TRACING

I've just been to a couple of art supply stores and the outlook isn't good. The store in Newcastle was the best but was still lacking in a few areas. It wasn't too bad though. I wanted a really good sable brush so I looked through the £60 ones but couldn't find one which could form a good point so I looked through the cheapies and got a really nice one for £5 instead. Money doesn't get you everything.
Using that nice new brush of mine I got to work on inking those pencils from 2000AD. I tried with a dip pen but it didn't quite do it for me. Andrew Currie sure likes to feather his work. God, he puts so much effort into the penciling there's really no point in inking. Put it in photoshop and up the contrast or just ink it straight up I say.
Here are the inks for the pencils I posted previously.



And here is the brush I did it with and a really nice nib I picked up too. If you like working with a dip pen I recommend this one.

LONDON

Just came back from London. Lots of pints were consumed. Strangely London didn't have the effect it had on me last time I was there 5 years ago. I really enjoyed myself and didn't walk around looking like I might bite anyone who looked at me sideways.
I made it to Gosh! Comics opposite The London Museum (which I didn't go into). It's a fantastic comic shop! It's not very big but has everything except a big wall of the majors. That's right folks a comic shop that focuses more on creator owned material than all that American trash. I didn't have any of my work to drop off but they have a very nice 70/30 split going on for small press titles so when I get my stuff sent over I'll get myself back there.
Whilst down in London I met up with a friend I made while I was on exchange in Orléans 9 years ago. Roger Mason was the first comic creator I had ever met. He hadn't done much at that point but had great things going on already. He introduced me to Hellboy and Bone and because of him I turned to the stark B&W style we all know and love today. It must be said the "Dicks" story "Operation Centipede" was a homage to him.
Roger has since worked for 2000AD, had 3 Bande Dessinée published in France. At the moment he's concerntrating on his own small press title "The Mice" for which he's found a small indie publisher. Here are a couple of examples of his work.
This is from "Off the Hook" which he finished in 1999

This is a page from a short story of "The Mice" The final work will be a 13 or so part GN.

More example of Roger's work can be seen at www.looksgoodonpaper.co.uk and at www.comicspace.com/rogermason

On another note but still to do with comics- I've finally got my first articulated desk! It's a real beauty. About 90 years old, cast iron with counter weights and cogs. I'm fully equipped now- watch out comic world!
Here are a coupe of picks.

GETTING STARTED

Alright.
After a sickening 48 hours from my grandmother's house in Sydney to my mother inlaw's house in England I wasn't quite sure which way was up. Things have calmed now, the weather's better and it might not be too long before we move into our own house.
I've already asked 2000AD to send some pencils for me to ink over for my application to join their fold. I was pleasantly supprised by the the speed of their reply. I got the pencils yesterday and aim to start working on them as soon as I get a suitable work space.
I'm working on a 5 pager written by Tom Taylor for the application and I'm going to send in my inking over Henry Pop's pencils for The List part 2, too.
The pencils are by Andrew Currie and some other unspecified artist. Currie's pencils are for some Lobo comic and the others are for Conan. Here's a page from each.


There are a few things that trouble me about some of the drawing but I'll get over it.
I'll post up the inks when I get them done.