting though and hope to improve... :S

The screentone-esque thing I like though. I'll try doing some 'real physical' screentone too.

I'm doing some full body panels right now, and concentrating on developing the character some more. I live in England and its past midnight so these will have to wait til tomorrow though as I want to ink them up and try some tone on them.

Thanks, Joe.

[Kuro]

The reason you're probably not getting a lot of response is because there are no comics or even really a full body shot. The description helps, but also it's also confusing. The vapor is hallucinogenic but could alter reality? Then it's more than a hallucinogen isn't it? But I don't quite get how it makes him particularly messianic either. Comics might help. Know you're saying you're new to them, but as they're the point of the site, they'd be good to see.

[EyeAmPhibian]

I just wanted to know what is the recommended proportions for comics on this site. Just because I am in the UK and we have different paper scales to the US. Or does it really not matter too much?

Hes not a messiah, and the vapors don't make him like one. It is just his character is very 'cult leader' like.
The vapor, I'll just draw it to try and show its effect.
I will make it clear with my comic rather than using words...

[William_Duel]

THe proportions size and shape do not matter.  You could do comics in three panel formats if you so wanted.  The only thing is to keep them at a manageable size so that they can be read on a computer.  Usually 800-1000 pixels wide will do as far as resolution.

[EyeAmPhibian]

These are for the Design Sheet. Thought I'd get a view from the front and side, full body shots, and also a demonstration of the 'smoke'. Also my attempt at an efficient way of portraying the clothes.

Front Shot...



Side Shot...



Clothes...



I spent ages doing the colours. Probably a complete waste of time because I don't know if I'm even that keen on them. Might try and recolour them with more traditional methods. Just new that Design Sheets need colour and I thought generally flat colours would be better at communicating how Fredric is supposed to look. I am hoping to submit this to the new Tournament that is going to start on April 1st so any feedback would be appreciated before I submit as a design sheet. Gonna get an Intro comic done as soon as I can too.

[EyeAmPhibian]

OK.
Hi Everyone.
I haven't been massively active on Void for a while and I think I need to spruce things up a bit so I'm going to do something I was never able to do before and that is to create a character and submit an Intro Comic. (I launched straight into a Tournament with Fredric).

I have been writing and drawing bits of a comic I really want to make on and off for a while now, and I thought as a fun way to develop some of the characters involved in it I would use them on Void. By putting them in certain situations with other characters on the site will hopefully get me thinking in different ways about them, and also help me develop a bit more the way I want to be making comics.

So this is one of the characters...

I've just been flatting buts of colour onto him. I'll update this image as I progress with it. Might actually try colouring it traditionally aswell. See what visual aesthetic I prefer.



His name is Fig. He's basically based on me, but caricatured and fishy!
He is part of a tribe, (based on Native American Tribes) that live in an "Underwater" world.
Its not quite underwater, its more that their atmosphere is a mixture halfway between water and air.
Rather than riding on the back of a horse he rides round on the back of a Giant Newt named Tiva.

This is a drawing featuring an adolescent Newt that I did a good few months ago, I imagine them a lottle differnet now, nevertheless...


I'm trying to keep backstory and stuff like that brief.

This is Fig and Tiva first meeting when they are young.



Basically I want to challenge people to battles, hopefully being able to incorporate their characters into my underwater world, maybe changing them physically a bit, (gills,fins maybe) with the artists permission of course. Also anyone can feel free to take Fig onto earth as he could sort of work amphibiously I guess? Just wanted to check if this is a cool thing to do with the Void admin people or not?

Any impressions would be welcome.

In regards to an Intro comic, as I've not done one before. What do you guys thinks most important in showing in it?

[G.Lo]

Fig is definitely visually interesting and I'm super curious to see more! I also really like the idea of having a water world too. It could definitely make for some interesting fights whether other characters decide to visit down there or him come up to the surface.

