TWO METHODS COMIC ART

SOFTWARE: PhotoImpactXL
AUTHOR: Hillie
HOME PAGE: Hillie's imagEnation
TITLE: Two Methods Comic Art
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner
TOOLS USED: Effect Menu, Layer Manager, Merge Modes
ADDITIONAL FILES: Download photo of my niece (Method 1)
Download my lorikeet photo (Method 2) or use your own photo.
Image sites: Search these image library links.

DESCRIPTION: Create two types of comic-book-like images from a photo - one glossy with evident lines and one hand-painted.

INSTRUCTIONS METHOD 1: GLOSSY COMIC ART

Save often.

1. Open your photo. I have used a more neutral one (although with bright highlights) but colourful photos work very well for both methods. Save As so you are not working on the original.

3. Ctrl A (Select), Ctrl Shift O (Convert to object).

4. Shift D (Duplicate).

5. Change the Merge Mode in the Layer Manager from Always to Darken in the drop-down box up the top. You won't notice a difference in the image. (For those who are recording this in the Quick Command Panel, I found that doing it this way wouldn't record the action. To overcome this problem, click on the Thumbnail menu commands icon in the Layer Manager, select Properties and change the mode in there.)

6. Effect / Blur / Gaussian Blur / Options / Radius 9.

7. Shift D (Duplicate). The Merge Mode should still be set to Darken.

8. Effect / All / Emphasize Edges / Options Level 5 to bring out the line-art even more, Transparency in the Layer Manager set to 30. You may like to stop at Step 6 if you feel there's too much "noise".

9. Object / Merge All. My end result:

INSTRUCTIONS METHOD 2: HAND-PAINTED COMIC ART

1. The lorikeet has a lot of bright, contrasty colours which will work very well for this method. When done it will look like a bright, painted, comic book image.

2. Ctrl A (Select), Ctrl Shift O (Convert to object).

3. Shift D (Duplicate).

5. With the duplicate layer active, go to Effect / Artistic / Coloured Pen / Level 55. Click OK.

6. In the Layer Manager change the Merge Mode to Hard Light.

7. Duplicate this layer to emphasise the lines a bit more. Move the Transparency slider til you are happy with the look of your image.

8. Object / Merge All. My end result:

Hillie © 2004