The Making of "Looking for Group" - Part Two

[vintage1351]

Are you just using the brush tool to ink? And how are you getting your lines to come out so neatly? I also notice the lines are chaning width as you round corners and such, how are you achieving that effect? Is it mainly practice or are you doing something special within photoshop?

Awesome web series by the way. I just discovered it, (i know, late bloomer) but I'm totally here to stay now.

Oh yea and last question...which is your favorite character?

[lardesouza]

@vintage1351 That's correct. I ink at 200%, which gives me the control I like. I'm using a Wacom Cintiq so it's pressure sensitive. I press harder, the line gets thicker. It's that straightfoward. The rest is practice.

Favorite? I can't just choose one of my babies! :)

[ne77s]

What size do you work in when drawing the comics? Is it the same as the final web display size or do you work larger?

[lardesouza]

@ne77s I work print size. Roughly 7x10 inches at 300dpi.

[Cluny91]

Super good! :) :D

[ZombieFirestarter]

It's so weird how cathartic it is to watch a brilliant artist work at the speed of light to Raymond Scott.

I gotta ask though, what are you working in? That frame/speech bubble feature is extremely convenient.

[lardesouza]

@ZombieFirestarter I'm working in Photoshop. I use the elliptical shape tool to draw my word bubbles. In this page I simply added tails using the polygonal lasso, but nowadays I add them with the shape tool and then apply a Style to them for the fills and outlines. You can also use the Edit>Fill and Edit>Stroke options.

[ZombieFirestarter]

@lardesouza Oh wow, that's awesome. Thanks, and thanks for doing such great work on the comic. Keep it up!

[jonnavdpas]

Richard has the snappiest comments ever! xD

[tomichasquad]

What kind of brush do you use? I like the way your strokes look, the thickness changes very nicely. Is it some custom brush or just standard Hard - Pressure Size? And what kind of Wacom pen do you use with the tablet? Also, tool? Brush all the way or do you ever use pencil/pen?

I'd really appreciate an answer to those, I'm kinda confused about Photoshop :( But I just got a Wacom Intuos4 M and I wanna do comics so hard

[Ramonerdna]

Im literally JUST learning photoshop what was that thing you did with the dialogue bubbles called? where can i find that setting?

[ryantamayose]

I can't stop watching this!!! I get so mesmerized. 5 things I MUST MASTER, Guitar, Illustration, Mechanics, Japanese language, and probably the easiest, or the hardest, Karate! All of which I've already started for about 2 years, not looking so good lol!

[Rofljoller]

how many times is this fast forwarded? :P

[lolbandwidth]

I may have already said it, but I'd kill to have this guy's skills.

[hobavaca]

very cool videos, recently started reading both licd and lfg, i bought my bro your first volume for lfg since he spends hours playing wow, you are the shizznet! if i could i have a couple questions. One, the backgrounds to your comics are extremely detailed; how do you change the "texture" in the background to look "rocky" for the mountain shots? and if you can elaborate more on how you do the "straight lines" for like the vanishing point in buildings and other structures; what tools do you use?

[neolover4454]

uhm ppl.. lemme make this staight- thisgut isn't the artist- search "LFG This Is War" the guy who made that is the real artist

[Harbinger4ever]

I've been reading his comics for over two years now, and I can tell you with great certainty that Lar deSouza IS IN FACT the artist of LFG. Blindferret Entertainment is sponsering the comic and is working on the development of the movie, but that in no way means that Mr. deSouza is not the artist. :/

[Harbinger4ever]

Dude, it's the SAME GUY!

Criminy! XP

[Biff0r]

Awesome :) And by the way, do you have any hints on keeping a crisp line at inking? If I use Photoshop only, I'll always end up with a way too blurry line, even if I pick the normal round pen tools, using a Wacom Bamboo.

Oh, and which resolution do you use while drawing the comic?

[didjargo]

I'll say this much: You have great line control.

[Machmedibror]

Richard is the FUNNIEST guy ever

and Gid is in my oppinion the coolest fantasy-girl ever...what is she anyway, an orc?

[kuuler94]

no she isnt i think she should be somekind of halfbreed

(dont really no but i i guess she should half human half troll but i can be wrong) :-)

[Julianhjhj]

Definetly orc fits in all descriptions of various MMO games

[sokkaismylove]

Troll, I think. Half-troll, since she's reffered to as a 'half-breed' so maybe semi-human?

[TheGingerhead]

"Her prefered honorfic is "female of unknown pedigree"", as Richard so boldly states, not sure when thought. so, yeah, my guess is Troll with elfish or human ancestors, allthought speculation is probably all we got going seeing as it seems to be a sore subject on her part.

[deneki123]

she is mix of troll and orc.

[gildedplatypus]

man you know thats gotta take forever!

