Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Crossroads
Chapter 01 Cover Collaboration
With the end of Chapter One within sights, it's time we get together and create a formal cover for the chapter- and maybe even a title for it. We'll be taking input from everyone- even those who aren't even on the art team- in making the cover. This will be the cover that'll be visible on the PMDXR Smackjeeves site until we get a formal overall comic cover later down the road (we'll do that after a little more story to get a better feel of our main/supporting cast!)
Please post what roles you're interested in doing in your first post in this thread. You may volunteer for as many roles as you want, but do specify the ones you're most interested in. We'll decide who does what as we go down the line. Anyone and everyone can help with the ideas/thumbnails, but after that we must limit to one person to job to minimize inconsistencies in styles as well as the transferring of files. Just post what roles you're interested in and we'll work it all out. If you don't get the role/s you want this time around, don't fret. When the next cover creation collaboration comes around, those who didn't get their preferred roles will get preference.
Ways to Help!
- Idea Generation (As many as possible!)
- Thumbnail Making (As many as possible!)
- Final Sketch (One Person)
- Inking (One Person)
- Flat Colors (One Person)
- Shading (One Person)
Note: Inker and Colorists must have an art program capable of opening PSD files.
How It'll Work
- Ideas: First we'll generate as many ideas for the cover and chapter title as we can based on the events in the first chapter. We'll work out what characters we want to see, setting, etc. etc.
- Thumbnails: We make very very rough sketches of possible compositions for the cover based on the idea/s given. These are basically unpolished sketches and doodles and are often at a smaller resolution than the final. This will be ongoing at the same time as idea-generation.
- Final Sketch: Everyone will vote for their favorite thumbnail. Once one is chosen someone will create a final polished sketch for the cover. Once done, it'll be posted for feedback, get some final tweaks and edits, then sent onward for inking.
- Inking: Another person will do the linework for the page! All the lines will be done. The inker is expected to have clean, crisp, and closed lines to make the next person's job easier. Once done it'll be posted for feedback, get tweaked as needed, then sent to the next person in line.
- Flat Colors: A simple but vital job! The person in charge does all the flat colors of the file. Leave no shape unfilled! Leave no corner unchecked! Colorist is expected to layer the flat colors in an organized way to make the shader's life easier. Once the colors are done, get feedback, tweaks, etc. etc. send to next person.
- Shading: Last person does the shading and lighting of the page. Once done, feedback, tweaks, etc. etc. Lettering is added and page is posted. Ta-daa!
Idea Tips and Guidelines
- The ideas should be based on the events and characters portrayed in the chapter.
- Not all characters need to be present.
- While things should be based on the chapter, it doesn't have to be strictly about what happens. For example, you can focus on characters on the cover without having to make it about the story.
- The more ideas, the better. One idea can lead to another and so-on.
Thumbnail Tips and Guidelines
- Thumbnails are basically tiny, rough, drawings to quickly express ideas for composition and design. They need not be detailed or polished in any way.
- Thumbnails can be any size so long as it's proportional to the actual page size.
- The more the merrier! Again, one idea can lead to another.
- Color is not necessary, but if you want to do some rough colors, why not! Same with shading!
Sketching Tips and Guidelines
- Sketches should follow the selected thumbnail as closely as possible. However, adjustments may be made as needed to improve the composition and whatnot.
- Try to make the sketch as clean as possible so that the person doing the inks can easily tell what is what. Pick a good clean pencil or hard round brush for legibility.
Inking Tips and Guidelines
- All lineart should be done on a PSD file so that colors can be done on separate layers.
- Use a clean and crisp inking brush. If you're using Photoshop CC, you should have access to all of Kyle's amazing brushes thanks to a recent merging of Kylebrush.com and Adobe. There are some amazing inking brushes in Kyle's sets. (I use Clean as a Whistle for most of my inking!) A clean/crisp inking brush allows for easier coloring!
- Doing the lineart on one layer is okay. So is doing it on multiple. If you make the lineart on multiple layers, be sure to name the layers so we know what is on each layer. Layering can help keep things easily editable down the line- just be sure to be sensible with the layer organization!
Flat Colors Tips and Guidelines
- Flat colors should be clean and cover all portions of the image. Double check corners in the lineart for areas that the fillbucket tool might not reach.
- Colors should not be on one big layer. Try to break up the color layers in a sensible way that will make it easy for the shader to work with. (I personally have 3 flat color layers for ALL characters- not each- then 3-4 for backgrounds.)
- A good way to separate out color layers would be by objects/parts of a character. For example, Naya has three color layers: One for her orange body, one for her floof, and one for her eyes/ears/necklace. This allows each area to be shaded individually. If Naya had stripes, they'd be included on the first layer since they would be shaded with the body.
- Using layer masks helps color on markings while still keeping it to the same base layer for shading!
Shading Tips and Guidelines
- Doing your shading on multiple layers is often a good idea. This allows for layer Blend Modes to be effectively used to make your life easier.
- A great blend mode for shadows would be the multiply mode. It'll take the color of your shadow and automatically use that to make it darker than the color below while also tinting the base color towards the shadow color. Just don't use grey or black: That's boring!
- Some good blend modes for highlights and lights are screen, overlay, hard light, soft light, vivid light, etc. - Experiment! There's a lot of neat effects to be gained from that.
- Don't be afraid to use multiple layers of shadows or highlights. Also don't be afraid to mix up hard shadows, soft shadows, etc. for varying effects. The real world uses a mix, so there's no reason you shouldn't too!
- Check out the color theory/shading guide here for more tips and tricks for shading. A bit outdated, but it gets the point across:
