There is a non-colored version which better explains my inspiration/likes/dislikes of this piece. As for what you see here... This be the colored version, with eye open cuz Malthus has pretty emerald eyes. *Rolling my own eyes, which are decidedly not emerald or green at all* What’s up with emerald green eyes making me go all mushy? For that matter, what’s up with Malthus making me all mushy? … Well, that’s simple, I suppose. He’s a sexy beast. He makes all the freaks like me go mushy. ;P
Okay, I colored it in colored pencil, my only option essentially. Which has taught me a lesson. Colored pencils (mine at least) are like crayons. You can’t blend crayons! You can’t blend colored pencils! ARGH! Maybe if I had the good kind instead of Crayola ripoff… And maybe if I pray to baby Jesus really hard I’ll win the lottery, too.
Anyway, once that long, tedious, painful in the neck and fingers job was done I scanned it in and, lo and behold, the scanner decided it didn’t want to pick up a lot of the lighter tones. Mainly the pink and flesh colors. That’s where Photoshop saves my ass! As it always does, with readjusting the contrast so the lines actually show up no matter if I color or not. :D I adjusted the color balance, filled, and applied filters to get the color and texture closer to the original. But it looks a little too perfect. That’s why Darwin’s skin probably looks a little too even for it to be colored pencil, and why the heart at the top looks all spiff. Also used it on the lower parts of Malthus’ shirt because the blues weren’t blending (damn you colored pencils…).
If the results are this good with the fill and filter I may just say screw you to those pencils and digitally color from now on. At least then I can get the hues I want, and with those filters it can look pretty badass. But, how to get the shading? I have no tablet and the mouse is all wonky. Plus I don’t know how to shade with Photoshop anyway. Or on paper. Grrrrrfff…
Uh, I just had a thought. Why in the hell am I justifying my usage of Photoshop to all of you? Iz mah business how I get my artwork to look as minimally crappy as it is! GRAWR! lol
Anywho, y’all let me know what you think. And… (You knew it was coming) PLUG! Read the story behind the art! Pandaemonium: Hearts Lost in Chaos, by yours truly. Experience the legend! Swords! Magic! Sex of various persuasions! Fun for the whole family! (Seriously!?!?) You know, if that’s your thing. ;P
I babble way too much shit in these little boxes…