3D Comic Book Tips And Pictures
magicjava
Posts: 152
This thread is for tips about creating comics with 3D software and for posting comic images.
I'll start of with an easy post: a render of a character of mine named Gold Venus. Iray render, no postwork.
Post edited by magicjava on
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nice
Love it.
Thanks for opening a thread with this topic, I wasn't clever enough to have that idea. I have started into my comic by some pages now and certainly could still use some advice and ideas but I will try to give as well. you can find my published buts over at my dA page, but I will come back posting some tings here as well
So I like your first character, hope to see more of your work
Comic book artist & author Jason Brubaker shows how he uses 3D models in his comics....
He has a few other comic videos on his youtube channel that maybe interest to anyone creating comics....
Black Sun Comics is a cool youtube channel. Kevin uses DAZ to create his comics...
Here's the same model done in a comic book outline style. 3Delight render, no postwork. I'll post a tutorial on how to do this next.
Wow. Another nice find kenmo. Thanks!
Linwelly
You've got some impressive stuff on your dA page, Linwelly. I really liked the bee. :)
Nice work...
Using Mixamo & Photoshop for comic book illustration...
Looking forward to more!
Tutorial: Getting a Comicbook Outline Render In Daz Studio
Here's a short tutorial for creating a render with comicbook style outlines in Daz. Animated GIFs are includuded to walk you through the steps. The links to .gifv files are animations that show how to do each step.
Setting Up Your Scene
Step 1. Download and Install Shader
The Geometery Shell Outline shader is what draws the outlines. It's in the "Freebies" section of the post at this link.
Step 2. Load a Scene File or Load an Empty Scene and a New Figure. Select the Figure.
https://i.imgur.com/4g1ru93.gifv
Step 3. Create a Geometery Shell for the Figure.
https://i.imgur.com/pNFqUVy.gifv
Step 4. Select Geometery Shell Surfaces and Apply the Geometery Shell Outline Shader
https://i.imgur.com/uGubyZC.gifv
Step 5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for each model in the scene.
For example, if your model has hair and clothing, repeat steps 3 and 4 for the model, the hair, and each of the clothing models.
Step 6. Render in 3Delight
https://i.imgur.com/h6Y2MPM.gifv
Just as a reminder, here's what the results of using the Geometery Shell Outline shader look like on my Gold Venus model. The character's clothers are black, so you can't see all of the outlines. But the on hair, hands, chin, and belt they're really clear. I also added a white image so you can see where all the lines are drawn.
Comparing A Figure With The Outline Shader To One Without
And here's a comparison of a figure with the outline shader to a figure without it.
In the preview, the figure with the outline shader appears darker.
https://i.imgur.com/oNFa1ds.gifv
But in the renderer, it is not darker.
https://i.imgur.com/BsT3eIj.gifv
BONUS! Adding Manga Style Shaders To Your Character
The Visual Style Shaders product lets you add comicbook style shading to your characters. These shaders give a smooth look to the render. You won't have things like skin lines and pores. Just use these shaders on your characters and the Geometry Shell Outline shaders to your geometry shell to get a complete look. An example is shown below. 3Delight render, no postwork.
Which of these styles is best? The Iray, the 3Delight with Geometery Shell Outline, or the 3Delight with Geometry Shell Outline and Visual Style Shaders? That's really up to you to decide for your own images. But now you know how to create these different styles.
This is an attempt to do a comic book cover in the style of a glossy magazine. What do you guys think?
Here's a postwork recipe I did that works for most images, to give them a sketched comic effect:
Select your image or layer of your image.
Go to Filter -> Artistic -> Film Grain.
Put all 2s in the boxes.
Go to Filter - > Aritstic -> Colored Pencil.
Set boxes to 9, 5. and 50.
Edit - > Fade Color Pencil.
Set the Mode to Overlay and the percentage to 50.
Image - > Adjustments -> Desaturate
Edit -> Fade Desaturate.
Leave the mode on Normal, and set the Opacity to 50.
Here's a before and after, illustrating the finale result.
