LIFE DRAWING PART 10

Life drawing sometimes feels like eating or cleaning- it's a never ending process. There is no such thing as finishing one class or reading one book and being done with it. In order to keep my skills sharp, I like to go back to drawing anatomy as well as drawing from a live model as much as I can. I can do this whenever I have an opportunity usually in between projects.

One of my favorite figure drawing/anatomy books is a series by George Bridgeman. Here are some recent drawings I've worked on:

In addition to this, I've been going to live figure drawing sessions on the weekend at the Palette And Chisel Academy Of Fine Arts Chicago. The sessions are "quick sketches" going from one minute to 60 minute drawings.

5 minutes

5 minutes

10 minutes, 15 minutes,                 25 minutes

25 minutes

25 minutes

It is essential for any artist that draws human beings to go back and do live figure drawing and anatomical studies from time top time. It is the only way to, not only remain sharp, but to also improve skills.

HAVING WORK FINISHED PART ONE-INKING

One of the things I've been very lucky with in my career as a comic book illustrator is the inkers I've worked with. With the exception of a couple of small stories I've been fortunate enough to work with true professionals who have not only added to, but also changed the way I approach my work.

For anyone who doesn't know, inking is the act of refining comic book pencil art by adding permanent ink linework and blacks to the art over the pencils. There have been projects that are not inked but instead are finished worth super tight pencils, like the recent work I've done with Zenescope and Bluewater. I have also  sometimes been required to ink my own work like the third Stormy Tempest story I did for AC Comics a year ago:

As fun as these things are, I actually think that it can be more fun to see how someone else interprets my work and adds their own flair to it. The first time I experienced this was with Jeff Austin, my inker on the AC Comics work I did. I think that Jeff has an Alfredo Alcala style that really added to an enhanced my work. I realized, after seeing his work over mine, that I really needed to step up my game.

I was absolutely thrilled when I saw the work that Paul Fricke did on a recent story I just penciled. Paul is the co-creator of Trollords, author and illustrator of Night Of The Bedbugs, and inked Mike Parobeck on DC Comics/Impact series The Fly.  Paul's inking, which was done digitally was of a simpler style than I drew the pages. It reflected my originals but also was very much his work. I love how this came out:

The last image is the cover of Bluewater's Victoria's Secret Service #1, which is due out this June. Originally, the covers were going to be colored from my pencils, but my friend Andrew Pepoy expressed interest in inking them. Andrew has worked on everything ( and I mean EVERYTHING)- from stories published by Marvel, DC, Darkhorse, and Archie Comics to designing a new look for Little Orphan Annie and creating a tap dancing superhero musical play. It has been a real honor to have him ink my work.

While I've been happy with this part of the process of comics creating, there are others which can seriously affect how someone's work looks. More on that next time...

ON SALE NOW AND COMING SOON

Here are a couple of projects that I've worked on which are both out now or will be shortly:

Neverland: Hook Issue #2

I penciled pages 12-24 of this issue.

As Belle hovers near death, Cross continues his search for the monster that attacked her. It’s a search that leads him back to the place where his childhood nightmares still live… Neverland. Cross will soon learn that the monsters he’s faced in the past are nothing compared to the horrors that live there now. 

This book is published by Zenescope and is in stores NOW. If your local comic shop does not have it, you can ask them to order it, or get a copy HERE

FEMFORCE #158

This issue features the final 10 page story of the  Stormy Tempest saga, written by Len Strazewski and penciled by me.

Trapped at submicroscopic size inside Synn's body, Nightveil, Stardust and Ms. Victory defeat a foe of unimaginable menace, as She-Cat finds a face out of her past. Then, no sooner is one evil opponent dispatched, when a new villainess appears - from the ranks of the undead! Behind the spectacular digital cover painting by long-time Dark Horse Star Wars artist John Nadeau, Femfans will finally learn the source of Synn's vacillations, and the terrible price that must be paid to end them!

This issue is being shipped to Diamond distributers on January 20th and will be out soon after. The best way to get a copy is to order it from your local comic book shop or online.