How To Create Custom Brushes In Manga Studio 5

Here is a short video tutorial I created showing how to create custom brushes in Manga Studio 5.  One major problem I kept running into was that every time I created a new brush, it would only paint in black.  I finally figured out the simple trick on how to make a custom brush in Manga Studio paint in color.  Shame on Smith Micro for not making this clearer!  But I can’t stay mad you Manga Studio…

I discovered Manga Studio about a year and a half ago, and I believe it’s helped bring my artwork to a new level – and made the act of drawing so much more enjoyable and intuitive.

But there are a couple of things about Manga Studio that aren’t as intuitive as Adobe Photoshop.  The brush engine is far more complex (which can be a good thing), which makes for some frustrating hair-pulling at first glance.

Here is a direct link to the video if it’s not loading correctly:  http://youtu.be/vZI5Kem8dTQ

And follow me on Youtube for more Manga Studio tutorials (http://www.youtube.com/flylanddesigns)

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Mascot design for elementary school

Benner-Elementary-Mascot

Mascot design and illustration for Benner Elementary School I created in conjunction with Lake Creative.

Shannon Lake and I were tasked with reinventing their bear mascot into something fun and colorful that the children could identify with.  This was a really fun personal project, because my son Michael just started Kindergarten at this school.  It’s a really cool feeling to walk in the school and see kids here and there wearing the T-Shirt.  Michael loves wearing it, though it’s a couple sizes too big for him!

To see more of my logo designs, click here.

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Breaking Bad Rammstein Tribute

Here’s an unusual one.  I was commissioned to illustrate this album cover combining the iconic Rammstein cover, with the Breaking Bad anti-hero, Hesienberg.  The band is a fictional german industrial band playing Breaking Bad themed songs.  The challenge was to create something that fans would both recovnize as a Rammstein and Breaking Bad tribute at the same time.  We had a lot of fun with this.

You can purchase the album from the artist here:  Facebook.com/crannstein

Illustration of Heisenberg from Breaking Bad in a Rammstein album cover parody

Illustration of Heisenberg from Breaking Bad in a Rammstein album cover parody

CD mockup

Click here to see more of my album cover designs

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Roller Derby Christmas Poster

Roller Derby poster I created for the State College Area Roller Derby organization.  A roller derby girl makes off with santa’s bag, while monster elves dressed as referees chase after her.  You know, for Christmas.

Roller Derby Poster

Roller Derby Poster

poster illustration of a roller derby girl stealing santa's bag from elves

Detail View

Click here to see more of my Illustrations.

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Book cover illustration of a Garage Band

Illustrated e-book cover for Jim Azevedo’s “How To Get Your Band Out Of The Garage,” a really entertaining walkthrough/guide for new bands seeking the limelight. Jim wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted for the cover when he first contacted me, he just knew that it had to be something with a lot of energy, and clearly legible at a small size. After running through some concept sketches, we arrived at this scene with the lead singer belting in the foreground, with the rest of the band rocking out in the background, playing as if they were on stage, not from a garage.

To check out more artwork like this, visit:  https://www.flylanddesigns.com/illustration-light/

How To Get Your Band Out Of The Garage book cover illustration

Book cover illustration of a Garage Band sketches

Concept Sketches

Book cover illustration of a Garage Band

Book Mockup

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Dead Killers Music Video

I’m SO proud to be sharing this. I’ve been working with the metal band Straying From Madness for a while on a music video for their new single, about the band fighting for their lives in a zombie apocalypse.  I illustrated all the characters, zombies, and backgrounds, and then a very talented video artist put it all together.

It was an immensely challenging and rewarding project, and I’m thrilled with ho it turned out. We working on a very tight deadline and budget restraints, so I elected to illustrate it in a very rough style, which is very different for me.  Typically, I like to draw things first as a rough sketch, then a pencil sketch, then ink and color.  This gives me a chance to work out the anatomy and details as I go to make sure they are correct.  With this project, I skipped the middle step and just went for it, and colored in a very limited color scheme to save time.  I think in the end, that choice actually added a lot of character to the video.  It is after all, the Apocalypse.

Special thanks to Larz and the rest of the band at Straying From Madness.  They are fantastic to work with, and I wish them nothing but ridiculous Rock Star success.

Check out their music here:
https://www.facebook.com/strayingfrommadness

To see more of my dark illustrations, check out: https://www.flylanddesigns.com/illustration-dark/

Straying From Madness music video illustrations

Straying From Madness music video illustrations Straying From Madness music video illustrations Straying From Madness music video illustrations Straying From Madness music video illustrations

 

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Dinosaur Children’s Book Illustrations

Children’s book illustrations for “Amazing Adventures of Izi and Larry The Dinosaur” by Olusegun Akande. This story was a lot of fun to work on. The story is about a little girl who meets a flying dinosaur who takes her back in time through different Biblical scenes.

Children's Book Illustration of a dinosaur and little girl

Children's Book Illustration of David and Goliath

Dinosaur illustration for children's book

Click here to see more of my Children’s Book Illustrations

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