VOLUME1
Antarctic Press Presents : How to Draw Super-Powered Heroes Supersize TPB #1, June 2009, is published by Antarctic Press, 7272 Wurzbach, Suite #204, San Antonio, Texas 78240. FAX#: (21 0) 593-0692. Text © Chris Allen, David Hutchison and Brian Denham. Art © Chris Allen, Brian Denham, Ben Dunn and David Hutchison. All other material is TM and © Antarctic Press. No similarity to any actual character(s) and/or place(s) is intended, and any such similarity is entirely coincicental. Nothing from this book may be reproduced without the express written consent of the authors, except for purposes of review or promotion. "That bullet was probably the best meal they had all year." Printed and bound in Canada.
GETTING STAQTEO!
WHeN YOU STAQT OQAWING, ALL YOU QeALLY NeeO IS PAPeQ ANO A PeNCIL. I f YOU 'Qe JUST OQAWING fOQ fUN, feeL fQee TO SCQIBBLe WHeQeVeQ WITH WHATeVeQ YOU feeL LIKe ANO OON'T WOQQY ABOUT THIS PAQT, BUT If YOU WANT TO Be A BIT MOQe PQOfeSSIONAL, HAVING THe QIGHT TOOLS IS KeY.
\
PeNCILS
THe MOST COMMON TYPe Of PeNCIL IS THe SIMPLe #(;) PeNCIL. AQT STOQeS QefeQ TO THIS TYPe AS AN HB. THe HAQONeSS Of THe GQAPHITe VAQieS WIOeLY IN AQT PeNCILS, fQOM GB (VeQY SOfT) TO GH (VeQY HAQO). MeCHANICAL PeNCILS PQOVIOe A CONSISTeNTLY SHAQP POINT BUT OON'T ALLOW fOQ SOMe Of THe QOUGHeQ QeNOeQING. THeQe'S A WIOe VAQieTY Of PeNCILS. TQY GeTTING ONe Of eACH TO fiNO OUT WHICH YOU PQefeQ.
eQASeQS We 00 NOT QeCOMMeNO THe PINK THING AT THe eNO Of YOUQ AVeQAGe #(;)PeNCIL. IT TeNOS TO Be Of QeALLY LOW QUALITY ANO LeAVeS NASTY SMeAQ MAQKS. A HIGHeQ-QUALITY eQASeQ, LIKe A KNeAOeO OQ VINYL eQA SeQ, ALLOWS fOQ AN eASY fiX.
\
l •
" \
GeTTING STAQTeO!
\
PeNS
AQT PENS COMe WITH TIPS Of Olffek>eNT s1zes ANO SHAPes, MEASUQEO BY THe MILL.IMETEQ. THEY OfTEN COMe IN PACKS Of fOUQ OlffEQENT SIZES: .001, .01, .03, ANO .OS, WHICH IS PQETTY MUCH ALL THe VAQIETY YOU Neeo fQOM A fELT-TIP PEN. BALLPOINT PENS, LIKE THOSe USEO fOQ WQITING, AQE NOT QECOMMENOEO, oue TO THe KINO Of INK THEY USe ANO THe WAY THe INK fLOW WOQKS. CAQTQIOGe PENS HAVe QEPLACeABLe INK CAQTQIOGes, BQUSH PENS MAKe IT LOOK LIKE YOU PAINTEO IN YOUQ INK L.INES, QAPIOIOGQAPH™ PENS GET LINES A CONSISTENT SIZE, ANO ...WeLL, THEQe'S JUST AN INCQEOIBLE VAQIETY. STAQT OUT WITH JUST SOMe BASIC fELT -TIP PENS ANO see HOW YOU LIKE THOSe BEfOQe YOU TQY ANY Of THe MOQe AOVANCEO STUff.
BQUSHeS
TO GET A COMPLETELY OlffEQENT EffECT IN YOUQ WOQK, OQ If YOU WANT TO use wATeQCOLOQS, YOU MAY WANT TO TQY BQUSHES. BQUSHeS AQE A LOT MOQe OlffiCULT TO CONTQOL THAN PENS, QEQUIQING MOQE PQACTICE. L.IKE ALL OTHEQ AQT SUPPLIES, THEY COMe IN A WIOE VAQIETY Of SHAPES ANO SIZES fOQ OlffEQENT EffECTS ANO USeS.
1
•
'\
\
GETTING STAQTEO!
MAQ((EQS \
THe MAQKeQ HAS HUNOQeOS Of USeS ANO IS eSSeNTIAL. fOQ eVeQY AQTIST AT AL.L. TIMeS. MAQKeQS AQe USeO TO fll..L. IN L.AQGe BL.ACK AQeAS MOQe effiCieNTL-Y THAN A PeN CAN, BUT CAN AL.SO MAKe A TON Of UNIQUe L.INe TYPeS THAT CAN'T Be MAOe WITH A PeN.
NIBS
NIBS AQe SOQT Of A MIOOL.e GQOUNO BeTweeN PeNS ANO BQUSHeS. THeY HAVe CHANGeABL.e TIPS THAT YOU OIP INTO INKWeL.L.S, WITH HANOL.eS THAT AQe L.IKe A BQUSH. THeSe PQOVIOe A GQeAT OeAL. Of CONTQOL. OVeQ YOUQ L.INeS. HOWeVeQ, THeY CAN Be MeSSY ANO QeQUIQe A BIT Of PQACTICe TO GeT USeO TO THeM.
IN((
If YOU AQe USING BQUSHeS, CAQTQIOGe PeNS, OQ NIBS, YOU WIL.L. Neeo A BOTTL.e Of INK TO fiL.L. THeM. ONCe AGAIN, we POINT OUT THAT AL.L. THeSe BQUSHeS ANO SPeCIAL.TY ITeMS AL.L.OW fOQ GQeATeQ CONTQOL. ANO VAQieTY, BUT If YOU AQe JUST BeGINNING, YOU SHOUL.O PQOBABL.Y JUST STICK WITH THe PeNS TO STAQT.
l
•
"\
\
GeTTING STAQTeO!
QULEQS MAKING STQAIGHT L.INeS IS eSSeNTIAL. NeeOING A STQAIGHT L.INe COMeS UP MOQe OfTeN THAN YOU MIGHT THINK, ANO HAVING AT LeAST ONe QULeQ IS eSSeNTIAL.
\
TQIANGLeS AQe USeO TO GeT eXACT ANGLeS, WHICH MAKeS THeM ALSO VeQY USefUL.
CUQVES
IT'S VeQY L.IKeLY YOU WON'T JUST Se OQAWING STQAIGHT uNes, sur A w1oe VAQieTY Of CUQVeS ANO CIQCLeS AS weu... CUQVe TOOLS AQe A GQeAT WAY TO QeMAIN CONSISTeNT.
1
•
TEMPLATES THeQe AQe TeMPLATeS fOQ OQ AWING JUST ASOUT eVeQYTHING. THeSe eXAMPLeS SHOW A CIQCLe TeMPLATe ANO AN eLLIPSe TeMPLATe, 8UT YOU CAN GeT reMPLAres fOQ srAQSUQSTS, WOQO 8U88LeS, ANO eveN LeTTeQS.
" \
AS IMPOQTANT AS ANATOMY IS TO OQ AWING THe SUPeQHeQOIC fiGUQe, SO IS THe UNOeQSTANOING Of THe PLANeS Of THe HUMAN BOOY.
UNOeQSTANOING WHeQe LIGHT HITS YOUQ fiGUQe CAN TAKe A OQAMATIC SHOT TO THe NeXT LeVeL!
PLANeS HeQe AQe THe PLANeS Of THe MALe fiGUQe ...
_J
PLANeS ANO HeQe AQe THe PLANeS Of THe feMALe fiGUQe.
NOTICe THAT THe PLANeS AQe QePQeSeNTeO BY HAQO eOGeS ANO NOT CUQVeO SHAPeS.
UNOeQSTANDING THAT THe HUMAN fiGUQe IS MAOe UP Of A SYNeQGY Of HAQO ANO SOfT eDGeS MAKeS THe OlffeQeNCe BeTWeeN A GOOO OQAWING ANO A GQeAT ONe.
PLANeS
HEQE IS A PLANAQ OECONSTQUCTION Of THE fiGUQE ON THE fQONTPIECE fOQ THIS SECTION. NOTE HOW I AM QEPQESENTING ALL SUQfACES AS HAQOEOGEO I fLAT PLANES HEQE I EVEN THE ONES I SOfTENEO UP IN THE fiNAL OQAWING.
