Mecha Dragon – Comic Style

Mecha Dragon - Comic Style

  • Software: GIMP (or Adobe Photoshop)
  • Level: Advanced
  • Subject: Mecha Dragon – Comic Style

Dragon Workshop: Chinese Dragon | Medieval Dragon | More…

This would be a walkthrough on doinig a comic style illustration and coloring of one of my favourite subjet, dragon. Mecha Dragon or armored dragon to be specific.

Brainstorming And Sketching

Mecha-Dragon 1

I do some brainstorming, directly into GIMP. I want a A4 size colored illustration at 300 dpi at the end of this. Hence, I create a new canvas (GIMP has a preset), and then scale it down by 25%. Then I start off by drawing compositional lines – a spiral composition with the eye at positioned at one of the one third point.

Mecha-Dragon 2

I actually do a couple of these and choose one of the designs that I liked and start detailing it a bit.

Once I am pretty confident with the sketch, I scale up by 400% to bring it back to A4 at 300dpi, and start with a lineart in a new layer.

Mecha-Dragon 3

I reduce the opacity of the sketch layer, and use the inking tool (new in GIMP 2.6) to create the lineart.

Mecha-Dragon 4

Coloring

Mecha-Dragon 5

Applying the background gradient and the flat colors on another layer is pretty easy.

Use the gradient tool for the background, and the selection and fill tool for the flat color layer.

Mecha-Dragon 6

Cut Edge and Gradients

Mecha-Dragon 7

For giving depth and detail, as opposed to digital painting, I opt to go for Cut Edge + Grads to get a comic book feel.

Using the selection tool and the gradient tool at low opacity, I markout the different segments of the dragon’s armor and detail them.

Mecha-Dragon 8

Again with the selection tool (lasso tool) and gradient tool, I bring out the stark highlight and the deep shadows to finish up the colored illustration.

Mecha-Dragon 9

Check the deviantART entry – Mecha Dragon – for a larger view.

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  1. Rosalin’s avatar

    Woo! It does look scary! Good work there Vyoma.

    Reply

  2. Mumble’s avatar

    I didn’t know it was this easy!!! After seeing this, I feel like I can finally do it! Thanks a lot!!! I will mention you in the interview! ;)

    Reply

  3. sandra’s avatar

    Very helpful. Would it be ok to link this blog with my site? It’s the kind of information that should be passed on. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  4. Vyoma’s avatar

    Of course – you can share a link to this blog, or even this specific blog post, sandra. :)

    Reply

  5. killers fan’s avatar

    dude please help me i need a to draw a half mecha dragon and a need a good mecha wing ,leg and tail help

    Reply