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I know this pic isn't supposed to be final quality, but I would note that inked lines would help. Also, like any art, a good perspective on the scene would help.
Right on. I was originally going to manually ink the lines, but I couldn't find any good fine-tip pens. This is how I 'cheated' and made this image.
1. While writing planet descs for a new plug-in I'm working on with Azdara, I decided to try something out on paper. This was the beginning of the whole idea.
2. I drew a sketch in about 5 or so minutes, and scanned it into the computer in 256 grayscale mode (I'm using a PC for these steps, because that's the computer my scanner is hooked up to).
3. By adjusting the contrast and the brightness, I made the lines somewhat black. Then I print out a copy of that image.
4. I colored that (in this case with colored pencils). I then rescanned the picture. I had to turn down the brightness settings for the colors to show up properly.
5. By using a 'smudge' tool, I very slightly improved the look of the sky. (?)
My grievances about this picture:
- I should have taken more time to draw it, and as pipeline said, ink the lines properly.
- The sky was not to my satisfication. Perhaps make that area transparent, and then superimpose a 3-D program sky pic 'beneath' the hand-drawn picture?
- I colored with some dull pencils- should have used properly prepared media.
- I need to experiment with scanner settings- too high a resolution allows you to see the 'artifacts' of the coloring process (pencil lines, etc.). Too low makes the entire picture blurry.
- I need perspective! (maybe a different view)
By the way, if you want to see the description that is supposed to go along with the picture, here it is. Sorry if some of the references are completely unfamiliar; I can't really do much about that right now :).
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Pegasus VI is one of the most heavily populated worlds in the Federation; with a population of over forty billion it is an important port world and industrial center. Although technically an Outer World, Pegasus VI declared its allegiance to Sol instead of the NSE and as such was considered a Core World for many years. Covering the surface of the planet are the massive skyscraper factory districts and manufacturing plants that have exemplified the economy of the NSE, as well as myriad spaceports that serve the freighters that pass through this system.
This particular port is located upon a massive raised platform, held up far above a particularly destitute sector of the city. You briefly consider the plight of the people living in the decaying slums under the platform, and then hastily shake the thought out of your head.
NB: Federation= current government ruling over humanity (oversimplified)
Neo-Socialist Enlightenment= evil government that warred against Earth and its allied colonies for a long time before finally collapsing.
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Questions, comments, and general participation would be greatly appreciated. I want to make some progress!
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(url="http://"http://www.geocities.com/ue_rd")Fatal Alliance- an upcoming quasi-TC for EVN.(/url)
Secret Project: In intermediate planning stages. (No links available)
(This message has been edited by UE_Research & Development (edited 09-17-2003).)