7
" "'=~====-=------:-:-:-~
'-
He PLANeS Of eQ L001( AT T NeQIC MALe HeQe IS A USING THe FACe. T THIS PLANAQ y FACe TYPe. HeAO, BU APPLieD TO AN CAN Be
C~~SAQe
~cfJsTQUCTION
PLANeS
TAl(e A L001( AT THIS OQAWING. CAN YOU BQeAI( OOWN THIS fiGUQe INTO ITS PLANAQ COMPONeNTS?
USe THe GUIOeS IN THIS CHAPTeQ ANO PQACTICe, PQACTICe, Pk> ACTICe!
HOW TO DRAW
TIGHTS THe THING TO ReMeMBeR ABOUT OR AWING TIGHTS IS THAT THeY ARe eSSeNTIALLY SKIN TIGHT SLeeVeS THAT OBSCURe THe HARO LINeS OF THe HUMAN BOOY.
A FIGURe IN TIGHTS IS GOING TO ReLY ON FORM ANO LIGHTING TO CONVeY SHAPe, AS OPPOSeO TO A NUOe FIGURe, WHeRe HARO MUSCLe OR SKIN FOLO LINeS CAN Be USeO TO OeFINe THe FORMS OF THe FIGURe.
IT IS THeReFORe VeRY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVe AN UNOeRSTANOING OF THe PLANeS OF THe HUMAN BOOY TO ORAW eFFeCTIVe TIGHTS.
TIGHTS
I r \ \
OAQKLY COLOQEO TIGHTS QELY MOQE HEAVILY ON PLANES ANO PLANAQ LINES TO CONVEY fOQM ANO LOOK BeST WHEN THEY APPEAQ TO HAVE A SHeeN TO THEM.
TIGHTS
He12e, LIGHTLY COLOQeO TIGHTS AQe SPAQSeLY 12eNOe12eO ANO QeLY MOSTLY ON FOQMS TO CONVeY THe FIGUQe.
TIGHTS
ooq
o oo ooo
HeQe IS AN eXAMPLe Of A feMALe fiGUQe IN LIGHT TIGHTS. AGAIN, I'M USING THe PLANAQ STQUCTUQeS TO DefiNe HeQ IN HeQ TIGHTS, AVOIDING HAQD LINeS.
I'M DESIGNING A CHAQACTE:Q WITH LOW- LE:VE:L MAGNETIC ABILITIES HE:QE:. THE: CONCEPT ! HAVE: IN MY HE:AO IS THAT HE: CONTROLS A SE:T Of ME:TALLIC OQBS THAT HE: CAN MOVE: AQOUNO I LEVITATE: Off Of, OQ USE: AS PQOJE:CTILE:S.
Oe51GN I ACTUALLY STAQT WITH HIS SYMBOL HEQE. I WANT SOMETHING THAT HAS SOME SCIENTifiC SYMBOLISM TO IT. AfTEQ SOME QESEAQCH, I COME ACQOSS A SYMBOL I THINK I CAN USE: M, WHICH IS A MEASUQE Of ELECTQOMAGNETIC fLUX CALLED A WEBEQ CWETTY NEAT)!
AfTEQ GOING THQOUGH A fEW OlffEQENT
0
0 0
NOW I 00 A QUICK COSTUME SKETCH, A METALLIC JUMPSUIT WITH A fULL fACEMASK ANO ENLAQGEO GOGGLES.
Oe61GN
_;J·------------------------------------------------------~-L-~ I I
.---------------------------~--1
TIMe TO OQAW THe fiNAL PieCe!
:············· ·f · J ··························· · :0 : : ~ •
(F~·~,1 0 ~~, ( I .. kf}t l
\
I ""'
V/ \~. ' D .
I I
I I
D
I STAQT BY SKeTCHING IN THe BASIC fOQM ANO ANATOMICAL HIGHLIGHTS...
I
\(
r
\
I
~
I
\
!
_/
-------· ~----G ----~ ,---------~------------~--------~~~--------~ ~ ------ - -- - I
Oe51GN
- -:::::::::====--:..r _
-.
--- ~ -
________________ __ ____________ _______ ___ _____ ____ ..,... _L_
I I
~--------------------------------1 I
- ........ - - .................. I
f - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I
I I
lIr \ 1\
r)
NeXT, I'LL SOLIDIFY THe ANATOMY ANO AOO IN THe COSTUMe LINeS ...
-·r·-------------------; -I
~----------------~----------~~~~--------~ , \...../
) --- - -- ---- - ---- -- ------ - ---- - ----~-~·/~
Oe61GN
,----------------- ---------- ----1
MODELING THE CHAQACTE:QIN CHQOM€: ANO CHECKING MY ANATOMY ...
I
............................. I
p 0
I'M NOT SO SUQ€: ABOUT THAT LefT HANO ...
-,_T--------------------
Oe51GN
WITH THE BASIC OQAWING OONE, I TQ ACE IT UP ON MY LIGHTBOX, SOLIOifYING WHAT I'VE OQAWN ...
0 0
NOTICE THAT I'M LEAVING THAT LEfT HANO ALONE. IT'S STAQTING TO STANO OUT TO ME.
Oe61GN
I fiNALIZE MY DQ AWING BY fiLLING IN THE BLACKS AND fiXING MY HATCHING LINES ACCOQDINGLY. ALSO I NOTICE THAT I CHANGED THE LEfT HAND TO A MOQE DYNAMIC AND ANATOMICALLY COQQECT ONE.
I WANTED TO DESIGN A NATIVE AMEQICAN SUPEQHEQO HEQE, BUT AVOID THE ''CLICHED" INDIAN STEQEOTYPE Of HEADDQESSES AND TASSELS. ''WAKINYAN'' IS THE LAKOTA WOQD fOQ ''THUNDEQ". IN NATIVE MYTHOLOGY, IT QEfEQS TO ''THUNDEQ SPIQIT" OQ I MOQE COMMONLY, ''THUNDEQBIQDS''.
Oe5I6N I AGAIN STAQT WITH THE SYMBOL. IN THIS CASE, I 00 A LITTLE QESEAQCH TO GET AN IOEA Of HOW THE THUNOEQBIQO SYMBOL IS POQTQAYEO IN OlffEQENT NATIVE CULTUQES.
I ALSO FINO A COOL SYMBOL CALLED A ''NAJA'' THAT IS ESSENTIALLY AN INVEQTEO CQESCENT MOON. THE NAJA IS A SYMBOL USEO BY THE NAVAJO AS A TALISMAN TO BQING GOOO LUCK.
WITH MY SYMBOL COMPLETED I LOOK TO DESIGN MY FIGUQE. NOTICE THAT I KEEP THE SUIT SIMPLE ANO STQEAMLINEO I LETTING THE SYMBOL I OESIGNEO BE A SIMPLE FOCAL POINT. I
Ill
' ..... . I
\ I
\
WITH MY CHAQACTE:Q OE:SIGNE:O I IT'S TIME: TO 00 A fiNAL OQAWING!
I STAQT BY SKETCHING IN A BASIC POSE: ANO THE: MAJOQ LANOMAQKS Of THE: BOOY.
\ ~-------------------------------
--- ----
~---
I
,..... I
)
LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED BY STEP TWO! AS I WAS QEfiNING MY ANATOMY ANO AOOING IN THE COSTUME LINES, I MAOE MAJOQ CHANGES TO MY fiGUQE'S POSE!
\
Oe51GN
--- --- ~ - - - - -- --- - --- --- -- - ----..,....- L-•
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
NOW I QEfiNE MY ANATOMY, MOOEL THE PLANES Of THE fiGUQE AS THEY QELATE TO THE OlffEQENT SHAOES Of TIGHTS, ANO SKETCH IN A SIMPLE BACKGQOUNO.
Oe61GN
WITH MY BASIC SKETCH OONE, I TQACE MY OQAWING ONTO ANOTHEQ SHEET Of PAPEQ, QEfiNING MY LINEWOQK. NOTICE THAT I KEEP THE fiGUQE LINES SIMPLifiED ALONG THE PLANES. TIGHTS SHOULO QAQELY SHOW ACTUAL HAQO ANATOMICAL LINES.
Oe51GN
/
MY fiNAL STEP IS TO SHAOE IN MY BLACKS ANO QEAffiQM MY BACKGQOUNOIOEA MAKING IT A BIT MOQE QEfiNEO THAN THE OQIGINAL VEQSION!
