Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Aliens - Saurids

Saurids

Here is the original entry for the Alien Race: Saurids to the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.  

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STEP ONE:  Once more, I used a blue-lead pencil to sketch out the entry for the Saurids.

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STEP TWO:  Once the pencils were scanned in, I inked them digitally with a 5pt. hard brush in Photoshop.  As before, I decided to keep the drawing simple and would let the color do the shading, rather than the line work.

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STEP THREE:  I created a MULTIPLY Layer and laid in flat colors, then choose lighter/darker versions of that color for highlights/shading.

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This was done with blue-pencil on 8-1/2" x 11" paper and then digitally inked and colored in Photoshop.

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Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Aliens - Sarks

Sarks

Here is the original entry for the Alien Race: Sarks to the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.  

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STEP ONE:  Just like the previous entry, I used a blue-lead pencil to sketch out the entry for Sarks.

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STEP TWO:  Once the pencils were scanned in, I inked them digitally with a 5pt. hard brush in Photoshop.  As before, I decided to keep the drawing simple and would let the color do the shading, rather than the line work.

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STEP THREE:  I created a MULTIPLY Layer and laid in flat colors, then choose lighter/darker versions of that color for highlights/shading.

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This was done with blue-pencil on 8-1/2" x 11" paper and then digitally inked and colored in Photoshop.

Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Aliens - Sagittarians

Sagittarians

Here is the original entry for the Alien Race: Sagittarians to the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.  

Apparently, the Sagittarians have a mustache.

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STEP ONE:  I used a blue-lead pencil to sketch out the entry for Sagittarians.  For some reason, since they did have a mustache prominently featured, I sort of pictured them as vaguely steampunk big game hunters with a retro glass helmet in lieu of a British pith helmet.  I'm not sure why, but it amused me to some degree.

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STEP TWO:  Once the pencils were scanned in, I inked them digitally with a 5pt. hard brush in Photoshop.  I decided to keep the drawing simple and would let the color do the shading, rather than the line work.

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STEP THREE:  I created a MULTIPLY Layer and laid in flat colors, then choose lighter/darker versions of that color for highlights/shading.

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This was done with blue-pencil on 8-1/2" x 11" paper and then digitally inked and colored in Photoshop.

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Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Nova

Nova

Here is the original entry for Nova to the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry for Nova to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.

For those bored enough, here is the step-by-step for Nova... :-)

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STEP ONE:  I created a New Document 1,000 x 1,500 pixels in PhotoShop, doing some really quick digital pencils/scribbles for the pose.

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STEP TWO:  Over top of that, I did some quick shading and set up the lighting/shadows, as well as some really quick color.

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STEP THREE:  Then, over top of that, I put in some of the breakdowns of where I wanted the fire effects to go.

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STEP FOUR:  I finished up the highlights and fire, then added a starfield for the background.

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Created digitally in Photoshop.

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Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Death

Death

Here is the original entry for Death for the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry for Death to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.

Well, actually, I gave Jon M. from the OHOTMU:Redux the choice between this one and the one with the black background (below).  In some ways, I think the black background is more fitting for the character of Death, while I do sort of like the orange background as it adds a little color and is closer to the original entry.

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Alas, I didn't think ahead enough to save step-by-step progressions.  I created a 1,000 pixel x 1,500 pixel document with a black background.  I then used 3 pixel hard, round brush with white color to create the scratchboard effect.  I also went back over top with a combination of black brushwork and the Eraser tool to carve back some of the lines.

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Here's a detail of some of the scratchboard effect.  I do like working on scratchboard quite a bit, and will definitely have to do some more digital scratchboard in the future.

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Created digitally in Photoshop.

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May the Fourth Be With You!

May the 4th Be With You!

"May the Fourth Be With You" is a pun so bad and obvious, I'm ashamed I didn't come up with it first...

No, it isn't Bucky O'Hare.  It's Jaxxon, the giant, green rabbit which was part of Marvel Comics "Star Wars" series.  

Yes, when I was a kid I actually bought the issues that introduced Jaxxon and, as you can guess, I have a soft spot in my heart (and probably head) for the character. 

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PART ONE:  Here are the digital pencils.  They were originally done on a 1,000 x 1,500 pixel canvas, but I shrunk it down to 900 pixels to keep the file size within reason on the site.

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PART TWO:  And here are the digital inks.  They were done mostly with a 5 pt. Hard Brush, and a patterned brush for the stippled background of the Cantina walls.  

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PART THREE:  Here is the color plate.  I created a New Layer and set it to Multiply to color the page but keep all the linework.  I finished the whole thing off by adding the lettering, above.

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Done digitally in Photoshop

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Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Andromeda

Andromeda

Here is the original entry for Andromeda to the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry for Andromeda to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.

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STEP ONE:  I created a New Document 1,000 x 1,500 pixels in PhotoShop and did some really quick digital pencils/scribbles for the pose.

