I don't have illustrator. I use Fireworks MX (Yes, I know most of you hate that) I'm slowly getting used to Gimp though. It started off with a PA parody I did for /meGlompsJ00, then a little thing I made for Greg, which he said kind of freaked him out. I just go into the program, keep RL in another window for reference, make the vectors (bezier points), copy outlines, fill those vectors with applicable colors, copy outlines again, slice to the outer edges, thicken the lines, and layer on top (for the thicker edge around the outsides)
I tried matching them up to the comic once, they don't quite fit, but they're close.
Note: should Greg not want me to do this, all files will be deleted and all projects stopped, no questions asked.
As for the banner things, I just take the saved vectors from the comic characters, and edit them to look like whoever it is they're supposed to represent. (Yes, the second and third banners will get done, I've got finals right now, so I don't have a lot of time to work on it.) Speaking of the RLR banners, Banner two is full (Still have to finish three more pics for it) and banner three has room for one more DJ.
Banner 1: Moony, Gojira, Vader, Skand, iMav, Liz, Kilostar, and BobbyDrake
Banner 2: Clixon, CanadianBacon (still working on it), Daemon (also not done), One Dollar William, Ary (again, not done), Liz, MikeHendo, and Mandor
Banner 3: (none of these are done) Chris, XZ, MasteR, ZenGyro, Minako-chan, Liz, CdStanford/1337, and __________ (<- last open spot)
I've also gotten one request for an avatar from someone who isn't a DJ. Yeah, I'll do those, when I get the time, in other words, after the DJs are done. (what have I just gotten myself into...) Sorry, but the RLR banners have a higher priority. I've got a bunch of other things I'm working on that are coming due real soon, so it might be slow going for Banner 3. If you want, some of them are posted in the art section of my site, so you know I'm not lying about this 'busy' thing.
>.< I just remembered that I'm moving back home (I'm at school now) in about a week, so that'll delay things a bit as well.
Egads! This post is getting long! For more information on any of this, e-mail me, or send me a private message either here or in the channel (I also go by Cthulhu there)