/
I'M DESIGNING AN UQBAN VIGILANTE: CHAQ ACTE:Q HE:QE:. NO POWE:QS, BUT AQMOQ, GUNS, ANO A fQIGHTE:NING LOOK MOQE: THAN MAKE: UP fOQ THAT!
Oe6I6N
AS MOQBIO AS THIS IS I I ACTUALLY GOT THE IOEA fOQ THIS CHAQACTEQ BY WATCHING SAOOAM HUSSEIN GETTING PQEPAQEO TO BE HANGED ON THE NEWS! I 010 A QUICk: Sk:ETCH Of THE CONOEMNEO MAN CHAQACTEQ fLANk:EO ON EITHEQ SlOE BY ''LOST SOULS."
I WASN'T TOO HAPPY WITH THE OQIGINAL LOST SOUL LOOk:, SO I BEEfED IT UP TO TQY TO MATCH THE INTENSITY Of THEIQ BOSS.
Oe5I6N I
r. ••. . •. . ••. •••• I
I I I I I
-
~-
~----t
r------- -
• • •• ••• • •••.•... . ...•• • .•..... J
:o'e~
WITH MY INITIAL DESIGNS OONE, I STAQT MY fiNAL CHAQACTEQ OQAWING BY BLOCKING OUT MY SCENE ANO HITTING THE MAJOQ ANATOMICAL LANOMAQKS Of MY THQEE CHAQACTEQS.
-------··r·
Oe5IGN .- -- - - ----- ----------------- --- -~I
NOW I QEfiNE THE ANATOMY ANO THE COSTUME LINES.
I
I --1 I.
-r---- -------
I
I
----···-········-·····-·-···· ·
~J------------------------- - -------------------------·--AS I MOOEL THE LIGHTING ON THESE CHAQACTEQS, NOTICE I LEAVE THE GUNS ANO PILLAQS ALONE. I HAVE SPECIAL QEfEQENCE fiLES fOQ THESE ANO WILL BE OQAWING THEM LAST.
-----------------------~---1
I
- • - •••• - •••••.•• - •••••••• - •• - J
Oe5IGN
I TQAC€: UP MY OQAWING ON A SE:PAQAT€: SH€:€:T Of PAPE:Q, QE:fiNING AS I GO.
J
Oe5I6N fiNALLY, I fiLL IN MY BLACKS ANO AOO IN THE: GUNS ANO PILLAQS. I WOULON 'T WANT TO CQOSS THESE: THQE:E:!
THIS IS A CHAQACTEQ I CQEATEO SPECifiCALLY fOQ THIS BOOk:. I WANTEO TO SEE WHAT WOULO HAPPEN WHEN I TQIEO CQEATING A COSTUME AS I WENT, SO THEQE AQE NO PQELIMINAQY Sk:ETCHES fOQ VICk:Y!
Oe5I6N
"'--::::::::::===~~.t
------------------------------------------------------.. . . -1-1 .--------------------------------
~-----------------------------------,--~ I~ 1
I I I I I I
:.. .. .... .. . . ... . .. . -·~~ .. ..... . ......... . .... ... :
r lA
:
\
}\
I ST AQT BY BLOCKING IN THE MAJOQ ANATOMICAL LANOMAQKS ANO LOOKING AT MAJOQ LANOMAQKS fOQ THE COSTUME. I'M THINKING CAPE, BOOTS, ANO A WIOE, HIGH COLLAQ. I I I I I
. -- - - - - - - - -- - - - I I
- - - - - - -- - - - - - - ~
I -
~-
1
-r-----------------------------------------------------------rI
Oe5IGN
..
----------------- -- -------- ---
I \
BY STEP TWO I I HAVE COMPLETELY ABANOONEO THE COL.L.AQ. I QEfiNE THE ANATOMY ANO THE COSTUME.
1
Oe5I6N
,--- ----------- --- ---------------
1
I
,.................. . I
NOW I MOOeL THe fiGUQe. THeQe'S SOMeTHING NOT QIGHT WITH THIS OQAWING, BUT I CAN'T QUITe PUT MY fiNGeQ ON IT...YeT.
I
....................... I
Oe5IGN
AS I'M TQ ACING UP VICTOQIA, I QeALIZe I HAVe OQ AWN HeQ LeGS A LITTLe LONG, so I FIX THAT AS I AM TQACING.
Oe5I6N
A LITTLe MOQe f2eftNtNG, ANO VICTOQIA'S QeAOY fOQ ACTION!
I
f
HOW TO O"AW THE
FIGUReS IN CHROMe ANO OTHeR HIGHLY ReFLeCTIVe MeTALS ReLY AS MUCH ON AN UNDeRSTANDING OF THe PLANeS OF THe HUMAN FIGURe AS OF ITS MUSCULATURe.
CHI20Me HeQe'S A SeQieS Of CHQOMe OQBS WITH OlffeQeNT LIGHT ANO QefLeCTIVe PATTeQNS ON THeM. NOTICe HOW THe LINeWOQK IS KePT SMOOTH. OQAWING A QOUGH TeXTUQe ON CHQOMe CAN THQOW Off THe LOOK Of THe TeXTUQe.
WHeN OQAWING A fiGUQe IN CHQOMe, THe THICK BLACK ''HOQIZON LINeS" QUN ALONG THe eOGeS Of THe PLANeS, ANO HIGHLIGHTS ANO QefLeCTION SHAOOWS AQe QePQeSeNTeO ON THe PLANeS THeMSeLVeS.
CH/20Me TAK:e A LOOK AT THe ReLATION Of THe PLANeS Of THe fiGURe ANO THe WAY LIGHT fALLS ON THe fiGURe--IN THIS CASe, fROM A BRIGHT PRIMARY LIGHT SOURCe ANO A OIMMeR SeCONDARY LIGHT SOURCe.
:o--'
-
I
I
I \
I
'
'
CHI20Me f.?eMeMBef.?: WHeN f.?eNOef.?ING IN CHf.?OMe, ALWAYS Be AWAf.?e Of THe LAf.?Gef.?, MOf.?e BASIC SHAPes THAT Lie UNOef.?NeATH ANY OBJeCT OeTAIL Of.? MUSCULATUf.?e ANO USe THOSe SHAPeS AS YOUQ Pf.?IMAf.?Y GUIOe.
CH/20Me
I STAQT BY OQAWING IN THE BASIC fOQM ANO DEfiNING THE COSTUME LINES ...
/
r
CHI20Me
NeXT, I OeTeQMINe THe OIQeCTION Of THe LIGHT ANO HOW THe LIGHT AffeCTS THe fOQMS ANO PLANeS Of THe fiGUQe.
I'Ve MAOe MY GUIDeLINeS BOLO SO YOU CAN See THeM MOQe CLeAQLY.
IT'S ALQeAOY STAQTING TO LOOK LIKe CHQOMe!
CH/20Me
WITH THE: PLANES Of THE: fiGUQE: ESTABLISHE:O I IT'S EASY TO QE:NOE:Q THEM IN CHQOME:.
I fiNISH Off THE: fiGUQE: ANO AOO IN THE: BACKGQOUNO TO COMPLETE: THE: SCE:NE:!
TO Ot;AW,,, I
Q1IDliHHB
QeNOeQING A FIGU12e WHO IS MAOe Of FLAMe OQ PLASMA (THe STUFF THAT MA~eS UP THe SUN) CAN SeeM OAUNTING, BUT If YOU QeMeMBeQ A feW QULeS, YOU CAN OQAW PLASMA FIGUQeS THAT WIL..L.. MA~e YOUQ fQieNOS 01200L.
Flf2e
THe PQIMAQY THING TO QeMeMBeQ ABOUT fiGUQeS MAOe Of fiQe OQ PLASMA IS THAT THeY AQe THe LIGHT SOUQCe. THeY eMANATe LIGHT. 50 THe TASK BefOQe YOU IS TO CQeATe THe ILLUSION Of INTeQNAL QAOIANCe.
L
•
.._"" \.
< ~
( \___
.r
A QAOIANT fiGUQe IS GOING TO QeLY ON A SeQieS Of SHAPeS ANO AN UNOeQSTANOING Of fOQM ANO Of THe QeLATION Of LIGHT ANO SHAOOW. ~--
...._
r~ }~
Flt;e
ILLUSTQATING INTeQNAL QADIANCe IS BeST DONe BY SHOWING A LIGHT GLOWING THQOUGH A SUCCeSSION Of THQee LAYeQS.
