Another quick tip - sometimes to unify your colors you can do a few things:
1 - in the background of your panel or page, put down a fill of the color/mood your looking for - and then build all the colors on top of it by picking and selecting new solids but using your base color to inform your color choices.
2 - Make a base layer. Create a new layer adjust the opacity so the base color can be seen through all the colors your putting on that layer.
3 - Color as you normally do, create a new layer, fill it with the color of your choice, reduce the opacity, optional: choose a layer setting like multiply or overlay screen etc. and voila, cohesive image (or fairly cohesive). Just make sure this is below your line art but above your color art - or your lines will be washed out (unless that's the look your going for.
4 - Start with the fill layer above everything else, (below the line art) adjust your opacity, and then color underneath it.
By using a fill to start your entire image, it unites it and makes it have a bedrock to start working from. Then you can use opposites and color theory to create things to pop or recede etc.
I got a blueish foresty area in my next comic I'm making... I'll try making the two foreground characters a little orangish to work with contrast. I knew this was an effective measure in painting, but never considered it in my comics, at least as far as applying a subtle hue to things were concerned. We'll see what I can come up with.
I discovered something recently that I've begun to apply to all my stuff:
BLUE IS YOUR FRIEND (or shades and tints) - especially for creating receding areas, or to help distinguish things from each other. Not solid blue though. It needs to be a tint, or an opacity - started applying it to some of my stuff I do with Corel Painter and it makes all the difference in the world.
In this case, if you want to push the color theory a little more - contrasts are a good thing to play with. Therefore, this blue has a slight purplish hue to it, so if you were to add the opposite that would be yellow. A yellow tint layer on the background area (say at 5% - 20%) then the foreground and background will really pop off each other.
The way to do this: Create yet another new layer. Invert your previous selection. Select a solid yellow - it doesn't have to be yellow yellow- but a yellow of some sort. Fill the layer, reduce the opacity to 5% - 20% and bing!
Martin, I like what you're doing and where you are going. It certainly does sets this WHO ON EARTH IS STARING AT THIS CITY AND IS IT OMINOUS type of feel, and I like that. I certainly understand your point that the foreground needs to be more disparate with the background - it is an epic struggle with me constantly; you have no idea.
Your alterations are, I suspect, an improvement. I will need to give it some more thought... it certainly does create that contrast that is always appreciated by all involved.
Hey Sven, this is merely a suggestion and that is all.
Created a new layer in Photoshop. Did a selection of the foreground, dropped a dark blue into the selection C93 M92 Y46 K62 and then dialed the layer back to 56% opacity. Erased a little bit here and there to create very tiny highlights. And pop! Just creates a little more distinction with the foreground vs. the background. Again merely a suggestion - can't wait to see this completed.
Martin, when grayscaled, it would appear that the grass in front should be darker as far as composition. I saw that and shrugged it off. I wouldn't mind seeing what you did though.
Thanks for the kind compliment Sven. Well. Hm. Your cover may need a slight tweak of some sort - but again for the life of me the "what" isn't coming to me. Perhaps it's perfect as is.
Maybe if you made your foreground darker - as if the grass, shrubs and the character and his dog are in the shadow of a tree? That way it would contrast more with the background which will be lighter...
Out from the darkness into the light :) But if it's done it's done.
Comments
Another quick tip - sometimes to unify your colors you can do a few things:
1 - in the background of your panel or page, put down a fill of the color/mood your looking for - and then build all the colors on top of it by picking and selecting new solids but using your base color to inform your color choices.
2 - Make a base layer. Create a new layer adjust the opacity so the base color can be seen through all the colors your putting on that layer.
3 - Color as you normally do, create a new layer, fill it with the color of your choice, reduce the opacity, optional: choose a layer setting like multiply or overlay screen etc. and voila, cohesive image (or fairly cohesive). Just make sure this is below your line art but above your color art - or your lines will be washed out (unless that's the look your going for.
4 - Start with the fill layer above everything else, (below the line art) adjust your opacity, and then color underneath it.
By using a fill to start your entire image, it unites it and makes it have a bedrock to start working from. Then you can use opposites and color theory to create things to pop or recede etc.
3 -
I discovered something recently that I've begun to apply to all my stuff:
BLUE IS YOUR FRIEND (or shades and tints) - especially for creating receding areas, or to help distinguish things from each other. Not solid blue though. It needs to be a tint, or an opacity - started applying it to some of my stuff I do with Corel Painter and it makes all the difference in the world.
In this case, if you want to push the color theory a little more - contrasts are a good thing to play with. Therefore, this blue has a slight purplish hue to it, so if you were to add the opposite that would be yellow. A yellow tint layer on the background area (say at 5% - 20%) then the foreground and background will really pop off each other.
The way to do this: Create yet another new layer. Invert your previous selection. Select a solid yellow - it doesn't have to be yellow yellow- but a yellow of some sort. Fill the layer, reduce the opacity to 5% - 20% and bing!
Martin, I like what you're doing and where you are going. It certainly does sets this WHO ON EARTH IS STARING AT THIS CITY AND IS IT OMINOUS type of feel, and I like that. I certainly understand your point that the foreground needs to be more disparate with the background - it is an epic struggle with me constantly; you have no idea.
Your alterations are, I suspect, an improvement. I will need to give it some more thought... it certainly does create that contrast that is always appreciated by all involved.
Hey Sven, this is merely a suggestion and that is all.
Created a new layer in Photoshop. Did a selection of the foreground, dropped a dark blue into the selection C93 M92 Y46 K62 and then dialed the layer back to 56% opacity. Erased a little bit here and there to create very tiny highlights. And pop! Just creates a little more distinction with the foreground vs. the background. Again merely a suggestion - can't wait to see this completed.
What about price?
Thanks for the kind compliment Sven. Well. Hm. Your cover may need a slight tweak of some sort - but again for the life of me the "what" isn't coming to me. Perhaps it's perfect as is.
Maybe if you made your foreground darker - as if the grass, shrubs and the character and his dog are in the shadow of a tree? That way it would contrast more with the background which will be lighter...
Out from the darkness into the light :) But if it's done it's done.
Digging the style.
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