Cute Girl Retro covers (Flash Art)August 22 Update

[Gabriel Valles]

I'ts been a long time since I posted here. I've finally had time to do some personal artwork. Here is a series of covers done as if these magazine from the 20's and 30's still existed today. All of them where done in Flash MX.

http://gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/01SpaceGirl.jpg

http://gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/02OrangeDancer.jpg

http://gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/03Curly.jpg

http://gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/04BrownDancer.jpg

http://gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/05Hiker.jpg

Gabriel Valles.com (http://www.gabrielvalles.com)

[robinchyo]

It doesn't exactly suit my tastes, but they all look very nice. I'd hate to go back to vector work again! :P

[light]

I really think her eyes are too large and too simple. Thats the thing that bugs me most, and its the reason I like the ones where she has her eyes closed the most. I like the way you did the hair, and some of these look quite good. I would like to see some more.

[Cookiedough]

Ooooooooh, i like big eyes! My favourite are #3 and 4. Very elegant and sweet.

My biggest complaint would be that the skin tends to look plastic in some of the pics (5 and 2). My least favourite is #2, cos everything is rendered almost the same. Pic 1 and 5 have really busy backgrounds, that attract my attention more then the main characters. I guess the eyes look a bit flat compared to all the shiny colored other parts.

I really love the concepts and the interaction between the characters. Very funny. Got more? :)

[Phuzion]

Do you realize that in #2, her feet are switched? You put the big toes on the outsides of the feet.

Other than that I love the style. I'm always up for some good toony stuff. Keep it up!

Peace,
-Daniel

[schowalye]

very old stuff huh : ) ... Flash MX, really??
Phuzion: dig deep, but an important point..
Very clear style, looking for more...
(i like the dog)

[juicy_fruit]

http://gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/02OrangeDancer.jpg

her toes are completely wrongfooted.. :\

[Gabriel Valles]

Phuzion, juicy_fruit- Thanks for catching that. Here is the fixed version.

Cookiedough- Good comments. Thanks! It has been very difficult finding a rendering style for these types of characters. I think they work better as line art with simple flat coloring, but I was trying to push it a bit further. I'll keep working on it. I have a new batch started already.

LightKirtar- I think I agree with you. I have to figure out what to do with all that white space. It does tend to flatten out compared to everything else.

robinchyo, schowalye- Thanks Guys!

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/illustration/02OrangeDancer2.jpg

[ArtisticSchmidt]

I like this style you've got going! Especially the first and last piece. My only problem is with the first one, that little UFO looks like it's coming out of her leg. Good pieces!
~C

[redehlert]

The mere fact that you did these in Flash MX is incredible. Now that is patience. Why did you choose Flash over Freehand (stayin' in the Macromedia family, that is) or Illustrator? Just curious.

BTW, I dig em and the new feet look much better.

Cheers,
D

[Gabriel Valles]

ArtisticSchmidt - Thanks!, Yeah I thought I fixed the UFO by removing some tangets but I guess It is still a problem. I'll work on it.

redehlert - Glad you like them! Actually Flash is much easier for me than freehand or illustrator, especially since I'm working with a Cintiq tablet. I approach it the same way I do in Photoshop(except I have unlimited un-do's). I just paint on the colors on different levels. I never mess with bezier curves or anything like that. It is as close to inking with a brush as I've found. Painter is good for inking too.

[Raptor]

yes, i too agree, flash is by far the easyest vector program i have found. i go about it the same way. i really like your use of color, and inventive pose, very non-clishe'. keep posting, i cant wait to see more of your work.

[redehlert]

Ooh! Cintiq...major bucks there bro. Do you know who Ed Fotheringham is? Does a lot of work on a Cintiq as well, but has a really slick style and I think he uses just Photoshop. At any rate, do a Google on the guy and enjoy his stylings....50's retro. Too cool and although different than yours, both your work and his have a real fresh quality I totally dig.
I may have to look into Flash MXs capabilities...I use Illustrator for my vector work, but since you said you don't use bezier, then I'm really goin' to have to look into your technique.
Thanks for the 411!

Peace.
D

PS. Now that I think of it, would you mind doin' a little Tut on how you work?

[Gabriel Valles]

Raptor- Thanks! I'm working on a new one right now.

redehlert- Thanks for the link. Nice work! Here is a Flash tutorial I made a few years ago. It is Flash 5 but there is not much difference. This piece is more complicated than my current ones but the principles are the same. -Take care!

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration01.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration02.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration03.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration04.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration05.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration06.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration07.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration08.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration09.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration10.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/FlashTutorial/FlashIllustration11.jpg

[Gabriel Valles]

Her is my latest one. I think I've loosened up quite a bit since the first one.

http://gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/CaveGirl.jpg

[redehlert]

Excellent tut! I'm gonna have to give that a go. Makes perfect sense to me.
Nice update too....perhaps a few too many specular hilites, of which I'd keep the following:

caveman: nose, lip, bump, thumb and fingers holding flower and forearm.
cavegirl: cheeks, lip, hair (but you don't need the hilite behind the left arm) and the shoulders.

But to each his own.

Cheers!
D

[Blue]

i love the 'old feel' to this stuff. bravo. :)

[Gabriel Valles]

redehlert- I think I'll take your advice on the highlights. The ones on his leg are bothering me now. Thanks!

Lord Blue- Thanks!

Here is a new one. Simple this time.

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/illustration/Mermaid.jpg

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

Juicy Fruit is right, fix her feet.
be careful with composition. In the first one the girl and the dog are staring downwards towards her crotch, which looks really ridiculous. Move the alien somewhere else in my opinion.

[csteingart]

Cute man!

Nice colours, and nice typography. :^^:

c

[atrixwolfe]

Polished up, these would make a very fun calender or poster!

Keep up the good work!

[Gabriel Valles]

Thanks Guys!

atrixwolfe - Yeah, my original plan for these was to make some prints. I also wanted to see which of these got the best reaction. I'll post more when I get the chance. Take care!

[redehlert]

This brings up a good question - what dpi are you working at for these? Since Flash is a screen-based application, I wasn't sure of what options you have for setting up the file as well as what file output options there are. I'm showing my true colors about how often I dive into Flash (not very....).

Cheers!
D

[Gabriel Valles]

redehlert- You can export at any DPI. The maximum Demensions are 2880 x 2880. But you can increase that by exporting at a higher DPI, then upsizing the image while decreasing the DPI. Another drawback is that there is no CMYK in Flash so you will have to color correct the image. But I've never had a problem getting good prints.

[KevinP]

I've been using Flash for years and never really considered using it primarily as a rendering program(Adobe junkie). WOW did you change my mind. Great tutorial. Thanks!!!

[redehlert]

sweet! sounds totally fresh to be able to do more than 72 ppi. the color correcting is a minor detail, i agree.
hey, there are some incredible 'live paint' capabilities in illustrator cs2 now. my manager was just showing me some details...reminded me of how flash paints.

peace!
dave

[Gabriel Valles]

Here is my latest. I coudn't decide on the layout so here are a few for your opinion.

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/CowGirlB.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/CowGirl.jpg

http://www.gabrielvalles.com/Illustration/CowGirlC.jpg

[airman]

ahhh
you are the best in flash art^^
i love it <3

[Gabriel Valles]

airman- quite a compliment. Thanks!

[ArtisticSchmidt]

Grea "tut", man! The more I see the more I like. Keep 'em comin'! You gonna do a full comic one of these days?
~C

[GraphicGeek]

Awseome stuff!

Been a big fan of yours for a while, really dug the behind the scenes look at the process too.

Keep it up!!!

-Freddy