THe INNeQMOST LAYeQ IS THe PQIMAQY LIGHT SOUQCe--THe INTeQNAL COMBUSTION, If YOU LIKe.
THe MIDDLe LAYeQ IS QeNDeQING TO DefiNe THe fOQM. THIS fOQM PQOVIDeS MOST Of THe CONTQAST BeTWeeN THe INNeQMOST LAYeQ AND THe OUTeQMOST LAYeQ. YOUQ DAQKeST QeNDeQING BeLONGS IN THIS LAYeQ.
THe OUTeQMOST LAYeQ SHOULD CONfOQM TO THe SHAPe Of THe fiGUQe AND IS TQ ANSLUCeNT IN ITS NATUQe, AS IT IS MADe UP Of fiQe OQ PLASMA.
Flf2e _j _ _ ___________ __ _____________ _ _______ _ _ _ _ _ _________ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ l
~ .-----------------------------------~ I
, /I I
I I
I STAQT WITH A SeT OF FIGUQeS I FOUNO IN THe ANT AQCTIC PQeSS POSeFILe SeQieS. (THe MAIN FIGUQe IS ON PAGe BG OF POSeF/Le ~ ACTION POSe COLLeCTION.) I QeWOQK THe POSe TO FIT THe PieCe I HAVe IN MINO ANO LOOSeLY SKeTCH IN MY tOeA FOQ A BACKGQOUNO.
SINCe THIS IS A COMPLeX COMPOSITION, I LAY IT OUT ON A SHeeT OF LAYOUT PAPeQ.
---------- _ __ b"/ __________ _ _____ _
_ j _________________________________________________ _
Flt;e
NEXT, I ELIMINATE ALL THE ELEMENTS EXCEPT MY MAIN fiGUQE ANO DEfiNE HIS HAQO ESTABLISHING LINES.
I'M PAYING ATTENTION TO THE INTEQNAL QAOIANCE EVEN AT THIS STAGE.
I
\
Flf2e
(
\
Flt;e
TIME TO QENOEQ THE MIOTONES USING MY GUIDELINES!
(
\
Flf2e
fiNALLY I I fiNISH OUT THE COSTUME ANO THE BACKGQOUNO I ANO I'M ALL OONE!
fOQ THIS EXAMPLE, WE'LL BE DOING TWO TYPES Of POWEQ EffECTS: A POWEQ BUILDUP AND A BLAST EffECT.
-/ WITH THE BLAST, I EXTEND A LINE fQOM THE PALM TO ALIGN THE CENTEQ Of THE EffECT WITH THE QIGHT SPOT ON THE HAND. ! OQ A W SOMe GUIOeL..INeS QAOIATING fQOM THe MAIN L..INe TO SUGGeST WHf;Qf; THe eNeGY SPIKeS WIL...L. Se.
l
• "\
fOQ THE POWEQ BUILDING UP, I DQAW A QOUGH LINE THAT WILL SEQVE AS THE BOUNDAQY fOQ THE EffECT.
\
NOW ! STAQT BUILDING UP THE ELEMENTS IN THE POWEQ EffECTS.
I YOU CAN SEE THE CONCENTQIC CIQCLES WITH THE ENEQG Y SPIKES MOQE CLEAQLY NOW WITH THE MAIN BLAST CENTEQEO ON THE PALM.
'\
! OPTEO fOQ THE ''KIQBY OOTS'' TO SHOW THE POWEQ BUILDING UP ON THIS SlOE. I'LL GO FUQTHek> IN OePTH ON HOW Ck>eATe THeSe LATek> IN THe eXAMPLe.
I'Ve SKE:TCH€:0 IN OUQ MAIN MeCHANISTIC HE:t:?O I SOMeONE: CAPABLE: Of WIE:LOING THIS KINO Of AWeSOME: POWE:Q.
l
• "\
WITH THE: E:NE:QG Y effeCT fiNALIZE:o I IT'S TIM€: TO INK!
\
OKAyI WE:'QE: ALL OONE: WITH THE: INKING I BUT I THINK WE: COULO PUSH THOSE: ''KIQBY OOTS" A LITTLE: fUQTHE:Q!
1
•
LET'S TAKE: A LOOK AT HOW TO 00 THIS QIGHT. Ill
..
STAQT WITH SOMe SIMPLe GUIOeL.INeS TO Sek'Ve AS THe BOUNOAQY fOQ THe OOTS.
SKeTCH IN SOMe QOUGH OOTS TO GIVe YOU AN IOeA Of WHAT THeY'LL. LOOK L.IKe.
USE THIS NEW POWEQ WISELY!!
l
• "\
\
SPEEO OUQ SPEEO EffECT HAS TO STAQT WITH THE FIGUQE If IT'S GOING TO SEEM CQEOIBLE.
\ MAKE YOUQ QUNNEQ LEAN FOQWAQO I QEALLY SHIFT HIS CENTEQ Of GQAVITY TO COMPENSATE FOQ THE HIGH QATE Of SPEEO.
fOQ THE SPEEO AFTEQEffECT I ESTA BLISH THE HOQIZON LINE ANO OQAW LINES QECEOING fQOM OUQ SPEEOEQ TOWAQO THE VANISHING POINT.
Ill
'\
SPEED
NOW fOR THE COSTUME. IN SPITE Of THE fACT THAT I'VE GIVEN HIM A CLASSIC LIGHTNING SOLT MOTif I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T CONFUSE THE VIEWER. I
OUR GUY IS LIGHTNINGQUICK. HE USES HIS SPEED, NOT ELECTRICAL POWERS, TO SHOCK PEOPLE.
l
• "\
THAT'S WHY I GAVE HIS HELMET A fiN REMINISCENT Of AERODYNAMIC HELMETS USED IN RACING SPORTS.
\
SP€:€:0
ALL QIGHT, HEQ€: 11 AQ€: THE INKS. II
I INK€:0 THE SP€:€:0 Ill LINES WITH A QULEQ II ANO MAO€: SUQ€: TO KEEP EVEQYTHING POINTING TO THE VANISHING POINT.
'\ WHAT? NOT fAST ENOUGH? OKAY, I STILL HAVE SOME TQICKS TO SHOW!
SPEED
NOW WE'QE GETTING SOMEWHEQE fAST!!
IN OQOEQ TO AOO THESE EffECTS I YOU CAN JUST TAKE WHITEOUT OQ WHITE INK ANO GO OVEQ THE AQEAS YOU WANT TO PLACE THE EffECT.
l
• "\
THEN INK AN OUTLINE TO SHOW WHATEVEQ EffECT YOU LIKE!
\
!N THIS EXAMPLE, DQ AMA TIC LIGHTING
IS GOING TO Be KEY TO DEPICTING THE POWEQS OUQ HEQO IS GENEQ A TING.
BECAUSE Of THAT I I'M PLANNING TO EMPHASIZE HEAVY BLACK AQEAS AND NEGATIVE SPACE.
SINCE SO MUCH Of PICTUQE WILL Be IN DAQKNESS I IT's TEMPTING TO DQAW JUST THE AQEAS THAT WILL Be LIT . .......
BUT IT IS IMPOQTANT TO DQAW OUT AS MUCH Of THE CHAQACTEQ'S STQUCTUQE AS POSSIBLE! !f YOU DON'T I YOU CAN END UP WITH fiGUQES THAT SUffEQ fQOM BAD ANATOMY, LOPSIDED fACES, AND BAD SHADING.
\.
\
'\
SINCE THE LIGHT SOURCE IN THIS DRAWING WILL BE OUR HERO'S HANO, THAT GIVES ME A GOOO STARTING POINT fOR OECIOING MY LIGHTING SCHEME.
PART Of THE PLANNING fOR THE LIGHTING ON THE fiGURE INCLUDES CREATING A GRIO TO DESCRIBE THE VOLUME Of THE BOOY SHAPES BETTER.
WITH THIS GRIO, I CAN GET A MORE ACCURATE tOEA Of WHERE THE SHADOWS WILL fALL.
l
• "\
\
ONCE I'VE DQAWN IN THE GQID I I CAN MAKE AN INDICATION Of WHEQE I WANT THE SHADOWS TO BE ON THE fiGUQE.
