The word is in!

So, it's official, I am now penciler for a six issue launch series called Blackwood by KnightShift Studios.

This is my first real endeavor into actual comic work, and it's going to be keeping me pretty damn busy, but hey, it's a foot in the door. The comic looks to be lots of fun and violence. It's a supernatural horror story about the world existing just beneath the surface of our every day life.

I plan to have fun with it, and hopefully, meet all my deadlines on time.

These guys have been awesome since I submitted, and incredibly supportive of my own ideas and views on some things.

It may not be much, but it's a foot in the door.

Time for an update!

For those who don't know or I haven't told, I suppose now would be a fair time to mention that I've begun to expand my reach within arting. I've got several submissions out right now, working to get more of a foothold in the comic business, and let me just say, it's not an easy business to get your foot wedged into.

I've also decided not to just limit myself to comic work, but to also try to get more out there in other areas, like RPG books and whatnot.

I'm still waiting to hear back on several submissions, bu I do have one that's given me strong feedback, and I'll know later on this week if I got that job.

Once I know, you'll know, and I'll probably post up some of my stuff that I did for specific submissions for everyone to see.

Don't Think, Just Draw

Now, I'm fairly sure I'm not alone in this area, but those who feel the need to just stare at a piece of paper for a while and think on it, go right ahead....

I've been drawing for a good many years now, over a decade, and I'm guilty of "monkey see, monkey -try to do-" syndrome.

Basically, I would see some wicked art somewhere, something that just amazed me, and off I'd go, attempting to emulate it.

Even worse, is when I have laid down a drawing, sometimes I get that "perfect line" in a piece, and henceforth try to replicate it.

It's a common trap, one I've strayed into many many times. Finally, I settled back, and forced myself to do the seemingly impossible. Don't think, don't try to find a style, don't try to emulate a style. Just fuggin draw, and see what comes out.

My friend Jesse, former comic artist for DC Comics told me flat out, "You don't find style, it finds you."

But it can't find you, if you're too busy trying to draw like everyone else.

This journal is for those who've suffered from this trap, and still struggle to find their own artistic "voice".

Keep it simple.
Don't think. Just Draw

Mysteries of the Arcana Preview

So, since it's been a bit since I posted something here, and the launch date for the comic ticks forward and ever approaches (Less than a week away) I thought I would post up a short preview for peoples.

In several pages, I've cut the word balloons and such, to not spoil the story. Enjoy.

Digital Drawing in Photoshop pt 3. Flats and Putting it all Together

Okay, taking what I had last time, laying down the flats, and tying it all together.

This didn't take long at all, arguably the fastest step in the process.

At the end I also tinkered a bit with a few variations for lighting and effects.



Tools Used:
Adobe Photoshop CS4
Wacom Bamboo 4x5 Tablet

Digital Drawing in Photoshop pt 2. Shading

So, okay, moving on with the previous drawing. Taking the lineart into a more visually 3 dimensional piece.
This was done with the soft round brush at 10% opacity, swapping between black and white to build up the shadows and highlights.

Total drawing time, about 15 minutes, sped up.



Tools used:
Adobe Photoshop CS4
Wacom Bamboo 4x5 Tablet

Digital Drawing in Photoshop

This is massively sped up, but this is the basics of how I work if I'm working totally on the computer.

Actual drawing time, about 30 minutes.

Maybe next time I'll have sound.