@majicjava some thoughts to your cover. Overall that is a nice design and I think it gives the information I believe you want to give, now for some hopefully constructive critique. While I like the Super in a similar grey that the background you could try to give that a bit more push with some shiny edges and a bit more contrast. The fonts for the three woman are rather difficult to read, try to give those a bit more space. the green stuff takes attention away from the girls, make that smaller and probably more on the lower part, think about to move either the white/red text to the other side to balance or swapt the girl with the green stuff to the other side. The girls themselves are looking a bit bored and dont really have a connection with each other. You tried that somewhat with the legs crossed from venus and robotgirl. something you see in a set of three is two of them with the backs turned to each other ( like this one https://www.daz3d.com/gallery/#images/428276/) and one opposing or the third behind or in front ( like I did with the heads on this fake poster https://www.daz3d.com/gallery/#images/104970
That certainly depends if you want to display them as a team or of they don't know and don't care for each other or if they came together for only this shoot.
Just my 50 pence ;)
It good but seems not united.
1) The cover needs a title, maybe 'Peers of Principle'
2) Since it is a new comic say under the title something introductory like 'Introducing the Mysterious Mavens of Might!'
3) And then, there are three of them so make something to make them look like they are connected as a team such as a pyramid like the one on the back of the dollar with the eye at the top and put a character indian sitting at each corner of the pyramid (like a buddha in meditation). The pyramid doesn't need to be realistic & instead of an eye at the top you could use an empty scale like often used to represent 'weighing justice' So the pyramid ties them together as peers of justice with the reader.
4) The names are two words so above the character in a half circle say Cold, below in a half circle say Venus! & likewise for Robot Woman! & Whisper Witch!
Problem is pyramid needs to be smaller otherwise your 3 characters will be small or there can be considerable overlap of the pyramid corners and the 3 characters so that the majority of the cover is taken by them & the pyramid.
I like that video. After I watched it, I tried importing a COLLADA file produced by DAZ into Photoshop. The file imported, but the animation did not, it was a static pose. And I made sure to check the animation box on the export dialog in Daz. Maybe I did something wrong, maybe a bug?
I really like the effect, vrba79. What software are you using for the filters. I don't see those options in Photoshop.
Linwelly and nonesuch00, such good advice! Thank you so much. I like the idea, in theory, of a glossy magazine style cover, but my execution of it was lacking. I think I'll just ditch the character names altogether. They're just too noisy. And yeah, they need to look like a team. I have some ideas on that and I'll take another crack at the cover.
@magicjava - I like the glossy cover and your render is pretty amazing. To give it more of a glossy effect and make it more cohesive, you might try this: Copy the image to a new layer. Gaussian blur (start at 10 and go higher as needed after looking at the effect). Set the layer blend mode to overlay or soft light. That will definitely add to glossiness. You may need to do the lettering layer as the very top layer as the blur layer would make you lose sharpness on the letters. This method might also make the whole cover a darker shade of gray, so I don't know if you would want that.
One other trick that sometimes works to bring different elements together is creating a few layers on top. Here, for example, perhaps three layers. First layer - take eydropper tool, steal the gray color of the background and use the bucket tool to fill it. Same process, next layer use for example the green from the shield. Final layer use for example the blue from the bot. Change each of these new layers to overlay (or soft light, tho other modes might also work), then play with the opacity of each layer until you get a blend that you like. Takes a bit of playing with, doesn't always work, but at the very least it is fun :)
@vrba79 - very neat effect. I'm definitely keeping the recipe and trying it. Thanks!
@magicjava
I'm using CS5, as I refuse to "upgrade" to Adobe's "Spend hundreds to thousands, renting our software on a monthly/yearly basis!" bullcrap.
They're basic PS filters, so I'm unsure why you're not seeing them.
@Worlds_Edge
Keep it, use it, share it. The more alternatives people have, the better.
Tutorial: Creating 3D Kirby Krackle Using Photoshop
Kirby Krackle is a special effect created by renowned comic book artist Jack Kirby. This tutorial will show you how to create 3d Kirby Krackle object files in Photoshop. The object files can be imported into DAZ and used in your renders. The image above is a very quick example of the results.
