Waitaminnit. A being can have both genders but no gender? Is she a one off, cloned that way or does she reproduce by osmosis? Although unless she has a love interest with the natural inclinations for children, it can color the story a bit but not overall.

Ya, I know, all things shall be explained. But your're the the one who dropped clues. I love solving mysteries so I had to at least conjecture.

The entity is a spirit of sorts. It was trapped on Eden Prime centuries ago, and is basically going to attempt to use our pilot to free itself from the planet. It has no gender because it's not technically alive. It's AI...

But it has the ability to read thoughts and emotions, which was developed over a long period of confinement. Most of the beings it has come into contact with were animals or other such creatures with no true language, so it had to adapt.

The natives of Eden Prime refer to the entity in myth and legends, and tend to stay away from the area it inhabits. The colonials don't know any better, which is why the hapless pilot got herself into that predicament.

Oh, and legend has it that this creature was trapped on purpose on the planet by another technologically advanced race because it is dangerous and unpredictable. This is something the colonists would have known if they weren't at war with the natives.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the novel The Puppet Masters, Operation: Annihilate! from Star Trek TOS, there was even an episode of the TNG where DATA, O'Brian and Troi were taken over by entities. All non human takeovers and all of them gave me the Heebee jeebees! Non American may not understand the last word but I have a feeling they know what I mean.

Brrrrrr!

I won't let that cat out of the bag, but you're close.

We have pilots, so it's an air force. And we have soldiers, it's an army.

Any military that wants to succeed should have both Army and Air. That new chick looks one step away from getting an eyepatch. She just looks tough...

I had to redo that render. I realized once I started putting Aiko in scenes with other characters that her anime head was too large to look natural. So I dialed it down and I am redoing the render.

More to follow...

This armor seems incomplete. I need to do her shins and feet. I don't think the boots are going to be enough.

I'm new at this, and I'm trying to figure out how to render for a noirish kinda comic. At this point I'm using the various comic controls in Preview mode, but they are giving me a lot of grief. The render below uses 'smooth shading' and the 'comic book' setting, and it's okay for some purposes but I'd like to be able to add in faded/muted color as well and can't seem to find any way to do that (except in outside post, but for various reasons I want to avoid that kind of workflow if I can). Some other issues: 1) LaFemme's eyeballs don't show in preview mode. How can I fix that? 2) if I leave out the background objects, the lines from the universe dome show right through the figure. 3) even with anti-aliasing, there are big pixel-like blocks in places. Is that from the mesh? How do I fix that?

I am not sure because I pretty much do it all in post. Or I try to use the comic book color setting and preview render.

rokket posted at 10:47PM Mon, 19 August 2019 - #4359873

I am not sure because I pretty much do it all in post. Or I try to use the comic book color setting and preview render.

Well, you get good results. Maybe I'm just lazy, but I want to keep post work to an absolute minimum. Also, post won't fix the jaggy shadows problem other than hand painting the right shapes. Seems like there ought to be a fix for that one somewhere within Poser.

There are a couple of adjustments you can make.

I am going to open poser and see what I can do to get a decent toon render

Well, I managed to get this, which is kind of awful, but sort of in the right direction. Not sure what I did, because these settings looked completely different earlier. It might be the lighting.

Well, I crashed Poser, so I have to start over... Lighting has A LOT to do with it.

Speaking of crashing, I think I am. I look forward to seeing what you come up with tomorrow.

This is LaFemme, same hair you used, but I used my own armor. Anyhow, it's a single IBL with no image, and I just did the preview render. I didn't mess with the toon settings at all.

I will try to do the B&W thing tomorrow.

Now I am happy with my soldier...

Used These Settings:

The Lighting: A single IBL set at 40%, the color is pure white, so RGB all set to 1.

Right click on the scene brings up the cartoon settings:

Three tones Comic Book Geometric Edge Lines should all be checked.

This is a PREVIEW render, and I upped the preview settings just a bit:

Enable hardware AO and check the tab to optimize AO Uncheck remove backfacing polys Bump up the preview resolution to 1024

I also rendered it at 1920x1440

rokket posted at 8:36AM Tue, 20 August 2019 - #4359885

Used These Settings:

The Lighting: A single IBL set at 40%, the color is pure white, so RGB all set to 1.

