Crank Those Panels Comp Series 2 - #1 - Acroyear

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Fiesty_Badger6

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#1  Edited By Fiesty_Badger6

This challenge is for Artists who are interested in getting some practice drawing sequential art or just showing off their already stellar talents. This contest was created by RamsIllustrations about three years ago and ran for about a year. To check out the winners from that run of the competition click here.

This new series of CRANK THOSE PANELS willbe kicking off with a micro adventure featuring the Micronaut, ACROYEAR. (pictured)

You can have him doing anything you want with whichever other characters you like, but if you'd prefer more structure than that you could draw to this script I have prepared:

"Acroyear has left the Microverse and searches for his fellow Micronaut, Princess Mari (Marionette - also pictured) in a haunted seeming mansion. He is tiny compared with normal people and after flying all over the large house finds Marionette imprisoned in a bird cage." You can make this as simple as a two panel page or flesh it out however much you'd like.

Good luck and bear in mind that no-one is ever Neal Adams on their first attempt at comic art. Not even Neal Adams.

Contest will run for a month so on the 19th of February you'll need your page(s) in. Also... all your hard work won't just be disappearing into a vacuum since quite a few of the pre contest revival poll respondents have expressed their willingness to critique your panel art.

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RamsIllustrations

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#2  Edited By RamsIllustrations

Decided to gives this a go and a welcome back!

Here's my prelims and rough draft of where I am at with it so far. Weekends here and I won't be around to finish until sometime next week.

No Caption Provided

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KEROGA

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@ramsillustrations: Beautiful Shots and close ups!..

I've recently bought this book;I think It'll help me with shot and storytelling!

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Fiesty_Badger6

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That's pretty great @ramsillustrations. Only thing that springs to mind is that marionette's nose is either a little too flat or else the space between her top top lip and nose is too great, or her eyes are too far apart... I'm not sure which. And Acroyear"s back boot in the central panel seems a little awry. Otherwise, the characters are just right and the backgrounds are really well thought out, Everything"s really well framed and I really like the pie on the window sill. Great of you to show us this BTW, Looks great.

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6:

Its just the rough version, but i will keep your suggestions in mind when im finishing it. Just wanted you to know someone was working on it.:p

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Fiesty_Badger6

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#6  Edited By Fiesty_Badger6

Thanks @ramsillustrations. I think you will have lit a fire under some people by showing your rough layout stage artwork. I'm still trying to figure out Acroyear's costume but when I get my rough layout ready. I'll post it up and I'm fully prepared (and looking forward to) being critically butchered.

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RamsIllustrations

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#7  Edited By RamsIllustrations

@fiesty_badger6:

On what I have so far was not about accuracy. I was trying to get the camera angles and mood and telling the story so that very little would have to be written to understand what was going on. Although your points are valid on her face it was about expressing fear and stress that she was imprisoned and he was coming to save her. His foot in the rear with his boot in the middle panel I dont see as wrong and I have mirrored it but will adjust it if I feel it needs it. I guess its a perception thing. Glad u liked it for the most part. :)

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Fiesty_Badger6

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@ramsillustrations, That's the thing about criticism, I suppose,it can be like a leg up at times and other times you can listen to it entirely at your own peril. I definitely like the action and feel of your layouts. I wouldn't have been so picky but if I wasn't I would have had nothing to criticize at all.

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6:

Thanks but as an Artist yourself you yourself know to criticize AFTER the drawing or painting is finished not when its under construction. Hehehe...

Just giving you a hard time :p

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Fiesty_Badger6

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6

There, there, would you care for a warm beverage? :p

@keroga:

Thanks man I appreciate that! Great place to start. Read it and join this contest. Its all about the practice. :)

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dimitridkatsis

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#12  Edited By dimitridkatsis

@keroga: Oh man the Wizard magazine basic training, you remind me of good times.

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Mrfuzzynutz

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Ah... in ever really read Micronauts..I will try to get some work in, but not very familiar with these guys.