Creating The Kirby Krackle 3D Object
Step 1: Get a 2D picture of some Kirby Krackle
I just happen to have one right here!
Step 2: Load the Picture Into Photoshop. Use Select/Color Range To Select the Krackle (All the Black Stuff)
Grab all that Krackly goodness.
Step 3: Invert the selection, delete all the non-krackle stuff, invert the selection a second time. (Optional)
This step is not needed if, like the picture above, all the non-krackle part of the picture is transparent.
Step 4: Select the 3D/New 3D Extrusion from Current Selection menu option
When Photoshop asks you if you want to go into the 3D workspace, say yes.
Step 5: Use the Shape Preset dropdown to select the Pillow Inflate preset.
Pillow Inflate is the sixth option in the screen shot below.
Step 6: Switch Out of the 3D Workspace and Back to the Essentials Workspace
Step 7: Right Click on the Layer in the Layers Panel. Select the Export 3D Layer... Option
Step 8: Set Export Options and Select a File Location And Save
I usually set the export format to Wavefront|OBJ.
Step 9: Start Up DAZ Studio. Use File/Import to import the Model.
Now that you have the object in DAZ you can use it like every other model. Here's an example of a Plasma Egg made from Kirby Krackle along with other DAZ assets in a rendered scene.
BONUS! Most Simple Photoshop Drawings Can Be Converted To 3D!
Photoshop will let you convert lightning, text, and most other 2D objects to 3D. The limit is the complexity of the object. Once converted, the objects can be imported to your DAZ scene and be part of your renders just like any other 3D model.
Below is a fully rendered scene that uses 3D objects created in Photoshop. These objects include Lightning, Force Lines, and Sound Effects. These objects have emmisive surfaces and interact with the rest of the scene and with each other.
The scene was rendered as two images in DAZ: 1) The sun and stars, and 2) Everything else. Other than combining those two images into a single image, there is no postwork on the image.
MORE BONUS! Download 3D Kirby Krackle Now!
I 've put my 3D Kirby Krackle files on Google Drive. You can download them now!
Wowie! That's pretty cool! Kirby Crackle is one of the most famous effects in all of comicdom!
Cool. I've been thinking there should be a topic on this for a while.
BTW, there is also a lot of useful info over in the Non Photographic Rendering (NPR) threads.
Also, if you look at my signature line (below), you'll see that I wrote a long tutorial on using Poser 11 to create a noir comic book style.
Thanks for the suggestions,Worlds_Edge. I ended up taking pieces and parts of everyone's suggestions, along with my own ideas, to come up with a new cover.
Honestly, that was my thoughts too the first time I saw this. Having all these special effects models is a game changer.
Ok, so I made a new cover. Drum roll please.....
TADA!
Let me know what you think! :)
Poses are much more dynamic in the rework, great job.
Much better. Its got movement now.
Thanks guys. I think the root of the problem was I had no idea how to do a superhero version of Vogue. That's why they were all standing around like models. But thanks to all the excellent feedback I got from everyone, it's on the right track now.
BTW, I updated my Kirby Krackle download file. All the models are centered at 0,0,0 now.
Now that's a really great improvement to your cover
nonesuch00
Thanks, and thanks for your suggestions.
Here's a picture done in DAZ Studio using only models available in my Kirby Krackle download. No postwork (except to add word balloons).
John Mahoney comic book & graphic novel artist uses 3D in creating his 2D comic book art. He uses a combination of Zbrush (3D) and Photoshop....
John Mahoney on Pixologic's Youtube channel
Tha second version is much better! Nice improvement
kenmo
ZBrush is on my wishlist. *Sigh* So many toys. Somebody buy one of my pictures for a million dollars please.
Linwelly
Thank you, Linwelly. And thank you for helping make it better. :)
Robot Girl powers up her new Robot Woman body. One scene, two renders that were combined. A little bit of despeckling. Other than that, no postwork.