Right click on the scene brings up the cartoon settings:

Three tones Comic Book Geometric Edge Lines should all be checked.

This is a PREVIEW render, and I upped the preview settings just a bit:

Enable hardware AO and check the tab to optimize AO Uncheck remove backfacing polys Bump up the preview resolution to 1024

I also rendered it at 1920x1440

That looks great! I'll give that a try. One thing though- she doesn't cast a shadow. Is that just how it is in preview mode, or is there a way to get a cast shadow? And/or, is there a way to get a similar look (sans outline, I would presume) in Firefly?

This is just preview render. If you render in firefly it will be in color and render according to the materials setup.

I am away from my machine, so I can't verify, but I have a single IBL pointed nearly straight at her. To get shadows it would probably need another light coming down at an angle. Experiment with that...

Interesting. I think I'll give it a shot. rokket, what background prop are you using? I want to mess with the textures and see if I can get it a little cleaner.

@Han. Do you absolutely hate postwork or is it something else? I use Cs6, the rokket uses Gimp so I think we can cover you.

quietrob posted at 12:14PM Wed, 21 August 2019 - #4360001

Interesting. I think I'll give it a shot. rokket, what background prop are you using? I want to mess with the textures and see if I can get it a little cleaner.

@Han. Do you absolutely hate postwork or is it something else? I use Cs6, the rokket uses Gimp so I think we can cover you.

Well, I do hate postwork, but it has to do with work flow and consistency. I'm looking at a graphic novel project, and the idea is to create a workflow that is A) faster than hand drawing everything; B) more consistent than hand drawing everything. Since there's a very large amount of pre-production overhead in making/modifying models, doing a lot of postwork brings me back to a hand-crafted workflow. I also really hate interrupted workflows, where I don't know if I've done stage 1 right until I get into another program and do stage 2 or stage 3. For my sanity, I prefer as much WYSIWYG as I can get.

I feel ya! I don't hate postwork but I could without it. You want to automate as much of the process as you can. Working 40 hours a week, the MOST I could hope to churn out was 3 pages a week. That was it. If I could eliminate Postwork or Rendering, that would be wondrous but there is no easy art button. So...

quietrob posted at 2:40PM Wed, 21 August 2019 - #4360009

I feel ya! I don't hate postwork but I could without it. You want to automate as much of the process as you can. Working 40 hours a week, the MOST I could hope to churn out was 3 pages a week. That was it. If I could eliminate Postwork or Rendering, that would be wondrous but there is no easy art button. So...

Well, I don't know what I don't know yet, but I'm getting the feeling that the faster way to do stuff that still has some artistic merit is going to be to go with 'informational' renders that just provide enough info for a 100% paint-over. That way I don't even need to worry much about costume, just get in the ball-park. After all, I've invented that stuff from scratch for years, but it's a lot faster the more accurate the reference material is. If I go that route, Firefly seems adequate, since the actual renders will be invisible in the finished product.

HKHan99 posted at 2:10PM Wed, 21 August 2019 - #4360028

Well, I don't know what I don't know yet, but I'm getting the feeling that the faster way to do stuff that still has some artistic merit is going to be to go with 'informational' renders that just provide enough info for a 100% paint-over. That way I don't even need to worry much about costume, just get in the ball-park. After all, I've invented that stuff from scratch for years, but it's a lot faster the more accurate the reference material is. If I go that route, Firefly seems adequate, since the actual renders will be invisible in the finished product.

That is how it's done. It's why I asked if you were so dead against Postwork (which I understand. Speed counts) The advantage of a simple informational render is that it's fast. Consider this. I did the first one hundred fifty pages or so as simple renders then I corrected, inked and don't forget you have to add dialogue and compose the page. I don't know what you're using for the final comic. I use Comic Life 3.