[Burt1818]

o.0'

Kudos, man.

dunno how ya do it but.. kudos

[neolover4454]

he isnt the artist of lfg...

[rsklam]

I have this comic page posted on my wall lol

[yamamato44]

I only have two questions: What did you do when you created the boxes for each panel, and also what size is the overall image at?

Looks good though, congrats on all the sucess!

[my1drive]

how can u keep the mouse so stady ?

or do even uss it ?

[MabusPwns]

He's using an art tablet, hence the different stroke widths from pressure.

[lardesouza]

Actually I sketch directly into Photoshop as well. Saves time and paper that way :)

[FaintestofLight]

I do tablet work and everything, but despite your steady hand and years of experience, is there any specifice settings in the program that you use to keep the pressure from looking so shaky?

If not, then you're simply just that good. ^^'

[lardesouza]

I did tweak the pen sensitivity in the Wacom dialogue box since I can be heavy handed and the default was too delicate for me. Also, I ink at 200% which helps me achieve better control I think.

I hope this helps you :) Later!

[FaintestofLight]

Thanks, it does! I never thought to change my Wacom's sensitivity. =)

[capnquack]

Heh - I just headed back here just to ask you this very thing. XD Thanks again.

[Eggroll42]

what are these magical sounding devices?

[JynxedDraca]

How do you get your lines so smooth? I have a problem with my lines looking pixelated.

[aeontheimmortal]

as i said earlier he's got a gift

[angiefruitcake]

Your inking lines are so smooth!

Do you use a Cintique or an Intuos tablet? If you use an intuos...dang... you have a mighty steady hand.

[Wuzzup222]

For... PONY!!!!

RICHARD FTW. Everything he says is funny as hell. WOO

[TNBH123]

I just started watching lfg like 3 days ago, and I love it! I'm waiting for the newest strip. Thanks for postin these videos and your awesome comic.

[kaminarinhero]

YOU SERIOUSLY use 7.0 no way me too lol no way would i be able to draw as good as you though what was that lined thing you did to make the boxes???

[SausageTooth]

you must be using a drawing board of some sort here. I really want one^^ but I have no idea of how much one costs. I think they are rather expensive. Do you know how much a small one wpuld cost? if they come in different sizes at all :)

[JynxedDraca]

The cheapest is about $80, and is about 7 1/2' x 7'. I found one for about $60 online but the shipping cost was outrageous.

[theonecalledjp]

You should've made a FAQ in the description :D

I read last 8 pages of comment (looking at your replies) and all I saw is mostly "Photoshop" "Wacom tablet"

[supercowgirlmanthing]

i noticed a few times that while inking you ignored the original sketch and changed the picture. does that happen a lot?

also, what program do you use to draw lfg?

[lardesouza]

Good question! I'm not entirely ignoring the sketch, but I don't make my pencils too tight on purpose. As I ink I continue to make fresh choices about refining the images. I feel it keeps things fresh and dynamic.

The entire strip is produced in Photoshop.

Thanks :)

[holynapstercool]

that was a VERY fast reply

thank you

(lardesouza took about 10 min to answer)

[holynapstercool]

To lardesouza:

Wich is the most difficult to draw???

[lardesouza]

Architectural backgrounds are the most difficult for me. They need a goodly amount of research and detail and I need to plan them out for consistency.

[DracoIV]

This is really awesome. Im an artist myself and this is totally wicked. I love Richard, I drew 2 pics of him 2day.

[pimpinz123]

what size brush do you use?

[lardesouza]

I use a variety of the hard rounds to ink. Generally from 5 to 9pixels depending on the level of detail I need.

[syang9]

amazing.

[elpajaronegro]

These videos are fascinating. I like the music, too.

[BakaPyros]

How does a tablet allow you to get different line thickness in one stroke? Is it presure sensative?

[lardesouza]

Yes, that's exactly how it works. I press harder, I get a thicker line. Simple. :)

[DYYYYYYYDE]

"wait, are you doing this with a mouse?? o.O"

My bet is on a thing called... well i dont know what its called in english- but its an electronic platform- when you move a small special pen on it... the stokes you make apperear on the screen. O.O

[lardesouza]

I do not use a mouse. I use a Wacom tablet :)

[oldschoolskatin]

so do i o.o when im drawing comics for my self

[k1ll3rtr0n]

how long does it take you to make just one page of LFG?

^__^

[lardesouza]

10-12 hours, usually spread over a couple days.

[ek205]

A mountain that eats people...I want one.

[b0k]

wait, are you doing this with a mouse?? o.O

[evilplushiex]

Hmm. What version of Photoshop is this? And how do you manage to get such perfect lines in one stroke? o__o <3

[lardesouza]

Version 7.0 and PRACTICE! :)

[Bralor1337]

Do you use a mouse to draw with or what? :)

[lardesouza]

I use a Wacom tablet to draw directly into the computer. Drawing with a mouse is a tedious and difficult method.