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STEP TWO:  In a New Layer, I did some digital inks over top the digital pencils... er, scribbles.  Rather than do something a bit more painted, I decided to leave it more closely to a pen-and-ink type of drawing.

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STEP THREE:  Creating a new MULTIPLY Layer, I colorized the drawing.  This time, I chose to go with coloration similar to a vector-based style.

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Created digitally in Photoshop.

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March M.O.D.O.K. Madness 2015 (Part 2)

March M.O.D.O.K. Madness 2015 (Part 2)

With apologies to Shepard Fairey this time, here's another submission to March M.O.D.O.K. Madness 2015.  Whew!  Just made it in under the wire before M.M.M. closes for another year... :-D

UPDATE: Speaking of Shepard Fairey, I was contacted by Louise from the Artsy website.  Here is a LINK to more Shepard Fairey and Shepard Fairey-inspired art for those of you who are interested.  Enjoy that and the other art-related links on their site!  :-)

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This was done digitally in PhotoShop.

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March M.O.D.O.K. Madness 2015

March M.O.D.O.K. Madness 2015

With apologies to Geoff Darrow and his awesome cover to Hard Boiled #3, here is my submission to March M.O.D.O.K. Madness for 2015.

Fingers crossed, I may try to get another submission in before the end of the month if I have the time.  We'll see how that goes.  :-S

For those interested, here's the process...

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STEP ONE:  Here is a quick sketch done in Photoshop in black-and-white showing the basic layout.  I was vaguely inspired by Geoff Darrow's cover to Hard Boiled #3 (and by "vaguely inspired", I mean I blatantly ripped it off).

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STEP TWO:  I then did some rough layout in black and white to figure out the tonal values, final composition, and begin fixing some of the errors in the initial quick sketch.  Also, "Turn that frown upside down, M.O.D.O.K.!"

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STEP THREE:  Here I used a MULTIPLY Layer to lay down the basic color scheme, and then created various new layers to paint on top of that for the finished color work.  This was pretty much the finished picture, but...

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STEP FOUR:  Then I decided that it worked better if I trimmed the top and bottom.  It seemed to make it a bit more cinematic and was a better composition.  I also blurred the person's head so it wasn't quite as gory and also seemed to add some depth of field to the finished picture, as well.  Hmmm, I'm not sure why I keep giving M.O.D.O.K. a haircut like Moe Howard from "The Three Stooges"... 

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This was done digitally in Photoshop.

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Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Phoenix II (Rachel Summers)

Phoenix II - Rachel Summers

Here is the original entry for Phoenix to the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry for Phoenix to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.

I read X-Men back when I was an early teen and really liked the aesthetic look of the Rachel Summers version of Phoenix in issue #199 (yes, kids, I'm really that old).  So, when it became available for the OHotMU:Redux, I had to grab it!

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STEP ONE:  OK, I decided to go through and do some really quick thumbnails to find a good pose (each one was just a couple-a-few minutes).  I decided to go with "E".  In some ways, I almost like the thumbnail pose better than the finished picture... Oh, well.

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STEP TWO:  I blew up the thumbnail and got to work digitally inking over the top.  I then did some flat grayscale and then flat color over top of that.  I then used that as a base to start building up more highlights and some shadows, as well. 

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STEP THREE:  I then added New Layers and kept building colors on top of each section, which I broke down into Red, Yellow, Skin Tones/Hair.  Once finished, I erased the white and added something vaguely Phoenix-shaped energies as the background. 

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For those of you who are interested, here is an animated .gif of each step.

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This was done digitally in Photoshop

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Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Phastos

Phastos

Here is the original entry for Phastos to the "Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".

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And here is my entry for Phastos to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Redux.

The Eternals are great fun for me.  I've always had a soft spot in my heart (some would argue the soft-spot is actually in my head) for Greek Mythology, and Jack Kirby's Eternals being the template for the Greek Myths drew me in as a kid.  Although, I have to admit it took me a few tries for me to figure out Phastos was short of Hephaestus when I first read about him; they didn't quite spell it out as directly as they did for Zuras, Ikaris, Thena, etc.  :-D 

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STEP ONE:  I created a New Document 1,000 x 1,500 pixels in PhotoShop and did some really quick digital pencils with a 50% gray.  Originally, I was gonna give him a bigger beard and some over-sized power gloves, but then decided to stick a bit more to the character sheet.

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STEP TWO:  In a New Layer, I did some digital inks over top the pencils.  As the picture turned out to be symmetrical, I just copied and flipped the arms and legs so they matched.

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STEP THREE:  I did a grayscale painting on a MULTIPLY Layer over top for lighting, then created another MULTIPLY Layer for flat colors.

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STEP FOUR:  I created several NEW LAYERS--one for each color--and add highlights and shadows over the top the flat colors.  I also decided to have some Kirbyesque Krackle radiating from the hammer.  (Queue M.C. Hammer's "Can't Touch This" :-)

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Created digitally in Photoshop.

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