QEMEMBEQ THAT If THE SHADING DOESN'T SEEM TO CONVEY THE PQOPEQ VOLUME, OQ JUST IS NOT WOQKING fOQ YOU, EQASE AND TQY AGAIN. IT'S WOQTH GETTING QIGHT.
'\
NOW I CAN ST AQT THe INKING PQOCeSS. I BeGIN BY OUTLINING THe SILHOUeTTe Of THe CHAQACTeQ.
AS YOU CAN See, I'Ve MAOe A LIGHTeQ, BQOKeN OUTLINe AQOUNO THe HANO. I WANT THAT AQeA TO SeeM ALMOST OBSCUQeO BY THe eNeQGY SUQQOUNOING IT.
l
' I
\\
•
_(
/'~ I .
"\
\~\ ,,\ \\
(
-~
~ ~~
\
ONCE I'M HAPPY WITH THE BASIC LINEWOQ((, I CAN STAQT TO fiLL IN THE SHAOEO AQEAS.
I TENO TO USE TWO BQUSHES: ONE TO GET INTO THE TIGHT AQEAS I ANO AN OLOEQ BQUSH THAT I USE fOQ fiLLING THE LAQGE, OPEN AQEAS. A PEQMANENT MAQ((EQ WOQ((S AS WELL.
'\
WITH THe MAJOQ SHAOING WOQK TAKeN CAQe Of, I CAN STAQT WOQKING OUT THe eNeQGY effeCT.
HeQe I JUST WeNT IN ANO OQeW OUT SOMe LINeS AS A SUGGeSTION Of HOW THe eNeQGY MIGHT BeHAVe. If YOU WANT A GOOO IOeA Of HOW eNeQG Y effeCTS LIKe THIS LOOK IN QeAL Life, TQY TO fiNO SOMe PICTUQeS Of A TeSLA COIL IN ACTION.
l
• "\
\
AND HEQE IS HOW THE fiNAL ENEQGY EffECT CAME OUT.
I WAS GOING fOQ A fEELING Of POWEQ BUILD TO THE POINT Of EXPLOSION, BAQELY CONTAINED. VAQY YOUQ LINE WIDTHS I AND DON'T BE AfQAID TO THQOW DOWN SOME SPATTEQ HEQE AND THEQE.
'\
BEfOQE GETTING INTO A DISPLAY Of HIGH-ENEQGY LIGHTNING STQIKES WE NEED A HEQO TO CAST THOSE BOLTS. I
HEQE, I'VE SKETCHED OUT A BASIC fiGUQE. AT THIS STAGE, I'M TQYING TO KEEP IN MIND WHAT THE fiNAL ILLUSTQATION SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
l
• "\
I MAKE SUQE TO LEAVE PLENTY Of QOOM fOQ THE POWEQ EffECTS THAT I WANT TO ADD LATEQ.
\
NOW I GO AHEAO ANO SKETCH IN THE EffECTS SO I HAVE A QOUGH IOEA Of WHEQE THEY'LL BE IN THE fiNAL OQAWING.
r
I'M ALSO GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME ANO QUICKLY QOUGH IN SOME INOICATIONS Of SHAOING ON THE fiGUQE.
'\ SINCE THE BOLTS WILL HAVE SOME EffECT ON THE LIGHTING, THE SHAOING NEEOS TO QEfLECT THAT.
(I
NOW I LIGHTeN UP THe eNTIQe PieCe ANO STAQT LAYING OOWN SOMe MOQe SOLIO, LeSS SKeTCHY LINeS TO OefiNe THe fiGUQe.
I WANT TO MAKe SUQe THAT THe fACe ANO THe ANATOMY AQe WOQKING BefOQe MOVING ON TO COSTUMe ANO SHADING.
l
• YOU MAY NOTICE THAT ! QESIZED THE HEAD. IT SEEMED TO WOQK AT fiQST, 8UT WAS ACTUAU..Y WAY TOO 81Gf
I''
"\ \
AT THIS POINT, I WANT TO STAQT DEfiNING THE COSTUME, AND I fELT QIGHT AWAY IT SHOULD EVOKE SOMETHING Of THE CHAQACTEQ'S POWEQS.
WHEN THINKING Of THE ELECTQICITY IN PAQTICULAQ, I WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING A LITTLE DlffEQENT. SO I GIVE THE BOLTS A VEQY SHAQP AND AGGQESSIVE LOOK THAT YOU DON'T NOQMALLY SEE.
'\
ONCE I LIKE WHEQE THINGS AQE GOING, I MOVE ON TO THE SHAOING.
AS I AOO THE SHAOING, I TQY TO GIVE IT THE fEEL Of HAVING MULTIPLE LIGHT SOUQCES.
l
• "\
I LEAVE THE HANO OPEN WITH NO SHAOING AS I WANT IT TO SEEM AS If IT IS CASTING A LIGHT Of ITS OWN. I
\
ANO HE:QE: IS THE: fiNAL OQAWING WITH THE: SKETCH LINES QE:MOVE:O.
WHEN CQE:ATING POWE:Q EffECTS, TQY TO KEEP IN MINO THE: WAYS THEY MIGHT IMPACT THE: QE:ST Of THE: OQAWING.
'\
LeT'S BeGIN WITH OUQ QOUGH SKeTCH. -
1-
Het:?e I WANTeD TO GeT A feeLING fOQ THe POWeQ Of THe IMPACT Of THeSe eYe BeAMS QIGHT fQOM THe STAQT.
(2 o
WITH effeCTS LIKe THIS, TAKe CAQe TO DQAW THe WHOLe fiGUQe, eVeN If IT PASSeS BeHIND THe BeAM. DON'T TQY TO GUeSS, OQ YOU'LL eND UP WITH BODY PAQTS WHeQe THeY WOULDN'T ACTUALLY Be.
I
I
l
• "\
\
NOW I SKeTCH IN WHAT THe BASIC COSTUMe eLeMeNTS WILL Be.
DON'T BQeeZe THQOUGH THIS STAGe! YOU SHOULD TAKe SOMe TIMe ANO NOT ONLY DeVeLOP A GOOO COSTUMe, BUT THINK ABOUT HOW IT QefLeCTS THe CHAQACTeQ ANO HIS ABILITeS.
)
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO 00 SOMe SKeTCHeS ANO fiNO OUT HOW THe COSTUMe WOQKS VISUALLY IN QeLATION TO THe CHAQACTeQ'S POWeQ.
1
•
HEQE AQE THE INITIAL INKS.
1 • IN THE AQEAS WHEQE BODY PAQTS PASS BEHIND THE EYE BEAM, I'VE QENDEQED THEM WITH A HATCH LINE SO THAT IT SEEMS AS If THE BEAM IS STQEAKING PAST AT A HIGH QATE Of SPEED.
NOW fOQ A LITTLE MOQE EMBELLISHMENT. IN THIS CASE I I CHOSE CEQT AIN PAQTS Of THE COSTUME THAT I COULD DAQk:EN IN OQDEQ TO GIVE SOME DIMENSION TO THE fiGUQE.
I GAVE THE OUTLINE Of THE EYEBEAM A QOUGH TEXTUQE BECAUSE I WANTED TO ENHANCE THE SENSE Of QAW, UNQESTQAINED POWEQ BEING UNLEASHED .
..
WHILE LOOKING AT THE DESIGN Of OUQ CHAQACTEQ'S COSTUME, I HIT ON ANOTHEQ WAY THESE EYE BEAMS COULO BE OEPICTEO.
l
IN THIS CASE I I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE fiTTING If THE BLAST WAVES COMING fQOM HIS EYES fOQMEO A V-PATTEQN NOT UNLIKE THE ONE ON HIS CHEST.
• "\
\ KEEP A SHAQP LOOKOUT fOQ OPPOQTUNITIES LIKE THIS IN YOUQ OWN WOQK.
NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT MAKING fiQEBALLS.
SKETCH OUT A fiGUQE IN A PQOPEQ THQOWING POSE AND DQAW SOME CIQCLES TO INDICATE THE fiQEBALLS. ONCE YOU'VE DQAWN A CIQCLE, SKETCH IN A TQAIL HEADING TOWAQD THE POINT WHEQE THE fiQEBALL WAS THQOWN.
'\
I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME TO DEfiNE THE CHAQACTEQ BETTEQ ANO ENHANCE THE fiQE MOTif. IT SHOULO SeeM AS If HeQ COSTUMe IS MAOe Of fll2e.