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#14  Edited By Fiesty_Badger6
No Caption Provided

My sequential art skills are pretty non-existant. But i spent today drawing the characters trying to arrive at some sort of action sequence. I also found some reference images. and tried adding them into the sequence to flesh it out a bit more. I might end up with a Scooby-Doo type adventure the way I'm going. This isn't finished either - in case ya'll can't tell.

Oh and @ramsillustrations, If you have any liquified talent laying around, I'll have a cup.

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6:

This is starting to get a great creepy feel in the direction you are going. Your sketches of Acroyear work well but I dont think he would be saving that cross dressing dude Marionette.

Run Acroyear run!!! Uh, I mean fly away!!! :p

@mrfuzzynutz

Hope u join in the fun, the more the merrier!

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Fiesty_Badger6

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@ramsillustrations. Acroyear is just a fool for that lady's masculine . er feminine charmz.

but I see what you mean. While I was drawing her someone said "is that a boy or a girl." so I quickly erased her side burns and goatee. Her honker is still too wide and her chin's too prominant and...and...<honk>

See I can take criticism too <sniff> and these tears streaming down my cheeks are tears of joy.

@mrfuzzynutz yep. The more, the scarier.

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KEROGA

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@dimitridkatsis: Yea! Wizard was a bit before my time..but this book is so freaking awesome and enlightening!

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KEROGA

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#18  Edited By KEROGA
Rough draft
Rough draft

First Part of the whole thing......I dont know how i feel about this guys...its always epic in my mind and then when being brought to reality its come out not great......cantdraw settings :(

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Fiesty_Badger6

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#19  Edited By Fiesty_Badger6

I like it @keroga. The way his air stream is showing that he's searching for something. I think if he is reacting to a noise coming from an air vent, visible behind him in panel 3 then panel 4 could show him inside the airvent. It's a pretty dynamic setup.

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Fiesty_Badger6

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This comps been sitting at the bottom of the pinned threads for too long. I thought I'd give it a boost.

Also a reminder - there's only about 12 Days to go. So keep them pencils flying and don't be aiming too high. Something is better than nothing and you can get better as the comps progress. The real prize is drawing some comic art.

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Claymore1998

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Very cool

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Fiesty_Badger6

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@keroga, @ramsillustrations. We're getting down to the wire on this one. I still haven't finished mine but I'll get it in on time if it kills me. But if either of you or anyone else who's working on their page needs any more time. That's not a problem. Let me know and I'll extend the deadline a little for yer.

No Caption Provided

As you can see I haven't gotten that far mesself>>>>

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Fiesty_Badger6

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Ok well here's mine. I'll leave the comp open another 24 hours and longer if anyone needs it

I've been going at this the hard way pressurizing my brain but in the end I had to just stop & learn a little about just relaxing at letting the frames place themselves. Zen and the comic artiste.

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6:

Hey man, you are doing a really great job and it shows. I don't know if Keroga will finish his but I have had a really busy week.

I'm on my way out at the moment but will try and tighten what I already have so it's more contest worthy.

Just a suggestion but why not give it a couple more days and I will try tonight and tomorrow night to have a more polished version posted. That way it will also give you a little more time on yours. It's up to you.

Ill check back and see if you extended it before I sit down and work on mine. :)

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ArdenBelfry

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Sorry I missed out on this one, looks like fun. Great job everyone.

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Fiesty_Badger6

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Thanks @ramsillustrations,and a couple more days it is. I'll wait till you've posted before I put up the voting thread.

I could def use the extra time too.

Thanks @ardenbelfry. The comps extended a bit if you can work that quick and we could extend longer if you need more time.. But if you'd rather wait for next month's comp That's OK too. Not trying to pressure you. It has been a fun and rewarding little exercise.

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ArdenBelfry

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@fiesty_badger6: Thank you, but I will wait for the next one, I have some work I have to finish up on a project anyways. speaking of which back to the drawing table.....

