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Amelia Woo

Amelia Woo

Hi, Folks!

Being the artist for Mercy Thompson comicbook was a very interesting experience. Originally, my technique is from concept art although I always have been a comic artist. Then as a Digital Painter I rarely used contour lines. I had a great responsibility to maintain the aesthetic of the first comicbook artist, Francis Tsai. So I had to modify my `modus operandis'. I'll explain each step.

Layout

After I read the script, the first thing we do is the layout. The layout is to indicate for the editor what's going on at the page, defining the position of panels, composition, dynamic and rhythm of characters flowing in the story. Sometimes the script is altered because the layout shows if everything works or doesn't.

In the layout stage, I suggest the character emotions (face and gesture) and the rhythm. Each panel has the function to mark the rhythm. I use small panels for a fast reading and I slow the storytelling with bigger panels, but the panel format influences the reading speed too. I decide the whole rhythm of the story in the format and size of the panels. In this stage, I don't mind if the drawing is `correct' or proportional. The only thing matters me is if the editor understands what I want to narrate with my drawing in this stage.

Image

A-hem... I don't have it because my DVD-RW driver is dead and all my layouts are in my DVD backup -__-...

Sketch

Starting from the layout, having all composition and elements, I do the sketch. Here, I fix things as perspective and proportion of characters. It's just the manual work. For this, if I need some reference, I get it. Sometimes I invert the drawing to check for any problem such as crooked drawing. As you can see in this page, I didn't do the scenery. I leave this for the Background Color Stage.

Inititial Sketch

Lines

After this, I create a new layer above the Sketch Layer. Everything is left as transparent propriety (Just the lines are solid, the rest is transparent). But the lines showed a big problem in the beginning. I couldn't use solid lines, such as the Lineart were done by nankim, so I used other alternative. I used a Digital Art Marker in 90% black. With this, the lineart earned an aspect a little more `manual' and it'll fit with the color made in Watercolor way.

Dark Lines

Background Color

In this stage, I do the background. Everything that isn't a character I consider background and I paint on this way. My first step is color the background color base. This color will determine the `mood' of the scene, so I think about this color before. After this, I build the object in a separated layer on grayscale. Then I convert the Object layer in Hard mode and collapse with the background Color base layer, creating a unify layer with depth.

Background Color

Character Color

The Character Colors step is the most complex step I do. To establish the colors, I extract some colors from background. It gives a unit on drawing. If you noticed, only the characters have contour lines. I don't put contour lines on background because I think it creates the problem which put everything in the same perspective plan sometimes in a color work.

Color the Characters

Final Stage

At last we have the final stuff in this stage. I paint the background layer with a darker color, adding some effects to create a `dramatic effect'. I do the contour panel in a separated layer too. It's the first layer. I leave all layer separated because it'll help in an eventual change requested by editor.

Final Painting

TIPS

Speed!

A fast work is crucial on comic industry, have it in the mind. To increase your speed in a digital work, use the shortcuts buttons every time. Don't worry if you can't memorize the all shortcuts. Do your own shortcuts. Every 2D program, as Photoshop or Painter, has a custom shortcut system. Believe me; push a button is faster than clicking in a tool or option. I increased my productivity more than 50% with this.

Do your own brushed, tools and textures!

No matter if you're a Concept artist, comic artist or other kind of artist, doing your own brushes, you'll do any effect you want on your drawings. 2D programs have an enormous variety of ways to custom your own brush or tool.

My main tools on Mercy Thompson comic:

Photoshop CS2

Painter IX (pretty old version, eh?)


Thanks Amelia!

Here's a huge "Thank You" from all of us at Hurog to Amelia for taking the time to introduce herself and show how she creates such amazing artwork. For those who want to see more, please check out her website!

Amelia's Website