Khaoc and Bunny – Final Version

Been so busy that I haven’t been able to update the post. Basically, I took the scanned image and imported it into Photoshop. I then copied the background layer, darkened it, and erased away to reveal the light layer below. Then I color corrected using overlay and hard light layers… Then I basically rendered the crap out of it with the pencil tool and a few other brushes, in Corel Painter.  That’s about it!

Khaoc Versus: Bunny Edition

Here’s a piece I’m working on as a submission to Spectrum this year. I’m also submitting the two Heavy Metal pieces in my gallery. Maybe I’ll get lucky this year!

I’m going to update this post with pictures of the process, although it’s pretty boring, I think. This piece will be done by December 31st at the latest. So make sure to check back to see the finished version.

This piece started as any other would – as a thumbnail. I drew a larger version on 11X17 illustration board in pencil… I went over the pencils in micron and black acrylic washes to create the tonal under-painting you see here.  The next step is to get a color study done on photoshop, then back to color acrylic washes and marker work in the real world. It takes a long time, but I’ve learned that the acrylic under-painting is really worthwhile considering it won’t get washed out by the alcohol-based markers later.

Khaoc Versus Bunny under-painting, Micron and acrylic

Check back for updates!

Khaoc Versus – Page 18

Done and done. Do it!

Khaoc Versus – Page 13

Here’s the next one. I’m liking the way it’s turning out. Gonna noodle around with it a little longer, probably. It’s half digital/half real once again. I spent a whole lot longer in the digital rendering phase – stepping my game up. I haven’t rendered this way in almost a year. It’s long overdue that I incorporate that aspect of my work once again.

Oh yeah – this is what Waldenites look like. So you can see what I meant when I brought up The Hunger Games and the Capitol people. Who knew a kids book would take some of our imagery’s thunder? Waldenites are much more depraved and absurd, though…

Edit: Still working on it, but it’s 2AM, gotta sleep. Dialog might change.

Khaoc Versus – page 12

Here’s the latest page. I moved at a slow/steady pace on this one, and still not sure where all the time went. I’m still doing half traditional/half digital. I used the patented Fist of the North Star change in scale on the fallen Chrome Dome. I always loved how people and their attributes would change in size throughout that movie, depending on what the creators were trying to emphasize. I also felt bad killing off the snail, so I made sure the poor guy went to heaven. It’s so much harder, emotionally, to kill off animals and insects than humans.

Khaoc Versus – Page 11

Surprise! It’s in color!

Figuring out the process took a while, but I think it was worth the wait. Thanks for being patient!

All the pages will be in color from now on. This page took about equal or less time than some of the black and white stuff!

The pages are drawn on bristol, parts are inked, then I do an acrylic wash/texturing, add some markers and colored pencils, and then I take a shitty photo of it. This is the part I’d change if I had more money. I can’t afford to get every page scanned right now. After I get it into Photoshop, I correct the colors, and then I’m off into the digital painting realm – with a lot of Corel Painter,too.

I’d also buy a nice font to save time…

Khaoc Versus – Cover

The official name for the web comic is “Khaoc Versus.”  It takes place in the world of The Aftermath. Here is the title page image:

I have to mess around with the site format again, so by the end of the week you should see some changes. I’ll post the first sequential page on Thursday. I’ll just post it like normal if I don’t have everything set up on the site. Hopefully, it won’t be this late in the evening. Please, bear with me as I get the whole thing started.

Robot Scene – Page 3

These pages are taking about 50% longer than I would like. I spent about 14 hours on this page. Ugh! Hopefully I keep getting faster the more I work using this method.

2010 Submission Page

It’s officially complete. Check it out!

Page 8 – New Issue

I went back to the Anaheim Comic Con style. That means that, after I’m done, I’m going to have to go back and modify a couple pages. Oh well, I think this style is more compelling.