New Comic Book Theme!

grfc

@zenjiro That's fantastic! I love how you put JetPac on the page - one of my favourite games on the VIC! Thank you very much...

Zenjiro

It's late but I should have created this one a week or two ago.

wholee

@Zenjiro
Hey. I'm just finishing up my systems and I'm missing MSU-1 SNES on my main carousel. If you have some spare time, would you be able to create text with "MSU-1" with those nice letters?

Thanks.

Zenjiro

@wholee I created this one. Color scheme wise I just inverted the main colors from the SNES one. If you have an idea for a better color scheme I'd be more than happy to apply it. Also I omitted the '-' between the U and 1 as from my quick search online most show it as MSU1 instead of MSU-1. Again I can added it. I also would like to do a comic backdrop with most of the games that support the enhancement. Not sure when I will get around to it. But I do want to give this theme more love. I'm open to ideas.

Here is what I have so for the system image:

wholee

@zenjiro This is perfect. Thank you very much.

MrSeven

Hello all. I love this theme and is the the one I use all the time. As I don't have the tools or the talent to create my own, I was wondering if someone could be kind enough to make a logo and system image for the Atari XEGS. Thanks in advance!

MrSeven

If anyone is interested, all the images of the Amiga CD32 that I have come across has a picture of an Amiga computer instead of the CD32 controller. I hope this can help someone.

MrSeven

And here is the comic for the Atari XEGS with the correct controller. The system logos are just beyond me. I hope it's useful.

Striderx99

@zenjiro Thanks for the reply. This looks great! Your artwork never disappoints! :-)

Zenjiro

@mrseven
This any good?:

MrSeven

@zenjiro That is perfect. Thank you so much!! I have been struggling with GIMP to try an come up with something and it never works out.

Zenjiro

@mrseven I have a small video you can watch as well as a write up here if you want to take a try at any others you may want to create: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/9211/new-comic-book-theme/1081

MrSeven

@zenjiro Much appreciated. You made it look easy! I was definitely missing a lot of steps in my attempts. I'm going to follow along with your video and see if I can come close. I'll post it if I do. Thanks again!

MrSeven

I followed your video. After what felt like an art class (and a good one) using your image to go by, I came up with this.

MrSeven

I then wanted to attempt a system that I haven't seen yet. (forgive me if I missed it somewhere) Using the colors from an Astrocade catalog that I have, this was my end product.
Do you have any artistic advice you may offer?
If I wanted to attempt a multi colored image like that amazing VIC 20 above, would it basically be the same process but with a group of layers for each color? A two color image having 14 layers and so on? Thanks for any input.

Zenjiro

I followed your video. After what felt like an art class (and a good one)

I too mostly taught myself everything to get the images created. I am not an artist by trade, I would be classified as an IT Expert, and even then I feel like I don't know nearly enough to be in that category.

Using the colors from an Astrocade catalog that I have, this was my end product.

I'm lazy so I mostly get the color schemes from the logos or the systems/series I am trying to get, as well. I think it is the best way to go as well for getting your start. The more you make the the more ideas and experiments you will try which will yield cool results. Perfect example is the .Hack// system image I created up above.

Do you have any artistic advice you may offer?

Experiment, try different things, and have fun doing it. Anything you create I do not mind adding to the repo if you want.

If I wanted to attempt a multi colored image like that amazing VIC 20 above, would it basically be the same process but with a group of layers for each color? ...

Even easier than that. Just color each letter as you type it. Avoid doing anything to the Text Layer as if you try to say use the "Fill/Bucket Tool" it will "Rasterize" the text making the text un-editable. So you want to use the Text Tool's color change options. As for the Dotmatrix I am again lazy and I find that the Black Dotmatrix is my go to, and I just simply change the opacity to match what I want.

However feel free to experiment and add multiple dotmatrix layers, different gradients and others.

MrSeven

@zenjiro said in New Comic Book Theme!:

Experiment, try different things, and have fun doing it. Anything you create I do not mind adding to the repo if you want.

If you think that anything I post is worthy, please do. I have been experimenting a lot with different things now that I have the basics down. The UNDO button is my friend!

Even easier than that. Just color each letter as you type it. Avoid doing anything to the Text Layer as if you try to say use the "Fill/Bucket Tool" it will "Rasterize" the text making the text un-editable. So you want to use the Text Tool's color change options. As for the Dotmatrix I am again lazy and I find that the Black Dotmatrix is my go to, and I just simply change the opacity to match what I want.

I didn't think that one through before I asked. My thought was on how to add multiple colored gradients and then it hit me to just select by color of the text and so I did this:

However feel free to experiment and add multiple dotmatrix layers, different gradients and others.

I would like to complete all the graphics for the Astrocade. I followed your post on the newsprint filter and mine looks like this:

It seems off to me. Is it because there is too much black and bright yellow or did I miss something?
Thanks again!

Zenjiro

@mrseven Nope that is just the nature of having all Black, White, and Yellow backgrounds. I ran into the same problem. It just happens to the really old systems like the Atari800, some NES games, and other very old archaic systems.

kcoconnor76

Is there any artwork for "Solarus"? There was artwork in the default Carbon theme, but I didn't see any in the new Comic Book theme. If there isn't any artwork, would it be difficult to create?

Thanks.

Here is the project: https://www.solarus-games.org

MrSeven

@zenjiro said in New Comic Book Theme!:

@mrseven Nope that is just the nature of having all Black, White, and Yellow backgrounds. I ran into the same problem. It just happens to the really old systems like the Atari800, some NES games, and other very old archaic systems.

Glad to hear and know that I'm on the right track then. I was looking for an overlay to try but can't seem to find one for free. Have you tried that at all?