SuperStar's Character Artwork

[Jester]

SS, did you get a chance to look at Jester's Hero Machine look?

[SuperStar]

SuperStar, your work is really excellent. I'd love to pick your brain about your (Photoshop?) technique for shading and highlights. It's similar to my own style (see link below), but you're much more prolific. You crank these out so quickly. I'm impressed

Ah, but I'm cheating! The underlying poses are taken directly from DC Animated or X-Men Evolution shows. If I actually drew the characters from scratch it would take a lot longer!

For Photoshop styles, I tend to vary based on what I'm doing. For the animated look, I use a base color, covered by a large, fuzzy airbrush set to multiply in darker version of the same hue to get the shadows in, and then switch to soft light and brush in white. Then I go smaller on the bush sizes to get detail (but not too detailed for these). Then I switch to dodge and burn (midtones) and go through the same process of big brushes to small brushes. That's pretty much it.

I like your comic by the way! Eagerly awaiting more.

I haven't really done much artwork in awhile, but here's a purely photoshop painting I did a few years ago:

http://raventower.com/images/portfolio/o01.jpg

If your still taking requests, I'd like to request my character Galatia from you online game.

Sorry I didn't respond earlier. Certainly!

[SuperStar]

SS, did you get a chance to look at Jester's Hero Machine look?

Yeah! Got a few more to do, then I'll take a stab.

[infidel]

For Photoshop styles, I tend to vary based on what I'm doing. For the animated look, I use a base color, covered by a large, fuzzy airbrush set to multiply in darker version of the same hue to get the shadows in, and then switch to soft light and brush in white. Then I go smaller on the bush sizes to get detail (but not too detailed for these). Then I switch to dodge and burn (midtones) and go through the same process of big brushes to small brushes. That's pretty much it.

Mmm thanks for the info. I've been using gradient fills for all of my shading and it is by far the most time-consuming (and tedious) part of the art process for me. I need to experiment with some of the brush techniques you describe and see if I can get better and quicker results.

I like your comic by the way! Eagerly awaiting more.

Thanks!

[SuperStar]

Mmm thanks for the info. I've been using gradient fills for all of my shading and it is by far the most time-consuming (and tedious) part of the art process for me. I need to experiment with some of the brush techniques you describe and see if I can get better and quicker results.

Hm, gradient fills is how they get the effect seen in M&M. Not my cup of tea, but if you like that style you should stick with them. Create a path using the pen tool and then do a path fill. Basically shading becomes a tedius exercise of drawing in multiple paths.

You get a hard edge that way on all your colors.

Using a brush gives a softer edge, but you can achieve a hard line by going to a smaller or harder brush. Do you have a pen tablet? I drew for years with a mouse (on top of scans) before I got one. World of difference - I could never go back.

But, if you use the pen tool/gradient method - you really don't need a tablet.

Hope this helps!

[Thain]

Yes, all the Micro Heroes are mine; I've become quite prolific at making the lil guys... and have I'd say, about 100 original creations... I'll be making a better website next week, promise.

Unfortunatly, the ones found at that link are poorly orginized and older. Do to my limited resources (I use MS Paint) I'm forced to keep them in *.bmp format, as most browsers woun't display TIFs... and saving them as jpegs or gifs totally runins them!

Any advice?

BTW, mind if I try to make Microes of these characters? Shining Samurai, and Paladin should prove fun; I'll put them in the same gallery as my MnM Iconics! See the first few here: http://www.geocities.com/ishida_cm/inferna.bmp

[infidel]

I haven't used a tablet for awhile. I used one back when I started the comic, but found it to be less precise than the mouse. Perhaps tablets are better these days. Which do you use?

I actually use the lasso to define my areas for gradient fills, adjusting softness of the edge and then using the smudge tool to blend them together if necessary.

[arcady]

I haven't used a tablet for awhile. I used one back when I started the comic, but found it to be less precise than the mouse. Perhaps tablets are better these days. Which do you use?

You -draw- with a mouse?!?

Jumping Jehosaphat Batboy! That's no easy feat... (well worth the 2 points it must have cost you.) It's like drawing with your toes...

[Thain]

*sigh* I just love lurking on a forum with talented artists, especially when one of them comments on my Micros... Almost makes me feel like I can draw!

[infidel]

Oh nononono.

I do my line art by hand in pencil. I then scan it, adjust the contrast, and cut the black lines off the white background and paste on a transparent layer in Photoshop. I then add the color and shading on other layers.

The mouse is strickly for outlining areas to fill with color or gradients

[SuperStar]

Any advice?

