LucasArts Posters

[Farlander1991]

HOLY PIG THAT'S AWESOME, Laserschwert!

Even if you don't consider to do posters for all the chapters, I think you should totally consider doing one for either Trial and Execution or Pirate God. Either of them would be very epic

[N3mo]

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

By the way, here's what I did while running this project head first into a dead-end:


(Click for a slightly bigger version)

Madre de dios... That is beautiful.
(Did you use Panopticum Engraver plugin for that drawing-stamp effect?)

[Laserschwert]

Originally Posted by N3mo

(Did you use Panopticum Engraver plugin for that drawing-stamp effect?)

My main "plug-ins":



And for what you call "drawing-stamp" (which was actually trying to mimic the look of a thick, brushed-on underpaint) I've used the free version of ArtRage (which can still be found through Google) and hand painted it with my tablet.

[Snugglecakes]

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

My main "plug-ins":

Is that a one time purchase or do you have to renew the license for this amazing software every year?

[Laserschwert]

That depends on the pressure

[ThunderPeel2001]

Excuse my eyes, but didn't you take screenshots and then draw over them, and then apply further filters to the overall picture? Apologies if I'm wrong, I was just wondering how you did it!

However you did it, it looks awesome!

[Laserschwert]

Mh, I guess it's time for a step-by-step explanation then.

STEP 1:

The necessary characters in the required poses and with the appropriate facial expressions, as well as models (like the wind machine and the Narwhal) are - based on the 3D-models ripped from the games - rendered in 3ds max.

STEP 2:

The poster-composition is done in Photoshop, using both the elements rendered in 3ds max, as well as photographs that are put together (like the sky, the ocean and some other photos of clouds).

STEP 3:

This image is then color-corrected to be all black and white, while the blacks turn to very light greys, whereas the whites are mostly blown out (I'll explain later why I do this). This image is printed on thick and matt inkjet paper.

STEP 4:

The printed image is basically traced with a pencil (actually several pencils at different grades), trying to recreate mostly the dark and mid-tones of the image. Once finished the drawing is scanned back in (the drawing itself is made at A4 size and scanned at 300dpi).

STEP 5:

The scanned drawing is color corrected to turn the darkest pencil strokes (which are usually grey) into black. Furthermore the white of the paper is darkened until it is a mid-grey. Remember how we basically removed the highlights from the image before printing it? So actually we were just drawing the image from the midtones down to the darks, ignoring any highlights. Those will be added later.

STEP 6:

Several layers of fake light and dark paint spatters are put over the image, which a) helps to blend the pencil lines a bit better and b) gives the illusion of much more detail in the drawing.

STEP 7:

A blurred version of the initial composition is layered over the image to add the color. It is then smudged in some places where the color bleeding (due to the blurring) was to excessive, to basically keep the color "inside the lines".

STEP 8:

Another layer is hand-drawn (although this was just a test, and I was lazy, so I only did it for Guybrush, Elaine and Winslow this time), with lines following the directions of the surfaces. The drawing is then scanned back in.

STEP 9:

That layer is color corrected so that only the drawing (and not the printed image) is visible. It is then inverted and the resulting white lines overlayed on top of the image (it's barely visible, but it's there).

STEP 10:

Taking the initial composition as a guide, all the highlights are drawn in with a graphics tablet inside Photoshop.

STEP 11:

The image is color corrected a bit.

STEP 12:

Using the free version of ArtRage I create a "primer"-layer. Which then...

STEP 13:

... is layered over the image. Had I painted the image for real using acrylics, this would have actually been the first thing I had done, painting the board with a thick layer of so called gesso, which gives a nicely textured base to draw and paint on. In the digital realm it's easy to add this texture afterwards.

Well, there you have it!

[HaydenWCE]

Way to ruin the magic behind the piece, Laserschwert!

Just kidding, that's cool, and quite interesting to see the whole process behind the making of the poster. Now that I see how much actual work went into making one of these posters, I can see why you aren't all that eager to do one a second one for 'Siege...'.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Wow, that's great to see. Thanks for sharing that, LS, it's much appreciated!

[Edward van Helgen]

Is the primer layer just random or is it made for that picture in particular? Just asking 'cause I don't really recognise any of the shapes from the image in it.

[Laserschwert]

The primer layer is layed out to work specifically with the image underneath. As you can see in the BIG PREVIEW the radial brush strokes are centered on the wind machine, whereas they are a little more "swirly" in the sky and the ocean. It's not supposed to follow any details of the image, but to provide an interesting base texture.

[the late D. Hurley]

so on how many projects are you currently working, if any at all? (some people on the internetz have a RL too, laserschwert might even be one of them O

[Samnmax221]

I'm the only real one here. Everyone else is a figment of my imagination.

[Laserschwert]

Actually that's what I'm working on right now :-)

[Hellbeard]

I'm pretty sure that mixnmojo has more super-talented posters than any other video game forum on the net. Amazing work.

[ricds84]

To Laserschwert and the rest of you,
Thank you so much for all the work you've been uploading for all of us. It's unbelievable. It truly is. I'm amazed by your work. I couldn't thank you enough.
THANKS A MILLION!!!!!!