QEALLY I ANYTHING YOU CAN 00 TO QEENfOQCE THE ABILITIES Of YOUQ CHAQ ACTEQ IN THE MINO Of THE VIEWEQ WILL HELP.
l
• "\
\
ON TO THE INKING. WHEN DQAWING fiQE, TQY TO KEEP THE LINE ALIVE AND MOVING. TQY TO GIVE IT A fLOW, AND DON'T LET IT GET BOQING.
fOQ THE fiQEBALLS I I MAKE THE OUTLINE Of THE ACTUAL BALLS A BQOKEN, UNSTEADY LINE, SINCE THEY AQE COVEQED IN fLAME.
I ALSO ADD LITTLE DOTS TO THEIQ SUQfACES, ALMOST LIKE MINI-SUNS!
'\
HE:QE: AQE: THE: fiNAL INk:S I WITH SOME: OlffE:QE:NT TQE:AT ME:NTS fOQ THE: fiQE: EffECT ON THE: BALLS. WHA TE:VE:Q EffECT YOU OE:CIOE: WOQk:S fOQ YOU, MAk:E: SUQE: THAT IT MATCHE:S WELL WITH YOUQ CHAQACTE:Q OE:SIGN.
l
• "\
\
ONe-POINT PeQSPeCTIVe IS THe MOST BASIC ANO eASY-TO- UNOeQSTANO Of THe PeQSPeCTIVe QULeS. SIMPLY PUT, ALL LINeS QeCeOING fQOM THe VleWeQ MeeT AT ONe POINT ON THe HOQIZON.
WHeN CQeATING A OQAWING USING ONe VANISHING POINT, TQY TO KeeP THe COMPOSITION Of THe fQAMe IN MINO. I TeNO TO KeeP THe VANISHING POINT Off CeNTeQ, AS THAT CAN GIVe THe OQAWING A SYMMeTQICAL feeL.
/ /
'\
ONe-POINT
ONe Of THe PQOBLeMS WITH USING ONe VANISHING POINT IS THe STQONG INfLUeNCe IT HAS ON THe eYe.
THe eYe TeNOS TO Be fOQCeO TOWAQO THAT SPOT OUe TO THe MAIN PeQSPeCTIVe LINeS ACTING IN A SIMILAQ WAY TO THe fOCUS LINeS We See IN MANGA, OQAWING YOUQ ATTeNTION TO A SPeCifiC AQeA Of THe PAGe.
l
• "\
THeQe AQe WAYS TO OeAL WITH THIS WHICH I 'LL SHOW IN A LA TeQ eXAMPLe!
\
ONE-POINT
TO OQAW THIS CITYSCAPE,! SEGAN SY SKETCHING OUT SOME SASIC OVEQHEAO LAYOUTS TO GET AN tOEA OF THE PLACEMENT OF SUILOINGS ANO STQEETS ANO TO OECIOE CAMEQA PLACEMENT.
\
ONCE THAT WAS OONE, ! SKETCHED OUT A VEQY QOUGH tOEA OF WHAT! WANTED TO SHOW. THIS IS TOTALLY FQEEHANO, NO QULEQS. I'VE FOUNO THAT THIS TENDS TO MAKE THE PLACEMENT OF THE SUILOINGS SEEM A LITTLE MOQE NATUQAL ANO A SIT LESS STILTED.
'\
ONE-POINT
AT THIS POINT,! CAN 8eGIN IQONING OUT THe QOUGH PATCHeS IN THe SKeTCH.! LAY IN THe MA.:JOQ PeQSPeCTIVe LINe TO THe VANISHING POINT ON THe HOQIZON.
\
l
• "\
eVeN THOUGH IT IS STILL VeQY QOUGH, !'M LIKING WHeQe IT'S GOING. THIS CITY IS ALQeAOY STAQTING TO LOOK PQeTTY CONVINCING.
\
ONE-POINT
WHILe THIS IS PQIMARILY A ONePOINT PeRSPeCTIVe SHOT, You WILL NOTICe THAT THeRe ARe MULTIPLe VANISHING POINTS ON THe HORIZON.
.- --. I
'\ THIS IS SIMPLY TO AOO A LITTLe MORe VISUAL INTeReST TO THe SHOT ANO TO HeLP GeT THe eYe MOVING AROUNO THe PICTURe A BIT MORe.
ONE-POINT NOW THAT MY L.A YOUT IS PQE:TTY MUCH fiNAL.IZE:O I I CAN Tl2ANSfE:l2 IT ONTO AN IL.L.USTQATION SOAQO USING A L.IGHT T ASL.E:.
l
• "\
NOQMAL.L.Y, I WOUL.ON'T PL.ACE: THE: HOQIZON L.INE: IN THE: CE:NTE:Q Of THE: PICTUQE:, SUT SINCE: I'M PL.ANNING TO USE: IT AS PAQT Of A L.ATE:Q E:XAMPL.E:, IT WON'T AffE:CT THE: COMPL.E:TE:O WOQK.
\
TWO-POINT PEQSPECTIVE SACQifiCES SOME Of THE PQIMAL VISUAL IMPACT ONE POINT PEQSPECTIVE GIVES US IN fAVOQ Of MOQE DYNAMIC VISUAL COMPLEXITY.
WITH TWO VANISHING POINTS, THE ''CAMEQA'' IS MOQE fQEE TO MOVE ABOUT. WE'QE NOT CONSTQAINEO BY THE QIGIO HOQIZONTAL LINES YOU GET WITH ONE VANISHING POINT.
I
\
'\
THe HOQIZON LINe IS GeNeQAU...Y CONSIOeQeO THe eYe LINe Of THe VleWeQ. SY CHANGING THe PLACeMeNT Of THe HOQIZON LINe Qel...ATIVe TO THe fQ AMe, we CAN At... Tet:? THe VIeWING ANGL.e Of A SCeNe.
HeAO ON
HOk'IZON
LOOKING OOWN
l
• "\
If YOU AQe PLANNING TO SHOW OSveCTS fQOM THe TOP OQ SOTTOM, YOU'LL NeeO TO TAKe THe VIeWING ANGL.e INTO ACCOUNT.
\
TWO-PO INT THek>e WILL Se TIMES WHEN YOU NeeD TO DePICT AN OSveCT AT AN ANGLe TO THe HOQIZON.
SOMe TIMES IT WILL Se A COLLAPSING SUILDING I A PLANe TAle::: lNG Off I A CHUNk: Of MACHINEQY SeiNG CAk>k>leD I eTc. JUST SeLeCT A POINT ON THe HOQIZON AND DQAW A NeW LINe THQOUGH AT THe ANGLe YOU WANT THE OSveCT TO TILT.
-- --- --THIS WILL Se THe HOQIZON LINe fOQ THe OSveCT YOU WANT TO DQAW. THe VANISHING POINTS ON THIS LINe AQE fOQ THAT OSveCT AND SHOULD NOT Se USED fOQ ANY OTHEQ! THe ONLY LIMIT TO THeSe ANGLED HOQIZONS IS THe AMOUNT Of OSveCTS THAT YOU WANT TO Ck>eATe!
'\ GIVe IT A TQY YOUQSet..f !
II
I
AT flt:?ST GLANCe, THIS MIGHT SeeM TO Se A ONePOINT~ Pet:?SPeCTIVe SHOT. ACTUALLY; ,THIS SHOT HAS TWO VANISHING POINTS.
I
ONe Of THe VANISHING POINTS HAS SeeN PLA.CeO fAQ' Off Of THe SOAQO. THIS CAN Se OONe SY TAPING A~ SHeeT' Of PAPet:? TO THe SlOe YOU NeeO TO eXTeNO. /
~ /
_..,/'
'
l
• "\
\
, WITH THe BASIC SKE-TCH COMPLE-Te, I USe MY LIGHT TABLe ANO PeNCIL OUT THe OQAWING ON MY ILLUSTQATION BOAQO.
'\ AS YOU CAN See, eVE-N THOUGH THe PE-QSPE-CTIVE- IS ALL QIGHT, THe OQAWING ITSE-Lf STILL LOOKS PQE-TTY fLAT. We'LL SOLVe THAT IN THe NeXT STAGE-S.
THe INKING STAGe IS A GQeAT TIMe TO AOO LITTLe OeT AILS ANO MAKe THe PLACe LOOK l..IVeO-IN.
