Category Archives: Uncategorized

Most great super-hero costumes (our stock and trade here at HeroMachine.com) rely on a distinctive chest insignia or logo. Which brings us to this week's question:

For me, a great logo must do three things:

1. It must be instantly recognizable.
2. It must instantly and clearly identify the character who wears it.
3. It must look awesome.

I've put together a list of logos that I think accomplish all three of these criteria, along with a brief discussion of each.
Continue reading →

It's time once again for another Open Critique Day!

If you have a HeroMachine illustration or another piece of artwork you've done that you'd like some help with, post a link to it in comments along with your thoughts on it -- what you think is working, what you're struggling with, etc. I will post my critique of the piece, hopefully giving some tips on how to improve it.

Of course everyone is welcome to post their critiques as well, keeping in mind the following rules:

• Make sure your criticism is constructive. Just saying "This sucks" is both rude and unhelpful without giving specific reasons why you think it sucks and, ideally, some advice on how to make it better.
• Each person should only post one illustration for critique to make sure everyone who wants feedback has a chance.
• I will not critique characters entered in any currently running contest, as that doesn't seem fair to the other entrants. You can still post it if you like for the other visitors to critique, but I will not do so.

That's it! Hopefully we can get some good interaction going here and help everyone (me included!) learn a little bit today.

(Image ©2006 Tom Fishburne, "Skydeck Cartoons".)

I do all of my illustration work nowadays with Flash CS3 and a Wacom graphics tablet. For anyone who's curious, I've put together a tutorial on how exactly I go about producing one in color; it's generally faster than doing the same thing with Photoshop, at least for me, and since Flash is a vector format (versus Photoshop's pixel-based output), I can render out the final version at any size and resolution needed, reuse pieces easily, and more.

I don't think very many other working artists use Flash this way, which probably says more about my ignorance than anything, but for what it's worth, here's what I do. You'll need a working knowledge of Flash to follow along with the particulars.

Continue reading →

Do you guys want me to get an artist here at the con to do an Ewok vs someone sketch? Let me know what you'd want!

So far, Dragon*Con has consisted largely of standing in line. But this time it's in a good cause as buddy John is going to get "Fantastic Four" issues 48, 49, and 50 (the first appearance of the Silver Surfer and Galactus) signed by Stan Lee. Upping the awesome factor, all three were already signed by Jack Kirby. I think that's worth a little line time.

(From "Gunmaster" number 1, 1964.)

I just got word that the HeroMachine Mech Edition project has been canceled. I didn't have a ton of art in it, but what I have will transfer to HM3 where possible. Apologies to all, I am disappointed we won't get to see it come to fruition.

Because, that's why.