Alien!

My Oz Comic Challenge entry: an xenomorph.

I wish I'd done more production scans but oh well. Here's the couple I did.

The Incal

I just borrowed the second instalment of Moebius and Jodorowksy's The Incal featuring John Difool and the Metabaron, amongst others. I can't say I'm the biggest Jodorowsky fan so this left me a bit flat on the story side of things. The art on the other hand... looked crap. What!!! What did I just say 'Moebius crap??' Sadly yes, but it wasn't his fault. The copy I had is an English DC edition published in 2005 which features new colours by Valerie Beltran. Now I'm sure Beltran is a great colourist for her own work but for Moebius... Half of what is great about Moebius' work (alright maybe a third or a quatre) is his use of colour. Moebius' colour lets the line work breath, adds depth, and conveys emotion. Beltran's (in this particular book) is claustrophobic, homogenous and soulless. Moebius' work becomes generic and uninspiring.

I did a little google search and found a site which shows original pages with the new ones, the contrast is striking. What else is funny is that the new work has been censored. Is it the comic code? are the Americans prudes? I haven't bothered to find out but the end result is disappointing and an inaccurate introduction to Moebius' work for the uninitiated.

Here are some examples.

Original

New.

Desk

Here's my desk under construction that'll hold my light box, guillotine, computer, etc.

Christened!

The studio isn't finished and my room has quite a few more things to do to it but I have finally made some work in it!

...and here it is...

I added colour to the B&W I did a while ago. Wasn't sure which way to take this when I started so I started with the eyes (red is aways good for eyes) and went from there. 

Here's the colour sans line art...

I reduced the image in photoshop and then printed it onto a peice of A4 arches watercolour paper 180gsm and painted in gouache.

More scribbling

I've just got to build the table to house my computer, light box etc so in the mean time more scribbles.

A snow man...

The one and only Killeroo...

Inking

Inking! How do you do it, how do you choose the right brush or nib, how do you look after said tool, what paper, lead or blue pencil? The list of questions I've posed goes on and on. I've compiled here bits and pieces that I've picked up over the years helping me on my inking journey.

I must say though, I haven't found any one solution. Why? Because art is a very personal thing. You can be shown a million techniques but ultimately you have to come up with your own. Coming up with your own doesn't mean that what was shown you didn't help - it helped a lot - but you take a bit from here a bit from there and that's how you create your own.

Following you will find a list of links and clips which have helped me in my quest for how to ink. Very different approaches to the same problems but all helpful.

First up. Any one who hasn't bookmarked or gone through the archives of the comic tools blog should do right away. Matt Bernier (and others) has systematicly broken down each process to comic creating and gives great tips from different artists on how they tackle the problems they face. Inks, pencils, papers, rubbers and a whole glut of tools are all reviewed and compared. Use this wonderful resourse, it's great!

Secondly. Inkers buy this. Gary Martin's Comic Book Inking book really helped me, especially when it came to using a brush. Martin is very systematic and controlled - not a very exciting inker but he is a clear and comprehensive teacher. Though the best thing about this book is the end, where different artist ink over the same pencils. What's great about this section is that it lets you know there is no right answer and that an inkers style really defines the final image.

When inking other peoples pencils I use a brush but brushes are so hard to look after properly. At $30+ a pop you want your brush to last. I've never gone past 50 pages with one brush and I'm afraid nothing I've found out has helped me so far (appart from Matt Bernier's insanely anal approach - which I can't do). But I do have a solution: brush pens. They definitely don't come close to a good sable brush but they come close enough. I use these Pentel aquawash brush pens (here are some I found on ebay) with Pebeo ink - which was recommended me by Brendan Halyday.

There are a gazillion clips about inking out there but here are a few that have inspired me.

Moebius

Gary Martin




Saen Gordon Murphy



Nat Van Dyke



Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba



Jeff Smith



Francis Vallejo

From these clips you'll find the following parts and other great clips.

I hope this helps anyone out there looking for answers.

Oz Comic Challenge

I'm temporarily without a studio for a while (and have been some weeks) but I can't let that stop me from drawing! Since having joined friendface I've been participating in the weekly oz comic challenge which has been good for keeping my hand in. Of course I should be working on other more pressing projects but working at the kitchen table doesn't seem to get me in the mood.

Not long now though... but while you wait here are my entries to the past 3 challenges. Can you guess who they are?