A few Pages.

Here are a few out-of-order un-cleaned-up pages.
I know there are some problems (like the disappearing and reappearing collar on Dan).
We're in Alabama for a few days (I'm here fore a week) and I wanted to at least put something up here.






For anyone is Savannah who wants to send mini-comics to the San Diego Comic-Con can put a stack of them outside Trisha's office (Norris 1a) before the monday before the convention.

Moonshine page process.

I wanted to show my process for this book that I'm working on.
I usually work on two pages at a time, but I'll only do one for this explanation.
Here is the drawing table that I work at.


The laptop on the desk is used primarily for reference. I've taken almost 1000 reference pictures on my trips back to Alabama over the past year. I will probably continue to take more as I go home. It's nice having all them right in front of me as I need them.
I have a general plot/script that I've written:
I've gone through and made notes that brake the script down in to specific scenes that I later intend to break apart in to flashback sequences.
I then work on a series of thumbnails for each page, working out pacing, composition, page flow and dialog. I carry this little blue American-eagle notebook (a x-mas gift to Kristie from her family) in my back pocket so that I can work on it where ever I go. I'm using a tiny Pilot pen that my dad ordered from Japan (Hi-Tec-C 025mm). Since this whole Moonshine book will likely be more than 200 pages, I'm trying to stay as far ahead of myself in thumbnails as possible. Some artists thumbnail the entire book before they ever get to work on the actual drawings. Craig Thompson did thumbnails for Blankets for 2 years before he started drawing. I'm not doing that.


After I choose the layout that works best for the story and what I want to convey on this page I then pencil out the page onto a 14"x17" piece of Canson Smooth Bristol board. This is my favorite paper. The total panel area is 10"x15". Standard comic book size. I've tried working smaller on some of my other stories, but I always find that I usually like working bigger.




After I'm happy enough with the pencils, I then rule out the panel borders using a Speedball B-2 nib on a dip pen. I know this is a little larder, but I tend to like thicker panel borders. For my Gobnobble stories I never ruled my panel borders, but for this book I think it looks much better. I'm using an ink mixture of of Dr. Ph. Martin's Bombay Black India Ink and Winsor & Newton's 951 Black Indian Ink (the one with the little spider on the bottle).

I hand-letter the page using Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph tech pens. I primarily use the .08 for dialog and balloons. Once again this is a little larger or standard lettering, but I think it works best for me. I've upgraded to the Koh-I-Noor Black Drawing Ink for these pens because the standard ink that comes with the set is too thin and watery. These pens require a great deal of care and maintenance, but I've noticed that the Savannah humidity keeps the pens from clogging. Even when I was using these pens back home in Alabama, I had a heck of a time keeping them clean. I destroyed a set of these when I was in high school. Note that I'm using all-caps lettering for this book. I used mixed case lettering for my Gobnobble stories, but it just didn't feel right for this book. I think I might switch to all-caps on my other stuff when I go back to it. If I need more control for something specific, like on larger sound effects ("UNGH."), I draw out the word with a .60 and fill it in accordingly.

Once I start putting ink to the paper I being to make notes on the sides of the page regarding errors or other problems that I'll fix after all the inking is done. I use a red color pencil for this because it won't show up when I scan the page into Photoshop.

After I finish lettering the page, I move to a brush. I've been using a Winsor & Newton Series 7 No. 3 brush for a while. It gives me the line weight that I want while still being able to give a pretty thin line when I need it. I only ink the primary characters, black areas, and other prominent elements in the panels. This is the fastest stage of the inking process.


I then come back with my Rapidograph pens to build value and texture in the images. I've been getting much of my inspiration from Gerhard's background for Dave Sim's Cerebus. This takes forever sometimes. I rarely go below 0.6mm and never below 0.35mm. The largest pen I have is 1.2mm. These are all from the same pen set (40 bucks online!)

Once the inks are through, I erase the whole page. This is where the quality of ink is important. Many inks will fade or erase away during this stage.

Finally I will clean up the whole page using Winsor & Newton Permanent White Designer Goache. I fix all of the errors I have noted on the side of the page (those notes are super handy), clean up the borders and gutters, and given each panel a once-over looking for problems.

Once the correction fluid dries and any other fixes have been made, the page gets thrown into the pile.

Then I start again.

Heroes report.

Here's a view of the SCAD table on Saturday. (Sean, Arf, Sean, Joe, & Shazz):
The star of the table was Tom. He organized the SCAD table at Heroes event.

Kristie took a few pictures during my workshop. I showed around 125 slides during the lecture portion of my presentation.

Some of the workshops on Saturday had as many as 60 attendees. I only had 25 show up for mine, but that's pretty good for a hand-lettering discussion early Sunday morning.

Then I did a digital-lettering demo (until my battery died) and then I showed them how to hand-letter their work.


I must say it was a pretty fun trip. Also present were many other SCAD students and faculty. Now I can get back to working on my own stuff!

Heroes Con this Weekend!

I'm super busy getting ready for Heroes Con this weekend. I'm nervous about this workshop because I don't know how many people will show up or what sort of people will care to hear me speak.

