Fanging down the highway at 80mph, narrowly escaping getting sandwiched between trucks, almost run of the road by blind dickheads and then my son goes and breaks his leg in a shoe shop. He was on my shoulders and deciding he didn't want to be, jumped off. I meanwhile had a solid hold of his right leg. His weight and my grip on his poor little leg didn't give it much of a chance. You know, you hear cracking sounds all the time and you know everything's fine? Well, this wasn't one of those times. It was a sickening crack and I knew instantly his leg was broken. It ended up not being too bad. (A poor 13 year old at the hospital had a horrible compound fracture with his bone pieced through his leg. He'd only fallen down while running down a grassy hill!) Eti will have a cast on for 6 weeks but he's in good spirits, the only thing I fear is his boredom.
Now, onto the comic expo.
Everyone was there (or not there. Their name tags left by the door): Bisley, D'Isreali, Gibbons, Burns, Talbot, Chris Staros and many others whose work I recognised and whose I didn't but knew the name. Pretty much most of the big names who've worked for 2000AD. There were huge queues for Gibbons, Bisley and the other big shots. I managed to show my portfolio to a couple of people but didn't get the most positive of responses. There were so many talented people walking around showing off what they could do. I didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell.
Firstly I approached a company called Classical Comics. They're doing adaptions of classical texts such as Shakespeare, Dickens, Bronte, Shelly and Stoker. 3 versions in 1. Direct text, modern text and then something for the kiddies. A fellow I'd met in the queue, a penciller from Cardiff, told me I should show them my stuff. Which I did and was told that my style was too caricatured and then went on to say the stuff I'd inked (see 2 posts ago) was more lifelike! I was rather offended by this and finally got the guy to admit that he didn't like my stuff beause it couldn't be coloured easily. With that I moved on.
The next person I showed my work was John M. Burns. I asked for some harsh criticism and got some. (He was much more constructive than the fellow from Classical Comics). He told me to brush up on my figure drawing and to get some more clarity in my work. It was pretty hard to take but I took it and have come away more determined. I went away and mulled over his words for a while and finally rested on what he'd said at the end. Something about how he was sorry to be so critical but that if I wasn't stealing jobs from him in a year he'd know I'd killed myself. The way he'd slammed me I'd totally missed that compliment at the end. I'd better knuckle down get back to life drawing again otherwise he'll think I've 'run in front of a bus'.
I then showed my work to Matt Smith who was impressed with the inking I'd done but wasn't very keen on my own stuff. It seemed that he said if when I submitted to 2000AD I had more work like those inked pages he might have work for me. I heard him say to the fellow in front me, though, that there were alot of other regular 2000AD contributers not getting work so I took the compliment but definitely not going to get my hopes up.
Everywhere I went people liked my tracing abilities but not my original work. Oh well.
I actually talked to a lot of indie and small press guys and they were the only comics I bought actually. There's alot of fun stuff coming out in the small press and if any of you have some futuristic sort of stuff get it over to Future Quake. They were really nice guys and eager to publish budding young artists.
All in all a great show. I still came out of it feeling pretty depressed (stupidly). Getting told to sod off (not in as many words) by Dave Gibbons, when I approached him outside the expo, didn't help none but I guess I was looking for it. I just missed out on a sketch by D'Isreali (he was the only guy doing free ones. Tight bugger ain't I) too. A bit overwhelming the whole thing. I reckon I would've done better if I'd got a table. Oh well.
So I went off feeling a bit fragile (not looking at the positives of the day) and then Eti broke his leg.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
2 NEW GNs
I went to the Hexham writer's festival yesterday to see Bryan Talbot and Simone Lia talk about their recent comics: Alice in Sunderland and Fluffy.
The talk overall was quite good but this was mainly due to Bryan being an interesting person. The moderator was some idiot who had probably until now never read a comic in his life. He had done his research very well but his questions were superficial and boring. The crowd was mostly middle aged people, a couple of young guys and a few kids. I think most of them were there because it was part of the writer's festival rather than because it was about comics.
