Socialite and Super-hero - Sue Dibny and her Elongated Man

Sue and Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man) © DC Comics

I started this piece two years ago. And the last time I worked on it was two years ago, yesterday. This is vintage on vintage. It was a piece I always wanted to finish but had a hard time visualizing the final image. I'm glad I waited until I was ready.

Below is the same image minus the textured effect. Just for comparison.

Created in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

This is Post #2043

Ralph Dibny - The Elongated Man

Elongated Man © DC Comics

Just a warm up sketch done in Manga Studio EX5. I have some brushes created by Frenden that I really like. They mimic the way I would ink with a brush. More warm ups to come. I am also doing these in Manga Studio to become better at navigating around the program. Right now for Perils on Planet X, I am doing about 75% of my pencils digital and then inking traditionally. I plan to do all my  future work at 100% digital pencils and mix up the inks between digital and traditional.

This is Post #1998

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Video Part 3

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

Just a bit more video bring us up to date with this piece.

This is Post #1862

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Video Part 2

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

Another process video. Hope you enjoy it. :)

This is Post #1861

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in Progress

Sue and Ralph Dibny © DC Comics

How about a little update? I recorded the process of coloring Sue. At some point I will start putting all these clips together and posting them. This has been a slow process I know. Hopefully the wait will be worth it.

This is Post #1860

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in Progress

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

Blocked in some colors for our favorite couple. Sorry there has been such a delay in progress. It's one of those projects that isn't for anyone but me and I tend to put my projects last if I have time. I did capture the progress again and will make the video available soon.

So I got the iPhone 5 on Friday. Yes, I love it. I had the iPhone 4, skipping the 4S so this was a nice bump up for me. Deena got her too, thankfully. She was a bit more obsessive about it than I. :) One new fun function is a panorama feature to the camera. Yes, there are apps that do this, I know. Not here to argue the merits of any of them. I just think this is fun. I snapped this photo of my studio in full mess glory. I added some notes about some of the stuff there. The photo is pretty big so you may see things I didn't tag. All fun.

© 2012 Gene Gonzales

This is Post #1836

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in Progress

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

Started a new project today. Couple of dozen or so rough illustrations have to be done over the next couple of weeks. Gonna be fun. But nothing is as much fun as dropping in on this couple and adding a little more to the image. I didn't have much time to work on it but I made time to add some background details. Not done yet, but getting there. Once again I recorded the process and will show it at a later date.

This is Post #1813

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Video Part 1

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

Here is the video of the line art stage of this piece. More to come. I hope you enjoy.

This is Post #1809

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in Progress

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

This morning I did the line art for the car and blocked in some shadows and the driveway. All in Photoshop. In case I haven't mentioned it, I have been doing screen recordings of every step. When the entire piece is done, I will edit the footage and post it.

This is Post #1808

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in Progress

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

Digital inks for the love birds is done. I am now moving on to the car and background.

This is Post #1805

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in Progress

I've been a bit busy but I have in no way given up on this piece. I have been frustrated with my quest to create the right digital "brush" to get the look I want. There is a slickness that can happen when digitally inking, either in vector or pixel based apps that I am trying to avoid. Here is an example of two different brushes and attempts.

Above is a detail of what I did today. I completely started over using a brush that is more like a pencil. If you click on the image and look you will probably notice the edges of the lines have a bit of a jaggedness to them. And for some reason this brush reacts different as I draw. Though that is probably in my head. But there seems to be something more organic in the top image compared to the image below.

Below is a detail of the piece from earlier this month. I am using a brush I created that makes lines like I am inking. But because it is an "ink" brush, I feel like I have less control over the lines. It just slips away from me. Long strokes become difficult and every uncertainty in the stroke shows. 

Ralph and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

I'm just gonna keep plugging away at this. :)

This is Post #1804

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in progress - Inks

Elongated and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

A little more progress on this piece.

This is Post #1788

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in progress - Inks

Elongated Man and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

I am recording the work in progress of this piece, but I am going to save all of it and edit it for one big recording. In the meantime I will share some shots in progress. I took all the extra elements away and I am focusing on just Sue and Ralph. I plan to do the same with the rest of the elements. The car, the background and the magazine will all be separate files of line art to be put together when each is finished.

This is Post #1786

Ralph and Sue Dibny - Work in progress

Elongated Man and Sue Dibny © DC Comics

This will be the next digital piece I will be working on from time to time. I've always had a fondness for this couple. Not so much when Sue worked with the JLI, but back when the two of them had their own adventures. And yes, I realize I put a 1963 Corvette on the cover of a 1961 magazine. I can either change the date or just assume that Sue, with all her money and connections, managed to get herself a concept car. :)

This is Post #1785