If you are around Charlotte for the Con you should come by and see the SCAD table or even drop in on the Workshops. If you've already had any of these teachers before, I doubt any of the teachers will be covering anything in 1.5 hours that wasn't covered in the 50 hour SCAD course.

I'm doing Hand-Lettering and Typography for Comics
Tom is doing Basic Superhero Anatomy
Ray is doing Cartooning for Comics and Animation
John is doing Basic Maquette Making
Mark is doing Comic Script Essentials
Shawn is doing Composition and Design in Comics

Mike Getty drew this one (John Lowe inks):

The second poster here is drawn by Josh Dunbar, inked by Tom Lyle.

Finally this one is drawn by Ted "the fancy cook" Helard, inks by Lowe again.

More Sketchbook.

Some time in the sketchbook.

(NOTE: These images are fixed now.)

Blogger is giving me a bit of trouble with the images. I don't have the time to work on getting them to pop up right, so you'll just have to squint to try and make out my handwriting - if you care.

I'm trying to figure this book and these characters out. The kids sometimes feel way too young, but I don't think I mind that so much.


I've been trying to prep myself to start this story. After few days of thoughtful deliberation regarding the nuts and bolts of production (drawing size, materials, etc.) as well at narrative format I think I've got it all figured out. Of course finding myself talking to others about how I plan on working has helped a great deal. Kristie and Jarret both helped me think through my process.

I've got to wait until we get our property taxes paid before I order my art supplies. Just out of curiosity, what is your favorite paper to draw on? I usually love Canson Smooth Bristol; I find that it's better for me than Strathmore 300 or 400.


I'm looking for something even smoother and heavier though. I'm looking to order in bulk online as well. I don't want to spend a fortune on paper.
I'll put a few more sketches up soon.

More from Alabama.

Here are a few more of the 400+ pictures I took back in Alabama this weekend.

My dad prepares some meat while our cat (Catbert the Evil HR Director) hangs out (or hangs over):

I nosed around the woods in Happy Hollow looking for an old mine. I didn't find it, but I think I was really close. I'm going to try and look again in the same area when we go home for the 4th of July.

Sunday was Decoration day at the cemeteries where our family is buried. I didn't take any pictures as Morris Cemetery. This one is from Liberty:

Alabama Report.

A bit of my research while back in Alabama.

Crooked Creek:

Morris:

Mullberry Fork:

Robinwood:

Bangor:

More in the Bangor woods:

An upturned Jeep in the woods.

Bangor Cave. This Cave used to be a sort of night spot in the 1930s. There was a bandstand and a bar and other such facilities deep in this cave.

Now the cave has plenty ofvandalism.

Alright.

Reading and rereading.

The only thing worse than writing a story is having to reread it over and over. I'm already sick of my writing. I've still got a great deal to go. I think I have the story laid out, but the specifics are still a bit thin in places. No dialog yet. I'll work out all of that after I'm sure of how I'm going to lay out the plot.

Kristie helped me put up some shelves in my office. The house is that much closer to a library.

Post Editors' Day - Time to write.

Well. Editors' Day has come and gone. Our department had a lovely bunch of visiting editors that came to visit with the students and review a crazy amount of portfolios. Marvel, DC/Vertigo, TokyoPop, Top Shelf, Alternative Comics, Nickelodeon Magazine, and Devil's Due were are represented. They all spoke highly of the professionalism of our students and how receptive they were of criticism and compliment.

It was good to see Chris Staros and James Lucas Jones again. Very nice fellows. And Mike O'Sullivan is always a hoot and a half. It's great to be able to bring all of the editors in to the department.

Kristie is super busy getting ready for her ICE show in June in Atlanta. I doubt that I'll be able to go up with her because SCAD graduation is that same day. As always I must put my job before family.

Julie's show Whigmaleerie is up at the Gallery Espresso and the reception is this Thursday from 6-8pm. If you are in town, you should stop by. Her work is lovely.

Me? I've been doing a great deal of writing. I'm planning another research trip back home to Alabama next week. I need to have my story completely fleshed out before then so I can know what I need to get while I'm there. This will probably be my last chance to really finish my planning on this story before I get to work on it. I want to have it started well before San Diego Comic Con in late July. I've spent almost the last year researching and planning for this story and I will probably spend the next year (or more) drawing it. I hope it doesn't turn out to be a cruddy book.

This story is very important to me and since it's based on so much speculation and unproven theories I'm having to construct a 'definitive' version for myself of what may have happened to those missing boys in 1956. It tough because sometimes I find contradicting elements that I think are both interesting, but I don't want it to be a multiple choice story (like Hollywoodland), so I have to choose one over the other. I then have to try and make it make sense with all of the other elements. I'm used to writing stories with characters that sort of write themselves. I'm not used to juggling so much action and plot and information.

Any who. Since Kristie and got to go see Meet the Robinsons, I've been enamored with the film. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to whoever thinks that it might not be a good film. I thought it was lovely. Not just because it was in 3D either.

I must get back to writing.