A dummies guide to Digital Coloring

[Crimson Rage]

Hey Jamar!
I've attatched the first OPERATION SEALION page I've coloured (I tried sending it in a PM but it was too large I think) for your inspection. It's a Jpeg, but obviously I have it as a saved PD file too.
I like to think I'll improve as I go on, picking up tips and such.

So, "yea" or "nay"? Do I continue (and trust me, if it doesn't measure up I can take rejection!)

even if you like it, are there any tips to add so I can become more 'polished'?
I did actually enjoy doing it more than I thought as Photodeluxe is so easy to get into. Of course, it is tough colouring art that was originally intended to be black and white as there's plenty of 'dead space' on the panel and I have to 'guess' what's so supposed to be there and what colour to use (but I suppose you know all this being a veteran!!:))



There's a bit of colour bleed on the second panel where blue overlaps into the dialogue box. I've already fixed that on the original.

[jamarmiller]

thats beautiful!! really really good stuff !!! so yes yes yes PLEASE continue

now if you can just send me the photoshop file to my e-mail address that I wrote above ( my e-mail can take it so dont worry! )

if you have some problem with your e-mail adress then you can send it by using

yousendit.com which a free file transfer service

just input my e-mail address

again cant thank you enough!

Looks like we have another up and coming colorist added to the project!! WELCOME!!

oh tell me how you want to be credited

and if you have a site or anything you would like us to link to

if not well just link to your profile here!!

[Double-Tap]

crimson rage thats awesome my one crit is that the yellow on the q force dudes is too pale, apart from that well done
Bill

[Crimson Rage]

crimson rage thats awesome my one crit is that the yellow on the q force dudes is too pale, apart from that well done
Bill

I'm not just saying this, but I thought so too! Next page they get 'yellowed up'!!!

[Malcolm Orr]

Here's twp ics I coloured in from Scarlett and Quickfire in the Datafiles section of the downloads...





What I do is to colour is to use the paintbrush tool, but on darken which basically colours in white, leaving the black. If you do this on layer one, you can cut out later.

Then I use the soft brush to add colour in darker shades. This is a lot quicker, especially if the brush opacity is 20% or something.

Then I use the BURN tool on the midtones or shadows to make the darker areas darker, and the DOGDE tool on the highlights to make the highlights brighter. Set at about 44% flow. This gives a flat or even shaded area a 3d look, and also because it's not a particular colour, it can be used on all the image in one episode of dabbing. Much of Quarrel's face is done using this, back and forth, to get the look of a 3d shape.

On my pics for my profiles, I use a second layer, a direct copy of the first, and do a paunt daubs filter from the artistic filter selection - wide blurry setting and reduce opacity to about 20% to just give a slight glow.

[fuzzchile]

Scarlett
really should be in S.A.S force as should Quarrel :Quarell:seeing as they're both commando's .. nice colouring btw I hope you will be colouring some stories.

[Malcolm Orr]

I'd love to any outstanding datafiles

[The Baron]

Patience, youngling.

[Malcolm Orr]

Patience, youngling.

LOL!

Mainly I'm colouring them in for personal projects (the Filecards I'm making for the SAS Customs and the Shooting Range targets) and have them on file coloured on my computer, so I can post what I have done here if anyone wants them (Some are reconstructed as well to replace parts that go behind banners). Also I've enjoyed the comics on the site and so I feel if I can contribute at some point, I should.

However....

I do have another idea, completely separate, that should be fun for people - a continuation of the Action Force story in the modern Joe era (that's what the SAS customs are for) along the lines of this range of photo diorama stories I do here...

http://www.drwho-online.co.uk/timetales/

- everything there -the writing, sets, customs, photoshopping and photography are all 100% my work! (eXCEPT THE pOLICE bOX PROP and Lou and Andy!)

[The Baron]

A very quick setup guide for first-time Photoshoppers:

1) ALT+I M R (changes image from Greyscale to RGB mode)
2) CTRL+J (creates new B&W layer)
3) CTRL+SHIFT+N [name it "Colour"] ENTER (creates work-area layer)
4) In the Layers window drop-down menu (bottom right-hand corner), change from Normal to Multiply.
5) Save as .tiff

You will now be able to splash as much colour on as you like without going over the black lines.

Once your masterpiece is complete:

1) ALF+F (Flattens layers)
2) Save as .jpg

PLEASE DO NOT ALTER THE PAGE NAME, DIMENSIONS OR DPI!