[ecosage]

This is awesome. Does anyone know what program he uses?

[moocowz1]

I think its photoshop

[dr34mh4ck]

Exellent work dude!

[icecoolputer]

A true MASTER of art. I never really thought about what it takes to make a comic. I now realize that it is a lot harder than it looks, and you do make it look so easy! Winning those awards was well deserved! Thank you for my 2 favorite comics! Rayne is a card!!!

[NikolajSAndersen]

He most likely have a mouse pen

[Altier]

drawing on a tablet seems like it would be really difficult

[Khanstant]

no, it makes everything a lot easier

[PIFbg]

He makes it look easy

[nateman742]

Is that a custom brush giving you those awesome lines or do you just practice varying your line weight a lot?

[lardesouza]

Just the standard hard round for inking and colouring plus lots of practice. I do use custom brushes for background textures sometimes.

[nateman742]

Ah, well then I envy you. Good job.

[racXXI]

I was wondering how long does it take to draw and color one page of your comic? and do you do it without breaks? :p

[lardesouza]

A comic page usually takes between 8 and 12 hours and I do it over a couple of days, instead of all at once.

[DaystarDragon]

Awesome video! Could I put in a request to see Nagas at some time in LFG?

[Osegrim]

You've got some nice lines, that's what I like about your work, good line work and a consistent style.

Still don't like your colouring though.

Anyhow, what I was wondering, what resolution do you work at and what is your tablet size?

[Animas42]

You and your buddies work as artists and this was just some sort of free time project right?

[lardesouza]

No.  This is what I do. I'm a professional cartoonist/caricaturist/illust­rator.

[Gamer4Life1]

Do you know if heres a simular Program for Vista.

[Zralf]

theese 3 videos are VERRY good for me to see. i used to make my webcomic in flash MX using a mouse(the comic is not officially relelased yet) and ..it...SUCKED, now that i have both photoshop and a tablet, all i need is a bit of practice mad hopefully YOU will be enjoying my comic as much as i do yours ^_^.

[kaawuu]

How you do that different size brush in one ??

Plz tell me :)

[Milkymalk]

A tablet's stylus is pressure-sensitive. It takes a lot of practice to master it, but once you get the feeling, you can use it just like a real ink brush tip - only cleaner ;-)

[kaawuu]

PLz tell me, what program you used? Becouse i know that isn't PS

[lardesouza]

Yes it is Photoshop.

[Stabbish]

I thought that was publisher @.@

[Stabbish]

illustrator* @.@

[SamuraiKirby10]

holy crap and this is in fasforward!

[TylerAAADurden]

HOLY SHIT! The line weight variation! It's enchanting! Beautiful work.

[PKLpl]

Mm... maybe you said that, but I haven't saw - how did you do that thing in the end, where you erease any line and then make dialogues inked?

[BaronRaymondo]

Out of interest, if that is photoshop, how do you get your brushes so smooth? Or is it a different program?

[Snzor01]

I have photoshop that is NOT photoshop

[Borgfan]

I think Lar would know.

[Stooveth]

i get exhausted just watching these...

KIU man

[yoyomonmon]

is she a troll? from wow?

[Teguro22]

Orc I think...trolls are more bluish. Besides...she doesn't have that accent that trolls usually do.

[freemie1]

she'd have to be a troll, because orcs can't be priests lulz

[Vogool]

Do we really care??

[Janx0r]

Quite honestly, LFG ain't exactly faithful to the game... Warlocks have never been able to use cold magic, for example.

[Karnedzs]

And warlocks NEVER were as good as Richard:D

[SlackerMalakor]

Well, it's rather that WoW aint faithful to the Warcraft universe but whatever.

Richard for president! (Over what people he allows to live that is...)

[Blondedude99]

dude what kind of art system do you use on your computer to do these?

[daddyslittletease]

Unfortunately, my hands are too shaky to ink like that. :| My tablet isn't that great, but I still hope to be as good as you some day.

[KyleZisa]

Still...it looks really impressive. Maybe I'm just easily impressed since I know nothing about how webcomics are made.

Love the comic! Keep up the good work!

[nhuv]

i can´t believe that anyone´s able to create something like that with his mouse ... i´m impressed!!

[lardesouza]

Not a mouse. I'm using a tablet interface.

[takeshioftheMCM]

very good, been reading the comic since episode 2. Looks very complicated to do but a lot easier than what ive seen other comic artists doing. I gave up trying to start my own comic up ages ago as i used to try and draw free hand and scan. Never turned out the way i wanted. Keep up the good work anyway.

[XxcybershinobixX]

i like part 2 of the making don't know why but it looks like fun

[FionaLarandon]

I cannot express in words how much you rock. I'm starting to learn drawing comics, but this beats everything I thought possible. Thanks for that!

