Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful. Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Image of a Distress brushes in use on an artwork

Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful.

Grab the brushes here: http://www.flylanddesigns.com/shop/

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Artwork created using the Special Effect Brushes.

Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful.

Grab the brushes here: http://www.flylanddesigns.com/shop/

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Artwork made with the Inking Brushes.

Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful.

Grab the brushes here: http://www.flylanddesigns.com/shop/

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Artwork Made using the Digital Painting Brushes

Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful.

Grab the brushes here: http://www.flylanddesigns.com/shop/

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Artwork made using the pencil brushes.

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Example of an artwork the splatter brushes were used on.

Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful.

Grab the brushes here: http://www.flylanddesigns.com/shop/

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Example of the brushes used on a artwork

Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful. Grab the brushes here: http://www.flylanddesigns.com/shop/

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Image of an artwork that the brushes were used on.

Thanks so much for all your support on the custom brushes I created for Clip Studio Paint! A lot of you have been requesting that I create similar brushes for Adobe Photoshop. Good news! I’ve finally converted the best Manga Studio 5 brushes to Adobe Photoshop, and I’ve tried to replicate how they work on Clip Studio Paint as accurately as possible. We all know that the brush engine in Clip Studio Paint is much better than Adobe Photoshop, but with these brushes, I’ve made jumping back and forth between CSP and Adobe Photoshop a little less painful.

Grab the brushes here: http://www.flylanddesigns.com/shop/

Tutorials, Reviews, and Artwork by Freelance Illustrator Brian Allen of FlyLandDesigns.com

Buy my custom Clip Studio Paint brushes at http://clipstudiopaintbrushes.com

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

The artwork of the Medieval Madness Alternate Backglass.

Alternative Acrylic Backglass artwork of the classic Medieval Madness Backglass created by Brian Allen. Officially licensed from Williams!

I’m proud to present my artwork for my alternate Medieval Madness Translite and Acrylic Backglass, which is officially licensed from Williams! I asked for a lot of feedback from Medieval Madness fans before starting. It was suggested that I illustrate the Six Kings of each of the Castles you destroy in the game. The Earl of Ego, Sir Psycho, Francois De Grimm, Lord Howard Hurtz, the Duke of Bourbon, and of course, Payne! It was also suggested that I add a bunch of tributes to Monty Python’s Holy Grail, so I snuck in as many as I could. Overall, the general feedback was that they wanted to see something more colorful, light-hearted, and fun than the original backglass art, which was created by the legendary pinball artists, Greg Freres and John Youssi. This is my most detailed and time-consuming alternate Backglass so far (I’ve also designed one for Attack From Mars, and another for Monster Bash). Medieval Madness is a highly respected and coveted pinball game, and I wanted to put everything I had into this to pay it the respect it deserved. I hope fans of the game are satisfied!

Reverse-printed on a 1/8″ thick translucent acrylic backglass (not a thin Translite).

Double-layered ink, and double-layered white backing to make the colors really pop.

Measures 27″x 18 7/8″ to fit in a Medieval Madness Classic and Remake machine, or a lightbox.

Looks beautiful when backlit! It comes with a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered by the artist.

LIMITED TO ONLY 250 ever. Shipping is $25, due to the large size and extra padding needed to securely ship.

NOTE: Please allow 2-4 weeks shipping, due to increased printing and processing time.

Snippet of the dragon in the Medieval Madness Alternate Pinball Backglass.

I asked for a lot of feedback from Medieval Madness fans before starting. It was suggested that I illustrate the Six Kings of each of the Castles you destroy in the game.

The Earl of Ego, Sir Psycho, Francois De Grimm, Lord Howard Hurtz, the Duke of Bourbon, and of course, Payne!

It was also suggested that I add a bunch of tributes to Monty Python’s Holy Grail, so I snuck in as many as I could. Overall, the general feedback was that they wanted to see something more colorful, light-hearted, and fun than the original backglass art, which was created by the legendary pinball artists, Greg Freres and John Youssi.

ORDER ONE HERE: https://www.flylanddesigns.com/produc…

This is my most detailed and time-consuming alternate Backglass so far. Medieval Madness is a highly respected and coveted pinball game, and I wanted to put everything I had into this to pay it the respect it deserved. I hope fans of the game are satisfied!

• Reverse-printed on a 1/8″ thick translucent acrylic backglass (not a thin Translite).

• Double-layered ink, and double-layered white backing to make the colors really pop.

• Measures 27″x 18 7/8″ to fit in a Medieval Madness Classic and Remake machine, or a lightbox. Looks beautiful when backlit!

• It comes with a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered by the artist. LIMITED TO ONLY 250 ever.

• Shipping is $25, due to the large size and extra padding needed to securely ship.

• NOTE: Please allow 2-4 weeks shipping, due to increased printing and processing time.

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Snippet of the Monster Bash Side Blade Art.

These officially-licensed Monster Bash decals feature my hand-drawn artwork, and are designed to be easily applied to the inner-sides of your pinball machine.

SEE MORE HERE: https://www.flylanddesigns.com/produc…

-High-quality vinyl decals that are applied to the interior cabinet sides, just above the playfield.

-All of the artwork was hand-drawn by me, artist Brian Allen. Ships directly from the artist.

-Officially licensed from Williams/Bally -Printed on thick Matte White Opaque Air Egress/Perm, high-quality vinyl.

-The Air-Egress vinyl adhesive we use makes for easy and forgiving installation, even if you have never installed them before.

-Printed with vibrant, fade-resistant colors.

-Laminated with a scratch-resistant protective coating that will keep them looking like new for up to 10 years

-The textured, matte laminate will also minimize the number of reflections from the Playfield lights. -Fits all Williams Monster Bash pinball machines.

-Set of two pre-cut decals (one for each side).

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Example of artwork, snippet of remake of medieval madness.

Here’s a video tour of some of the artwork products I would have brought to the Pinball Expo 2020 – put together this video to show at their Virtual Convention.

Features tons fo my hand-drawn artwork for pinball Translites, banners, prints, decals, and more.

Pinball and Arcade shop: https://www.flylanddesigns.com/produc…

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Just saw a character I created (@GrittyNHL ) pop up on one of my all-time favorite shows: It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia @alwayssunny. This guy never ceases to surprise me, even after all these years!
#gritty #itsalwayssunny #mascotdesign

Snippet of the artwork in the Attack From Mars decals.

These officially-licensed Attack From Mars decals feature my hand-drawn artwork, and are designed to be easily applied to the inner-sides of your pinball machine.

SEE MORE HERE: https://www.flylanddesigns.com/produc…

-High-quality vinyl decals that are applied to the interior cabinet sides, just above the playfield.


-All of the artwork was hand-drawn by me, artist Brian Allen. Ships directly from the artist.


-Officially licensed from Williams/Bally -Printed on thick Matte White Opaque Air Egress/Perm, high-quality vinyl. -The Air-Egress vinyl adhesive we use makes for easy and forgiving installation, even if you have never installed them before. -Printed with vibrant, fade-resistant colors. -Laminated with a scratch-resistant protective coating that will keep them looking like new for up to 10 years -The textured, matte laminate will also minimize the number of reflections from the Playfield lights. -Fits all Williams Monster Bash pinball machines. -Set of two pre-cut decals (one for each side).

Snippet of the White-Water Decals Art.

Officially-licensed decals featuring hand-drawn White Water artwork that are designed to be easily applied to the inner-sides of your White Water pinball machine.

