Looking for Artists (comic book, etc.)

[Syrius Cline]

By artist I mean "drawing". Although if you want to talk about your music, go ahead, I won't mind. :)

I'm a comic book geek. About 6 years ago though I stopped reading comic books. Mainly because my older brothers(I was real young at the time) weren't reading them. And money was getting tighter then and the comics in total would cost sometimes several dozens of dollars a month. Especially with the X-Men books and those blasted crossovers. Anywho, I've gotten older and got my own billfold. So, I'm buying graphic novels like crazy. The graphic novels I'm refering to are compiled comics in one book. Like six to a book. So I'm catching up on my old favorites and reading the big stuff I missed out on. For example, Preacher is now my alltime favorite comic book now that I've read all 66 issues, 9 graphic novels.

Anywho, before I got out of comics, I wanted to be an artist. Even after I stopped reading them, I'd still draw them. I hope to start a little fun online comic book for my buddies (mainly you) to read. Just for fun. But that has to wait until I get a scanner. I know, I know, why don't I save up for scanner unstead of buying the graphic novels (which run at about $20 bucks a pop). But I just can't help myself! :lol And my computer is so shotty, I wasn't sure if I could get one to work. Actually, I found out once that the hard drive space required for the scanner software was more than I had avalible. Now that I've deleted some stuff I forgot I had and found out I didn't need, I have enough room. Now once I catch up a comfortable bit with the graphic novels, I'll save up for one. :)

Anywho, this brings me to the point of this thread. I've been looking into digital coloring for comic books, since I'd like my fun online project to have color is at all possible. Anyway, this is fully rendered stuff I'm talking about. Shaded colors, highlights, real snazzy. I learned the pros mainly use Photoshop for coloring. Since I got the poor man's Photshop, Paintshop, I'm good to go. I've practiced on some art I've gotten off the internet. Although it's real hard to get uncolored comic book art that's inked(preferably) or half good. So....

I'm looking for help. Does anyone out there like to draw, and has their stuff ready to upload for me?! Maybe you want to see it in color or something? Cool! I need practice! :) So please gimme them. :) Even if you think they suck (don't beat yourself up!) I'll take 'em. I'll post the results here in this thread unless you would rather me not, because like I said, you might not be proud of it.

Anyway, that's what this thread is about. Although, to pass the time and to shoot the breeze about one of my favorite subjects, let's talk comics. :) What's your favorite, etc.?

[Sejah Haversh]

The thing I reccomend most is the old copies of "The Spirit" by Will Eisner. They are mostly in black and white, and also are heavily responsible for turning comics today into what they are.

Beyond him, look for some independant comics, you know, the cheap ojnes you see every time you go to the comic shop, the ones nobody buyw. They're often black and white, and can yeild some good art. If you want a true challenge, try coloring Usagi Yojimbo comics. If you can make Stan Sakai's artwork into a comic-style color, you will be a true master.

Coloring is fun, I do it quite often myself on my own artwork. A few examples can be found at http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/g/u/guardia/guardia.html as well as some black and white sketches. If you'd like to give coloring any one of them a shot, you're welcome to, though I would prefer it if you told me beforehand as so I could give you the color schemes. A bit more can be found here as well http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/zone/g/u/guardia2/guardia2.html (Shameless plug)

In any case, I hope you have some fun, and www.polykarbon.com has some good tutorials in not only just coloring, but in drawing and designing as well.

[Dae Jinn]

If you're looking for black and white comics to color that are online -- most, if not all Japanese manga and doujinshi (fan-drawn, fan-written comics; I have seen some of the best art/funniest writing in these!) are in black and white.

I used to collect X-men comics (weird for a girl, kinda, but I like drawing and I liked the characters ^_^; ) and then Generation X, but once I got my hands on some right to left Japanese comics *drools* So good. And it's more expensive than normal comics, and harder to find lol! Ones I would suggest are Trigun (Space Western, awesome art in both the manga and anime), Fushigi Yugi (A "girl" comic, great art), Gundam (yes, I'm a Gundam junkie). Cowboy Bebop (never seen the show, own the offical manga), Um, hmm, anything by Clamp, an all female comic book team :D :lol
They also have a manga version of the old tril of star wars - which seems to be down at the mo :cry EDIT: there are a few on this page http://forcewritings.tripod.com/cartoon.htm but the best ones are of Yoda :)

[Zatania Duvall]

I've got a ton of artwork that has never been colored, but a lot of them are so old that I know I am way better than I used to be. But here ya go.

http://www.angelfire.com/punk3/heazure/

[Syrius Cline]

Dang Sejah, you're great! I liked that drawing you did of the Saint, but I didn't know you were consistently that good. :)

I'd like to color:

Derrer seated
K'shenurien: Samurai
Perrin

I picked those out of the rest because they were cleaner, not as many stray lines. Plus, they're less furry and I have no clue how to color fur. :lol

I'd appreciate the schemes for them. :) Oh and I'm no where near as good a colorist as you. So don't expect the job to do those drawings their proper justice. I just started practicing and have only semi-finished about 3 drawings.

I'm close to being done with a Spider-Man drawing, so I'll post that when I'm done. :)

I'll check that out Dae. I don't color that fast so it'll be a while before I get to it. :(

I have a ton of favorite comics now that I've read some graphic novels. Preacher, Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men, the Ultimates, Watchmen, Punisher, and lots more I can't think of. I mainly have gotten the Ultimates lines because I don't have to catch up as much. :)

Edit: Oh, Zatania, I was posting when you posted. Sorry. I'll check those out, I'm sure they're great.

