Source Pics From Beyond Space and Time...

[squedge]

Hey all... Squedge, here (an old, old friend of the C2F family... Kinda like the odd, reclusive uncle who never comes to the family functions...)

Anyway, being old, now, and having no time or endurance for extended marathon searches of low-quality weightlifting or non-explicit gay porn sites, I find myself with the old, familiar itch to manip, and yet without quality source pics.

Can anyone help me out? I'm looking for hi-resolution source pics (I'd prefer male, since the vast majority of manips are of females... But hi-quality sources of females would be welcome, as well...)

I'm not aesthetically pleasing enough to model for my own pics, and I'd feel like entirely the wrong sort of odd, creepy uncle if I asked any of my male friends to model for pics...

So... can anyone help me? Post your links to hi-quality source pics below... PLEASE!

[This message has been edited by squedge (edited 11-13-2003).]

[WC]

Hey Squedge - well, i don't know a link to high quality pics as such, but as I myself don't have very much time to search for good poses on the net, I tend to use... Poser! Yes, that's right, Poser. I know many here will say it never looks right and always looks too Poser-ish, but I'd have to disagree. If you use it properly, making sure the poses and body proportions don't appear too extreme or rigid, and you work it over in photoshop, then it's a great source for getting just the right pose.

Trust me - it's cut down on more than half the work for manips I do these days - time which was wasted searching (in vain sometimes) which could've been spent more productively. I used Poser in some of the following pics of my own, and I personally think they look more realistic and convincing than the Hulk did for his own movie:

Elektra (http://www.comics2film.com/DCG/DispArt.php3?f_id=13801&f_ssn=)

Attack of the 50 Ft Goliath (http://www.comics2film.com/DCG/DispArt.php3?f_id=12411&f_ssn=)

The Icy Hand of Death (http://www.comics2film.com/DCG/DispArt.php3?f_id=12207&f_ssn=)

Of course, some would still say even those pics are too Poser-ish... but you can't please everybody.

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Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[MilleniumBum]

i agree with welshcat. poser is an excellent resource for getting those hard-to-find poses. i have used poser in some of my work and i have yet to polish my technique to make it look less poser-ish. i find that it's more convenient than to search through dozens upon dozens of porn sites.

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"The hills are alive with the sound of mucus!"

[This message has been edited by MilleniumBum (edited 11-13-2003).]

[jemstone]

I tried to start a movement within the members of the DCG to get a bunch of source pictures together, in various states of costume, for use by the others. So far, I'm the only one in the movement, and the pictures consist mainly of me in my Rennaissance garb with my rapier and main gauche... I'd be willing to do more shots (as Neo, or in basic sweats and shirt if need be, or other stuff!) to assist in providing decent male source images.

-JEM

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So... What would you little maniacs like to do first?

[Juvenilemike]

Wow, that's wierd. I don't remember you mentioning that Jem, but it was something I was plannning on. I'm getting a digital camera at christmas and I'm in fairly good shape, so I'm going to take a bunch of photos of me in shorts that might come in handy as base photos. But I won't have them until after new year.

Mike

[MilleniumBum]

i remember a few posts sometime around last year (a couple by me) that encouraged other DCGers to list down their favorite resource sites. somehow they all got lost in limbo. i guess this would be a good time to revive and update that practice as we have quite a number of new artists in the gallery. this would really help everyone out a lot.

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"The hills are alive with the sound of mucus!"

[jemstone]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Juvenilemike:
<B>Wow, that's wierd. I don't remember you mentioning that Jem, but it was something I was plannning on. I'm getting a digital camera at christmas and I'm in fairly good shape, so I'm going to take a bunch of photos of me in shorts that might come in handy as base photos. But I won't have them until after new year.

Mike</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I brought it up in an ancient No Topic, I think, right about the same time I started my (seriously stalled) Invisibles project.

Since that was, like, a year ago, I'm not surprised no one remembers it. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/smile.gif

-JEM

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So... What would you little maniacs like to do first?