[PSCMYV]

Man...Lar... -bows- LICD pwns read it from beginning to end almost...5 times now lmao well laters also great job on this *goes to re-read LICD cuz it keeps him howling no matter how many times he reads it*

[ChibiGaraa]

Ok, What version of photoshop is this? I liked that thingie you did when making the borders in the first part...and i cant figure out how to do that.

[bobbytheend]

Counting all 3 parts, this is roughly 21 minutes of VERY sped up work, how long roughly does it take to produce normally?

[lardesouza]

An average strip has been taking me 8 to 12 hours spread over two or three days.

[EzraNailo]

Do you use photoshop or illustrator for your work? The cleanliness of your strokes and how well everything kept up when scaled in installment one leads me to assume illustrator, but I wanted to know for sure. Of course, a good steady hand accounts for a lot too.

In either case, what brush or tool are you using for the inking here? The lines are so crisp, I must know what's producing them. Please, if you would enlighten me?

[lardesouza]

It's all photoshop with the regular hard round brushes. I vary the size of the brush as I work, but otherwise it's just a lot of practice and a steady hand to get the line weight variations that I love to use.

Later!

[Frost4886]

Even just watching the first part and this my mind's gotten exhausted, this whole thing must take sooo long.

[t3hPWNstar]

Oh...god...the talent...

I must ask, what brand and model of tablet do you use?

And how do you make the line change size WHILE you're drawing it? Is that a PhotoShop-only thing or can I do that in GIMP?

[lardesouza]

I've got an Wacom Intuous 6x8. The line variation is a normal function of the tablet - pressure sensitivity. You can turn it off in Photoshop if you want. I don't know about Gimp.

[t3hPWNstar]

Ok, cool, I'll keep an eye out for that. I actually figured out a way to get that line change thing to work in GIMP without a tablet. Thanks anyway though! =D

[RemulosX]

Awesome work!

How do you drew this? With mouse or with a pen-mouse thingy?

[lardesouza]

Pen thingy :)

[Nikanaiko]

DeSouza... Has anyone ever told you that you win at life? >D

[Wiklundare]

nice :D lol look todays comic ^^(5july)

[mirrorx1]

Neat! I love LFG, and it's cool to see it done from the "pencilwork" up. I really should buy a tablet, it looks like it makes life (and cging) a little easier..

[Athos64]

So you did all of this using photoshop?

[lardesouza]

Yes (except for the video capture - that was Camtasia).

[phades]

a mountain that eats people.. i want one!

[lordadrian17]

were can i find wow comic i can find them

[lardesouza]

You can find the twice weekly comic at lfgcomic dot com

Enjoy!

[crimsonvampyre602]

What tools do you use for the penciling? is there a step-by-step process posted somewhere i could look at? i'm still doing things the traditional way and scanning it in, but i would love to learn how to do everything digitally. i'm assuming you have a wacom tablet.

[lardesouza]

There's a part one and three to this video, so you can see the sketching and colouring as well. Absolutely, yes, I use a Wacom. Other than that though, it's just a tool. Learn to draw - the computer won't do the work for you. :)

Later!

[crimsonvampyre602]

yeah i saw the first two parts as well. very well done. i was only asking about a written step-by-step so we could know exactly what toold you use in photoshop and stuff like that

[greed9138]

What version of photoshop do you guys use? and what tablet....i have 12x12 intuos 2 but its hard to draw straight onto

[lardesouza]

Intuous 3 (6x8) and Photoshop 7 or CS2 (depending on which machine).

Try updating your drivers and practice practice practice :) Good luck!

[Syribo]

I just need to ask this... do you do the drawings on paper with pen, or do you make it right on the computer? I love drawing straight on the computer.. If I get a pen and tablet thingy to do it with, I would so try making my own web comic.. but it would be no where near as great as LFG :)

[lardesouza]

Nope, directly on the computer. Including the sketchy layout stages.

[SlKE]

That's pretty awasome! I saw that animation you guys did, will you be making any series for TV?

[aluchan]

What brush are you using to get that calligraphy pen look? is this even in photoshop? I'm just assuming it is.

[lardesouza]

Yes, it's Photoshop.  It's just the regular hard round brush. I do have a tablet, which allows for the pressure sensitivity. Plus lots and lots of practice :)

[klightwing]

did you learn to draw alone lar?

[lardesouza]

I was one of those kids who drew all the time but I did go to college for my illustration diploma. I didn't take art in high school, because they weren't teaching what I wanted to learn, so I just studied from anatomy books like the Burne Hogarth series, and How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way and animal anatomy references.

Later :)

[klightwing]

very nice i learned alone here in brazil 'cause particular classes are expensive. i like to draw and i plan to go to college to learn illustration. LFG and LICD are great. I believe it's very hard to draw something like that on photoshop every day. good luck for you and ryan