I use Clip Studio Paint.
Your image above is great, but very far from what I'm after. I don't know anything about Comic Life 3, but if I had to guess I'd say you had a Firefly base render, some basic adjustments in post for contrast, lightness, etc, and then some edge-finding and noise filters in various combinations. Am I close? Rather than use that kind of automation, I'd just go ahead and re-draw the picture. It would give me a lot more flexibility and cut down on the overhead for props and clothes and stuff. Time consuming, but probably not much worse than having to get the render just right, and then do all the photo manipulation kinds of postwork. I was (still am, actually) hoping that I could get Poser to do something close enough to the finished style I'm after that all the pre-production work would cut out most of the post-production work, but I'm not seeing that so far...

HKHan99 posted at 2:52PM Wed, 21 August 2019 - #4360045

I use Clip Studio Paint.
Your image above is great, but very far from what I'm after.

Yup! Your description is pretty close. There are some extra's steps on the big scenes including inking by hand. Sorry I couldn't help more. Moving forward, please share samples on occasion, keeping the basics of your story secret. Art counts. No doubt about it. You can have the best art in the world but it will need a great story to feel complete. The scene above is cut from my comic. That is the Antagonist. She is the Queen of her planet. A princess from another planet hacked into that Queen's library. That Queen has a HUGE military that is dwarfed in power by the Queen herself. She ordered that the princess in question submit for trial and punishment. In this case, Slow Torture by cellular implosion.

However, the Second Queen of the Princess's planet arrived to take the child's place.

She will not submit easily. This is the Second Queen. She would be a total Mary Sue (in writing terms. Look it up if you don't know) however, she has an issue that makes her far from perfect. Yet.

This thread is called Comic Stuff so your story is also fair game for critique and idea's.

quietrob posted at 3:08PM Wed, 21 August 2019 - #4360047

HKHan99 posted at 2:52PM Wed, 21 August 2019 - #4360045

I use Clip Studio Paint.
Your image above is great, but very far from what I'm after.

Yup! Your description is pretty close. There are some extra's steps on the big scenes including inking by hand. Sorry I couldn't help more. Moving forward, please share samples on occasion, keeping the basics of your story secret. Art counts. No doubt about it. You can have the best art in the world but it will need a great story to feel complete. The scene above is cut from my comic. That is the Antagonist. She is the Queen of her planet. A princess from another planet hacked into that Queen's library. That Queen has a HUGE military that is dwarfed in power by the Queen herself. She ordered that the princess in question submit for trial and punishment. In this case, Slow Torture by cellular implosion.

However, the Second Queen of the Princess's planet arrived to take the child's place.

She will not submit easily. This is the Second Queen. She would be a total Mary Sue (in writing terms. Look it up if you don't know) however, she has an issue that makes her far from perfect. Yet.

This thread is called Comic Stuff so your story is also fair game for critique and idea's.

I will be posting resources as appropriate. Clip Studio Paint Comic Life 3

Both programs look good. One is a little pricier. Both offer a free 30 day trial. I would dare to compare but I like my work flow. Hopefully, next year, when I get my own place again (long story) I can get a good work space again.

quietrob posted at 6:55PM Wed, 21 August 2019 - #4360049

I will be posting resources as appropriate. Clip Studio Paint Comic Life 3

Both programs look good. One is a little pricier. Both offer a free 30 day trial. I would dare to compare but I like my work flow. Hopefully, next year, when I get my own place again (long story) I can get a good work space again.

I think CSP is more oriented toward digital drawing, whereas Comic Life 3 seems to mostly about image processing with a comic book look. CSP has image processing tools, but mostly of the photoshop type (and not as many); things like tones are geared toward Manga style and are fairly counter intuitive when it comes to using them like you would in a newspaper photo. Comic Life looks like a fun program if you're mostly trying to process an image made elsewhere- I'll bet it's a lot less cumbersome for that than CSP is.

Comic life 3 is drag and drop, so it's super simple.

@quietrob: that background was one of Mr Sparky's Poser 7 era props that I collected when I had Poser 8. I like to drop them in there every once in awhile. I am away from my machine and back onboard as ship, so I can't look it up right now and say for certain which prop it was...

