Hypertransitory Monday Comics #8 – The Commander Series pt 3!

And now, this week’s Hypertransitory Monday Comics features the stunning conclusion of the sci-fi comic The Commander Series!

If you missed the beginning of the series click this link to start there:
Hypertransitory Monday Comics #6 – The Commander Series pt1

For those of you all caught up, read on:

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JG’s Creator Notes

Hey, that Commander is CRAZY, man!

Anyway, I thought I’d add in some info regarding the creation of this comic, for those interested in those sorts of things.

DAZ STUDIO

So to start with, this comic is done exclusively using free 3D programs like Daz Studio and Blender. Unlike my Kid Hype series, there’s no drawing/inking/scanning/coloring at all in this one.

Not to say that this method doesn’t present it’s own set of challenges. In some ways it’s easier, much harder in others. Essentially you don’t just sit back and push the button (as much as I wish I could).

Some of you reading for awhile know that Daz Studio is a “posing” 3D program, meaning the models are supplied, and I can adjust, modify and set them up they way that I want, just like a photographer would stage a photo-shoot or a director would stage a movie.

When I first started using 3D programs years ago, I got into it just to make poster type 3D illustrations, and I made a few just like this one:

but then I thought “hmmm…I could make a whole comic out of these programs!”

My first attempt was here: The Commander Series Original Comic

I thought it was ok, but I decided to go for a much more flat, cartoony feel this time, so you’ll probably notice a bit of a difference in how it appears.

Here’s a screenshot of the working environment of Daz Studio. You can see most of the models present in the shot (the pilot is in a separate file):

Sometimes you might not quite get how these apps work. Here’s a small video showing how you can move around in the scene in Daz Studio.

All the figure models I used were free, but some of the clothing and backdrop items I actually paid for, like the pilot’s ship and the bodysuits the Commander and Leen are wearing.

So even though all the models are available to everyone, I don’t have a problem with that since I feel that I can just use my own artistry and creativity to make something (hopefully) unique out of it.

BLENDER

The exterior model of the Commander’s ship was something I created entirely in Blender. Check out a shot of the ship as it appears while working with it in Blender:

The difference between the two programs is that while Daz is a posing program, Blender is also a modeling program. This means I’m only limited to what my skill level can create.

Blender is an extremely powerful program, and can even be used to create your own animated movies. The latest official Blender movie is called Sintel, you can check it out here:

Pretty cool, huh?? I’m not at that level yet, but one day…

What’s great about this is that anyone who has an idea for a comic or animated movie can potentially realize that idea just putting in their own “sweat equity” to get up to speed on the programs.

For an example, check out the piece I wrote up a while ago on an animated movie created using the tools provided with the Grand Theft Auto 4 video game -it’s called The Trashmaster.

Extra Commander Series Art!

To bring the post to a close, here’s a few shots of the main characters that I rendered and put together using Daz Studio/Blender and Photoshop.

These are done in a less cartoony style than the comic itself, but it was what I was going for at the time.

So anyway I hope you enjoyed The Commander Series, let me know what you thought, or any comments or questions in the comments. Thanks for reading!