IT'S ALSO THe TIMe TO STAQT AOOING IN THe HeAVY BLACK Al2eAS TO HeLP AOO OePTH ANO MAKe PAQTS Of THE PICTUQE P 0 7
l
• "\
\
ONE-POINT ONCe THe INKING IS OONe, We TAKe THe OQ A WING INTO THe COMPUTeQ ANO AOO SHADING.
THIS AOOS ANOTHeQ INTeQeSTING VISUAL ASPeCT THAT HeLPS KeeP THe eYe ACTIVe ANO MOVING AQOUNO THe PAGe.
'\ CQeATING A GQANO SeNSe Of scALe CAN Be OlffiCULT, so YOU NeeO AN OBJeCT THAT THe VleWeQ WILL KNOW THe GeNeQAL SIZe Of TO USe AS A GAUGe. IN THIS CASe, PeOPLe WOQK WeLL.
! PRePAReO THIS eXAMPLe TO SHOW SOMe SUIL.OINGSTYLe SLOCKS USING THe MULTIPLe VANISHING POINT IOeA. AS ! WAS LOOKING AT IT, I ReALIZeo THAT IT OOeSN'T CONVeY THe IOeA VeRY WeLL. THe VANISHING POINTS ARe TOO CLOSe TOGeTHeR, ANO THe SLOCKS OON'T LOOK AS If THeY'Re ReCeOING TO OlffeReNT POINTS ON THe HORIZON.
\
AS A ReSULT, THeRe'S NO ReAL VARIATION IN THe SLOCKS. THIS eXAMPLe vUST OOeSN'T SeeM THAT INTeReSTING. WITH A TOOL AS POWeRfUL AS THIS, TRY NOT TO WASTe IT LIKe ! 010!
l
• "\
~:OJ?'
ic:I:l
'
EXPEQIMENT ANO GEE WHAT WORKS fOR YOU.
\
oCD OJ [] 0 II II
MULTI-POINT Pef2SPeCTIVe IS useD fOf2 DePICTING osveCTS f2eSTING AT Dlffef2eNT ANGLeS ON A PLANe. fOQ INSTANCe, SUILDINGS IN A CITY DO NOT ALWAYS SHAQe THe SAMe VANISHING POINTS. ADDITIONALLY, Ill NOT ALL SUILDINGS HAVe SQUAQe OQ f2eCT ANGULAQ fOOTPQINTS.
KeePING THIS IN MIND, YOU COULD GO SO fAQ AS TO GIVe eACH SUILDING OQ eACH PieCe Of fUQNITUQe IN A f200M ITS OWN SeT Of VANISHING POINTS.
GOOD LUCK KeePING TQ ACK Of THeM ALU
'\
CD
0
WITH THQee-POINT PeQSPeCTIVel 1 YOU Qe AOOING ANOTHeQ L.AYeQ Of VISUAL. INTeQeST TO YOUQ AQT.
l
• THQee-POINT PeQSPeCTIVe IS IOeAL. fOQ DePICTING eXTeQIOQS I BUIL.OINGSI CITYSCAPeSI eTC. SINCe THe HeiGHTI WIOTH ANO OePTH Of A SCeNe AQe QeCeOING fQOM THe VleWeQI A GQeATeQ SeNSe Of QeAL.ITY IS ACHieVeO.
"\
\
WITH A GOOO BASIC GQIO IN PLACe, We CAN STAQT AOOING MOQe SPeCifiC GUIOeLINeS TO HeLP IN OefiNING THe BASIC SHAPeS.
AT THIS POINT, I'M STAQTING TO feeL SOMe OePTH ANO OIMeNSION IN THe S((eTCH. THeQe IS A OefiNITe SeNSe Of SHAPe QeCeeOING INTO THe OISTANCe. NOW I CAN BeGIN OQAWING OUT THe fOQMS .
'\
NOW, WITH GUioes IN PLACe, CQeATING SHAPeS IN PeQSPeCTIVe IS A SNAP. ONe QUeSTION YOU MIGHT Be ASKING IS,''WHAT'S WITH ALL Of THeSe BOXeS?''
l
• BASICAL.L.Y, ANY fOQM CAN fiT INTO OQ Be BUILT UPON A SQUAQe OQ QeCTANGUL.AQ SHAPe, SO BeGINNING WITH THeSe SHAPeS IS A GOOO WAY TO STAQT ANY TYPe Of ILLUSTQATION.
"\ \
SO, USING BLOCKS LIKe THIS AS PLACeHOLOeQS ANO GUIOeS CAN SeQVe AS GOOO TIMe-SAVING OeVICe. PQIMITIVe SHAPeS LIKe THeSe AQe SIMPLY STePPING STONeS TO MOQe COMPLeX CQeATIONS LIKe BUILOINGS, CAQS, PLANes, OQ eveN PeoPLe.
TO fiNISH OUT THIS eXAMPLe, I'Ve QeMOVeO THe GUIOeLINeS ANO AOOeO SOMe BASIC SHAOING. LeAVING THe BACKGQOUNO WHITe, SANS HOQIZON, GIVeS THeSe fLOATING BLOCKS AN eveN MOQe SUQQeAL LOOK.
'\
PEOPLE
WHeN PLACING PeOPLe IN PeQSPeCTIVe, THeQe IS A QUICK TQICK THAT YOU CAN USe TO LAY OOWN CHAQACTeQS WITH fAIQ ACCUQACY.
ASSUMING THe CHAQACTeQS AQe ON Leva GQOUNO, YOU BeGIN BY PLACING A MAIN CHAQ ACTeQ ANO ALLOWING THe HOQIZON TO CQOSS THQOUGH AT A GIVeN POINT--IN THIS INSTANCe, THe HeAO. If YOUQ GQASP Of PQOPOQTION IS GOOO, YOU WILL Be ABLe TO SCALe THe OTHeQ CHAQ ACTeQS IN QeLATION TO THe fiQST BY CHANGING THe SIZe Of THe HeAO. THe QeSULT IS A CONVINCING ANO PQeTTY ACCUQATe DePICTION Of CHAQACTeQS QeCeOING INTO SPACe.
l
• "\
! f OONe QIGHT, THeSe CHAQACTeQS WILL SeeM TO QeLATe COQQeCTLY TO ONe ANOTHeQ IN S IZe ANO QeLATe TO THe HOQIZON IN PeQSPeCTIVe.
\
PEOPLE
SO, YOU See, IT OOeSN'T MATTeQ WHeQe THe HOQIZON LINe CQOSSeS THe fiGUQe ...
AS LONG AS THe HOQIZON LINe INTeQSeCTS WITH ALL Of THe fiGUk>eS coNSISTeNTLY, YOU WILL GeT A PQeTTY OePeNOASLe QeSULT eACH ANO eVeQY TIMe.
NOW THAT We HAVe A SASIC MeTHOO Of MAKING fiGUQeS Of THe SAMe QeLATIVe HeiGHT, LeT'S See HOW We CAN USe THIS TO MAKe OQAMATIC SHifTS IN QeLATIVe SIZe.
'\
Pe OPLe
IN THIS cAse, ONe OF THe FIGUQeS WILL. HAVe A OIFFe12eNT 12eLATION TO THe HOQIZON FQOM THe OTHeQS.
SIMPLY BY HAVING THIS FIGUQe INTeQSeCT WITH THe HOQIZON LINe WHILe THe OTHeQS AU.. STANO WeLL. BeLOW THe LINe, We CAN CQeATe AN IMPQeSSION OF GQeAT SIZe.
l
• "\
BY PLACING SOMe FIGUQeS CLOSeQ TO THe v1ewe12, we CAN GeT A BeTTeQ IOeA OF JUST HOW HUGe THIS GUY IS.
\
PEOPLE
AS LONG AS YOU KeeP THeSe SOQTS OF MeASUQeMeNTS CONSISTeNT, YOU COULO SOON HAVe AN AQMY OF GIANTS QULING THe HUMAN QACe! 8UT QeMeM8eQ, THIS IS vUST A QUICK ANO OIQTY TQICK.
To MAINTAIN coNSISTeNCY, YOU WILL NeeO TO HAVe MOQe ACCUQATe MeASUQeMeNTS OF YOUQ FIGUQeS IN QeLATION TO ONe ANOTHeQ. Ill
Het:?e'S WHAT OUQ WOUL0-8e Tet:?QOQ LOOKS LIKe AT A MOQe NOQMAL SIZe. STILL 81G, 8UT CLOSet:? TO A GUY THAT LIKeS PLAYING WITH OOLLS QA THeQ THAN A WOQLO CONQUet:?et:?!