Mrsparky (mr Sparky or Mrs Parky) was my first introduction to freebies which led to paid stuff and the thought of having my own studio filled with props. Whoever it is, they have my thanks. Bump time. Speaking of Royalty Free Use items. Here you go so your comic has that comic feel!

I didn't know that Eclark had his own comic company at the time.

Original size. Download and then reduce. You'll get a super sharp image.

Oh, how I wish. Although I did do my own comic a few years back. And I used Comic Life.

Android

EClark1894 posted at 4:34PM Tue, 03 September 2019 - #4361130

Oh, how I wish. Although I did do my own comic a few years back. And I used Comic Life.

Android

Earl, your comic...

It was pretty good! Especially the writing.

One of my older characters. I remodeled the suit to fit LeFemme.

I dont use a lot of faux-line post work on my comic strip — I tried it a few times and found the results less than convincing. It is possible to emulate pencil and ink, but man it's a lot of work: you might as well just say screw it and draw it all out by hand and be done with it.

So instead, I opt for either a simple 2x2 or 2x3 panel layout... or else something more extravagant like this, where the colours are used to define who's saying what and move the eye down the page. These are certainly a lot more fun to do, and they're all pretty well impromptu creations: when I"m putting one of these together, everything — the writing, the layout, the hopelessly overworked finish — is all done to whim of the moment. And it usually results in things I would consider my better work.

SeanMartin posted at 12:41AM Fri, 06 September 2019 - #4361250

_ I dont use a lot of faux-line post work on my comic strip — I tried it a few times and found the results less than convincing. It is possible to emulate pencil and ink, but man it's a lot of work: you might as well just say screw it and draw it all out by hand and be done with it._

This is a point where you and I differ. I think considering the enormous cost in manhours, it's a lot faster than penciling, inking, coloring and lettering. I believe the results are more than convincing when you consider that you want to do is tell a story. In the end, that is all I wish to do. Tell a story the best way I can.

_ So instead, I opt for either a simple 2x2 or 2x3 panel layout... or else something more extravagant like this, where the colours are used to define who's saying what and move the eye down the page._

I agree. I first this saw this in the modern Supergirl's origin story. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman each had a different color assigned to the thought dialog. It just plained worked and I adopted this in my stories as well. I did notice that you didn't do this on your published page above. As for the layout, 2x2 or 2x3 that is up to the artist. Whatever is your style for telling your story. I've grew up watching Jack Kirby break all of those rules just as Curt Swan predictably used a six panel layout for the majority of his pages. Both styles worked in their day. Today there isn't any rules. I read an entire comic that told the story just as your example did. That is my rule too. Whatever the mood or action call for to tell the story. Obviously what worked for Doc and Raider isn't going to necessarily work for Temple (My comic).

These are certainly a lot more fun to do, and they're all pretty well impromptu creations: when I"m putting one of these together, everything — the writing, the layout, the hopelessly overworked finish — is all done to whim of the moment. And it usually results in things I would consider my better work.

Very interesting story. Plus an all male cast! Considering the plethora of female characters in Poserdom that is difficult to do. It was only one page but I wanted to see what it was all about and where it led. Overworked finish? That's like Salieri telling Mozart that he used too many notes (See the movie Amadeus). I love those uniforms (Your two heroes do resemble Doc and Raider) and if I thought I could get them to fix my characters, I'd sure like too see how they fit. Thanks for the contribution and I hope to see more of your work. That is a wry sense of humor straight from Doonesbury!

Many tbanks for the kind words. One detail:

Your two heroes do resemble Doc and Raider

That's intentional, because this is a page from a storyline whose framing device is that this is Elliot's (the film producer character in the strip) Big Summer Tentpole Production, and he enlisted them at the last minute when the two actors previously cast were removed from the production. So yes, it is DnR, acting in a film. Ah, the joys of playing God. LOL

Again, many thanks. :-)

Comic Stuff? Cool!!! Has anyone been able come up with a Kirby Krackles(tm) Skin shader? See Quasimodo. It doesn't have to vary in color (that would be nice though :) ) Something to indicate a form, but made of energy. Something akin to this:

On the subject of toon shaders. NIghtsong, published a series of 2 and 3 tone shaders on Runtime DNA. There was a black-and-white option, she called noir shaders. I don't see them offered any longer. They allowed integration of transparency and color maps. She still has a presence here and she can be contacted at mwilliams@worldhavens.com. Attached is an example. I decided not to use, and went firefly and then superfly instead.

dlfurman posted at 7:59AM Sat, 07 September 2019 - #4361355

Comic Stuff? Cool!!! Has anyone been able come up with a Kirby Krackles(tm) Skin shader? See Quasimodo. It doesn't have to vary in color (that would be nice though :) ) Something to indicate a form, but made of energy.