[Pirate King 2000]

I tend to look for pics of wrestlers- they are often in action-y poses, and can be really useful in terms of motion blurs and stuff.

But I'm a wrestling fan and know which ones to look up for whatever characters I'm working on.

I also find http://www.movieweb.com/movie/alphabet.html very useful- movie stills in active poses, plus a lot of expressions on their faces.

It's not much, but I hope it helps

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Keep on truckin'. Convoy!!!!

[Juvenilemike]

If you've got a specific pose in mind email me a description and I'll try find a pict.

Mike

[Sticks]

Yaay! Someone else that likes Poser!

I couldn't agree more with the indigo feline with too many silent L's! Most of the pics that I have posted from poser are from the Poser render software and, while not awful, certainly isn't the best.

The series that I am currently working on (First pic up today!) was posed etc in Poser, but then ported out as an .OBJ file (which keeps all the tex and bump maps attached)and imported into Bryce.
Here's the catch tho... I mess with bryce to do what I want!

That's right, Bryce is my bitch! And it can be yours, too!

Here's the plan... or at least MY plan.

I wanted, and generally do want, a black background, in general so I can chop out the figure.

How do we do this, you ask. Well... we COULD turn off the sun (I know! I feel like a god, too!, then kill or recolour the haze, change this, change that, change the other, but, hey, we're too lazy for that, aren't we?

There's an easier way that's better!

A studio!

And how easy is this?

Go to top view. Create a block. Drag it out in two directions, so it becomes a long-assed rectangle. Copy (CTRL+C or whatever) and paste (CTRL+V), then move the copy over to create the opposite wall. Paste again and redrag the handles to make a perpendicular wall... see where I'm going with this? Yep, a big box. when you've got the four walls in place, change the view to the side and select them all, then drag to make tall. I'd suggest going a little taller than you think, as you have to move lights around inside. Then pop another block, big and flat like a pancake, move it up to create a roof. Select all of them, and the floor and change the materials. This is probably the easiest material you will ever make. Turn everything off. Every setting to zero. This'll stop reflections, shadows, everything.

Now you got a big black box.

You might want to go to the Create drop down and save this as an object somewhere. It's not neccessary, as it's so easy to do, but it'll save a few minutes.

Now import your superhero!

I suggest moving it outside the box at first and zooming in to make sure everything's cool. Once you are sure of this, place it inside the box.

But Sticks! I can't see anything in here!

That's right! Now you can create lights! It's a studio, baby!

You can get incredibly dramatic effects from one or two lights, either infinite or spot. Hint with spot is to aim it (Click the little "A" that pops up when selected and a dialogue shows up, in the secong tab, theres a bit "Track Object") the eyes, not the head, as the eyes are the most important part, no?

Play with light properties (the little "E"), as well. The light falloff it weird, but fun to play with as well.

Wow.. this didn't start out as a tutorial... sorry for the spam!

Have fun, all

pax

[StrangeFish]

OMG! O_O Sticks! I DO THAT TOO! It's like infinate control over EVERYTHING! *dies* But I really hate how stiff Poser figures look, so I gave up on that. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/frown.gif

Maybe I should try again. :\ Searching for base images suck.

[Sticks]

'Fishie, that is too cool... great minds and all...

as for Poser stuff looking stiff, I agree... to a point...

the key is angles and lighting... Look at Alex Ross' stuff... Incredibly realistic, but fantastic as well... but if you look at the actual poses, they are pretty every day. I remember seeing Marvels for the first time, the panel with Captain America vaulting over the car, and thinking, "Look at that! THAT is how a real person jumps over a car." It was a very stiff, awkward pose, with the arm in the air for balance, but looking silly, as anyone would in the same sitch, 'cuz that's how physics works *grin*

But here's the thing... It was amazing as well! BECAUSE of the angle... and the lighs, coming from the street in front of him, we see shadows and highlights and everything else.

