[Brando]

Here is my latest thing for a comic book I am working on. Just a showpiece for the character and the environment. Just Photoshop used. Comment are welcome, so feel free to post. Thanks!




Here are links to closeups of areas if you'd like to see them as well.

Closeup One
Closeup Two
Closeup Three
Closeup Four


Best,
Brandon Peterson (Brando)

[-HoodZ-]

the lettering kinda gets hard to read...other than that i like the atmosphere..

[Kuren]

Hey Hoodz


That's some great coloring. However, I'm a lil picky on her pose. The lower half of her body is walking, but the top half of her body looks like it's standing. I'm unsure what's really going on in the pic. Is it just a dramaticization? Or is it a "photograph"? The mech in the background looks interesting, but I don't think should use so many spheres for it's design. But that's just a state of preference. I think the mountains in the back to the left side of the mecha's legs are a lil rough.

[Gimbal8]

The mech thingy in the background looks kinda flat due to the texture used on it not following the surfaces around. I'd imagine trying to change that would be a real pain but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

Maybe if the dark blue shadows used to define the form of the mountains in the background were less saturated it would promote a greater sense of depth/distance. There is something about the value or sharpness of strokes near the base of those mountains that make it appear on the same plane as the foreground. I also think some very very faint coloration to the ringed planet might help the image overall and also help the lettering stand out better.

The character design is sweet and the linework there is rock solid. There is something about the mechanical bitch-slap enhancing device (not to mention the breast) that reminds me of Shirow. That's always a good thing.

The reflected light from the snow on the jacket is very well done as is the wonderful job on rendering the machanical claw's forearm section. It would be nice to see that continued on down through the fingers as well.

All in all a really nice pic. Looking forward to seeing more stuff from you.

[The Magic Pen]

Brando amazingly well done illustration . I like your technique!! The foreground character is superior

[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: The Magic Pen ]

[somkeat]

Really nice painting with stylistic design. I like the mechanic arm. It looks so powerful to grab someone's head.

[ValarianROOT]

Wow!!! Its been a while since I've been in a comic shop, but I think I'll make a trip tomarrow to see if I can dig up some of your stuff. The mech in the background reminds me of some of the mechs in "Aura Batler Dunbine." In my opinion the haziness of it suggests atmosphere, but i do agree if you applied a similar affect to the mountains it would help with the depth of the pic. As fo it looking flat, the light reflecting of snow can have that affect on an object (its not just cause everything is covered in snow that makes winter seem so flat).
**INTEMISSION**

"clunk, clunk, clunk... KAthunk! *shuffle shuffle, shuffle, shuffle shuffle,...* Clunk clunk clunk... thump skweeek."

**RESUME**
Nope I can't find anything of your's in the old comic box... sorry You used to do some work at Marvel, am I right?
Anyway, so is there anything recent I should keep my eye out for?
GOOD STUFF
JN

[grasshoppa]

Amazing *right-click saved*. I really like the texture on her body suit, for once someone did a skin-tight body suit that is not latex. Anyway I love the little folds around the midsection.

I was wondering though, why does her right hand have 4 fingers and her left have 5? Was this intentional? Can I just not see one of her fingers on here right hand? Anyway, a minor thought, amazing painting.

[wayfinder]

the knee! oh my god, the knee.

[DarkGarden]

Yep, Monsieur Peterson actually took over on X-Men after the departure of Jim Lee (Whilce left right around the same time, for that whole Image formation dealy if I recall). Then work for Top Cow (Ripclaw....so damn good, and what was the series about the Medieval/modern day knights?) and some more work on X-Men (a return) before going to form Crossgen?

Okay, I know entirely too much about that...jeez.

On to the piece. It's stunning colour work Bran, the mountains in the background really have depth and realism to them. The looser brushstrokes there are just damned impressive.

As for the foreground female, I only really have an issue with the breastplate/breast area. Something about the amount of light falling on her collarbone, as well as her right (our left) breast seems out of whack. It seems inordinately light for how shaded her neck is by the jacket lapels. With the defined light source, I'd think that a bit less highlighting would occur in those two places. It makes her neck seem very thick and deepset.

I love the boots, and the general design. I agree that the text seems lost in the layout, lacking a bit of strength, seeming more ambient, but then that might fit the idea of a chimera.

The texturing to the "glove" could use a bit more work to seem more brassy instead of gold (maybe slight greening at the edges) but overall I really enjoy it.

The hands are stellar, great work on the anatomy and the posing there. Yes the pose of the body seems a bit stiff, but I think it plays off well as being allowably dynamic.

The only other thing I noticed while sitting here typing this up, is that the hair seems almost like a solid mass. It's throwing quite a harsh edged shadow on her forehead, and not seeming very wispy in that blowing wind.