And I ono, I feel like if you have the artist's permission to spruce up their character, that should be enough?

But yeah, you've peaked my interest!

[Mister Kent]

Yeah, I think making your opponents fit your watery realm is a cool idea. And I must say your style is really improving. The landscape scene is really entrancing! Keep it up. I'm eager to see you move forward with this.

[EyeAmPhibian]

Thanks for your interest and compliments guys, it really gets me motivated and makes me want to deliver.

It is not a huge update or anything but I have coloured more of the image. I hope this better conveys the fluid atmosphere of the world.



I am also in the process of storyboarding the Intro. I am doing this to quite an intense level as I really want to improve on so many elements, in particular composition, tone and colour so tacking this in the thumbnail stage is something I really want to try hard at.
When I have something more coherent and understandable to other people I will post it up.

[Wei Ingnan]

I would love to see comics produced by you with this level of style and detail

[EyeAmPhibian]

So I know it has been a while but I have finally finished thumbnails for my Intro Story.

I would really appreciate some feedback if possible because I am definitely willing to make changes if necessary.


Page One.

Page Two.

Page Three.

Page Four.


In the meantime I will be doing the whole set of thumbnails over again but this time in simplistic graphic tones, more like the second image here. However maybe like the first one if I really think it is necessary.

[Gregly]

looks like this is going to be sweet when it's all finished up! i cant read it too well right now but the art is super promising!

[EyeAmPhibian]

Thanks Gregly!
And Wei, I hope to make the comic to an even better level of detail than that one image!

Thought I'd post up some of the thumbnail tone progress.
I've done lots of little variations for each panel and I'm pasting the ones I like together how they will lay in the comic on Photoshop.

[The Bent One]

I think you can push the contrast more in these. If you squint at them, you can kind tell the shapes apart, but it would be stronger if the foreground shapes were a little lighter that the background.

[Mister Kent]

Yes I agree with BenT--it's a nice start, but contrast would help. As for the lineart itself, looking at the B&W pages I really enjoy the flow of the art. Very unique composition!

[EyeAmPhibian]

I've added some colour and messed around with the levels a bit to see if I can make it any clearer.
I see that it is really quite muddy colour-wise, but again, these are only thumbnails and are designed more for me to know exactly what needs drawing in the image. What areas will need more black and which areas it doesn't matter leaving quite sparse.



BenTONe: I'm gonna give a go with the later panels having the characters very bright and the background much darker. It may not be very 'realistic' lighting, but I've been looking at other comics and it tends to be done a lot, realistic or not. I guess it just really helps and is a graphic tool more than anything. Thanks.

MisterKent: Thanks for the compliment. That is something I'm really working on as it is one of my favourite things about a good comic!

[stefan]

Hey Joe,

First ,i really really like the design at the bottom of page 1,that really stands out a lot ,and style wise it reminds me a little bit of Peter Chungs work(look him up,you might like it)

Anyway about the ''page'' thumbnails and stuff,we or i can't really comment on it cause they are what they are,...thumbs.on the other side i would like to give you a advice,to put the focus on the black and white pages FIRST,and then worrie about the colors later on,cause it slows down your own progress + process.anyway i all mean with the best intentions,so if i sound harsh,..I'm not

[EyeAmPhibian]

Wow, thanks for suggesting Aeon Flux to me. I've been watching it and it really is amazing.
I feel like there is a scary resemblance between how I and Peter Chung draw faces considering I have never seen any of his work before.

I was getting impatient so I've been pencilling the page which is super enjoyable, while do the tone thumbnails for the later pages. I don't ever want working on this to feel like a chore.



I apologise for the bad quality, I had to photograph it as my scanner isn't big enough.

[Cracking Skulls]

Man just the pencils themselves look gorgeous already, JN. I honestly would like to see that inked either traditionally or digital, but if you have something else planned for it, totally go for it!

[G.Lo]

This is looking fantastic!! I can't wait to see more!