Process in portrait drawing.

Taking a break from the development of my sample pages for the new Top Cow talent search, I thought I would post some images of my process for a current portrait I have been working on.

I like to show the process to my work as it gives students insight into the many steps that it can take in building a finished drawing.

Step 1. The gesture. Quickly executed 20-30 second drawing

Step 2. Refined gesture. Slight refinement of gesture and suggestion of shadow shapes.

Step 3. 

Continued refinement of shapes and adjustment of proportions and placement.

Step 4. Here I start picking out some of the lighter values still thinking about adjustment

of proportions and designing shadow areas

Step 5. Continued exploration of values.

Step 6. I realized I had goofed up the mouth shape and also the eye placement so I lightly erased out and began to rebuild. I also began sculpting out the hair.

Step 7.  Here I began to try and express the range of values in the entire portrait and unify the image.

Step 8. And now even wider expression of value.

Step 9. And even wider expression.

This is not finished but I am starting t feel that the values are looking unified and that the shapes are starting to agree. So much of what happens at this stage is subtle adjustments of value and quality of light.

Hello again!

Before I start thumbnailing a project I like to to get any needed concept work done and also gather any needed reference. As time as gone on I have gotten away from using reference and tend to just make up everything that I draw. However, as this story is set in an already established world I will ned to make sure that the visuals I create dovetail into this continuity.

Here is the list of needed reference/concept work I put together for myself.

Needed Reference for Artemis IX 8 page sample for Top Cow

1.     Artemis’ City – check IXth Generation # 3 Vertical masculine city lots of angles.

2.     Damaged building-explosion again check IXth Generation # 3

3.     Inside damaged building again check IXth Generation pages 17-23

4.      Male/Female cyborgs. Females scantily dressed. Males are workers-construction.

5.     Sculpture reference for Artemis sculpture

6.     Bauron – Male Cyborg

7.     Computer Tablet

8.     Large Scale painting – Easel

9.     Chione attractive medium brown hair with blonde streak

10. Artemis’ private office. Desk/lighting/chair/decorations

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11. Artemis’ shuttle. Like a cross between an X-Wing Fighter and a Colonial Viper with touches of an F-14 Tomcat. It’s a two-seater with a canopy

12. Hanger – assorted stuff/workers

13.  Mechanic

14.  Cockpit of Shuttle – Navigator/computer

15.  Building explosion caused from crash with shuttle

16. Exploding glass

17. Torn Clothing/Jacket

18.  More friendly looking shuttle

19.  Artemis’s quarters.

20. Massage table

I do this just a starting point and to not jump the gun and draw myself into problems later in the process.

Once I gather any needed reference I will start doing my concept work for all primary characters, environments, interiors and props.

As I have already started some concept work I will be posting some images later in the week:)

Process in creating my submission for the "Top Cow Talent Search 2016" - step one "The Script"

Hello!

I have recently begun the process of creating 8 sample comic pages for the 2016 Top Cow talent search contest. In essence, Top Cow provides a selection of scripts that the hopeful can choose from to create sample art. These submissions will then be vetted by the fine folks at Top Cow and 2 winners will be chosen from the best examples.

Anyone who is interested in finding out more details about this talent search can follow this link.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/exclusive-top-cow-talent-hunt-to-return-with-a-few-changes-to-the-competition

I have decided to detail my process in creating these sample pages to give an insider's look into how I create the work I create and my thought process behind what I do. 

Lucky you:)

Firstly I will post the 8 pages of the script I have chosen  They are from the first issue of Artemis IX. I liked this series of pages because there were multiple environments, lots of different characters and several great scenes that I thought would be a lot of fun to draw. When I read the script I began to see in my head how the pages would go together-always a good sign.

On these pages you will also see my quick notes to myself about the panels I felt were the "pay off" and "page turners" for each page. 

By doing this I am making decisions about what panels should be the most important on the page. It is all part of composing the page. The "payoff panel" should reward the reader for continuing to read by being extra exciting, dynamic or beautiful to look at. It is also usually an important scene in the advancement of the story. The "page turner" is the panel that keeps the reader turning pages. A very important consideration in the making of comics. This panel should create some form of drama, intrigue or suspense that encourages the reader to turn the page to find out what happens next.

Here are the eight pages-

Now that I have perused the script and have made some very beginning choices regarding layout of my work I will move to the next stage of gathering any needed reference. I like to do this before I begin to do thumbnails as it helps me to have a clear idea of what my characters, environments and objects are going to look like as I find this understanding guides my storytelling to a certain degree. As these comic pages are samples based on existing characters in an existing world I need to make sure that I am careful to be very aware of how these elements should be depicted and not draw myself into mistakes that will cause problems in later stages of the work.

Check out my next post to see what I come up with!

Thanks all!!

T.