Animal! ! ! !

[frogboy4]

Ooooh! It arrived.

These items were pretty much gifts, I'm poor these days. Hopefully this will help improve my productivity so I can make a bit more cash. I'm truly blessed to have such a supportive family. They never have known what to get me and I still can't believe they splurged on these much needed items. No more bootleg Photoshop for me.

I just came back from a brief family trip only to find that my new tablet had been delivered! I am so froggin' happy! It seemed to work after just being plugged in, then I installed the disc and the screen went dead, but the pen still worked. I have to use my laptop these days so this is all very tricky.

Well, I secured all the connections, unplugged the mouse, restarted the computer and I'm now up and working! My first Kermit doodle was pretty pathetic, but it was just a test to see how the basic tools worked upon discovery (before reading the instructions). Even with all these unattractive cords spewing from my laptop (like a mid-surgery Frankenstein creation) I'm just so stoked!

Any advice for a newcomer to this phenomenal piece of hardware?

Back to your mural...How many Muppets do you intend on fitting in the composition? How many seats will there be?

 

[Reevz1977]

Back to your mural...How many Muppets do you intend on fitting in the composition? How many seats will there be?

There is (currently) 44 seats and if I stick with this I'm guessing about 60 characters including random chickens, lobsters, penguins and rats.

That said, this may grow beyond that. I am generally very frustrated with my illustration limits and tend to trash most of my personal work. This one has been quite different, with all the feathers, fur, textures, lighting etc etc, I'm genuinely enjoying learning new techniques. I wholeheartedly believe the final piece will be significantly better than what I have shown so far. Many of the characters are far more advanced than I have shown (I have been showing the characters I unhappy with in order to get comments that may help perfect them) and so I'm getting a better feel for how it will turn out.

I am totally up for people here on MC putting requests forward for characters they would like to see appear. It would be great for this to be a fan collaboration. I am restricting this to be characters from the Muppet Show and original movies...for now.

So, as a person who has helped me no end so far - who do you want to see?

 

[frogboy4]

Oooh! Let's see. I understand the aim of this composition is using iconic likenesses of the characters in a poster that celebrates the original Muppet Show. That leaves my favorite new character Pepe out of the mix and it makes sense. Animal's bunny friend is new, however woodland creatures often appeared on the show so that works out. I really like that inclusion.

Secondary characters I like include Beauregard, Nigel, Mildred, Frackles, Thog, Sweetums, Luncheon Counter Monster, Jim Henson Puppet, Yolanda Rat, Uncle Deadly, Lips, Droop, Gladys, Pops and Gaffer. But if you could sneak a clever reference to Pepe in there somewhere that would be cool too.

A Wacom / Photoshop question - do you mostly use the standard brushes or do you customize them? This is a new area for me. I could get lost in that tablet for hours.

 

[Reevz1977]

I tend to use both standard and customized. Theres also a wealth of freebies available on the web. So when it comes to brushes - the more the merrier! With this image I have 100's of new brushes to try a get the detail.

Of the list of characters you mentioned, theres only Droop who was not on my list. I am genuinely torn on Pepé. His contribution to the Muppets does deserve recognition as he is one of the funniest characters ever. I may include some newer characters in the end but they will be pushed waaaaaay back in the image.

How you liking your Cintiq?

 

[frogboy4]

I tend to use both standard and customized. Theres also a wealth of freebies available on the web. So when it comes to brushes - the more the merrier! With this image I have 100's of new brushes to try a get the detail.

Of the list of characters you mentioned, theres only Droop who was not on my list. I am genuinely torn on Pepé. His contribution to the Muppets does deserve recognition as he is one of the funniest characters ever. I may include some newer characters in the end but they will be pushed waaaaaay back in the image.

How you liking your Cintiq?

I love the Cintiq. I'm probably going to create a hard drive set up exclusively for it with bits and pieces already in my apartment. You're right about the screen toggle. I'd rather not have a competing/dueling screen and the connection isn't ideal on my large-scale laptop. Where is it that you get these brushes? I haven't been studying the tablet yet. Just fooling around so far.

Your list is ambitious if even Mildred and Luncheon Counter are included! I'm all for hidden cameos in the back for non-Muppet Show characters, yet I still see this as a promotional-type poster for the original 5 season run.

Shakey Sanchez, Betsy Bird, Behemoth, Mahna Mahna and the Snowths all make good secondary characters, but Droop is such a cool modest inclusion so I nominate him. I understand that there has to be a cut off. Even with the main cast, less can be more. How many have you started work on so far?

 

[Reevz1977]

So far, at varying stages of completion...

Kermit
Fozzie
Piggy
Rowlf
Gonzo
Swedish Chef
Bunsen
Beaker
Floyd
Crazy Harry
Waldorf
Statler
Thog
Sam the Eagle
Rizzo
Lips
Muppet Newsman
Janice
Dr. Teeth
Zoot
Green Frackle
Animal
Uncle Deadly
Random Muppet Rabbit
Blue Frackle
Sweetums
Annie Sue
Lew Zealand
Pops
Gladys
County Trio
Big Mama
Scooter
Strangepork

 

[frogboy4]

That's 36 characters if I counted correctly. Wow, and Annie Sue, and both blue and green frackles. Beyond impressive. This is going to take a year isn't it?

 

[Reevz1977]

That's 36 characters if I counted correctly. Wow, and Annie Sue, and both blue and green frackles. Beyond impressive. This is going to take a year isn't it?

A year? Hmmmm, we'll see! I'm aiming for the end of May/mid-June...this year hopefully! ! !

Completely random statement, but I got to meet Prince William on Friday and he was such a really nice guy!

 

[frogboy4]

A year? Hmmmm, we'll see! I'm aiming for the end of May/mid-June...this year hopefully! ! !

Completely random statement, but I got to meet Prince William on Friday and he was such a really nice guy!

Oh cool. How did that come about?

Your perfectionism is swift. I thought it would take longer, but I'm glad it won't require that kind of patience.

I have seen so many "professional" Muppet montages like this mash of characters that tries too hard or this poorly Photoshopped one and neither are compositions I can look at without getting a headache. I nominate you for Muppet graphic designer. I don't see why Disney and even Henson haven't used better skilled artists like you. I've really wanted to see a composition like yours - even thought I'd have to make my own, but this is much better.

How big would something like your Kermit's head be in real life at 300 dpi?

 

[JaniceFerSure]

Excellent work.