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Fiesty_Badger6

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Look forward to your entry in the next round @ardenbelfry.. .

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6:

Funny, we look at these Comic books that transport us to crazy and sometimes wonderful worlds and characters. Most everyone goes through the pages in a matter of minutes. Some, like us artist's may linger much longer marveling at the art, sometimes bad sometimes great. Little do most people realize or take into account how much work gets put into each book.

I was reading some of your comments above and I know you are seeing first hand its not easy doing just one page. A lot of thought and skill as well as practice goes into this.

So far you have handled yourself well and Bravo to you for doing so. Due to the amount of time involving this, it came down to only a couple of us artists that kept it alive the last go round, the contest that is.

As much as I love seeing it every month not sure how often you will enter as well as a couple of others trying their hand at it. Hope Arden joins the next one and Keroga finishes his.

At least now you have a pretty decent idea how much extra it takes to come up with just a few panels. :p

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Fiesty_Badger6

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Yeah @ramsillustrations. I'll be making an entries for as long as it runs or until I get a professional gig as an artist on a series. I've been thinking of taking the Kubert correspondence art courses to try to lift my game a bit more than I would be able to lift it on my own as well.

The quote that springs to mind is from John Byrne who said "I wouldn't do it if it wasn't easy." but having said that naturals like him don't come along every day and the rest of us have to do the hard slog, like you say . I'd rather do the hard slog the easiest possible way, even so.

Also - Has there ever been a cover contest run here? I think that could be a fun thing to try out a little further down the track as well. Cover art requires a pretty unique skill set as well.

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6:

Now I remember why I quit doing my own contest. I just dont have the time for this. :p

I thought I would cut corners by just adding some flat colors and making it look a bit polished.

OMG this is taking forever and its just pretty simple coloring. Tch,tch on me hehehe...

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This is what I have so far. I work tomorrow so this is it for today. Still need to finish that bird cage panel and some adjustments and tightening up but can't until Sunday or Monday. Its starting to come together but there is is still a lot of little things left..

Go ahead if you want and start the voting. If not I will try and finish when I can this weekend...

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Fiesty_Badger6

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That's looking great @ramsillustrations.

I'll hold off the voting till you've finished.

I've finished mine. though - I should prob fix the useless derelict building drawing and clean off some of the smudging. So I could def use some more time too.

No Caption Provided

I hope you ll keep entering too: even though from the look of your layout and the speed you got it together you could easily go out and get work right now as a comic artist. If you wanted.

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RamsIllustrations

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@fiesty_badger6:

Hey man Thanks.

You never know maybe one day, it's the main reason I keep practicing now. Its different enjoying the practice here on CV than actually doing it for a living. Its actually pretty easy for me now but it's still a lot of work and time for what it takes as a daily routine. I Love doing it and the time does disappear once I start on any project.

Hardest thing for me is stopping once I get going but that can be a bit of a problem when other things in life and responsibilities intrude with the creative flow once it starts.

I am home from work but need to get some shut eye and I will get back on this to finish it later tonight or early tomorrow.

You are doing a bang up job on yours. love the Zzzz effect on him whizzing through the panel, it really works for me. :D

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Mrfuzzynutz

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I have regretfully bow out of this challenge and others for the near future. I have been dealing with matters in my personal life that have slowly been eating away at my confidence and overall outlook on life, they say its depression, but I don't want to take meds and go to shrinks and sun...but feel like I am in a losing battle. But were once I enjoyed drawing every line just frustrates me and makes me feel worse.

SO all thatt o say is I will be taking a step back for a few until I can find my focus. I really wanted to help this thread take off and add to it, but maybe when I am feeling better Sorry for not being able to lend a hand on this

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ZZoMBiE13

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Fiesty_Badger6

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@mrfuzzynutz I'm sorry to hear that you have been feeling low. It seems to be common with people who have an artistic temperament. I think of myself more as a draftsman and maybe thinking that way could assist you as well to just enjoy your drawing as a purely technical and relaxing exercise when you come back to it. I also listen to my narrator reading me classic stories when I'm drawing sometimes - helps to focus the alpha waves or something...

