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Thread: Pulp Book Covers

  1. #11
    Just having a bit of a play around with this one. I picked up the public domain works of Robert E Howard and although the edition I found is nicely edited and free of major errors, the presentation is a bit dull. Just for my own personal use, I decided to re-format them into ebooks more to my own liking and will later treat myself to some printed editions - starting with Conan. I don't like doorstops, so I'm splitting the Conan stories into four volumes.

    Although I'm happy with the overall layout and the fonts, I do need to tweak them a bit (the kearning in 'Tales' is bothering me now that I've noticed it). Of course, this version of Conan owes more to the comics than the original character but I'll try to vary him up a bit with each cover - so he'll have some armour next time.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #12
    Join Date
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    Looks to me, in this Conan one, like you're taking it past the original illustration technique into your own very elegant, more transparent style -- one of the characteristics of digital compared with the old techniques and media. I quite like this look you're doing. Feels fresh when less opaque. Certainly the layouts are very vintage.
    "Not a bit is wasted and the best is yet to come. . ." -- remembered from a dream

  3. #13
    I still need to adjust the kearning around the letter 'T' but otherwise, I'm OK with this one now. I'm still planning to set up a blog for creating pulp covers and thought that it would be fun if the tutorial title cards were themselves faux covers. Unfortunately, I have slowed my own progress a tad as I've just bought Affinity Photo and am trying to learn the different ways it does things.

    This was the usual method, render in Poser, adjustments in PSE8 with a little help form the Cutout filter (sadly missing from Affinity), then into Artrage and back to PSE8. Limited brush work on the muscles though, as it's a tricky balance of visible brush strokes for effect and lost of detail. Plenty of brush work on the lady though.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #14
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    These are awesome! Is the print dot pattern achieved with a layered overlay?

  5. #15
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    Faro, Algarve, Portugal
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    Very good work you are a great artist
    Visit my website here

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    Hello TEB (TheEarnestBunny)

    Your concepts are great and your art work is splendid!

    I do notice that since your painting is so well done, you end up conveying the origin of your references. i.e. they end up looking a little "plastic" or CG (I assume you are using digital maquettes). It's remarkable that it is unintended but that you paint so well it still shows through... Have you tried using real people and real world lighting as your models? Maybe a friend would volunteer for an afternoon! I bet you would capture and replicate reality just as well and I think the results would still be very cool but subtly more real looking. Anyway my 2 cents.

    Cheers!

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by DarkOwnt View Post
    Hello TEB (TheEarnestBunny)

    Your concepts are great and your art work is splendid!

    I do notice that since your painting is so well done, you end up conveying the origin of your references. i.e. they end up looking a little "plastic" or CG (I assume you are using digital maquettes). It's remarkable that it is unintended but that you paint so well it still shows through... Have you tried using real people and real world lighting as your models? Maybe a friend would volunteer for an afternoon! I bet you would capture and replicate reality just as well and I think the results would still be very cool but subtly more real looking. Anyway my 2 cents.

    Cheers!

    Hi,

    I really can't claim to be painting these (without a ruler and set square, I can't even draw for toffee). My project goal from the outset has been to find a way to produce covers that ape those of pulps past but which could still be affordable by the people currently publishing today's pulp. That has meant compromise, as these self and indie publishers have micro budgets.

    The basic method is to run the image through some filters, such as cutout, and then take result into Artrage and attacking it with a knife to create the illusion of paint. I have tried this with photo stock but that too, I would say even more than the 3D models, betrays itself and shatters the illusion as there is no losing the photo-realism without more work that would sacrifice the economy. They just looked like post-worked photos.

    I guess it's swings and roundabouts really.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    671
    Quote Originally Posted by TheEarnestBunbury View Post
    Hi,

    I really can't claim to be painting these (without a ruler and set square, I can't even draw for toffee). My project goal from the outset has been to find a way to produce covers that ape those of pulps past but which could still be affordable by the people currently publishing today's pulp. That has meant compromise, as these self and indie publishers have micro budgets.

    The basic method is to run the image through some filters, such as cutout, and then take result into Artrage and attacking it with a knife to create the illusion of paint. I have tried this with photo stock but that too, I would say even more than the 3D models, betrays itself and shatters the illusion as there is no losing the photo-realism without more work that would sacrifice the economy. They just looked like post-worked photos.

    I guess it's swings and roundabouts really.
    Oops my misunderstanding. Very effective and splendid work!

  9. #19
    No worries. This is an example of the workflow for something that I'm putting together now. The first image is the raw render, then a filtered image, then the final(ish) image. The filtered image was imported into ArtRage over a background layer which I then painted. A new layer on top was created and using the dropper tool to sample, and the the oil brush to block out colours. The top layer's opacity was reduced a tad before I merged it down and took up the knife to blend it all - there was a little bit of colour/contrast correction afterward in Affinity.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    Mission accomplished it would seem. Enjoying the series.
    "Not a bit is wasted and the best is yet to come. . ." -- remembered from a dream

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