The Side Art Blades are high-quality vinyl decals that are applied to the interior cabinet sides, just above the playfield.

All of the artwork was hand-drawn by the artist Brian Allen. Ships directly from the artist.

Officially licensed from Williams/Bally, and come with a genuine Hologram sticker to prove authenticity.

• Printed on thick Matte White Opaque Air Egress/Perm, high-quality vinyl.

•The Air-Egress vinyl adhesive we use makes for easy and forgiving installation. (10-15 minute installation)

• Printed with vibrant, fade-resistant colors.

• Laminated with a scratch-resistant protective coating that will keep them looking like new for many years.

• The textured, matte laminate will also minimize the number of reflections from the Playfield lights.

• Fits ALL White Water pinball machines.

• Die-Cut hole in each blade to accommodate backbox hinge bolt for easy installation.

• Set of two pre-cut decals (one for each side).

• Check them out here: https://www.flylanddesigns.com/produc…

Copyright © 2020 by Brian Allen, FlyLand Designs Inc.

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

Alternative Backglass whitewater artwork.

Alternative Acrylic Pinball Backglass artwork of the classic White Water pinball Backglass created by Brian Allen. Officially licensed from Williams!

I’m proud to present the artwork for my Alternate White Water backglass and Translite! This is my most time-consuming and detailed design yet, and for me, the most challenging so far. I had a lot of requests to make Big Foot have a larger, uh, footprint in the design. I took that pretty literally and drew him as a giant monster emerging from the rocks! There are tons of Easter Eggs in this design. Look for the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the woman in the white dress from Attack From Mars, Dr. Dude, and a cameo from the No Good Gofers varmint. There’s even a nod to some outdoor movies, like Deliverance, and “The Great Outdoors.” I also made an effort to sneak in a few humble bows to the artists behind the original backglass here and there. I also made sure to include the “Whitewater” title text, per request from fans (this was missing on the original Translite).

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.f…

On Instagram: http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_b…

See More Here: https://www.flylanddesigns.com/produc…

This is a Zombie illustration done for Zombie Chains the 10/27 drop.

Wanted to share my first NFT project! A10k #NFT drop on #Cardano, with every Zombie being a unique digital collectible that dropped on 10/27 at 1600 UTC.

Zombie Chains info:

Founded by @CardanoDan, and @ReliableStaking

Art by me @flylanddesigns

Check us out at ZombieChains.io

THANKS EVERYONE!

Showcases and displays some of the zombies Hunters in the zombie chains collection

A sequel to our successful Zombie Chains project we launched last year that hit the Top 10 Cardano NFT project of all time! This massive NFT project with TEN THOUSAND unique characters, all illustrated by me was built over the several months on the Cardano network with Cardano Dan and Chris from Reliable Staking.

Launched on Jan 26 at 17:00 UTC on ZombieChains.io. So proud of this and was pumped for its release.

Learn More: https://zombiechains.io

To check out more of my work, or to hire me: http://www.flylanddesigns.com

Thank you for all the support for my Clip Studio Paint brushes – but did you know they are also available for Adobe Photoshop? I took the best brushes from all my sets and recreated them in Photoshop – over 100 digital painteres, textures, pencils, inkers, and more!
Check them out here:
http://bit.ly/adobephotoshopbrushes

photoshopbrushes #digitalart #photoshoppresets #digitalpainting #illustration #arttools #textures #digitalinking #adobephotoshop

cute caroon narwhal whale family

Client:

Great Dane Graphics

Description:

Cartoon Narwhal mother and baby splashing in the water, drawn in a colorful whimsical style. Available for licensing.

cute caroon narwhal whale family
Copyright © 2016 by Brian Allen

I created this artwork for Big Pappi’s in Crystal Beach Ontario. However, the artwork was never fully paid for, and the owner is using the artwork without my permission.

Big Pappi's Logo design
A metal skinned police officer o

A metal skinned police officer o

Description:

A metal skinned police officer of the law. He holds a night stick in his hand and a law enforcement badge is behind him.

This artwork is available for licensing:

Character design sketches of the

Designing The Philadelphia Flyers Mascot, Gritty

Client:
The Philadelphia Flyers

Project
The Philadelphia Flyers, the NHL hockey team, hired me to design the costume for their new mascot, completely from the ground up. They reached out to me because they had liked some edgy mascot artwork I had done for a television commercial by Chick-Fil-A.

The Flyers gave me a lot of freedom with the design. They had previously commissioned some designs, but nothing had hit the mark yet. They told me that the mascot design had to be “someone you’d want to high-five, but not hug.” He had to be fun enough to attract kids and younger fans, yet had to still be tough enough to earn the respect of the tough and gritty Philadelphia fans.

I began the project by sketching over 20 different possible mascots, including, bats, bulls, groundhogs, dragons, tough guys, yetis, and even a flying squirrel.

Once the client saw the sketches, they picked a big dumpy monster I had drawn as the starting point.

Early Gritty concept sketches

Early on, we still hadn’t decided on a name for the mascot. The Marketing team decided on Gritty, which is a perfect fit.

Early Gritty Concept Sketches
Character design sketches of the
Pencil Drawing of Gritty, Front
Character design sketches of the
Pencil Drawing of Gritty, Side

Final Turn-Around Illustration

Character design sketches of the
© Brian Allen 2016

After we nailed down the foundation of Gritty, the Art Directors and I experimented with many different variations to tweak Gritty’s look.

Working digitally with a Wacom Cintiq tablet, Clip Studio Paint, and Adobe Photoshop, I swapped different details on Gritty, including:

  • 10 Different mouths
  • With and without shorts
  • Wings (a bunch of different kinds)
  • Many different fur colors
  • …and even a tail!

Once approved, this front, side, and back view of Gritty was submitted to Character Translations Inc. so they could begin work on the costume.

Additional poses for the mascot

Character design sketches of the
© Brian Allen 2016

Once the concept phase was over, the Flyers hired me to create a series of 10 different poses showing Gritty in action. The different illustrations were to be used primarily for promotion during the rollout.

The mascot illustrations were also used for merch designs sold at the Flyers’ stadium and online – from t-shirts, hockey pucks, sticks, and keychains.

Gritty introduced to the world!

Periodically throughout the process, the Flyers would send me photos of how the costume was coming together, but I usually only saw pieces. It wasn’t until just a few days before the official release that I saw Gritty for the first time. The costume creation team at Character Translations Inc. did an amazing job bringing my drawing to life.

Some of Gritty’s most unique features, such as the googly eyes, and squeaky hands, were added by the creative team at the Flyers. I was just as surprised as everyone else when they were first revealed!

The initial reaction seemed negative at first, and it was a little overwhelming. But the momentum changed very quickly. Within a couple of days, people were sending me fan art they had created of Gritty, and it was clear he had become more than just the mascot for the Flyers: he was now the mascot of the internet!

Client Testimonial:
Thank you again for all your great work throughout the project! Appreciate the quality work, quick turnarounds and accommodating the many changes we sent your way.
Ben DiCandilo
Philadelphia Flyers, Marketing Manager

Character design sketches of the

Thank you, Flyers!

I owe a large debt of gratitude to the Flyers for making me a part of something so big (and orange!).

Thank you to the Marketing Team – They had great ideas and clear communication.

Thank you to the costume company for their incredible work!

And thank you to the man inside the Gritty suit, who has really brought this two-dimensional drawing to life!

