Series of colored characters from Gears of War

[DarkAp89]

This is dedicated to Flak and Raczilla that in the past months did a great job with us, building a new italian community here on the forum from a basic idea, but too high for make an official thing directly on the main sites: propose the same contents of the community blog also to the italian members in their language. English can be difficult for someone, and this was the best way to reward italians with news on Epic Games titles, giveaways and so on.

This is only a part of what they were doing, probably in the future I'll see something more. They were also great in multiple moments excluding their forums, feeding us with codes on the main Xbox-only site in Italy. They were so gentle to accept some sort of "user-interview" for the blog, collecting some interesting questions from our userbase and I'm excited to see the results in the future months.

Initially I was shy, I know how these things generally works... people always say "yes", then days goes by and they don't remember you anymore. Because they probably thinks you're not serious, or simply... they don't have time, they don't care. Here was different, and day by day confirmations were always more and more in my mind... it's Epic, it's the software house that I've always loved and actually it's the only english and VG-related community that I care for... also, I'm not hiding my dreams to become a day, who knows, a part of it. Even if there's a great distance, even if I'm already virtually part of this great experience and even if there is only a 0,0001% possibility.

Some months ago I promised them a statue for their dedication. Yes, that was really impossible for me. But, I love to draw!
I was thinking what to draw and after listening and seeing an ending of an anime, Fullmetal Alchemist, everything was clear to me. I love anime and mangas, for this reason I love this style... and why I suck at coloring : PP But here was different, colors were only in a little range and was easily possible to do this with Photoshop. The only difficult thing was to draw a great amount of sketches, characters and details. Here are the results and below you'll find the complete process. Pics are resized at 1000px.

Dom


Marcus

Baird

Cole

Anya

C. Carmine (This is dedicated to Alessia aka Shotgun, she loves him... even if she is dedicated only to Halo. It's the italian n.1 fan - We're planning to kidnap Dan Ayoub at GDC Europe, but... shhhhhh)

Jace

Sam

RAAM

Skorge

Queen Myrrah


Some pics are completely original, some are inspired by FMA and some others are inspired from official screenshot. What does this mean? Actually, this image explain you very well what I'm saying.

Click me: http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/5153/explanation.jpg (these are some of the examples, full list below)
You care to watch the original ending?

Completely original: Jace, C. Carmine
Inspired from FMA: Dom, Anya, Baird, Cole, Sam, RAAM, Queen Myrrah
Inspired from official pics: Marcus, Skorge

Process
1. See the ending multiple times, choose for every character a pose and a colour palette. It's all about planning, like when you create a storyboard.
2. Go with initial sketches.
3. Draw with a pencil a character.
4. Now, use a pen (with different sizes - but a classical Bics will do the job well).
5. Plan the shadows with a pencil and then again with the pen. Fill the shadow space with inks, inks, inks... when your hand is broken you'll know that the work is almost complete.
6. Repeat the steps with every planned characters.
7. Now scanning a character. The result is like this: http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/293/img150rg.jpg . But this feels too traditional and a bit awful... Mr. Magician Scanner, please use some filter to improve this: http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/1738/img143m.jpg OH, LOOK! This is what I was aiming for!
8. I suck at coloring. But this took only 2 days lol, maybe I'm not that bad. Use the planned colors for every characters; use some filters for a better results and not a simple coloring.
9. Upload, upload, upload. You're done!
Total time - Almost a complete month (doing this while playing, real working and sharing translations on this forum)

Sorry for the length! Yeah, I know you skipped every part of the text... you're a monster : '( :' ( : ))
Hope you like it. But what I'm hoping, is that Flak and Rac appreciate this.

Thank You.
Really, Thank You.

[TheRealBigBoss]

Hi, I only skipped part of the text, so I guess I'm only part monster.... rrawwrrr!!!

Glad to hear that Epic have inspired and helped you on the language thing.

Love the art. Even the coloring is all kinds of awesome, reminds of cool cartoon shows from the past.

So yeah, great job and well done. You seem very passionate which is kind of inspiring. I think Flak and Raczilla will be pleased.

[DarkAp89]

Hi, I only skipped part of the text, so I guess I'm only part monster.... rrawwrrr!!!

Glad to hear that Epic have inspired and helped you on the language thing.

Love the art. Even the coloring is all kinds of awesome, reminds of cool cartoon shows from the past.

So yeah, great job and well done. You seem very passionate which is kind of inspiring. I think Flak and Raczilla will be pleased.

Okay, I forgive you :P
Thank you, it's always cool to get a "well done"

[Reign]

I started reading the text, I swear lol. Cool artwork dude.

[Flak]

Wow these are awesome! I love love love the Marcus and Skorge ones!

[MxcnPro12]

These are very nice If only I had talent

[bombers]

well, I'm inspired. absolutely loving the art style. Baird, Marcus, Skorge, and Dom really stand out. they all look great though.

[DarkAp89]

Thank you guys

Wow these are awesome! I love love love the Marcus and Skorge ones!

Excellent!

[HaWa11aNPuNcH77]

Nice artwork !

[DarkAp89]

Nice artwork !

Thank you

[Rukey]

I don't post very often but you've done a brilliant job! I have to agree with Flak, Marcus and skorge are superb! Love the Carmine!

The only thing I would say is, that Coles fingers are slightly short. That might be due to the perspective.

[xKiLL ZoNEx]

Great art! Dom, Marcus, Carmine, and Skorge look really good as well.

[DarkAp89]

I don't post very often but you've done a brilliant job! I have to agree with Flak, Marcus and skorge are superb! Love the Carmine!

The only thing I would say is, that Coles fingers are slightly short. That might be due to the perspective.

Fingers are actually a problem XD Even in the Carmine artwork there is a perspective issue. Well, I'm not a professional artist

[DarkAp89]

Great art! Dom, Marcus, Carmine, and Skorge look really good as well.

Thanks! Now I can share my personal favs
Myrrah (that expression :P), Jace (it's that type of guy I can see as a possible rapper XD) and Marcus

[arukun14]

Very nice man. I've obviously contacted you through dA. :P But in this case...

I'll PM you in a bit.

[Parasidian]

Those are awesome, very nicely done, i really like the Clay one!

[rusticangelic]

Hey these are pretty awesome, I really like the Myrrah one, love the look she's giving the viewer. I honestly think you've improved tenfold!!

[DarkAp89]

Those are awesome, very nicely done, i really like the Clay one!

Expected it from a member with a Clay avatar

Hey these are pretty awesome, I really like the Myrrah one, love the look she's giving the viewer. I honestly think you've improved tenfold!!

Yeah, Myrrah it's one of my favs for this reason Thank you rustic, but really, this is only my second time that I color something

[Parasidian]

Expected it from a member with a Clay avatar

lol, yup he's my fav character, and i really like how you made him start taking off his helmet, then grin.

[DarkAp89]

lol, yup he's my fav character, and i really like how you made him start taking off his helmet, then grin.

Eheheh, like a boss Clay is the best Carmine!

[Parasidian]

Eheheh, like a boss Clay is the best Carmine!

Absolutely!!!!!