Captain America: Step by Step

All right, here's how the Captain America poster came to be...

Top: The original Rocketeer artwork that inspired this.

2nd row left: Thumbnail pen sketch.

2nd row right: Pen sketch modified in Photoshop.

3rd row left: Construction of Cap's body in Illustrator with basic gradients.

3rd row right: Additional gradients for added detail. Lots of trimming and clipping masks.

4th row left: "Motion" background effects.

4th row right: Additional gradients added to Cap's body for motion effects.

5th row left: American flag background. PAIN IN MY ASS.

5th row right: Moving back into Photoshop. Blurring of flag background, addition of grain with slight red/yellow midtone shading.

6th row left: Clouds painted in.

6th row right: Sharpening of cloud borders, additional various wisps and streaks.

7th row left: Addition of city skyline background; not intended to be any city in particular. Sun added for a little extra background color.

8th row right: Title logo, tagline, and assorted fine print.


And that's what it's all about!