Toning is like an onion.

Here's an example of some of the steps I have to take when I make these things. I'm going start with a completed panel (actually 2 thirds of a panel) and go down from there.


This is the completed panel.


First I take away the lettering above the art.


Now the lettering that's integrated with the art is gone. Things like shirt logos, poster text, etc.


This one's subtle on this panel, but I've taken away the glow on the Zombies' eyes. On other pages the glow effect is used a lot more.


Next the highlights and shines are taken away.


Now the shadow layer.


Now the shade. Notice how flat it all looks now.


Now the blood is gone.


Sometimes there are complex patterns that will screw up the rest of the base tone if I don't do on a different layer such as the first zombies plaid shirt.


Here is the lineart. No tones, no lettering, no shadows. This is what I start with.


Here's what it looks like when I'm working on the shadow, shade and highlight layers. It's easier to do them on green instead of the base tones or even grey.

There's a lot more that goes into it but I thought I'd give everyone (the two people who read this thing) an idea of what I do when I tone these crazy things.