I 3d model rooms in CSP and then convert it to lineart. I hate drawing backgrounds with a burning passion so this just means I only have to colour em.
Although sometimes I still hand draw everything anyway, it's good to still get a bit of practice in. I also don't like any of the tree or plant related models, so imma just do it myself.
(so these were completely drawn by myself)
@KevinReijnders
well, you see, this is how I shade
I apply a texture of small lines to define the shadows, the I copy it twice to define volume. I usually rasterize the layers so the program goes faster.
now here's where the quick action comes in.
I have it set to apply the masks and fuse the shadow layers (I have to select this), then, it select the pixels all this layers occupy, and select the modify selection-> round up (I think that's what is called in english). then it changes my brush color to the blue I allways use for shading, then it creates another layer and fille the selection with that blue.
now all I have to do is move it belolw the lines and done!
I suppose the only "shortcut" I use is 3d modeling for backgrounds/perspective caus I hate that stuff so need to make it as easy and quick as possible for myself to not give up on my comic
Also after Ive made a bigger establishing shot with a background I often reuse it for smaller panels, many times just blurring it a bit or even flipping it so I can reuse it as much as possible
I set out a template file for all my pages, set to the correct dimensions and with layers already created.
Then I load and resave that as the new files and I don't have to create new layers each time, plus it makes sure my pages are all the same size.
I do the same with manuscripts for paperback publishing too.
Oof I feel that, 3D modeling is a life saver for me as well when I need to do more complex backgrounds. Also a nice excuse to fire up Blender again and do some modeling, still have a love for that stuff haha.
I have a simular thing as well! The dimensions I use are saved as a preset in my Photoshop, but the layers, text bubble templates and panel bordering is all saved in a single template file. When starting to layout a page, I copy/paste the assets from the template to the workfile.
I don't know enough about how to use art programs to have many shortcuts (but I do intend to delve deeper into it this coming winter). I have recently started using some shortcuts though, namely, reusing certain background elements.
Here is the first time I did it, though you can't really tell. When I draw a background I draw the whole thing, regardless of what will be visible in the final image. In this particular one, I drew the whole throne room, including the throne, which became blocked by the foreground characters:
So the next scene, when Darion was actually sitting in the throne, I reused it, along with the whole back wall:
Similarly, in this one, I drew the whole Great Hall in detail even though the characters in the foreground would obscure most of it:
I really liked the way those windows turned out, so I reused 'em for a following scene:
And again:
And (I'm ashamed to admit it), again:
But sometimes the easiest shortcut is to not draw a background at all. But there's more short-cuttery going on here: That wolf was reused in another scene (shown a few images above. Normally I'd never C&P a major scene element, but the wolf is frozen in mid air by magic, he literally is paralyzed, so this was the easiest and most accurate way to show that):
@Aster
You just reminded me that I need to start making some models for my comic before I start doing my next chapter, thank you.
I also do 3D models to help me out especially the poses and perspective and whatnot. I still do the construction inside the models to be more authentic with it and it's been working with me.
Sometimes, if I have to redraw backgrounds and has plenty of details, I can copy and paste that bg again and adjust it a bit to keep the continuity as much as possible... we're going Hanna-Barbera style!!! because why not? It's already drawn, anyway... why not use them again and again to speed things up!
I memorise poses, hands, faces in simple structures, train them so I can draw and bend them without reference.
I don´t know if this really counts as a shortcut or is just part of the learning how to draw
Reference slows me down and makes my drawings stiff because I try to stay too close to the reference
and often the poses are not good or don´t fit with my cartoony style
Excellent idea, honestly I wish I designed my shots more with reusing backgrounds in mind. Would save a ton of work haha.
3D model gang represent
The best shortcut of them all, endless practise and repetition. Ngl, probably part of why I am able to redraw the same hand pose over and over again without much thought, is because I've trained myself to draw it.
My shortcuts aren't usually shortcuts without force of habit and repetition, but usually they are:
Script + thumbnail done at the same time (Script in PC with StimuWrite, then copypasted to Google Doc for basic grammar or typographic errors, Thumbnails in traditional with pencil, just big enough and understandable to take a picture to redraw on top with my tablet)
Add speech bubble and dialogue, if you don't have to send high-res files with no dialogue to anybody you can excuse yourself with those parts to avoid needing to do unnecessary inking or coloring
3d models and backgrounds
Lineart with a bigger brush in a vector layer, then thin out. Confident strokes for main lines and shapes, leave detail for last
I use one single brush for sketching, and another brush for inking
Have prepared a color palette to easy select base colors, shadows and lights
Coloring and shading by using the Fill With no Gaps Tool3 CSP asset
Save your backgrounds and Vector Lines, you can re-use or tweak them a bit
Using references is good, a trick to avoid copying them or redraw a lot is to trace the basic shapes, then morph a bit to match your style (Obviously better said than done)
If what I'm doing is solely mine, I don't bother in making it perfect, looks wonky? Ok fuck it, moving forward. I'm not getting paid nor receiving tips for it.
keyboard shortcuts. You can also customize them to better suit your hand position.
reusing/tracing backgrounds. Draw one background and use it multiple times.
panel templates. Create a default and adjusted if needed. It’s so much easier than starting from scratch. I also feel like the premade panels help me to organize my thoughts better.