The full story behind the creation of Gritty:

Interview by Mark Brickey on the popular art and design podcast, Adventures in Design

I go into full detail of the process of how I designed Gritty with the Flyers, and how I dealt with the outpouring of reactions to the mascot I helped create, both negative and positive. Adventures in Design is a really great podcast that has interviewed many of the best artists in the industry, so it was an honor to be included!

SquareVideo SquareVideo Gritty

Interviews and Press about the creation of Gritty:

Gritty took the world by storm, and I was very fortunate to be part of it. It was really humbling to be interviewed by over 20 news outlets, several of them on camera, and to be a guest on my favorite art podcast, Adventures in Design.

https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/12/24/18145323/gritty-explained-mascot-flyers-meme-leftist

• VOX

https://www.businessinsider.com/artist-behind-gritty-on-marketing-gritty-does-not-go-away-2020-11

• BUSINESS INSIDER

Gritty: How Brian Allen Created The Philadelphia Flyers Hockey Legend

• POP ICON

Gritty is the internet mascot for a world that’s broken in 2018

• CNET

The 15 Best Marketing Stunts, Activations and Odd Creations of 2018

• ADWEEK

Gritty’s First Month: The Heroic Ascendance of a ‘Ghastly Empty-Eyed Muppet’

• NY Times

I Learned to Love Gritty the Terrifying Mascot and So Can You

• USA Today

Flyers Introduce New Orange, Fuzzy Mascot Gritty, Relish Reaction

• ESPN

Gritty, the Flyers’ new mascot, is up to all sorts of shenanigans on his 1st night out

• NBC Sports

Meet Gritty: The Flyers’ New Team Mascot

• 6ABC News

LOOK: New Flyers mascot Gritty dances with Jimmy Fallon, gets punched by Ricky Gervais

• CBS Sports

Philadelphia Flyers’ new mascot, ‘Gritty,’ sparks backlash, calls for euthanization

• Fox News

Gritty, Stuff Of Nightmares, Has Been Officially Welcomed To Philadelphia

• NPR

Gritty: why the Philadelphia Flyers’ new acid trip of a mascot must be stopped

• The Guardian

‘Gritty’, the internet’s most beloved mascot, explained

• SB Nation

TRUE GRITTY, OR HOW A MYSTIFYING NEW NHL MASCOT WON THE INTERNET

• AdAge

Are You In or Out on “Gritty,” the Philadelphia Flyers’ New Googly-Eyed Mascot?

• The Ringer

Two heroic police officers stand

 


Client:

Traxier Printing

Description:

I created this t-shirt design in conjunction with Traxler Tees to commemorate a tragic police shooting in Westerville where two police officers lost their lives in the line of duty.

Traxler hired me to create a design that illustrated police officers in general as bold and proud, which they later sold to raise significant charitable donations to support the department and their families.

Client Testimonial:

Im *** crying man. 

This is amazing. 

-Zachary Traxler

Owner, Traxler Printing


 

Client:

Cinnamon’s Bar

Description:

Illustration of a bunch of misbehaving dogs chilling I created for Cinnamon’s Bar in Delaware.  It was really challenging cramming a huge list of dog breeds and characters into this piece, all while keeping to a limited color scheme so it could be silk-screened.  Very happy with how it turned out though.

Here’s something I drew on the iPad Pro in Procreate – as much as I wanted to love the iPad Pro, I ended up returning it for a bunch of reasons. I made a quick video review of it that I’ll be uploading soon. So many amazing pieces of art have been drawn on the iPad Pro, but for me it just didn’t work.
#ipadpro #procreate #illustration #art #instaart #instaartist #news #hire #sketch http://ift.tt/2B1WFrh

Join Tammy Coron and Tim Mitra on Episode 85, which was recorded on May 10, 2017. On this episode they talk with Me about my work!

Check it out here : http://roundaboutfm.com/episode-85-brian-allen/

Illustrations for a novel I crea

Illustrations for a novel I crea

Copyright © 2016 by Brian Allen

Illustrations for a novel I crea

Copyright © 2016 by Brian Allen

Illustrations for a novel I crea

Copyright © 2016 by Brian Allen

Illustrations for a novel I crea

Copyright © 2016 by Brian Allen

Client:
Bennett Wilson

Description:
Illustrations for a novel I created in a shorthand style that was very different for me, using black and white ink and watercolor wash.
The book was an adventure story for young adults, and the author needed many small black and white illustrations that could carry the story along and set the scenes. I had a lot of fun with this style, as it let me be looser and create the illustrations more quickly.

Client Testimonial:
Your work has been great. I’m really pleased.
-Bennet Wilson
Author

Colorful clownfish in an underwa

Rick and Morty Parody surrounded by all the evil characters from their show.
Accessorize your Morty and get swifty with this detailed and dark tribute to the greatest dimension traversing duo, Rick and Morty. Featuring creatures that defy all logic. 100 years Rick and Morty!
Rick and Morty RIck and Morty Rick-and-Morty-Art-Print-signed

Client:

Personal

Description:

Accessorize your Morty and get swifty with this detailed and dark tribute to the greatest dimension traversing duo, Rick and Morty. Featuring creatures that defy all logic. 100 years Rick and Morty!

This was created for an official Rick and Morty design contest, and the design won third place! The shirt will be available for sale in the official Rick and Morty outlets. I’m super-thrilled to have my artwork hand-picked by the creators of one of my favorite shows. In addition to the prize money, I’ll also be getting a sweet Rick and Morty comic book autographed by the creators!

A children’s book I illustrated about Zombies won an award from New Apple! I’m really proud of this book – it’s probably the only children’s book I’ve ever done where I could really put my style down onto the page and not have to filter it. The book is called Moore Zombies, by Wendy Knuth, check it out!

Children’s book series about zombies

Children’s book series about zombies

Children’s book series about zombies

You can purchase the book here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1514310600/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_DUyIwb0A0ZH3S

I might have forgot to share this from last year – Lemonade Agency put together this nice portfolio book and sent me a copy. Because fo the magic of alphabetical order, I am once again in the front of the book. Never fails!

Lemonade-Agency-Book

Super-thrilled to share this news with you: my work was published in a gigantic volume of artwork called Pandaemonium: Devils, Demons, & Monsters published by Out of Step Books, alongside some SERIOUS talent. I can’t tell you how pumped I am about this!

The book can be purchased here: http://www.oosbooks.com/Pandaemonium_Devils_Demons_Monsters_p/pandaemoniumhardcover.htm?1=1&CartID=0

Screen Shot 2015-11-22 at 12.36.21 PM

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Happy the Clown says check out my new Artists’ Resources page I built on my website. I collected tutorials, FAQs, tools, reviews, and other helpful stuff all in one place. I’ll be adding to it constantly. Anything more you want to see?

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Manga Studio Resources Page

I put together this comprehensive best-of guide of Manga Studio resources (and then I threw in my own on top). Please let me know if you’d like to see anything added https://www.flylanddesigns.com/manga-studio-resources/

Screen Shot 2015-11-22 at 12.39.32 PMI’m so excited to be sharing this – some of my work was published in Black and White Volume 2 by Out of Step Books, a collection of artwork from some of my favorite artists, like Freak City and Ben Kwok (Bioworkz).

Words can’t describe how flattered I am. Seems like I must be doing something right!

Can’t wait to pick up my copy at OutOfStepBooksScreenshot_2015-12-31-13-35-42-700px

HULK HATES FAQs!!
I get contacted a lot by aspiring artists, which honestly, is extremely flattering. I found that a lot of the questions were the same, so I put together this comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section on my website at https://www.flylanddesigns.com/faq-for-artists/

Please let me know if you have any questions you want me to add, or if you have any answers to add (I’ll give you credit).