I've never seen anything that can do that in Poser. I would do it in post. Both Photoshop and GIMP have brushes that can do that.

rokket posted at 3:34PM Sat, 07 September 2019 - #4361368

dlfurman posted at 7:59AM Sat, 07 September 2019 - #4361355

Comic Stuff? Cool!!! Has anyone been able come up with a Kirby Krackles(tm) Skin shader? See Quasimodo. It doesn't have to vary in color (that would be nice though :) ) Something to indicate a form, but made of energy.

I've never seen anything that can do that in Poser. I would do it in post. Both Photoshop and GIMP have brushes that can do that.

I'd approach it as an all over transparency map. We've seen a few things like that around here, and adjusting them to carry off this, with a bump map to bring them out a little, might work.

braefell posted at 3:51PM Sat, 07 September 2019 - #4361367

On the subject of toon shaders. NIghtsong, published a series of 2 and 3 tone shaders on Runtime DNA. There was a black-and-white option, she called noir shaders. I don't see them offered any longer. They allowed integration of transparency and color maps. She still has a presence here and she can be contacted at mwilliams@worldhavens.com. Attached is an example. I decided not to use, and went firefly and then superfly instead.

Thank you! I picked up those skin shader for Aiko3. You can see them used in this thread. @4360048 The cloth mats are from Mapps.

Kirbian Energy is a staple of my comic! That's below. I almost wish I could ask why didn't the Surfer cure Ben Grimm as well. Fun Fact : The Silver Surfer was Stan Lee's baby. For years he wouldn't let anyone else write a full surfer comic. If you saw the animation, you also saw art based on Jack Kirby. Truly a masterpiece.

For my pal rokket...

@quietrob: Nice. I remember this story!

dlfurman posted at 6:09PM Sat, 07 September 2019 - #4361355

Comic Stuff? Cool!!! Has anyone been able come up with a Kirby Krackles(tm) Skin shader? See Quasimodo. It doesn't have to vary in color (that would be nice though :) ) Something to indicate a form, but made of energy.

Actually, it just dawned on me that you could probably create the Kirby effect in an image app like Photoshop or GIMP and apply it to the single sided square in Poser and then scale it to fit. You would use a transparency on it. I'll work on something tonight and post the results when I get it finished.

quietrob posted at 6:12PM Sat, 07 September 2019 - #4361404

braefell posted at 3:51PM Sat, 07 September 2019 - #4361367

On the subject of toon shaders. NIghtsong, published a series of 2 and 3 tone shaders on Runtime DNA. There was a black-and-white option, she called noir shaders. I don't see them offered any longer. They allowed integration of transparency and color maps. She still has a presence here and she can be contacted at mwilliams@worldhavens.com. Attached is an example. I decided not to use, and went firefly and then superfly instead.

Thank you! I picked up those skin shader for Aiko3. You can see them used in this thread. 4360048 The cloth mats are from Mapps.

Kirbian Energy is a staple of my comic! That's below. I almost wish I could ask why didn't the Surfer cure Ben Grimm as well. Fun Fact : The Silver Surfer was Stan Lee's baby. For years he wouldn't let anyone else write a full surfer comic. If you saw the animation, you also saw art based on Jack Kirby. Truly a masterpiece.

For my pal rokket...

He never cured Ben Grimm because we always need the Blue Eyed Thing. I read the story where he beat the Hulk. It got pretty bad. The Hulk hit him so hard he was knocking his rock surface off and you could see the soft tissue underneath. But he beat the Hulk in a fist fight. Not an easy thing to do...