Category Archives: Challenges

Character Design Contest One Hundred!

Posted on September 17, 2012 by | Comments Off on Character Design Contest One Hundred!

The very first Character Design Challenge/Contest was held on April 21, 2009, more than three years ago; it's a little stunning to me that it's been going on for three years. Wow. The theme on that initial foray was the randomly chosen word "Capstan", and the winner was the legendary Imp:

I bring it up now because after all this time, we are at the One Hundredth Edition of this bi-weekly exercise in creativity! That's right, 100 times I've thrown out an idea and you all have owned it, coming up with awesome image after awesome image.

I wanted to do something special to commemorate this centennial edition, so here goes:

I want to see your best HeroMachine work of all time.

Every person gets one, and only one, entry, with the exception that it cannot have won a challenge before (to keep it fair). You can have entered in a contest in the past, though, it just can't have been the overall winner.

I want this to be as much a gallery of your awesome work as it is a contest, a celebration, if you will, of your creativity and artistic vision. I am sure I will be blown away as always.

Next Monday I will put all submissions into a big huge poll that everyone can vote on. The following Monday, the top five vote-getters will each win a custom character sketch, drawn by me, of the winning character. That's five, five, FIVE winners, people!

The usual guidelines for submitting entries apply, of course:

Continue reading →

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Posted in Challenges, Character Design Challenges

Pop Quiz: Fun with New Items

Posted on September 15, 2012 by | Comments Off on Pop Quiz: Fun with New Items

Happy Saturday, folks! Your one-day quick-fire challenge today is to create an awesome image using one of the new items I posted this morning from either Background-Cityscapes or ItemRight-Pistols. To refresh your memory, those items are:


Edited to Add: You can also use the new Companions:

You can use one item, or all of them, or anything in between. You can use an item once or a thousand times, so long as there's at least one of the new ones in there somewhere.

You only get one entry -- that's right, just one! So make it your best. Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular challenge, but instead of a whole week I'll announce my favorites either tonight or tomorrow morning. Elaborate backgrounds aren't necessary, though if you've got one it's fine.

  • All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the HeroMachine Forums, whatever);
  • Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
  • Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
  • Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). Here's a quick-start guide on how to do that for various image hosting services.

I'll pick one entry as my personal favorite, which will get to be featured in the side bar to the right for ultimate glory! As a bonus you're allowed to say you won the Internet for a few days.

Good luck!

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Posted in Challenges, Pop Quiz

Caption Challenge 129

Posted on September 10, 2012 by | Comments Off on Caption Challenge 129

It's time for another new Caption Challenge! This week you're tasked with coming up with the best caption for this comics panel:

This one is a little different in that you're not filling in a dialog balloon, but rather coming up with a caption that might appear above or below the image. I'll pick out some as my personal favorites to highlight in a post next Monday, and then I'll choose one of those to bear the standard as the "Featured Creator of the Week" atop the right tool bar.

All entries must be left as a comment (or comments) to this post. Keep ‘em clean (appropriate for a late-night broadcast TV show), but most importantly, keep ‘em funny!

No limit to entries, but please, self-edit and only put up ones you genuinely think are good!

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Posted in Caption Challenges, Challenges

Pop Quiz: Horny

Posted on September 8, 2012 by | Comments Off on Pop Quiz: Horny

Happy Saturday, folks! Your one-day quick-fire challenge today is to create an awesome image that uses the following item from Ears-Standard:

What ELSE would you think the contest title would mean?!

You must use the horn at least once in the illustration (and not necessarily AS a horn), but you can then use it as many times after that as you like.

You only get one entry -- that's right, just one! So make it your best. Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular challenge, but instead of a whole week I'll announce my favorites either tonight or tomorrow morning. Elaborate backgrounds aren't necessary, though if you've got one it's fine.

  • All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the HeroMachine Forums, whatever);
  • Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
  • Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
  • Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). Here's a quick-start guide on how to do that for various image hosting services.

I'll pick one entry as my personal favorite, which will get to be featured in the side bar to the right for ultimate glory! As a bonus you're allowed to say you won the Internet for a few days.

Good luck!

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Posted in Challenges, Pop Quiz

Character Design Challenge 99: Wingin' It

Posted on September 3, 2012 by | Comments Off on Character Design Challenge 99: Wingin' It

There's no WAY I'd take this case!

Your Character Design Challenge this week is to create the most awesome illustration possible featuring any item from the Backplane-Wings set. You could create an angel, or a bird-themed character, or a sea-faring monarch with teeny tiny wings on his ankles (as if anyone would believe that!), or a big flying mech, or an aircraft, or a sadistic vampire in his bat form, or anything else you can think of so long as at least one Wing item is present in the illustration.

I'll pick my personal favorites when the week is over, with the one I like best being featured in the right column for the week. The rules otherwise are the same as always:

  • All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like the HeroMachine forums, ImageShack, PhotoBucket, or whatever);
  • Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
  • The image cannot have been used in any previous HeroMachine challenge;
  • Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension] before you upload it. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
  • Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). See this post on how to get the direct link for most sites.
  • All entries must be in by next Monday, when I'll choose my personal favorites.