Frequently Asked Questions for artists

Wanted to share this – one of the highlights for me last year was having my artwork published in the Showcase 100 book, which featured artwork from 99 amazing artists, and me! And by the divine powers of alphabetically order, I’m on the first page! Always works great (except when I was in gym class and always had to go first).

Showcase-100-Book

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Humbled again – thanks Facebook! Reached 9,000 likes on my page just before the year ended.

Last year was the best year for my business in just about every way. I’m kind of dumb-founded to be honest.

My sincere thanks to everyone who has been following my artwork – your likes, shares, and comments truly do matter to me. The feedback is really useful, and I’ve often found some great projects and clients as a result of your interaction.

This year I want to up my game a little on tutorials and other resources for freelance artists. Please let me know if there’s anything specific you want to see.

Take it easy!

https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.flylanddesigns

Skillshare Teaching

I was humbled recently to be invited to teach a class on SkillShare, a really great website that has a TON of very cheap tutorials. I found it through some of my favorite artists, Patrick Brown, and Chris Parks of Pale Horse Design who both taught really helpful classes there.

Now I have to come up with something worth teaching. What would you like to learn from me? Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Some options:
1. T-Shirt design and setup in Manga Studio and Photoshop
2. Illustrated Mascot/Logo design
3. How to act way cooler than you actually are

Just got a package of cool stuff from Strange Kids Club – a really unique comic parody of 80s Saturday Morning cartoons called Bronarr, written by Rondal Scott III, and illustrated by a ton of talented artists, including one of my favorites, Michael Anderson.

I was tasked with illustrating the poster, which is now proudly hanging in my studio!

My Dumb and Dumber Zombie tribute shirt has been chosen to be featured as a Silk-Screen print for the first time on TeeFury.com!

Guaranteed to be better than the movie!

Only 17 bucks – hope you pick one up if you like this design, thanks!
http://www.teefury.com/dead-and-deader

Here’s an easy way to use the Adobe Photoshop Extract Assets feature to create multiple drafts for a clients review from one file.


To check out more of my work, or to hire me:

Follow me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.flylanddesigns

On Instagram:
http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_brian_allen

On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/flylanddesigns

On Twitter:
https://twitter.com/flylanddesigns

On Behance:
https://www.behance.net/flylanddesigns

 

This video is about Importing Manga Studio Brushes from Manga Studio 4 into Manga Studio 5.

For a full review on Manga Studio 5, check it out at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2YLNa22gEo
Thanks for watching, please post any questions in the comments.

To check out more of my work, or to hire me:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

–What software do you use?
Manga Studio 5 EX and Adobe Photoshop CC

–What tablet do you use? Wacom Cintiq 24HD, and sometimes a Wacom Companion 1

–What computer do you use?
iMac

–What brushes do you use?
I use variants I created from the stock brushes in Manga Studio 5, as well as brushes I purchased from Ray Frenden.

–How much time does an illustration take?
Projects vary greatly, but I would say a good average would be 8 hours.

–People actually pay you to do this all day?
I know, right?

—————————

Follow me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.flylanddesigns

On Instagram:
http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_brian_allen

On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/flylanddesigns

On Twitter:
https://twitter.com/flylanddesigns

On Behance:
https://www.behance.net/flylanddesigns

Speed-Inking Tutorial video I created for the process of digitally inking an album cover for the Brazillian band John Wayne in Manga Studio 5 (Clip Studio Paint) with a Wacom Cintiq 24HD.

The album cover I illustrated was for the Brazilian heavy metal band John Wayne (named after John Wayne Gacy – not the other guy). It was a great pleasure working on this with the band, as they gave me a lot of freedom, and I set upon the design without much planning, and tried to let it flow. This album cover is the first in a set of two albums, that when placed together will form one cohesive image. This album represents the dark side, while the following album will have a similar design, but mirrored, and “lighter.”
You can purchase the album here:
https://www.facebook.com/BandaJohnWayne


To check out more of my work, or to hire me:

Follow me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.flylanddesigns

On Instagram:
http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_brian_allen

On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/flylanddesigns

On Twitter:
https://twitter.com/flylanddesigns

On Behance:
https://www.behance.net/flylanddesigns

This is a video tutorial with commentary on how to create a complex illustrated pattern in Adobe Photoshop CC for an all-over print T-shirt.
The design features a zombie Captain Crunch, and zombie crunch berries created for a direct-to-garment all-over print T-shirt I designed for rageon.com of a zombie Captain Crunch.

I take you step by step in the process using Smart Objects and Smart Filters to form a repeatable pattern from a complicated illustration.

To purchase this shirt follow the link below:
http://www.rageon.com/products/capn-dead-t-shirt

Thanks for watching, please post any questions in the comments.

To check out more of my work, or to hire me:

—————————

Follow me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.flylanddesigns

On Instagram:
http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_brian_allen

On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/flylanddesigns

On Twitter:
https://twitter.com/flylanddesigns

On Behance:
https://www.behance.net/flylanddesigns

Cap'n Dead T-shirt Design

 

 

Here’s a inking tutorial for a hot-rod t-shirt for Commando Racing. Check out the shirt at (http://commandoracing.com/t/shirts)

I created this fun t-shirt design for Commando Racing Gear – a hardcore skeleton! We went through a couple different [and equally exciting] designs but eventually settled on this one. I had a lot of fun with this!

Thanks for watching, please post any questions in the comments.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

–What software do you use?
Manga Studio 5 EX and Adobe Photoshop CC

–What tablet do you use? Wacom Cintiq 24HD, and sometimes a Wacom Companion 1

–What computer do you use?
iMac

–What brushes do you use?
I use variants I created from the stock brushes in Manga Studio 5, as well as brushes I purchased from Ray Frenden.

–How much time does an illustration take?
Projects vary greatly, but I would say a good average would be 8 hours.

–People actually pay you to do this all day?
I know, right?

—————————

Follow me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.flylanddesigns

On Instagram:
http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_brian_allen

On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/flylanddesigns

On Twitter:

On Behance:
https://www.behance.net/flylanddesigns

Here’s a video of how to ink for a laser-cut skateboard.

I was recently hired to conceptualize and illustrate a team of Superhero zombies to be laser-engraved into skateboards by Revenga (www.revengaskateboards.com).

While designing, I also had to structure the design so the layout could be changed to fit a T-Shirt as well. I made sure to keep the characters masked on separate layers, that way moving them around at the end was relatively easy.

We also created a silk-screen color version for boards and shirts, using around 6 colors.

Thanks for watching, please post any questions in the comments.

To check out more of my work, or to hire me:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

–What software do you use?
Manga Studio 5 EX and Adobe Photoshop CC

–What tablet do you use? Wacom Cintiq 24HD, and sometimes a Wacom Companion 1

–What computer do you use?
iMac

–What brushes do you use?
I use variants I created from the stock brushes in Manga Studio 5, as well as brushes I purchased from Ray Frenden.

–How much time does an illustration take?
Projects vary greatly, but I would say a good average would be 8 hours.

–People actually pay you to do this all day?
I know, right?

