Have you ever dreamed of becoming a superhero? Now you can! A custom superhero portrait can take any man, woman, child, dog, cat, or rat (you get where we are going, right?) and turn them into a work of art!
The following outlines how the very first superhero drawings set the stage for modern-day, trendy art of superhero portraits. What began nearly one hundred years ago now influences stylish works of personalized superhero art!
How Superhero Drawing Began
Although getting your superhero portrait is a modern-day way of expressing yourself, superhero artistry began a long time before that. Superhero artistry has a rich and robust history that started in the 1930s.
The Golden Age of Comics
Several of the famous and classic superhero artists drew the characters during what is called the Golden Age of Comics. This era of time was from 1938 to 1956. During this time the first superheroes were created and growing in popularity at a rapid pace.
Joe Shuster: Superman
Joe Shuster, often cited as the first superhero artist, was born in 1914. After more than two decades of life, he finally got his big break as the artist of Superman when it was featured on the cover of National Allied's Action Comics #1 in 1938. That first cover is what paved the road to every other subsequent superhero artist.
Bob Kane: Batman
Batman, Bruce Wayne's alter ego, first came to life in the spring of 1939. This famous superhero was co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. The caped hero was first featured in Detective Comics #27.
Martin Nodell: Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
The first Green Lantern character, Alan Scott first made his appearance in July of 1940 in All-American Comics #16. Over the years, other characters were introduced, including Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
Joe Simon and Jack Kirby: Captain America
Two cartoonists created the patriotic superhero, Captain America. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 in March of 1941. Captain America was a supersoldier that often took on the Axis powers in World War II, which made him the most popular superhero during that particular wartime period. After the war ended, superhero popularity began to wane.
William Moulton Marston (Charles Marston): Wonder Woman
The character of Wonder Woman was first introduce in All Star Comics #8 in October of 1941. While her creation has been credited to William Moulton Marston, it is believed that Wonder Woman was a culmination of Marston along with his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston and H.G. Peter.
William Moulton Marston, a psychologist, and Elizabeth Holloway Marston, a lawyer, are also credited with the invention of an early prototype of the modern day lie detector test.
Steve Ditko: Spider-Man and Doctor Strange
Steve Ditko, along with co-creator Stan Lee, created and drew Spider-Man, which has become one of the most beloved superheroes of all time. He first appeared in August of 1962 in Amazing Fantasy #15.
Superhero Portraits Come to Life
The creation of the classic superhero characters we have all come to know and love set the stage for modern day superhero portraits. Now, anyone, even your 75-year-old grandma, can become a superhero. Who doesn't love that?
Custom superhero portraits can be made to look like any person, place (or thing!), with any custom background of your choosing. Save the world from your favorite city, theme park, (or even your gym!). We can even put your pet or romantic partner into the portrait. You choose!
In order for custom superhero portraits to come to life, there is a set process. It is not always as easy as sitting down and drawing it out in one sitting. Most artists use a four-step process to create a superhero.
Sometimes in the comic book realm, there are different artists that complete different steps in the drawing process. At Cartoonely, our artists complete your custom superhero portrait from start to finish.
The following outlines the process that superhero artists follow to take the blank page from zero to hero!
1. Concept and Thumbnails
In the concept and thumbnails step of the drawing process, the artist will get a feel for the character. When drawing for a comic book company, the artist will likely speak with the editor about the story concept to get a feel for the character.
The artist will make a very rough sketch of the superhero incorporating the characteristics of the person. This is the first step to bringing the concept to life.
When we draw you, our superhero portrait creator will speak to you about the concept you want for your artwork. You get to decide what the portrait looks like. Decide things like the position of the characters and if you want to be holding your beloved cell phone or a glass of wine. You tell us how to draw you! In essence, you get to be the editor of your own cover art!
2. Cover Sketched Out
In this step the custom superhero portrait or artwork really starts to take shape. The artist hand draws the portrait using various mediums. Some use pencil, others use a different hand-drawn medium or software to sketch out the image.
3. Sketch is Inked
In the comic circuit, this is the step when the artist inks the sketch. This stage is also known as the inking stage. That means the superhero portrait creator adds ink or shadowing to the sketched art. The sketch artist may or may not be the same artist completing the ink, and may be sent over to the specialized inker. This is when the portrait itself comes to life. Shadowing is added to make the image appear lifelike.
4. Line Art is Colored
In the final step of the portrait creation, coloring is added. In the comic book world, this is sometimes a specialized talent. A colorist, using software such as Photoshop, will add the all important color to the drawing. Vivid color is what brings the portrait to life. Vivid coloring can help the image feel like it is coming to life.
Your custom digital portrait will be so realisitc and that it will appear to jump right off the page!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you ready for a custom digital illustration or portrait, but have a few more questions? Don't worry, we love to talk about ourselves and don't mind answering a few questions!
What if I do not like how I look in the portrait?
We have you covered! We provide you with limitless revisions so that we can capture your likeness in a way that you will love.
Is the portrait hand drawn?
The artwork is custom-drawn by a real artist. While there are some digital aspects, there is a real artist creating your portrait. There is no AI used!
Can you draw anything?
Our motto is: If you can dream it, we can draw it. We want your portrait to be unique, and reflect who you are. We customize the people, places and accessories in our drawing so that it represents you.
Superhero Portrait Creator
Are you ready to take your photo to the modern age by getting your own custom superhero portrait? Cartoonely's portrait creators can take your vision and turn it into a trendy piece of art that will be the talking centerpiece at our next gathering. If you still have questions, don't worry! We will happily answer anything you need to know. Contact us today!