View source for The Digital Painting Process

[[File:The Digital Painting Process.png|250px|right|thumb|Before and after]]
'''The Digital Painting Process''' is a process several ''[[Simpsons Comics]]'' posters go through, from the set up to the finished product. This follows the Evolution of an Illustration, which is where the product is drawn as pencil art. A walkthrough of this process was released on the ''Bongo Blog'' in April and May [[2012]] for a pin-up released with {{Cmc|Bart Simpson's Pal, Milhouse|1}}.

== Stage One ==
The pencil art is scanned into a computer, and a file with multiple layers is created, so that one part of the image could be painted without the other parts being affected. There is a layer for each element of the pin-up, with each having a temporary color to distinguish it from the others. This allows to separate the line art on to its own layer, so that none of it would be lost in the coloring process.<ref>[http://www.bongocomics.com/blog/05/03/2012/digital-painting-process-stage-one Bongo Blog - The Digital Painting Process - Stage One]</ref>

== Stage Two ==
The background color(s) are chosen, in the ''Milhouse #1'' case, a fiery palete. In the foreground, the placement of light and shadow begins to establish. In the example (seen in the gallery below), the Ogre in the lower right would have the front of his body hit by light, and the back of his body would be in shadow. The hordes of monsters in the background would remain completely silhouetted.<ref>[http://www.bongocomics.com/blog/05/03/2012/digital-painting-process-stage-two Bongo Blog - The Digital Painting Process - Stage Two]</ref>

== Stage Three ==
The colors are picked and rendered. In the ''Milhouse #1'' pin-up, note the multiple levels of rich shading added to the moons. Also, the red-hot highlight on the edge of the cliff helps tie in the fiery backdrop.<ref>[http://www.bongocomics.com/blog/05/03/2012/digital-painting-process-stage-three Bongo Blog - The Digital Painting Process - Stage Three]</ref>

== Stage Four ==
The rendering is nearly completed, and stage four depicts the colors with the line art layer turned off.<ref>[http://www.bongocomics.com/blog/05/03/2012/digital-painting-process-stage-four Bongo Blog - The Digital Painting Process - Stage Four]</ref>

== Stage Five ==
Line work is put down to accentuate the details, and more depth can be added to the piece (e.g. foggy mist), which can accentuate the mood of the colors.<ref>[http://www.bongocomics.com/blog/05/03/2012/digital-painting-process-stage-five Bongo Blog - The Digital Painting Process - Stage Five]</ref>

== Stage Six ==
Final details are added (e.g. [[Milhouse]] in bed with [[Puppy Goo-Goo]], and the juxtaposition of the two styles helps contrast Milhouse's fantasy life from his real life.) Finally, the [[Matt Groening]] signature is added and the product is completed.<ref>[http://www.bongocomics.com/blog/05/03/2012/digital-painting-process-stage-six Bongo Blog - The Digital Painting Process - Stage Six]</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:The Digital Painting Process Stage One.png|Stage One
File:The Digital Painting Process Stage Two.png|Stage Two
File:The Digital Painting Process Stage Three.png|Stage Three
File:The Digital Painting Process Stage Four.png|Stage Four
File:The Digital Painting Process Stage Five.png|Stage Five
File:The Digital Painting Process Stage Six.png|Stage Six
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.bongocomics.com/blog/filter/category/Milhouse_Pin_Up_2012 Blog posts on the Bongo Blog along with posts about Evolution of an Illustration]

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[[Category:Bongo Comics]]