Once again, truly great work, it's nice seeing you still on this board

Peter

[Brando]

Hello all,

Here is a retouched version using some of the feedback I've gotten.




Lots of good comments and suggestions. Thanks! Let me address some of the feedback you fine folks left.

Hoodz - Fixed the logo. I wanted it to be inobtrusive, but I agree it got too lost in the composition

Kuren - The pose is to draw attention the body is off center due to the weight of the gauntlet, sort of a forced contra-posto. As for the Mech/Robot, I used simple shapes as the design is supposed to be an ancient one, sort of like the pyramids and simple pre-columbian art. Mostly simple shapes, etc. to help reflect it's age. It is made of a polished silicate/marble material. The mountains are deliberately rough as if they were too sharp I was afraid they would come forward in the composition.

Gimbal8 - I worked the texture better to help the flattening problem you pointed out, and I also desaturated the mountains. Good suggestions all around! The fingers of the glove are of a smoother material than the wrist, so that was deliberate. Thanks!

Valarian Root - I agree with the mountain fix. Thanks for the help!

Grasshoppa - She does have 5 fingers, it's just one is obscured by her thumb and the strap over the top of her hand. I can understand that it's hard to see.

DarkGarder - You were very right about the breastplate area. I have reworked it with your suggestions and I think it works much better. Wow, great help!

Thanks everyone. Any further comments?

Brando

[replicant]

Wow, I will just say this again. Brandon, you have so incredibly done well since your Xmen days. I still hvae some of the comic cards you did for Xmen series 2 cards signed by you when you came to Bham, Alabama. Anyway, excellent job and man comics are coming back in a big way!

//replicant

[KenMasters]

Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Reall y,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Rea lly,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,Really,nice dude...

luv your style..
one crit.
she looks a tad cross eyed from a distance..
when you look at close up it doesnt..
maybe its cause the higlights,,...her left eye seems to be the prob..
but dont take my crit to serious..
its just to good a job to be getting all these reworks..
luv the microscopic organism inspired design for your mysterious walker...
evolved from a flea perhaps..nice one dude...
Ken

[Vesper]

Love the pic. How big was the original artwork? (Size of the woman?) Great detail.

[thickpaint]

Nice piece but the weight is all wrong in her pelivs/hips, looks like she's floating or something. She has no balance. If her weight is on one leg why would the pelivs indictae the weigh on the other?

[10ten]

i like it. High quallity, good art, awesome cg, cool character pic

[Man With No Name]

Wow,
That's very nice. It reminds me of a Shirow Pic from Man-Machine Interface (GITS2) Was it inspired by Shirow?

Are you going to put this out through Crossgen? Doesn't matter, I'll watch for it...

Again, very nice.

[St. Seneca]

If the mechanical fingers articulate then they need input from the hand. This would mean each real finger would need to send a signal to each mechanical finger and I certainly don't get that from the picture.

Also, It looks like it might be a little heavy to walk with that on unless she had some counterweight on the other side.

Hope you find this helpful.

[[666]Flat]

G00d lord it's BRANDO! Man, I've seen a Wolverine picture of yours a long time ago and it was like the best comic picture EVER! I bet you're a harsh professional working for ... err... those companies who're doing X-Men, Spider-Man and YouKnowAllThatStuff! Man I always have admired your style and it's so freakin' c00l to see you onBOARD! Keep it up, man, keep yo sweet badass pictures rocking the show!

Your biggest fan

[666]FLAT

[ February 05, 2002: Message edited by: [666]Flat ]

[Nyqvist]

Man.. this is flawless!! I love it! ..especially the mountains. ..they�re really outstanding.

[Micket]

first, TOTALY AMAZING!!!

b.t.w i was just wondering, what the original pixel size was while you were working on the picture?

/micke

[Brando]

Hey Folks,

Thanks for the comments. Let me address so specifics:

Replicant - Thanks! I hope comics come back, big or small would be fine.

KenMasters - I think the crosseyed thing is very much a distance problem. I screwed with it a little but I didn't like it as much. Thanks for the compliments and advice!

Vesper - It's pretty big pixel wise (10000 x 7000).

St. Seneca - A few people mentioned the the articulation thing. I will probably work out the bugs in a more final design. This was just a concept piece, and I guess the concepts do need some work.

10ten - Thanks!

Man With No Name - I'm a big shirow freak. I wasn't directly inspires by a piece, but I'm flattered by the comparison. Hopefully it will be out through CrossGen.

[666]Flat - Thanks!

Nyqvist - You are very kind.

Thanks folks. I appreciate everyones contributions, and especially the constructive nature of all the comments.

Brandon Peterson