[Snugglecakes]

Originally Posted by Hellbeard

I'm pretty sure that mixnmojo has more super-talented posters than any other video game forum

and many game studios!

[Samnmax221]

So, what's happening?

[Laserschwert]

Real life...

[sinus]

don't you dare!

[Samnmax221]

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

Real life...

What's that?

[tewo]

Originally Posted by CHAOSMAN

Just got my hands on this from a cast member of grim fandango! Original One sheet poster. I bet you guys didn't think this existed =)

any word about this one?
it seems nowhere to be found

[Laserschwert]

It looks like the recent forum crash deleted the posts and edits of the last few days. I've added the Grim Fandango poster back to the opening post, and also a few more new posters:

[Jake]

Originally Posted by tewo

any word about this one?
it seems nowhere to be found

I've seen one of those before, hanging in the Telltale office.

[bgbennyboy]

Many thanks to Chaosman and Laserschwert for the Grim Fandango one. That one will deffo be getting made into a poster. Brilliant stuff.

[Laserschwert]

I just fixed a little error in the upper right corner of the logoed MI4 poster (seems to be my blind spot) and updated the link. You might want to re-download... or not.

Edit: Damnit... the "Escape from"-line wasn't centered properly... fixed as well.

[Samnmax221]

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

It looks like the recent forum crash deleted the posts and edits of the last few days. I've added the Grim Fandango poster back to the opening post, and also a few more new posters:

I love you so much, if I only had the wallspace.

[sanguinehearts]

Copying this over from the ScummVM forums to gather interest from the mojo crowd:

I've been collecting graphics for a remake of the 'Last Crusade' adventure game cover.

I have enough artwork to reproduce the logo at a nice resolution('INDY' + 'INDIANA JONES and the Last Crusade' Texts). I put this through vectormagic and have a decent clean logo but I am struggling to reproduce the gradient used on the original texts.

I have no idea what the texture behind the actors is.

While the cover is not painted and not as nice as the others, I wanted to gather interest in this before I spend money on a poster I found which has a higher quality version of the photo of Sean Connery and Harrison Ford that was used for the game cover. I would scan this in as a base for the other art.

The original game cover can be seen here http://images-mediawiki-sites.theful...3295023756.png

The poster I am considering buying is here
http://www.nexussix.be/SITE6/P1010471.JPG at 40x60CM

I would buy this and have it scanned for the purpose of re-creating the LC cover at a higher resolution.

Though, that said, recently this high res digital copy of the photo showed up online, is that good enough for a reproduction?
http://img222.imageshack.us/i/1258927052110.jpg/ at 2010x3000

I'd like the poster but can only justify this if there are others that would like it too.

[Laserschwert]

To be honest, I never liked that boxart. That being said, I'd say the high res copy of the photo should be good enough to recreate the cover.

[Laserschwert]

I've added "The Neverhood" and "Gobliins 2".

[SecMan]

<delurk>

First of all would like to thank Laserschwert for all the hard work that's been done here!

Today I received two framed 30x40cm posters from PosterXXL, the detail in the posters is outstanding but unfortunately they have been printed out far too dark. Taking a photo, even with the flash off, doesn't really show how dark they are in real life.



Sorry for the poor quality photos but hopefully its enough to see what I mean. The MI2 one is just about right with the correct lighting in the room, but the MI3 has come out the worst (ironically since it looks the brighter of the two original images). A couple of photos with the flash on make them look so much better:



May have to experiment with sending a brighter image to them next time.

[sinus]

just got 2 prints from posterjack - no problems whatsoever ...

[Laserschwert]

Originally Posted by SecMan

May have to experiment with sending a brighter image to them next time.

The photos taken with the flash look perfectly fine to me... stupid thought: Maybe your room is simply too dark?

[sinus]

yeah well. maybe it's because these prints don't glow like computer screens so you could get the impression that they're too dark!?

[SecMan]

Nah they were definately dark prints, got two new prints from posterjack today and they look MUCH better, can actually see stuff now. Will try get a comparison photo or two up.

EDIT: Photos below. Excuse the bad photos again, taken with a camera phone. They don't really do the new prints justice, but they do show the difference between the two. PosterXXL on the left, PosterJack on the right.




I thought at first the MI2 poster was maybe a tad too bright, but compared it to the original JPG and it appears spot on. Also got a MI1 print from Posterjack while I was at it.

[sinus]

it's always hard to tell in such situations (crappy photo of a print) but now that you have a comparison: you're right. the posterxxl version is way too dark. dark details got swallowed by darkness. I too have prints by posterjack and they're perfectly fine. not too dark or bright. would like to know the background of it - were there any options to (un-) check while uploading?

[SecMan]

No options that I recall, it was just a matter of uploading and submitting, much like Posterjack. Have to you thank you actually as it was your mention of them on the last page that made me give them a try, they were cheaper than XXL too! Now to find some decent frames...

[Laserschwert]

I've never had any color problems with PosterXXL, but maybe they print international orders at some other place? Don't know...

[Samnmax221]

My PostersXXL stuff has always been good, though I chose canvas so who knows?

[Mystinsun]

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

By the way, here's what I did while running this project head first into a dead-end:

This is FENOMENAL. Danke schön... O.O

Could you please post a large poster version of it? I must print it and put it on the wall for my personal MI collection!!