I've never used MSPaint. A gif should be what you're looking for though. If it doesn't look right, then it's the program.

I think there is a free, stripped down version of Photoshop available.

I haven't used a tablet for awhile. I used one back when I started the comic, but found it to be less precise than the mouse. Perhaps tablets are better these days. Which do you use?

For brush work I always use a tablet. I find it much faster and more comfortable for complex line work. You should really try the pen tool, it kicks the lasso's but!

[Nightshyft]

As always...I am late....since you are taking requests...I will e-mail you with an HM pic and a descripition...if you have time?

[Green Lantern]

BTW, mind if I try to make Microes of these characters? Shining Samurai, and Paladin should prove fun; I'll put them in the same gallery as my MnM Iconics! See the first few here: http://www.geocities.com/ishida_cm/inferna.bmp

Hey, I'd like to see your micro-version of Shimmering Samurai. Have at'er.

[Green Knight]

You're taking requests? SWEET! Is it ok if I make 2 requests?

Sure, but no promises.

Completely understand. If you were to commit to doing every request, you'd never see daylight!

Edit: I'll e-mail the requests, instead.

[Albert Deschesne]

Oh nononono.

I do my line art by hand in pencil. I then scan it, adjust the contrast, and cut the black lines off the white background and paste on a transparent layer in Photoshop. I then add the color and shading on other layers.

The mouse is strickly for outlining areas to fill with color or gradients

Instead of cutting out the black lines try setting the top layer (the one with the line art) to Multiply from normal... that way you can color on the layers below and the white of the line art will be transparent.

That's what I do when I color in Photoshop, but I generally use illustrator now... smaller file sizes (an 8.5' x11" 400dpi black tiff imbedded file is about 2 meg, and the color is resolution independent)

Main differences:
Photoshop = More effects, softer edges, larger file sizes
Illustrator = Less effects, harder edges, smaller file sizes

[Fedifensor]

Great pictures! One question, though. Have you thought about doing any pictures that have the character interacting with their environment? For certain concepts, it adds a bit of dramatic impact.

Here's an example - an old character of mine:

Technomancer is a young, somewhat nerdy, scientific type with the ability to transform technology to create nearly any type of device. However, whatever he creates will retain the "style" (for lack of a better word) of the original technology. A common tactic of his is to use his transform on a car, taking parts of it to create a gun. If the car is a old junker, the gun will look blocky, have an exhaust pipe spewing smoke, etc. If it's a Ferrari, the gun will look sleek,emitting a powerful revving sound when it's ready to fire.

The scene - Technomancer is wearing high-tech body armor that is sleek and form-fitting, with most of the standard powered armor hero add-ons (boot jets for flight, etc). He's fighting a villain vulnerable to fire, so he grabs a vehicle to get components for a flamethrowing device. The vehicle could be anything from a VW bug to a Harley motorcycle...what is important is that you see pieces of the vehicle morphing into the gun, which is oozing fire from the barrel.

So, is something like this feasible without being a nightmare to draw?

[Striker]

I LIKE the Rebound pic.

What's the story on her Striker? Any powers? Stats?

And the Nikes RULE. Up there with The King of Fighter's/Fatal Fury's Terry Bogard's classic Converse tennies and jacket.

'OK!'

Powers and stats are up in my netbook thread. Story will have to wait until the other players find out in character.

[mdf2]

So, you can't tip your hand until the players find out, huh?

That seems reasonable (no it's not!).

Thanks.

[SuperStar]

Original character artwork by request: Sidetrack

Got tired of the animated style (not that I don't love it) and decided to do a pic in my usual style. Hope you like.





Character by Magius, artwork by me.

P.S. You can find the stats and description here:

http://www.greenronin.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3347&start=30

[Paladin]

Wow, awesome piece! Excelent! Love your style!

[Striker]

Yet another excellent pic by SuperStar!

[Thain]

Hrmm, Storn and SuperStar... both excellent work, so, why does only one of them get paid for it?

Can anyone else hear the opening cords to Dueling Banjos?

[Athena]

Wow....that's some nice work SuperStar. I feel bad for asking since you've already taken so much time to do Athena and Angel for me, but if I commisioned you, would you be willing to do something like that for me?

[Doctor Otaku]

Another well done piece, SuperStar!

[SuperStar]

Thanks for the compliments!

It's really just a hobby for me outside of my regular gig. For extensive or time-consuming work I would be available for commision, but otherwise I'll keep the free protraits flowing whenever I have time!

I am going to put up a list as I am losing track of who requested what in what order.