Well I'm off to Comic Con so I won't be posting for a few weeks. But for a little fun, I thought I'd give a demonstration as to what it takes to put together a page of DW. Or as I like to call it, "They Let THIS Guy Draw a Funny Book?"
Once I get Ian Brill's Biblically epic script, I layout the 22 pages in a VERY rough form. As long as I get a general idea of where the characters and backgrounds are supposed to be, I'm good. Then I take a nap.
After my nap and possibly a sandwich, I go to pencils. I chose the spread as an example just to show you that I have absolutely no business just being a penciller. There's no way an inker could make anything Disney-approvable out of this. For me, the pencilling is just another level of laying out the page and the inks are where the real organic process happens. Sorry to get all hippy on you.
Now we're getting closer. I think the best compliment I get on my work is when someone notes how "clean" my stuff is. That is exactly what I'm going for. I never got the hang of cross-hatching or those other ferkakta lines that so many (Image influenced) artists use for dimension and weight.
To get my line I use different size Staedtler and Pigma Graphic markers. I wish I could say I use a brush or even a computer to get the line I'm trying to achieve, God know it'd be easier, but until I can really sit down and practice with those for a good 16 to 34 month, I'll continue to fake it with the pens.
Here we go. Out of my hands and lookin' good. I can't say enough about colorist Andrew Dalhouse. He really takes the whole book to another level with his palette. For my entire freelance career, I've colored my own stuff out of necessity. But now it is so exciting to have my work brought to life by someone who really knows what they're doing.
So I'll be back in a few weeks with stories of the con and hopefully some new sketches. Providing they let you have paper and pencils at the Tijuana Central Jail.
Holy crow, and here I thought you inked digitally! What happens if you slip and it makes a small smudge or line? Do you just alter it later with the computer, or leave it be?
ReplyDeleteI'm always impressed by good ink work, because whenever I try to use pens it comes out looking like a blind 5-year old inked it. So much precision and patience is needed!
Best of luck at SDCC!
Wow! Once again, I am amazed.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually going to look into one of them monitors you can draw on at SDCC. Wacom always has a booth set up there with a con discount. I don't think it'll replace my hand drawn stuff but it might make fixing things up a little easier.
ReplyDeleteI really do appreciate you guys checking out my site. I'm starting on the next story arc now. Can't wait to see what you guys think.
What I like about your inking style is that it appears to be so incredibly clean at first sight, then again, when you have a very close look at it, you can see the different shades of black in the lines originating from the real ink pencils, etc. I think it gives the comics a more lively feel than digitally drawn ones, characterised by their overly perfect and thus "dead" lineart.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great time at the con!
Cheers,
Sandra
P.S. Did that mail of mine reach you? I just hope it didn't end up as spam due to my unwisely chosen subject line. ;)
James, looking forward to hearing about the new story arc :D I just picked up the second issue, GREAT work, guys!
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