Flash #47 Harley Quinn Cover Step 2 Color

Here's the second part of a look at how we created the Flash #47 Harley Quinn Variant Cover - out now from DC Comics.

The Color Stage 

Flats

The first stage of color is called flats - flatting allows me to choose an area to color at any point throughout the coloring process.

Generally, I hire someone to do this for me - a "flatter".

On the left are the flats directly from my flatter and on the right is my version - optimized for how I color.

At this stage I go and adjust the colors to their medium value or imprimatura - I use this as the starting point for the piece. - the first part of coloring. 

Initial Color Rough in

I colored this on my Cintiq 13 HD using Photoshop CS3 after I scanned the original line art.

Detail

Refine and adding lights and darks - the work in progress version of the cover I sent in to make sure we were all on the same page.

Detail

Begin turning linear to colors and then making sure that fire looked HOT!

Detail

Finished colors

Worked on the background more and pushed shadows more.

And the comic itself -

Out now!

STEP 1 LINE ART

TD