In Mythology, he recreated an early picture of Superman flying over Metropolis. In the notes, he says that changing the perspective and the angle of the horizon instantly creates the illusion of flying.

Keep this in mind when playing in Bryce. Not neccessarily the flying thing, but the angles. Throw away the straight on shot and move the camera down so you're looking up at the face. Chuck an infinite light on the forehead and see what you get. Open the extrusion on the light and turn off the falloff...

If you do decide to try an outdoor scene with bryce, go over the the roll controller and tilt the camera!

Also, one of the biggest problems I have with most poser stuff is the eyes. Most people don't move them, so the character looks dead... staring off into space.

And, when posing, think about how WE move... we don't turn our heads, we turn our bodies, then our neck, THEN our head.
We don't lift our hands, we lift shoulders, then forearms, then hands, sometimes out chests roll back when we do it, too.

Poser truly is an amazing product, but it's nothing unless we pay attention to the human form and how it works.
I'm as guilty of being lazy and using pre-packaged poses as the next guy, but I NEVER leave the camera where it is.

One thing that I did for practice when I was starting out was to try to recreate poses from panels in comics. Then the scene, then I'd play with lighting to try to make it as realistic as possible.

OOH! another tip... get a good... no, get a GREAT basic texture for your figures. 4000x4000, high res, if it costs money, spend it.. it's SO worth it! With a good skin texture, you can have much better lights, as you don't have to hide the plasicity of the figure...

ok, I'm babbling now...

pax

[D.K.HOOD]

Hey guys, maybe you can help me out here. I've found a model at this adult comics website here (http://www.7superheroines.com/Preview.asp?page=3) that I'd like to use for reference when I draw Wonder Woman. There's only a few pictures of here in the free section but I'd like to find more. The problem is I don't know who she is! I can't find her name anywhere. Do any of you recognize the gal who dressed as "American Icon"? And do you know where I can find more pictures of her?

[WC]

Well I need some help, and this shouldn't be too difficult a request. Does anyone have a copy of the new Black Widow Max series (Pale Little Spider)? If so, I wonder if you could scan the logo from Issue #3 and send it to me, as I can't find a high resolution picture of the title anywhere on the net. My email is Welshcat@i-love-cats.com

Thanks

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Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[Juvenilemike]

...and please think of your resident logo collector at times like these and pass the logo his way. That'd be me. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/wink.gif

Welsh, If no one gets it to you by tommorow I'll try dig one up. I don't have the comic, but I'll find an online one and knock it together.

Mike

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Juvenilemike:
<B>...and please think of your resident logo collector at times like these and pass the logo his way. That'd be me. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/wink.gif

Welsh, If no one gets it to you by tommorow I'll try dig one up. I don't have the comic, but I'll find an online one and knock it together.

Mike</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, although I have actually searched for ages on the net for one without success. They all seem too small and therefore blurry. But if you can find one online, then I'd appreciate the help.




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Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[Juvenilemike]

Hey Welshcat, catch: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0785107843.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

I'm making a bigger one up as we speak.

Mike

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Juvenilemike:
<B>Hey Welshcat, catch: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0785107843.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

I'm making a bigger one up as we speak.

Mike</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey, thanks for looking Mike, but that wasn't the one i'm looking for. The Black Widow logo I'm talking about is from issue #3 of the Max series (Pale Little Spider) - it's not the Natasha Romanova Widow but the Yelena Belova Widow. I think the colours are slightly different to the one at Amazon, and the lettering too. But thanks anyway. If anyone has that issue though, it would be great if you could scan it.

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Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[Juvenilemike]

Ok, are any of these suitable? If its the right pict but too blurred then I'll make the logo, but I don't want to make the wrong one http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/wink.gif

Black Widow 3: http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/11120714113.3.GIF

BW 2: http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/11120714113.2.GIF

BW1: http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/11120714113.1.GIF

Also, the colours don't have to be right, it's just the line work. The edges and such. I make the logos as vectors so I can choose the fills etc once I have the shape.

