Sponsored Links (which Premium Members will never see):
With thanks to Caption Contest 74 winner DiCicatriz, the following Aztec Calendar is now available in HM3's "Background-Shapes" set:
Comments Off on HM3: Aztec calendar
Posted in Challenge Prizes, Challenges, HeroMachine 3
I had my first miss of the year yesterday, my apologies to anyone who noticed. So today'll be a two-fer, with the first an actual honest-to-goodness pencil sketch done on real live paper. Then scanned and filtered to within an inch of its life.
Comments Off on SOD.136 – Fun with filters
Posted in Sketch of the Day
(From "America's Best Comics" number 18, 1946.)
Comments Off on RP: Every Golden Age comic plot's greatest question
Posted in Daily Random Panel
Professional animator and teacher Pete Emslie's "Cartoon Cave" features his drawings and musings, with Disney style illustration advice sprinkled in here and there. This bit on the best way to draw eyes, for instance, is just great:
He's also got a bunch of caricatures they did at a big event recently, causing me to fondly* remember my days doing those at Sea World. Head on over and check it out if you get a chance, his place is definitely one I like.
*Provided your definition of "fondly" involves me dissolving into a shivering mass of horrified flesh clenched protectively in the fetal position.
Comments Off on Cartoon Cave
Posted in Things I Like
(From "America's Best Comics" number 18, 1946.)
Comments Off on RP: On cures, worse than the disease
Posted in Daily Random Panel
I loved Hartwell's version of Darkseid in his "Sketch of the Week" and thought I'd link it up. Well done, sir!
Comments Off on Darkseid
Posted in Things I Like
After taking in some of the excellent critiques on the last attempt at this, I wanted to do another Wonder Woman costume.
It shows a bit more skin that you're used to with a Wonder Woman design, but I think that's ok. Amazons in the DC Universe live on an island with no men, so they're not going to have a lot of modesty issues. And it's a tropical island, so they're not going to be wearing a ton of heavy clothing. I definitely wanted something of a Greek influence, which is where the cape/wrap and the sandals come from.
I also wanted to hearken back a bit to the original myths, so I played up the idea of a "girdle" of Hippolyta by making the belt more distinctive, and added wings to the sandals to echo Hermes. Otherwise I don't quite see how Wonder Woman flies.
I definitely wanted to get away from the "Granny Panties" vibe I sometimes get from her legwear, and loin cloths always make me think of ancient Greece and Rome with a bit of jungle warrior thrown in.
Comments Off on SOD.135 – Wonder Woman 2
Posted in Sketch of the Day
Since my buddy John and I have both done interior illustrations for various RPG modules (he even did the original cover for "Champions of the North"), I wanted to ask about what you do for visuals in your games. Obviously computer RPGs have their own graphics, but for good old fashioned pen-and-paper, how important is it for you to be able to visualize what's going on and who you're fighting? Does your GM give you printouts of images that enhance the mood?
When you're leafing through a game supplement in the store, how important are the illustrations to your buying decision? Or do you even care about them at all?
I ask particularly because HM was started in part to let GMs get Full Color Visuals to show their players, prompted largely by the ongoing campaigns John and I were in. Plus we got kind of tired of having to do all the drawing, which, if it wasn't our own adventure, ruined the surprise of the characters we'd encounter.
If you or your GM have used HeroMachine images in a campaign before, how were they used? Did they go over well?
Setting HeroMachine aside for the moment, what else does your GM do to help "set the mood" for the campaign? I know some will put on a custom mood-mix CD for audio effects. Others use miniatures and maps. I'd love to hear what works for you, what you like, what you hate, and if all that stuff matters at all or if it's more than enough just having the descriptions.
Comments Off on RPG Corner: Visuals
Posted in RPG Corner
(From "America's Best Comics" number 18, 1946.)
Comments Off on RP: Actually that would feel more like Jägermeister
Posted in Daily Random Panel
With thanks to winner of Caption Contest 73 Tim, the following neat-o item is now available in Insignia-Standard:
Comments Off on HM3: Caption Contest 73 Prize
Posted in Challenge Prizes, Challenges, HeroMachine 3
Three middle-aged nerds (including yours truly!) review all of the MCU movies in chronological order. Short, funny, and full of good vibes, check it out and let us know what you think!
Nerdmudgeon.com