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TheAC · Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 11

Hi all!

I started a web-comic up a couple months back and found that the medium I'm using is a bit limiting... I'm using 'shopped mannequins for the characters, except, well, I'm using the same mannequin for all the different characters that appear. (It's been about 6 or 7 so far including men, women, Jay-Z and Timbaland).

I was wondering if anybody had suggestions on how to change the appearance of the characters. I've been considering using different filters for each person, or different colored dialogue boxes, but it's been a bit unwieldy so far.

And if you haven't guessed, I really suck at drawing, so that's not an option for me... >.<

Thanks in advance for any help!

The Awkward Communicator: http://theac.smackjeeves.com/

Casual Notice · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject:

Are you using actual photos of mannequins or the mannequin function from Poser? Either way, you can use colors and pattern fills to differentiate between the characters visually. Poser has a color setting (and I think an ability to paint on patterns). Actual photos may be a bit difficult and involves using overlays and other filter layers.
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wendyw · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:23 pm Post subject:

If you are using actual photos as the base you could always give one of them a scarf or something similar.
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ryan.noriega · Plan Eleven Joined: 21 Mar 2009 Posts: 336 Location: Texis

Yeah, a scarf or other accessory if possible. You could also paint them different colors, or give them letters or numbers and put them on their chests. Also consider: facial hair, missing limbs, masks, height differences, different girths, gender, or just have one of them speak Spanish and the other barely gets a few English words out between solid paragraphs of profanity because of his crippling bout with Tourette's Syndrome.
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TheAC · Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 11

Thanks for the replies! I'm posing a real mannequin and taking photos of it, then altering the heck out of it.

Hmm... accesories sounds like a good way to go. I hadn't thought much about changing the girth of the characters... that sounds pretty feasible too. Shoot, I should've just used dolls and GI Joes to begin with. Haha.

I also like the idea of the Spanish speaking character. I hadn't really thought about going that route, but it'd be a good match for awkward communications.

Thanks for the great suggestions so far. If anyone has anything else, please keep 'em coming!

ryan.noriega · Plan Eleven Joined: 21 Mar 2009 Posts: 336 Location: Texis

If you're doing photos... do you have two mannequins are is one playing both roles? Either way, adding an accessory to one or both is probably the way to go. Just get some GI Joe accessories and some tape.
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Wolfus · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 527 Location: UK

I think colours ould be a good, subtle way, as long as you're consistent.
Like, one character could be beige, one could be green. You can keep your shading and style, but we have a simple visual guide.
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t_catt11 · Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:32 pm Post subject:

I agree with the color suggestion. I'd only go the accessory route if these different models are recurring characters. If it's just "model ABC" and "model 123", color will do the trick.
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