'\
PEOPLE
If YOU'QE: PLANNING TO OE:AL.. WITH CHAQACTE:QS Of OlffE:f21NG SIZeS ON A QE:GUL..AQ 8ASIS, SOME: 8E:ING UNNATUQAU...Y L..AQGE: OQ SMAU..., YOU CAN ASSIGN AN AQE:A THE: HOQIZON Cf20SSE:S fOQ E:ACH CHAQACTE:Q 800Y TYPE:.
f2E:ME:M8E:f2, THIS Tf21CK CAN TQIP YOU UP If YOU CHANGE: CAME:QA ANGLE: OQ YOUQ CHAQ ACTE:f2S AQE: ON UNE:VE:N GQOUNO. IN THOSE: CASeS, YOU WIU... NE:E:O TO HAVE: THE: SIZE: QE:L..ATIONS Of YOUQ CHAQACTE:QS WOQKE:O OUT ANO HAVE: A HE:AL..THY OOSE: Of PE:QSPE:CTIVE:.
l
• "\
\
IN THIS SeCTION,! WANTED TO MAKe A QUICK NOTe Of THe fACT THAT THe WAY IN WHICH A fiGUQE INTEQACTS WITH ITS SUQQOUNDINGS CAN HAVe A PQOfOUND IMPACT ON SPATIAL QECOGNITION.
TAKING A fiGUQE IN THe SAME SU!2f20UNDINGS, IN SIMILAQ POSeS, YOU CAN MAKe QADICALLY Dlffef2eNT STATeMeNTS ABOUT ITS SIZe AND POSITION IN SPACe, SIMPLY BY CHANGING WHef2e ITS SHADOW fALLS IN THe PICTUQE.
'\
Hek>e We HAVe A MOQe STANDAQD-SIZeD fiGUQe LANDING ON A QOOfTOP.
WHILe THe effeCT CAN Se eNHANCeD SY A SOLDeQ OUTLINe AQOUND THe fiGUQe AND OTHeQ VISUAL CUeS, THe POINT Of THe eXAMPLe IS THAT A SHADOW CAQQieS A LOT Of CONVICTION. DON'T UNDek>eSTIMATe ITS POWeQ AND IMPOQTANCe!
l
• "\
\
'~
IN ACTION
LeT'S PUT SOMe Of THeSe PQINCIPLeS INTO PQACTICe!
I' J
.r
;
I
'\ -------
-
IN ACTION ! STAQT Off SY SOLIOifYING THe MAIN CHAQACTeQS. THIS IS AU.. PQeTTY STQAIGHTfOQWAQO STUff.
(I
JUST MAKe SUQe THAT YOUQ CHAQ ACTeQS AQe fOLLOWING THe SAMe PeQSPeCTIVe QULeS YOU SeT OOWN fOQ THe f2eST Of YOUQ PICTUQe.
l
• "\
YOU MAY NeeO TO SeT OOWN A PeQSPeCTIVe GQIO TO MAKe SUQe eVeQYTHING AGQeeS.
\
NOW! WANT TO TUQN MY ATTeNTION TO THe BACKGQOUND.
J
,. ~ -'·
•
'
)
' ,. <
,. -
l {t
' "
~
r'
,-/
·\ -
l
"'
.
'
•l
-,..
\..
),
..
·~
~
,.
· "'I
';:-~
<'
I
\..
--· --~
I
! ULTIMATeLY DeCIDeD TO CHANGe THe BACKGQOUND Of THIS DQAWING BeCAUSe IT feLT VeQY CLOSeD-Off IN A WAY YOU DON'T OfTeN See IN A CITY.! WANT TO Be ABLe TO See DOWN THAT ALLeYWAY.
'\
IN ACTION
-
LeT'S STAQT LAYING IN THe MAv0!2 LINeS fOQ OUQ BACKGQOUNO. ONCe AGAIN, I'Ve PLACeO THe VANISHING POINT Off Of THe PAPeQ.! WANT THe VleWeQ'S eYe TO Be GUIOeO fQOM LefT TO t:?IGHT, BUT NOT fOt:?ceo QIGHT TO THe POINT WHel2e THe LINeS CONVel2Ge.
ONCe ! HAVe THe BASIC STQUCTUQe Of THe BUILOINGS OOWN, PLACING THe SeCONOAQY eLeMeNTS--WINoows, ooo12s, SIGN AGe ANO BITS Of OeB!21S--COMeS NeXT.
1 l I
;.
l
• "\
\
..
ANO Hel2e IS HOW THe fiNAL SACKGQOUNO CAMe OUT. WINOOWS I GQIT I ANO fiNALLY, OeeP SHAOOW Al2eAS HeLP SQING IT TO Life.
THe ONLY THING LefT TO 00 AT THIS POINT IS TO AOO SOMe INNOCeNT SYSTANOeQS IN THe STI2eeTS ANO INSel2T THe f012eGI20UNO CHAI2ACTel2S IN THe COMPUTeQ.
'\
! HOPe THAT THIS SeCTION HAS SeeN INfOQMATIVe ANO USefUL. IN GIVING YOU A IJF~reJJ.. SeTTeQ IOeA Of HOW POWeQfUL.. A TOOL. PeQSPeCTIVe CAN Se IN SUPeQHeQO COMICS.
• "\
\
STAQTING A NEW PIECE.
THE fiQST STEP I'VE TAKEN IS TO QUICKLY QOUGH OUT MY IOEA fOQ THE CENTQAL fiGUQE. AS YOU CAN SEE, IN THE BEGINNING STAGES, THE STQUCTUQE IS LOOSE, fLUIO I ANO A LITTLE Off ANATOMICALLY. I'LL fiX THOSE MISTAKES AS I MOVE ALONG.
THE SECONO PICTUQE HEQE IS TIGHTEQ WITH POSSIBLE COSTUME IOEAS INCLUOEO.
t
•
I OQAW ANO INK EVEQYTHING IN AOOBE ILLUSTQATOQ, SO MY PQOCESS MAY BE A BIT OlffEQENT THAN MANY Of YOUQS. THE THOUGHT PQOCESS IS THE SAME, BUT A BIT MOQE EOITABLE.
STAQTING A NEW PIECE.
\
I QEMOVEO THE COSTUME ANO CONTINUEO TO PENCIL A MOQE COMPLETE fiGUQE.
l
•
NOW IT'S TIGHT ENOUGH fOQ ME TO STAQT INKING so I 'LL MOVE TO THAT STAGE. I
STAQTING A NEW PIECE.
EACH Of THESE IMAGES HAS BEEN ON A SEPAQATE LAYEQ, ANO THE INKING STAGE IS OONE ON A LAYEQ ABOVE ALL THE PENCIL LINES.
t
•
TO INK, I TUQN THE OPACITY OOWN ON THE SKETCH LAYEQ SO I CAN CLEAQLY SEE MY INKS AS I GO.
STAQTING A NEW PIECE.
\
ONCE I fiNISH INKING, I TUQN Off THE SKETCH LAYEQ SO I OON'T HAVE TO SEE IT ANYMOQE, OQ IT CAN QUICKLY BECOME CONfUSING.
I'VE ALMOST COMPLETEO THE INKING STAGE. I'VE NOT INKEO THE COSTUME YET. I WILL OQAW A LOOSE SKETCH Of THAT IN THE NEXT STAGE.
I TOOK A PICTUQE Of MY HANOS HOLOING A BQOOM TO QEfEQENCE AS A MOOEL.
HANOS AQE EXTQEMELY IMPOQTANT BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN SO MUCH EXPQESSION. PEOPLE ALWAYS USE THEM WHEN TALKING ANO EVEQYONE PAYS ATTENTION TO THEM. SO WHEN YOU GET ONE WQONG EVEN SLIGHTLY PEOPLE WILL NOTICE.
l
•
I
I
NOTE THAT I ALSO AOOEO A BACKGQOUNO. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A SUPEQ HEQO If THEY'QE NOT SOMEWHEQE OOING THEIQ HEQOICS I SO I OON'T WANT TO SEE YOUQ HEQOES ON BLANK BACKGQOUNOS!
STAQTING A NEW PIECE.
I'VE OQOPPEO IN SOME CLOTHES ANO WQINKLES TO SEE WHAT I LIKE, ANO I FEEL PQETTY GOOO WITH THIS OUTFIT, SO I'LL FINISH THIS UP.
t
•