No limit on entries this week, so knock yourselves out. Just make them good!

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Posted in Challenges, Character Design Challenges

Pop Quiz: Insignia

Posted on September 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Pop Quiz: Insignia

Happy Saturday, folks! Your one-day quick-fire challenge today is to create your own super-hero logo! These are the kinds of insignia you see on a character's chest (or shield, belt buckle, car, helicopter, what have you), like the classic ones you see above. Often these are the most iconic representations of someone's identity, and thus are key to any comics design.

You only get one entry -- that's right, just one! So make it your best. Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular challenge, but instead of a whole week I'll announce my favorites either tonight or tomorrow morning. Elaborate backgrounds aren't necessary, though if you've got one it's fine.

  • All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the HeroMachine Forums, whatever);
  • Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
  • Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
  • Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). Here's a quick-start guide on how to do that for various image hosting services.

I'll pick one entry as my personal favorite, which will get to be featured in the side bar to the right for ultimate glory! As a bonus you're allowed to say you won the Internet for a few days.

Good luck!

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Posted in Challenges, Pop Quiz

Caption Challenge 128

Posted on August 27, 2012 by | Comments Off on Caption Challenge 128

It's time for another new Caption Contest! Your challenge this week is to come up with the best caption for this comics panel:

This one is a little different in that you're not filling in a dialog balloon, but rather coming up with a caption that might appear above or below the image. I'll pick out some as my personal favorites to highlight in a post next Monday, and then I'll choose one of those to bear the standard as the "Featured Creator of the Week" atop the right tool bar.

All entries must be left as a comment (or comments) to this post. Keep ‘em clean (appropriate for a late-night broadcast TV show), but most importantly, keep ‘em funny!

No limit to entries, but please, self-edit and only put up ones you genuinely think are good!

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Posted in Caption Challenges, Challenges

Pop Quiz: Rag Doll

Posted on August 25, 2012 by | Comments Off on Pop Quiz: Rag Doll

Happy Saturday, folks! School is starting, and with that comes the heartbreak of leaving behind childish things. Thus your one-day quick-fire challenge today is to create an image that uses the rag doll from ItemRight-Miscellaneous (pictured above). You can make her huge (tip: manually enter a number in the Scale control to get past the drag-control's limit) and dress her up, or you could have someone holding her, or you could make a tea party, whatever you like. But the rag doll must be visible and relatively prominent. In other words, don't open your Captain Awesome illustration and drop her in the background!

You only get one entry -- that's right, just one! So make it your best. Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular challenge, but instead of a whole week I'll announce my favorites either tonight or tomorrow morning. Elaborate backgrounds aren't necessary, though if you've got one it's fine.

  • All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the HeroMachine Forums, whatever);
  • Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
  • Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
  • Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). Here's a quick-start guide on how to do that for various image hosting services.

I'll pick one entry as my personal favorite, which will get to be featured in the side bar to the right for ultimate glory! As a bonus you're allowed to say you won the Internet for a few days.

Good luck!

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Posted in Challenges, Pop Quiz

Character Design Challenge 98: Electrifying!

Posted on August 20, 2012 by | Comments Off on Character Design Challenge 98: Electrifying!

Your Character Design Challenge this week is to create the most awesome illustration possible featuring a redesign of an electrical character from the Electrical Heroes section of Public Domain Super Heroes.

You have 23 characters from which to choose. You can either stick with their original story and concept, or completely revamp it for a modern audience. You can change genders and more if you like, but the "essence" of the character should stay.

I'll pick my personal favorites when the week is over, with the one I like best being featured in the right column for the week. The rules otherwise are the same as always:

  • All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like the HeroMachine forums, ImageShack, PhotoBucket, or whatever);
  • Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
  • The image cannot have been used in any previous HeroMachine challenge;
  • Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension] before you upload it. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
  • Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). See this post on how to get the direct link for most sites.
  • All entries must be in by next Monday, when I'll choose my personal favorites.

No limit on entries this week, so knock yourselves out. Just make them good!

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Posted in Challenges, Character Design Challenges

Pop Quiz: Riding it out

Posted on August 18, 2012 by | Comments Off on Pop Quiz: Riding it out

Happy Saturday, folks! Your one-day quick-fire challenge today is to create an image that involves something riding something else (keep it clean!). It could be a mermaid riding a dinosaur, or a dinosaur riding a robot, or a robot riding a chimp, or a knight riding a horse, or a man riding a motorcycle made of donuts, you get the idea.

You only get one entry -- that's right, just one! So make it your best. Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular challenge, but instead of a whole week I'll announce my favorites either tonight or tomorrow morning. Elaborate backgrounds aren't necessary, though if you've got one it's fine.

  • All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the HeroMachine Forums, whatever);
  • Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
  • Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his "Bayou Belle" character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
  • Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). Here's a quick-start guide on how to do that for various image hosting services.

I'll pick one entry as my personal favorite, which will get to be featured in the side bar to the right for ultimate glory! As a bonus you're allowed to say you won the Internet for a few days.

Good luck!

Comments Off on Pop Quiz: Riding it out

Posted in Challenges, Pop Quiz