An argument that I'm quite interested in came up (but was not dealt with as much as I would've liked). The old argument of whether you create comics or graphic novels. Apparently the term was coined by Will Eisner when trying to sell a comic he'd done to a prospective publisher. After having been turned down several times because he was trying to get a comic published, he told the next publisher that he'd created a graphic novel and the publisher was intrigued. Bryan said he didn't like the term and used it only so people would understand what he was talking about. Many comic artists don't seem to like the term and it only the buying public that want it. It seems as a marketing ploy it works and maybe to get comics back into the mainstream it may be worth accepting. I do like these quotes that I came across the other day: As Marjane Satrapi say that the term enables ‘the bourgeois to read comics without feeling bad’; and Alan Moore says, they allow publishers to ‘stick six issues of whatever worthless piece of crap they happened to be publishing lately under a glossy cover and call it The She-Hulk Graphic Novel’.
Simone didn't have much of an opinion on the GN topic. She belongs to a different breed of comic artist to me who is more accepting of the term.
Anyway, I approached them after the talk and had a bit of a chat. Simone was, after being a bit weary, very nice a easy to talk to where as Bryan, though a nice guy, was a bit standoffish and I felt like a bit of a fanboy. I showed them both my work and both were very nice about it. I would have liked some criticism but I don't think they understood that. I also gave them both a copy of my latest comic. I don't know what thought of it. I would've liked to talk a bit more to them about the industry etc but they had other things to do so I went away feeling a bit deflated.
Simone's work can be found at www.simonelia.com and Byran's at www.bryan-talbot.com (this is a bit of a strange site. Hard to navigate and clunky).
The talk overall was quite good but this was mainly due to Bryan being an interesting person. The moderator was some idiot who had probably until now never read a comic in his life. He had done his research very well but his questions were superficial and boring. The crowd was mostly middle aged people, a couple of young guys and a few kids. I think most of them were there because it was part of the writer's festival rather than because it was about comics.
An argument that I'm quite interested in came up (but was not dealt with as much as I would've liked). The old argument of whether you create comics or graphic novels. Apparently the term was coined by Will Eisner when trying to sell a comic he'd done to a prospective publisher. After having been turned down several times because he was trying to get a comic published, he told the next publisher that he'd created a graphic novel and the publisher was intrigued. Bryan said he didn't like the term and used it only so people would understand what he was talking about. Many comic artists don't seem to like the term and it only the buying public that want it. It seems as a marketing ploy it works and maybe to get comics back into the mainstream it may be worth accepting. I do like these quotes that I came across the other day: As Marjane Satrapi say that the term enables ‘the bourgeois to read comics without feeling bad’; and Alan Moore says, they allow publishers to ‘stick six issues of whatever worthless piece of crap they happened to be publishing lately under a glossy cover and call it The She-Hulk Graphic Novel’.
Simone didn't have much of an opinion on the GN topic. She belongs to a different breed of comic artist to me who is more accepting of the term.
Anyway, I approached them after the talk and had a bit of a chat. Simone was, after being a bit weary, very nice a easy to talk to where as Bryan, though a nice guy, was a bit standoffish and I felt like a bit of a fanboy. I showed them both my work and both were very nice about it. I would have liked some criticism but I don't think they understood that. I also gave them both a copy of my latest comic. I don't know what thought of it. I would've liked to talk a bit more to them about the industry etc but they had other things to do so I went away feeling a bit deflated.
Simone's work can be found at www.simonelia.com and Byran's at www.bryan-talbot.com (this is a bit of a strange site. Hard to navigate and clunky).
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
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.
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.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Small Press Idol
Well, I made it into round 3 of Small Pres Idol but not into round 4. At least I still get published. I'm getting teamed up with 2 other entrants. One, a 'noir fu' story about a kung fu private detective and the aother about a girl who is forced to fight in an alien arena for the evil queen.
The anthology is called Mysterious Visions and will be coming out in March next year.
I've started work on my strip which is 12 pages long. These pages are not finished. There're just waiting to get cleaned up and ink washed. I'll post the up when I'm done.
The anthology is called Mysterious Visions and will be coming out in March next year.
I've started work on my strip which is 12 pages long. These pages are not finished. There're just waiting to get cleaned up and ink washed. I'll post the up when I'm done.
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