Like John Romita Jr says "comic art isn't gallery art" it doesn't have to be and can't be a masterpiece due to the time constraints - and whatever he's finished at the deadline is what he submits.

@ramsillustrations looking forward to seeing what you've come up with. I'm looking forward to not winning too so I can try drawing from someone else's plotline and character selection like prof artists mostly do.. Hopefully quite a few people will be casting their votes on our stuff too and come on board with their own art

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RamsIllustrations

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@mrfuzzynutz:

Hey Fuzzy,

I hope you can snap out of it buddy. Hate to see a fellow artist go through this. Not sure if this helps but try and find positives in negatives instead of the other way around. Try and keep your mind occupied and do not dwell on what may bring you down.

Entertain yourself with as many funny shows as you can.

I have faith in you man that you will overcome.

@fiesty_badger6:

Hey Feisty thanks for waiting, here we go!

Rushed this and it needs some touch ups and maybe everything isn't where it should be but I needed to get things done...

Even gave her the 80's big hair style.

Let's vote! :P

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deltaoutlaw

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All of you that can draw backgrounds and scenery, I hate you. hahah Not really, I enjoy seeing everyone's work. I just hate that I can't seem to figure out backgrounds for panels.

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RamsIllustrations

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@deltaoutlaw:

Hey man, simplify the process. Most of us see all the detail and can be overwhelmed.

Clear your mind, look at everything as a shape within a shape within a shape.

Start with the larger ones and work within them. The basics on storytelling and backgrounds start with this.

When your mind stops over complicating the things that you see, it becomes easy and simple but you have to cross that line mentally. I have known this all my life but it wasn't until 2012 that it sunk in correctly.

Its amazing how simple it becomes to draw anything when you do. Sky is the limit. Hope to see you join in sometime in the near future....

Good luck with your shapes!

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deltaoutlaw

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@ramsillustrations: I can usually get the general shapes after some work, but it's putting in detail that's the biggest issue.

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@deltaoutlaw. Like RamsIllustrations says there really aren't any secrets that the pros are keeping to themselves. I'm nowhere near as good as Rams at BG's but my BG's are easy things to explain most of them are one and two point perspective. John Byrne adds a three point perspective grid to all of his panels even ones that don't have Backgrounds because he likes to be able to place his characters in space. Three point p has two points located on the horizon line and a third either in the sky or below the ground.

I think you'll feel more comfortable adding detail if you're sure you're putting it in the right place. Oh yeah and the picture I put up was something I found that helped me to demistify the perspective thing a lot. You can use it to find relative heights and widths of all sorts of things

@ramsillustrations. Looks great & The threads up.

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RamsIllustrations

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@deltaoutlaw:

Yes and thats why I wrote:

Look into each shape and find the next shape within another shape within another shape.

For some reason as I mentioned artists get overwhelmed by detail but detail itself is just as easy.

Each shape has a shape or shape that become the whole. Don't look at it as the detail within but the next shapes within. When you trigger that mentally then everything will be much easier, the simplification of it should solve the problem easily but I think we keep looking at it as detail and not as the smaller shapes within shape.

I know because although I knew this, as I mentioned, it did not sink in for a very long time.

@fiesty_badger6:

Hey man that's great. I was hoping Keroga would have something else coming but it does say first draft on his. Did not want to move on without his but it really looks like there's not much to use as an entry piece at this point.

We where discussing shapes. Perspective is a whole nother ball game. Glad you threw that up there. Good outline on that but too much too soon can be nerve racking for some, maybe most off us artists in the early stages of practice. :p

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#43 shatterstar  Moderator

Lots of good discussion here, hopefully the next in the series continues the trend.