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Hrmm... I can't be considered an expert, I'm still learning on mine. ;]
Ummm... I know that a lot of people do their layout and lettering in Illustrator, and then do their image compositing and image editing in photoshop.
I tried that route, and then discovered that I'm tending to do all of my layout, image editing, and lettering/word balloons in Photoshop, just cutting out the Illustrator end entirely.
I make extensive use of the path tool, selection from path, and shrink/grow selection when doing panels, panel borders, word and thought balloons. Also when slicing images to fit within panels. Photoshop makes doing type a bit more of a PITA, but I'm pretty fast with photoshop, so I spend less time hunting for comands there.
Seems to work for me.
Doug, Dana, jje and everyone else will probably have different tips on what works for them. ;] _________________ "I'd add a legitimate comment here, but that would mean reading everything, which I have no patience for." - Slynky
Ah. Almost forgot... Lunquivst has some tips and tricks over at his www.projectfiregun.com site. ;] _________________ "I'd add a legitimate comment here, but that would mean reading everything, which I have no patience for." - Slynky
Tutorials?
Y'mean there's some place I can go to learn how to do this?
1) Layout: I use Photoshop because that's the one piece of software I uses day in day out. But I've also dabbled in PageMaker, Quark and InDesign. All great if you are going to print but twitchy with color repro. On the other hand if you are plaining for Web publication I say get thee Dreamweaver, IMO the best of them all.
2) Approach: Keep your head down and your knees bent. No wait that's for a golf swing. Write first. It's so much easier to fix things when it's just words. Write short. If there is one thing that kills all G.N. attempts is having too broad a scope. Get yourself a set beginning middle and end of about 20 pages and dive in. Get an editor (or two). Develop a tough skin and the cold-bloodedness to hack up your writing mercilessly.
Don't be surprised to discover (a) your style changes as you go along (b) you have to teach yourself how to organize the production steps and (c) it takes longer to do than you anticipate even if you anticipate it will take longer than you anitcipate.
3) And: Storyboard your pages. I have a 8.5x11 template that I created in Photoshop that's divided into various frames. I've taken down to the local copy center and had them run off about a ream of paper. While watching TV or waiting for a render to complete, I draw a real shorthand version of what I'm attempting to do cross-referenced to the script before I start modeling sets and posing figures.
Watch your favorite parts of your favorite movies over and over on DVD or Tape. Each time watch for something different, shot selection, lighting, frame movement, dialog.
And then every onst and a while drop in here to moan, complain, ask questions or show off knowing that there are a troubled few who understand what you are going through.
Joined: Jun 09, 2002 Posts: 288 Location: Southeastern United States
Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2003 11:34 pm Post subject:
Could it be a brand new soul has joined willingly to the insanity? First off, I agree with JJE, Photoshop all the way for putting everything together.
Second, I agree that you should have a script first and then work on the images. Another thing is to set-up your primary characters, and save em as PZ3s, or even make a folder in Poser for them for easy click and load. As for watching your fav movies, that's something I'm actually going to try. I'm gonna skip on the pencil sketching because, well, Stick figures just aren't useful. 8)
Joined: May 30, 2002 Posts: 524 Location: Mesa Arizona
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2003 3:51 am Post subject:
Actually, they are. If you use the stick figures as a basic poser-bones, you could figure out how to pose things a lot better, and you get a good idea of where things are going. Stick figures are Useful. _________________ Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>
Joined: Jun 09, 2002 Posts: 288 Location: Southeastern United States
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2003 3:46 pm Post subject:
COOL! I can actually draw a stick figure! This is great, I can contribute to Darker Age Press far more than posing people, I can do storyboards using stickfigures with little signs over their heads saying who they are!
Joined: Jun 09, 2002 Posts: 288 Location: Southeastern United States
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2003 7:34 pm Post subject:
I could even start a new comic! Stickman and Line BOY! It'll be great! They can drive their BoxCar and fight the incredible Pointy head Smiley Face Man... Just think of the possibilities! I could even do a swimsuit issue!
Joined: May 30, 2002 Posts: 524 Location: Mesa Arizona
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2003 7:43 pm Post subject:
Ummm dude... Which do you think viewers would rather see.. Stick man, or Fallen Angel? That answers a lot.. _________________ Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>
Joined: May 30, 2002 Posts: 524 Location: Mesa Arizona
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2003 7:50 pm Post subject:
Hey hey..gotta think 4 dimensionally... we don't want hottie babes... we want hottie babes who kick butt. Get it right! (almost tempted to throw kayla into a swimsuit for hahas) _________________ Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>
I'll quibble with jje on one point. Mostly just because I like quibbling with jje. ;]
No, seriously... I use Poser 4 and basic, no morphs [nekkid!] dork and posette for storyboarding, in conjunction with the sketch designer. Just plop them in, apply a fast pose that's reasonably close to what I want [I have a pose library with a TON of "quickie poses"], and knock off a fast skecth render.
And then I take it/them to photoshop and plop it into my story board rough and jot in very very very rough text. No word or thought ballons - just "Page 1, scene 1, Panel 1: Scorpia is accosted by Gluteous-Man when entering bar... " and other fast story notes.
Works for me because I can knock off dozens of quick simple sketch renders at a sitting, and then move them around for blocking in layouts. I can even reuse them over and over again for basic situations. _________________ "I'd add a legitimate comment here, but that would mean reading everything, which I have no patience for." - Slynky
Joined: Jun 09, 2002 Posts: 288 Location: Southeastern United States
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2003 3:47 am Post subject:
[quote]
On , wrote:
Hey hey..gotta think 4 dimensionally... we don't want hottie babes... we want hottie babes who kick butt. Get it right! (almost tempted to throw kayla into a swimsuit for hahas)
[/quote]
Oh, I'm sorry my bad... and now that I know you are so easily tempted... hrmmm, I'm thinking nice, lacy lingerie... There'll be a swimsuit pic in the other topic soon enough from me. 8)
Joined: May 30, 2002 Posts: 524 Location: Mesa Arizona
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2003 8:09 am Post subject:
Oh, I'm sorry my bad... and now that I know you are so easily tempted... hrmmm, I'm thinking nice, lacy lingerie... There'll be a swimsuit pic in the other topic soon enough from me. 8)
----
Now who is evil? _________________ Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>
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