Oh, and I know about Polykarbon.com, it's the first place I found with tutorials on coloring. :)

[Cherice St_Hilare]

Hmn .. I'm a Manga fan, myself, although some comics out there catch my eye - such as Dark Chylde, The Tenth and Adrenalynn. ":]

I'm a total Angel Sanctuary fanatic, however, and there are plenty of sites that you can go to with black and white pictures. The drawings are so beautiful that I don't think there's anything you can do to mess them up, except maybe plaster a picture of Homer Simpson over their faces.

As for my art ... I'm currently working on a comic strip myself. I started doing one about all the characters on the boards, but that was taking up too much time. So, currently my masterpiece is called, "Incarnation", but I'm not showing anyone the whole set until it's done. Sorry, but obviously you can't color in my art. ^_^;

[Dae Jinn]

Originally posted by Cherice St_Hilare

I'm a total Angel Sanctuary fanatic, however, and there are plenty of sites that you can go to with black and white pictures. The drawings are so beautiful that I don't think there's anything you can do to mess them up, except maybe plaster a picture of Homer Simpson over their faces.



Yesssss, AS is incredible, Yuki Karoi is an incredible artist. Her watercolors are amazing!!! She has other less known work too, like Count Cain and one other one I can't recall :lol

[Zatania Duvall]

Angel Sanctuary! ^.^ *swoon* I love Angel Sanctuary! Have you ever watched Ayashi no Ceres? Its a lot alike, but it has its own twists. *all around just loves angels*

Oh and thats fine Syrius. No rush.

[Sejah Haversh]

I'd love it if you gave those a shot, Syrius, but do allow me to e-mail you some better scans. Sadly I can't provide a better one of Perrin because I no longer have the original, but the others I can.

I'll see about getting them re-scanned and e-mailed to you in the next day or two with some color schemes, too. Thanks a lot, man!

[Syrius Cline]

No problem dude. Take you're time. :) Remember, ypu're doing a favor for me, not the other way around. You're the one giving me the awesome art to color. I'm just doing my ametuer job on them. :lol Really, you're colors are amazing too. :D

I'm sad to say I've never read any of the books you all have talked about. I guess I need to. Problem is I don't make that much money. So when I get enough to buy a comic book gn, I go with the Marvel and DC lines, that I've read in Wizard are good. I know I'm ignoring tons of great indie work. Heck, I might in my later days decide to do an indie comic book, and I'd want everyone to read it. But like I said, I'm just worried if I get one not branded by Wizard as great, it might not be good and I would have blown my cash.

Oh, I'd just like to say my favorite artist is by far Alex Ross. He usually only does covers and posters, etc. But he's done a few whole comics. Like Kingdom Come, which he did all of the art. He's actually a painter. I think draws it first in pencil then goes over it with paint. Using the paint as ink and color. I've got my hands on some scetches for the Universe X line, and he's an amazing penciler as well. It's not just the paint. The best thing about him is his realism. With his amazing skill he's able to make things look like their about to jump off the page and smack you. Also, he doesn't draw all his people super muscular, he puts a realistic spin on them. They're not perfectly fit. I mean really, why does Superman need a ABS of steel when he's the MAN of steel? Here's a pic of his work. I can't find much online, so it's not his best work. I can show you others if anyone's interested, I'll have to find them first though. :)

<a href=http://www.boomspeed.com/sagehazzard/amos_salute_cov.jpg>911 tribute</a>

<a href=http://www.boomspeed.com/sagehazzard/batman_nlaano_cov.jpg>No Man's Land Batman Event Cover</a>

<a href=http://www.boomspeed.com/sagehazzard/battle_of_planets_1.jpg>Battle of the Planets Cover (never read it myself)</a>

<a href=http://www.boomspeed.com/sagehazzard/botp_cov03.jpg>Another Battle of the Planets Cover</a>

<a href=http://www.boomspeed.com/sagehazzard/jtavengers.jpg>Avengers Painting</a>

<a href=http://www.boomspeed.com/sagehazzard/jtglhal_jordan.jpg>Green Lantern (Hall Jordan)</a>

They all tkae a bit to load, so I put them in links instead of hot linking. Also, I'll have to delete them soon, because they're taking up a HUGE chunk of my boomspeed space. :)

[Sage Hazzard]

Uh... You didn't e-mail the that stuff yet have you Sejah?.... Because my Yahoo account was deleted because I hadn't checked it in four months. Ouch...

Anyway, maybe you can post them here, in a post attachment. I don't need them in PSD form. I use a method that gets rid of the white on the lineart.

I never finished that spider-man coloring job I was doing. The file got HUGE with so many layers. It took a full minute for it to load and everytime I magnified or scrolled, it'd lock up for half a minute. Ugh. I'm doing a Batman pic, with Jim Lee's(who ROCKS!) artwork. It's a smaller picture in demensions, so the file size doesn't get so large. The Spidey pic was near wallpaper size I believe. I'm trying out a variation of the style LIQUID!(a colorist) made famous. It's called "cuts". It uses a sharp, gradient like highlight. Not very realistic looking but boy does it make a pic POP!

I'd love those pic Sejah, but like I said, I can't do e-mail. I could create a new account... maybe I will. But it'd probably be easier to do it my the board attachment. Especially since, if people like my coloring, they might want to give a shot of their own at it.