This is my latest Warmage page:
I am trying for a delicate balance here. The page starts out in a 3D programme, then goes to GIMP for post work. I do a stack of layered filtered and altered images for each panel, and then adjust transparency until I have the look I am going for. I am not trying to hide the 3D origins of the page, but I am trying to give it more of an artwork vibe, kill the photoreal look, and eliminate or at least minimise the uncanny valley look.
Currently, the stack of layers goes like this, in this order:
Outline (with alpha colour)
Inkdrawing (with alpha colour)
Shadows (picture reduced to B&W with alpha colour)
Pastels (with strong strokes)
Comics (The standard reduced colour outlined filter, set to 50 colours)
Paints
Original
I generally set the paints to 100% and then the other layers to varying degrees of transparency depending on lights, shadows, and so forth. There's no formula that works, I just have to play with the levels on each panel before I load it into the page.
So the question is, does this solve the listed problems?
Eagle
(As that is the goal)