—————————

Follow me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brianallen.flylanddesigns

On Instagram:
http://instagram.com/flylanddesigns_brian_allen

On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/flylanddesigns

On Twitter:
https://twitter.com/flylanddesigns

On Behance:
https://www.behance.net/flylanddesigns

I’ve been using Manga Studio 5 for over a year now, and I love it.  I set out to make a quick YouTube review of it, and “quick” quickly turned into over 15 minutes of me rambling.  There are so many cool new tools and features in MS5, that it was really hard to fit them all in.

If you’re considering purchasing new art software, you’ll definitely want to check this out.

 Watch the Full Video Review:

In Summary:

Manga Studio 5 Compared to Adobe Photoshop:

There are a TON of things that Manga Studio does better than Adobe Photoshop.  Can it replace it?  Maybe someday – but for now I think Adobe Photoshop is irreplaceable.  That being said, I use Manga Studio for 90% of all the artwork I create.  I usually use Adobe Photoshop for any work involving text, and for certain filters.

Manga Studio 5 sets out to out-shine Adobe Photoshop as a digital painting and drawing software, and in my opinion, it does that beautifully.

I find it far more enjoyable to use than Photoshop at painting, drawing, and especially inking.  It blends the intuitive painting and blending engines of Corel Painter with Adobe Photoshop’s intuitive interface and power.

Here’s a sample of some of the artwork I created in Manga Studio 5:

What’s Totally Freaking Awesome About Manga Studio 5

Features that you won’t find in Adobe Photoshop

  1. It’s CHEAP!

    1. It’s hard to compile a benefits list without mentioning the fact that it’s butt-loads cheaper than Adobe Photoshop.
    2. I’m currently using the Adobe Creative Cloud, Photographer’s bundle, which is only $10 a month (hard to complain about that).  But even at that price, it still ends up being $120/year.
    3. Manga Studio 5 is currently only $35 on Amazon.com:  Purchase it Here
  2. Paint with Transparency – my favorite feature

    1. Manga Studio 5 easily lets you switch to transparency as a color on the fly, making any brush instantly into an eraser.  Great for cleaning up linework, inking with “white,” and “erasing” away paint strokes that you laid on too heavy.
  3. Reference layers – extremely helpful tool when coloring

    Reference layers are an incredible concept, that I’ve never experience before in any other program.  It works like this:

    1. Choose any layer (or even a group of layers) to act as the Reference Layer by clicking the lighthouse icon in the layer menu.
    2. Now select a different layer.
    3. Choose a tool such as the magic wand, paintbucket, or eye-dropper, and make sure it is set to “Refer To Reference Layer.”
    4. Now, watch in amazement as the paint bucket fills, the wand selects, the eyedropper… uh, drops using data not from the layer you are editing, but from the reference layer!So what is this useful for?  I use it all the time when coloring artwork.  I create a flat color layer under my lineart, with no shading.  Comic book artists refer to these as “Flats.”  Then I create a new layer above the Flats, and set the Flats as a reference layer.  Now, as I color, I can quickly switch between the magic wand and my brush, and the magic wand makes selections based on the Flat layer.
      In Adobe Photoshop, I would have to constantly hide my color layer, switch to my flats layer, make the selection, unhide my color layer, switch back to the color layer, and paint.  Reference Layers in Manga Studio save me so much time.  And the same concept works for the paint bucket, along with other tools.
  4. Lasso Fill Tool

    This tool can be a free-form lasso, a polygon lasso, or a specific shape.  As soon as you are done drawing the shape, it fills with your foreground color automatically onto the canvas.

    1. Great for making smooth, irregular shapes when the Stabilization is set very high.
    2. Great for blocking in large areas of black or color.
    3. Great for quickly deleting large areas (when painting with transparency).
  5. Selection Pen Tool

    1. This is a special brush that instantly makes your stroke (or strokes if you hold down shift) into a marquee selection.  Great for painting lots of tiny highlights (when coloring with comic book style).
    2. You can configure this brush just like any other, with different brush shapes and pressure settings.
  6. Symmetrical Rulers!

    Similar to Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, Manga Studio 5 has some great symmetrical rulers.

    1. Draw a ruler anywhere that will mirror the image in real-time.  This doesn’t appear to slow down my machine at all.
    2. You can even draw up to 8 symmetrical rules at once, which can create some really cool Spiral-Graph-style designs (warning: this will probably slow down your machine a bit).
    3. Huge time saver (50%!).
  7. Gradient Layers

    1. This tool allows you to create a gradient that you can edit and resize (similar to Adobe Illustrator) in real-time even after you’ve laid it down.
    2. Change the size, add/remove colors, and change the spacing of the colors easily until you rasterize the gradient.
    3. You can also use gradients the traditional way if you choose.
  8. See flipped canvas in mirrored window

    1. One of my favorite features.  A trick I learned a while back was to constantly flip my canvas horizontally or vertically, which will make any errors you’ve made stick out like a sore thumb.  But flipping the canvas in Photoshop can take a little while to load (especially if you’re working with a large file), because it actually is transforming and flipping all the pixels on the canvas.
    2. Manga Studio does this in a much cleaner way – it is flipping the view, not the canvas itself.  So the result is instantaneous, and the result isn’t saved in the file.
    3. What’s even better, is that you can draw with one window in the original orientation, while having a second window open with the view flipped, and it’s updated in real-time.  This way you can spot errors as you make them.
  9. Half-tone Layers

    1. Easily editable at any time.  Great for setting up silk-screening artwork.

    2. In Adobe Photoshop, it’s very tedious creating halftones for silk-screening.  You have to output the layer, convert it to a bitmap, then choose a halftone pattern and size (if you don’t like it, you have to repeat the process), then copy and paste the pattern back into Photoshop for each screen.
    3. In Manga Studio, you can instantly change any layer in your document to a half-tone layer, and continuously adjust the size and shape of the halftone pattern, again and again.  You can even paint directly onto this layer, and watch it convert your airbrush strokes into solid dot goodness, with no lag at all.
    4. When you’re done, just rasterize the layer, and you’re all set!
  10. 3D poses

    1. Manga Studio comes with a library of 3D objects and mannequins which can be posed for reference, and dropped right into your artwork.
    2. I find the 3D engine in Manga Studio much more flexible and responsive (although it is suitable for reference only, not rendering – Photoshop takes the cake on that one).More Illustrations I created using Manga Studio 5:
  11. Can create full-color brushes

    1. Similar to Painter and Adobe Illustrator, the brushes you create can have full-color (not just a black and white imprint).
    2. In Adobe Photoshop, all the brushes you create can only be one solid color.
    3. This is great for creating custom textures, repeating icons and elements.
    4. There are also many ways to make the image curve with your stroke, so creating things like chain and rope brushes is very easy and effective.
  12. Better (in my opinion) organization and customization of brush palettes

    1. You can easily create and organize your own groups of brushes on the fly, and add them to your menu, or as a tabbed list.  I find this much easier than saving each brush group, and then replacing or appending it to the current list of brushes (as in Photoshop).
    2. HOWEVER – exporting brushes from Manga Studio is very cumbersome, and definitely needs an update.  While you can upload many brushes at once, you can only export one at a time.
  13. Color Wheel

    1. I have never liked Photoshop’s color picker, and have always preferred Corel Painter’s color wheel.  Manga Studio’s color picker is almost identical to Painter’s.  I find it much easier to quickly pick and adjust colors.
    2. In Adobe Photoshop, I use a plugin called Magic Picker (http://anastasiy.com/colorwheel) which is a great way to emulate a Corel Painter style color picker.  But it would be nice if this feature was built into Photoshop.
    3. NOTE:  Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 finally introduced a Color Picker palette that is similar, but I think it still falls short, because there is no color wheel.
  14. Image movement isn’t LOCKED in a window

    1. When working with two or more windows at once, Photoshop won’t allow you to pan beyond the document bounds unless you are zoomed in to the point that the document bounds exceeds the size of the window.
    2. This is very annoying when working with a Cintiq, because I often like to have the part of the image I’m working on in the center (where it’s most comfortable to draw), so I pan the canvas around a lot.
  15. Smart Paint Bucket

    In Adobe Photoshop, the paint bucket in my opinion was so useless that I simply forgot about it.  In Manga Studio, I actually use it quite frequently, because it’s so much more effective and customizable.