Mike

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Juvenilemike:
<B>Ok, are any of these suitable? If its the right pict but too blurred then I'll make the logo, but I don't want to make the wrong one http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/wink.gif

Black Widow 3: http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/11120714113.3.GIF

BW 2: http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/11120714113.2.GIF

BW1: http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/11120714113.1.GIF

Also, the colours don't have to be right, it's just the line work. The edges and such. I make the logos as vectors so I can choose the fills etc once I have the shape.

Mike</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks! The first link is the correct one, but actually that might even be big enough for me. The one's I've found so far have been about a fraction of the size of that - I'd still like to see what you could do with the vectors etc in creating a logo. In fact, you should write a tutorial on creating comic logos.

BTW, come to think of it, that logo looks pretty similar to the other Natasha Romanova Widow logo you found earlier, doesn't it? Oh well. I've never managed to see a very clear picture of the new Widow logo, so I guess I wouldn't have known.

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Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[Juvenilemike]

That's cool. I've started the logo, so I may as well finish it. Plus I'll need it for my site anyways.

A logo tutorial is a great idea. There's a couple of things going to be added to my site so I'm thinking of having a proper launching in the new year, with all kinds of tutorials and goodies, so look for it then.

But the widow one will be under downloads once I've done it, and I'll post a link here.

Mike
oh here's the address for the site http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/wink.gif http://www.spikeor.com/DSN/

[Zac]

I suppose this is the approproate thread for this:

I am in search of a base pic. A specific base pic. Many years ago I encountered a picture of Heidi Klum (I think) and a guy jumping on what is probably a trampoline while holding hands. I have looked everywhere for it and cannot find it. If someone could, I would be much obliged.

[Juvenilemike]

I should have that logo by wednesday night our time. Sorry about the delay.

Mike

[Juvenilemike]

Ok it's done. Localhero do you know of a way of saving PSP vector data in a PSD format, retaining the Vectors?

Otherwise if you want to tell me what gradients/colours you want I'll slot them in, the blank psd, together with some examples are here: http://www.spikeor.com/temp/widow.zip

Mike

[Juvenilemike]

Just to warn you, it's a 2.3mb download.

Mike

[Juvenilemike]

Did it work out ok?
Mike

[WC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Juvenilemike:
<B>Did it work out ok?
Mike</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oh yeah, thanks Mike. I downloaded it earlier today - I probably will just go for a simple black and white fill rather than having it coloured. Thanks a lot for taking the time to make it and giving me a copy. You have to do a DCG tutorial on creating comic book logos!

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Meoww! Send in the clowns!

[Juvenilemike]

So um.... what kind of poses do people normally need. I'm going to start amassing a selection of me posing after January, so lemme know what y'all need.

Mike

[localhero]

mike.. i think i would like some pics or crouching and leaping.. heh.. it is so difficult to find good bases for Beast manips or indeed any of the more agile heroes.. spidey nightcrawler nightwing etc

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Cheers, Local
"Is it true what they say about guys with big feet? Yes they do need big shoes."

At 'GODZ' bar: "Okay, Okay, We're Police Officers. Nobody move in a mysterious way.."

See what sort of mood i'm in.. (http://www.localhero.org.uk/journal/)

[Menace]

I'm in desperate need of a large version of the Fantastic Four (Volume 3) #39 cover. It has Reed wrapped around a grey guy on the cover. Can anyone help me out?

[D.K.HOOD]

www.milehighcomics.com (http://www.milehighcomics.com) has most comic book covers. Just go there and click on Internet Store in the left frame up top.

Also, make sure you type in the name of the comic(fantastic four, spider-man etc.) in the search field. Don't use the quick links that are already there because most of the time you won't find a cover because that comic isn't in stock.

[This message has been edited by D.K.HOOD (edited 12-12-2003).]