    1. You can make the fill area expand or shrink by a certain number of pixels, which is very helpful when coloring underneath lineart to avoid ghost outlines where the anti-aliasing of the lineart meets the color fill.
    2. You can control the sensitivity of what the bucket considers a closed area.  This is the Close Gap feature.  This is extremely useful, because I often don’t enclose my shapes completely with lineart.  If there is just a tiny gap, it will still fill the area as if it were closed.
    3. Very useful when set to reference layers, because you can use data from a layer that is out of sight.
  16. Smart Magic Wand

    The same goes for the magic wand.  It’s extremely customizable and flexible compared to the two parameters Adobe Photoshop offers.

    1. Can also be set to automatically expand or shrink the selected area immediately after clicking.  This is useful because I would often make a selection in Adobe Photoshop, and then go to Expand Selection by a couple pixels to make sure my color and lineart overlapped.
    2. Can also close gaps.
    3. Can select from layers other than the one you are currently editing.
  17. Layer Property menu

    1. You can change the entire color of a layer’s contents easily.  This is particularly useful when designing artwork for silk-screen applications.  Each layer can be painted with black, but it can appear on screen as a different color.  You can apply this effect to an entire group – which allows a quick way to make sure every layer in your group is the same color.

    2. Great for turning pencils into “non-photo” blue when inking.
  18. Edit/delete from multiple layers at once

    This is something that I’ve waned in Photoshop for quite some time.  If you make a selection in Manga Studio 5, and then OPTION+CLICK each layer that you want to delete from, and then hit delete, it will delete content in that selected area from ALL those layers at once.  In Adobe Photoshop, you’d have to hit delete individually for each layer you want to delete from.

    1. Can even make a whole group into a clipping mask.
    2. Easily delete a selection from a multiple layers at once.
  19. Copy/Paste from multiple layers

    Even better is the ability to copy and paste from multiple layers at once.

    1. You can make a selection with the lasso tool, then highlight multiple layers, and copy (or cut) and paste the artwork into new layers in one action.
    2. The only way to do this in Adobe Photoshop would be to put the layers into a group, and mask the group.
    3. Copy Merged is also a solution, but this is only useful if you don’t mind the layers being merged.
  20. Smaller File Size

    1. A PSD saved in Manga Studio is about 30% smaller than the same exact file saved in Photoshop.  I’m not sure why this is – perhaps Photoshop is saving a lot of extra data that I don’t usually use.
      More Illustrations I created using Manga Studio 5:
  21. Subview window for reference and color picking

    This is a cool tool that I think is exclusive to Manga Studio.

    1. It’s a palette that opens a preview of any image without actually opening the file, and keeps in on display for reference or color picking.

    2. Also, you can open many files at once in this window, and just flip between them.
    3. Your cursor instantly becomes an eye-dropper tool when you hover over it, making it a virtual palette.
    4. This is very useful when working on something like a children’s book or comic book when there are a lot of the same characters that you need to redraw with the same colors.
  22. Mesh Transform multiple layers at once

    1. Manga Studio’s mesh transform tool is better (in my opinion) than Photoshop’s Warp Transform tool, because you can transform an entire grouping of layers at once.  In Photoshop, you can only Warp Transform one layer at a time.  This usually forced me to merge layers when I didn’t want to.
    2. You can also add mesh points (similar to Adobe Illustrator) to give you more precise control over your transformations.
    3. However, it falls short when compared to Adobe Photoshop’s liquify tool.
  23. Periodic Backups

    1. The program automatically saves iterations of you file as you work on it, just in case the unthinkable happens.  If, for example, you accidentally flatten your image, you can then go into the Manga Studio Library folder (on Mac) and find your file.
    2. It only keeps a certain number of backups total as temporary files, so you don’t have to worry about managing these files to manage space.
    3. Adobe Photoshop CC saves backups – however, these are only saved and accessible if the program has crashed.
  24. Undo whole group of strokes in one “Undo” action

    1. Often, you might make a whole series of quick strokes with the brush (say for example, 10 brushstrokes), and then decide you don’t like what you’ve done.  In Adobe Photoshop, you’d have to hit Undo 10 times.  In Manga Studio, it sees these quick strokes as one action, so it will undo the whole series.
    2. You can adjust how Manga Studio groups the brushstrokes (as well as turning this feature off).
  25. Convert Brightness To Opacity

    1. In one step (accessed from the Edit menu), you can cleanly remove the “white” or light areas and turn them into transparency.
    2. This is very useful for extracting flattened lineart from scans.
    3. In Adobe Photoshop, I normally did this in the Channels palette – but I find that Manga Studio does a much more accurate job.
  26. Draw straight lines while holding shift

    1. Unlike Photoshop, this feature shows you a preview of where your line will be as you hold shift, which is very useful.
    2. Stroke is unaffected by pen pressure (won’t get smaller toward the end), unlike Adobe Photoshop (which I always found annoying, because if I’m drawing a straight line, I usually want it to be the same thickness throughout).
  27. Rulers!

    1. There is an incredible number of rulers you can use in real-time on your canvas.
      1. Curves
      2. Parallel lines
      3. Ellipses
      4. Concentric circles
      5. Focus line
      6. Perspective Rulers (awesome!)
    2. The rulers are easily moveable, adjustable, and resizable, just by holding the CMD key as you hover over a ruler.  No need to switch tools.
    3. You can also easily toggle them on and off just with a keyboard shortcut – so it’s easy to flip back and forth between free-hand drawing and ruled-drawing.
    4. You can even draw your own rulers using the Ruler Pen!

Improvements made from Manga Studio 4

  1. Overall better User Interface
    1. The MS4 interface was a bit clunky, and felt like Windows 2000, with palettes floating everywhere.
    2. The new interface combines the best things of both Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter.
    3. You can now rearrange and dock palettes, and collapse menus.  This is the most customizable interface of all the other software I’ve mentioned so far.
    4. You can now save different Workspaces.
  2. Improved file-handling

    1. Fixed strange file saving structure (used to be in a folder)

    2. You can now work on documents as large as 166 inches square (the limit was only 16 inches in MS 4).

  3. Much improved brush engine

    1. Tons of options (maybe too many)

    2. Lock editability of brush

  4. Much less limited image size

    1. In EX4, you were limited to 16 inch documents, which becomes tricky when designing T-Shirts.

  5. Ruler system greatly improved.

    1. EX4’s rulers were complicated, and difficult to edit.

    2. Now you can easily turn on and off a ruler, or move it to other layers.

    3. Perspective rulers also seem easier to use.

  6. Coloring greatly improved

    1. Import color swatches from Photoshop, and save them.

    2. Tons of new painting tools similar to Painter

    3. Active color wheel like Painter

  7. Added blending modes similar to Adobe Photoshop
    1. Nearly all the blending modes (for both layers and brushes) you’d come to expect are now here.  There are a few additions too that Photoshop doesn’t have, such as Glow Dodge (which is similar to Linear Dodge in Photoshop).
    2. My only complaint is that a Color blending mode appears to be missing – Soft Light works well as a substitute.
  8. Much improved layer and layer group system
    1. I found MX4’s layer system to be too complicated.  The new system mirrors Adobe Photoshop in all the good ways.

 

Thanks for reading!  If I’ve missed any features, or if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section.

To check out more of my work, or to hire me:

https://www.flylanddesigns.com

I was hired to create a T-Shirt design for a new apparel brand called Saltopus.  I was given only the direction that it had to include angry monkeys.  I illustrated a few concept sketches, and the client chose this concept, of evil monkeys emerging from an innocent looking Barrel of Monkeys toy.  The shirt was designed to be just one-color, which always poses a challenge.  Since I have no highlight or shading color, I really have to pack a lot of detail into the lineart and make sure it reads well from a distance.  We are both very happy with how this turned out.
Evil monkeys jumping out of a barrel full of monkeys

Evil monkeys jumping out of a barrel full of monkeys

Evil monkeys jumping out of a barrel full of monkeys

Evil monkeys jumping out of a barrel full of monkeys

Evil monkeys jumping out of a barrel full of monkeys

Evil monkeys jumping out of a barrel full of monkeys

Pretty bird…Pretty bird… Polly want a cracker?

I can’t wait to share this Dumb and Dumber tribute image I’m working on with you next week. I’m really, really happy with it.

Also, I noticed that I’m just two Likes away from 5,000 – how did that happen? Thanks so much, it really means a lot. Have a great weekend!

Dumb and dumber tribute illustration

Dumb and dumber tribute illustration

#dumbanddumber #tribute #illustrations


To check out more of my work, or to hire me:

Client:

Bloomsfield Machine and Welding

Description:

T-Shirt illustration I created for a welding company showing a cyborg welder with a torch for an arm. This T-Shirt illustration was set up for direct-to-garment printing.

Cyborg Welder T-Shirt Illustration

Cyborg Welder T-Shirt Illustration

Click here to see more of my Dark Illustrations

Check out more of my T-Shirt designs here.

I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by the TShirtonomy.com, a site that features new t-shirt design trends and artwork.

I’m humbled to be a part of their impressive lineup!  If you’re interested in learning a little more about me, and how I design T-Shirts, check out the full interview here:

It’s been a while between artist interviews, but today we’re very lucky to have had the opportunity to interview the extremely talented Brian Allen of Flyland Designs.com

How would you introduce yourself and your art to people who may not familiar with you?

My name is Brian Allen, I am a full-time freelance illustrator working in my studio called FlylandDesigns.com. I’ve got a wife, two kids, and a lawn to mow. Life is good! I’m really a pretty ordinary guy – In fact, my artwork and the clients I work with are often a lot cooler than I am!

I work with small businesses, bands, and large companies as well, like Hard Rock Cafe, Spiral Direct, and American Greetings.

How did you get started designing t-shirts?

I love designing t-shirts, but I actually never set out to specialize in that as much as I am now. When I first started as a freelancer illustrator, I was grabbing any job I could get (even web design, which I am quite terrible at). As my artwork starting getting better and my portfolio became more focused, I started getting a flood of T-Shirt projects. This made sense, I guess, because my artwork is line-art driven, and usually high-contrast and colorful, which are the main ingredients for some cool T-Shirts.

I quickly hunted out every resource I could to learn how to design for shirts, and the complicated process of silk-screening. It was a bit of a clumsy process at first, but I’ve learned a lot from talking with other artists and printers since then.

What inspires your work?

I make a point to seek out artists and follow their work on social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Behance, and Mintees. It’s so amazing how easy it is to quickly put together a feed of amazing artwork. It can also be overwhelming and intimidating if you’re not careful.

Other than that, I draw a lot of inspiration from the pop culture that I grew up with in the 80s and early 90s. Movies, comics, and music of that era.

Can you give us any insight into your creative process?

For many years, I used to draw and ink on paper, and color digitally in Photoshop. About four years ago, I switched to a 100% digital workflow once I discovered the Wacom Cintiq, which is a monitor and tablet combined. I feel my artwork improved a lot about two years ago, when I switched to Manga Studio 5 for most of my process. In my opinion, it is the best piece of software for drawing and inking, and it has a ton of cool features (like painting with halftones) that make designing t-shirts efficient and enjoyable.

I typically start my designs with a series of rough thumbnails. After choosing the best one, I blow it up, and draw over top. Once I’ve got a pretty clear drawing, I usually turn the color to a light blue, and carefully ink the image. My artwork is usually heavily line-art driven, so my coloring process is similar to the techniques used by comic book artists. I drop in the flat colors, make a copy of that layer, and use the flat color layer to make quick selections as a apply the shading, highlights and rendering. When designing T-Shirts, I typically keep each color on a separate layer, to make the separation process easier.

Which is your favorite design of your own?

My favorite design was a full-color direct-to-garment design I created as a personal project called “Take-Out,” featuring a crazy looking alien with a hot-looking redneck girl tied to the hood of his hot-rod/spaceship. There’s just something about this piece where everything worked (which is rarely the case), and if every project I worked on was exactly like this, I’d be perfectly happy.

Which has been your most successful design to-date?

I believe the most popular design I’ve created was a parody illustration of Cheech and Chong as zombies. The silk-screening was perfect, and the posts about the image were shared more than and reached more people than any other posts I’ve made. It was even featured on Cheech and Chong’s own social media outlets. The design was created for an apparel brand called Marijuana Zombie.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

H.R. Giger and Luis Royo.

Favorite T-Shirt designers: Angry Blue, Godmachine, Dane Henry JrFelix LaFlamme.

What are some of your interests outside of art?

My family and I love camping – there are a lot of great places to go here in Pennsylvania, and it’s a lot of fun now that my kids are big enough that I don’t have to worry about them getting carried off by squirrels.

What are your vices?

I often get myself into trouble by taking too many things on at once. I’ll end up trying to go in too many directions at once, and then I can’t really focus enough on any one thing. I’m working on it!

Hypothetical dinner party, you and any two people, dead or alive, who do you choose?

Louis C.K. – I admire his ambition and complete devotion to his art. I heard that every year he completely throws away his previous act, and starts over from scratch, never telling the same joke from the previous year again. I wish I was that fearless!

Ronnie James Dio – Because … well, because Dio.

Are you currently working on anything we should keep an eye out for?

I recently partnered with RageOn.com, the largest distributor of dye-sublimated apparel. I’ve opened up a shop with them, and they will be selling many of my designs exclusively. What makes them different than other T-Shirt sites is that they print the design on every inch of the shirt – even the shoulders and sleeves – and the designs are in full color.

I recently created a design I’m excited about featuring Kermit and Ms. Piggy as a pimp and ho entitled “Pig Pimpin.” You can.

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Thanks for your time Brian, we look forward to seeing more from you in the future!

You can checkout all of Brian’s work on his website, here: https://www.flylanddesigns.com

He’s also on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Behance.

My new apparel shop is open on RageOn!  I’m super pumped about this – these guys are the largest dye-sublimation printers around – which means they can print my designs ALL-OVER the whole shirt – covering even the sleeves and right up to the collar.  And the best thing is that all the prints are in full-color, so I can really go nuts with the colors, and not worry about separations.  I’m really excited to have a new medium like this to put my artwork on – and they are also plugging me in to their already huge fanbase.  Please check it out and share a link if you know someone who might dig it.

Here was the write up on their site about the news:

Rage On proudly welcomes The Art of Brian Allen to our growing list of brands! Brian Allen is a successful freelance artist from Pennsylvania whose illustrations explore the concepts of light and dark. His quirky art style involves close attention to detail and a healthy dash of humor no matter how creepy the design. Get ready to plunge into a world that’s as vibrant as it is twisted! You can get all of these sick designs.

Pig-Pimpin-mockup

I was interviewed by the Artful Club today!  Check it out if you want to crack the mystery that is Brian Allen.

1) Firstly, I’d like to thank you for the interview. We’d like to understand how your interest for illustration started shaping up. Tell us a bit more about what made you go this route!

I was raised by a clan of artists – my grandmother, uncle, great-grandfather, and brother are/were all artists in many different mediums.  My brother and I would draw our own action figures on cardboard and make our own comics.  I always looked up to his talent, and when I look back at it now, I realize that I spent a lot of time trying to outdraw him, and I think that competition helped me grow as an artist immeasurably.

2) Tell us a bit more about how you learned it all. What changed in the last few years in terms of ease of expanding your skills and knowledge?

I learned so much at my first illustration job working at a graphic decal shop for dirtbikes over ten years ago.  The owner was a very talented artist who previously worked on video games before leaving to start his own business.

Once I started my own freelance illustration business a few years ago, the speed and style of learning changed dramatically.  Now the success of my family was literally riding on my improvement and growth.  The threat of starvation can be a great motivator!  And on the other end, once the ceiling of a fixed salary was removed, that was also a great motivator to keep pushing and growing.

After making that move, I become a bit bolder in how I sought out information and growth, often reaching out directly to artists that I admired for so long. 

3) What does your creative process look like?

Every piece begins with a fair amount of strategizing at the beginning.  I admire artists who can just dive right in and create something amazing off the top of their heads.  I have never been able to work that way.  I spend a lot of time with the brief (if working with a client), then I research and gather reference material, seek out inspiration, seek out similar approaches that have worked, and those that don’t.   I find that I can create a much more believable gun (for example) if I know what model it is, how it works, what type of person would be using it, etc.

Once I surround myself with these things, I throw down a lot of very loose sketches and compositions.  Often my first thumbnail sketch is the one I go with, but my personality is one of second-guessing, and if I don’t sweat out all the different options, I spend the rest of the project in a funk of “what-if?”

Most of the time, I work 100% digitally, drawing on a Wacom Cintiq 24HD.  I’ve gotten spoiled on the convenience of this, and sometimes miss the raw experience of drawing on paper.  But as a freelancer, time is money, and there’s no question that working digitally is huge time-saver for me.

4) Do you have any recommendations in terms of good books, programs you use, or media choices you’re willing to share with us?

The program that every digital illustrator should be using is Smith Micro’s Manga Studio 5.  I used to draw and ink on paper, then scan the artwork in and color it in Photoshop.  I switched to a 100% digital workflow about four years ago, but I never felt that Adobe Photoshop was able to replicate the way I drew.  When I discovered Manga Studio 4, then the much improved MS5, it was like having an epiphany.  In my opinion, the program is just so much more accurate in the way it handles drawing, and its tools are more user friendly and built for illustrators.  It made drawing fun and exciting again.

I also always recommend Youtube as a great artists’ resource.  There is an endless supply of free tutorials, speed-paintings, interviews, and inspirational videos on there that I draw from daily.  I often leave it on in the background as I work, picking up a new tip here and there.

I strongly recommend the online classes hosted by Schoolism.com (particularly the digital painting course by Bobby Chiu), and the tutorials available on Skillshare.com.

For books, I recommend the Graphic Artist’s Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines   and  2014 Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market (Artists and Graphic Designers Market)    these are great books that help reinforce the value of artwork encouraging artists to maintain sustainable pricing for everyone involved.

5) Do you have a special place or object that boosts your inspiration and helps your creative drive? What is it like and why does it have this effect on you?

I always seem to get a lot of inspiration in the middle of a movie sitting in a theatre, or when watching a band play on stage somewhere.  I think there’s something about being in a dark room and being forced to sit down, shut up, and just immerse yourself in another artist’s world. 

6) Could you describe how a productive day would look like from your point of view? Which are the most important hours for you?

When I finish a piece of artwork, and feel that its better than the last piece, I feel productive.  When I’m working on projects that I feel are a step background, even if I’m producing a lot, can quickly make me feel like I’m treading water.  I also hate the necessary evil that is email.  I probably spend about an hour and a half a day answering emails – this is something I never anticipated when I started my own business.  Even though it is necessary, and it’s usually producing new projects, I can’t escape the client and I are just tossing a ball back and forth.

Unlike many artists that I know, I am not a night owl – I’m in bed by 10PM, probably because my kids wear me out.  So the most important hours to me are the normal working hours.

7) What is your stance on today’s ever growing opportunities enabling artists to take on remote design work?

In one word:  incredible.  My style is very unique, so I could never experience this level of success if I was pulling only from a local pool of clients – especially considering that I live in a small rural town in central Pennsylvania, just outside of Penn State University.  I get to work with clients from all over the world, and my process is basically the same whether the client is from down the street, across the country, or on the other side of the world.  Simple tools like PayPal, Skype, and Dropbox (which are all essentially free) have transformed my business. 

8) What would you prefer: a steady, well paying job in a local agency, or the freedom and often stressful life of a freelancer? Why?

Once I started working as a freelancer, I realized right away that this fit my personality exactly.  I’m a control freak, and need to be the shaper of my own destiny.  I realize now that I must have driven my previous managers crazy, haha.  Now that I have tasted this freedom, it’s hard to imagine how I could ever go back.  The freedom to literally choose which projects I want to work on is so liberating, and I think it has really helped my growth as an artist.  I only recently realized that just as doing good art can you make you better, doing bad art can make you worse.

There is no question, however, that Freelancing is more stressful than my previous steady jobs as an illustrator.  I’m still learning how to manage my time and maintain a balance between work and my family.  It’s very hard to know when to turn it off, because unlike most jobs, being a freelance illustrator isn’t just a job I do, it’s who I am.  It’s an incredibly personal venture.

9) How would you describe “the ideal project”? Did you have any recent opportunities to come close to this?

I’m very proud of a project I did last year for Hard Rock Cafe, which involved creating T-Shirt designs of some of their most famous city locations around the world, such as Tokyo, Miami, Amsterdam, and Yankee Stadium.  To me, an ideal project is one that the client and I both are excited about, both during the production, and after the artwork is finished. I enjoy working on projects that I can put a piece of myself into it – I want people who know me to look at my work, and say, “this is you.”

Thank you!  Here is some contact and promotional information about where to find me on the web:

So this is super cool – a children’s book I illustrated is ranked #2 on Amazon today in the Free Children’s Books and Graphic Novels category! Today is the last day to get it for free, so please check it out and share! Thank you!

http://amzn.to/1qTOCoT

The children’s ebook I illustrated for the Amazon best-selling author Julia Dweck entitled “Jump” is finally available for purchase!  http://amzn.to/1rRkICT

The book will also be adapted as an animated story book for the iPad and other tablets very soon!

Check out some images from the book:

"Jump" by Julia Dweck "Jump" by Julia Dweck "Jump" by Julia Dweck