Captain Marvel #5 Cover Art Step by Step

Here's a look back at how we created another Captain Marvel Cover.

Here's the 3 cover sketches I sent into Marvel for the Captain Marvel #5 cover. 

Drawn at about 2 x 3 inches in my sketchbook then scanned and colored in Photoshop.

Once approved, drew full size at 11 x17 inches on 2 Ply Strathmore Bristol Board with Light Blue and HB Pencils.

Inks by Rachel Dodson using Windsor Newton Series 7 #2 Sable Brush and FW Acrylic Ink. I added the ship details and ground details with a Black Pen.

Colored in Photoshop CS3 with a Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet. 

This was published by Marvel Comics in 2012...

TD

Avenging Spider-Man #9 Cover Art Step by Step

 Here is my process for creating the cover to Avenging Spider-Man #9 (July 2012) featuring Captain Marvel and Spider-Man. 

Didn't have much to go off, so this is what I did!

Here's the  1" x 2" roughs drawn in my sketchbook and then

 adjusted and colored in Photoshop that I sent in to Marvel for approval.

Pencil stage drawn on 13 x 19 inch 2 Ply Bristol Board with HB and Light Blue lead.

Finished pencils.

Rachel inks over my pencils using a Winsor Newton Series 7 #2 Sable Brush and FW Acrylic Ink

First pass at colors in Photoshop CS3 using a Wacom Graphics Tablet (circa 2001) at 7 x 10.6 inches and 800dpi in RGB using Channels.

Final colors and coloring of line art on a separate "Screen" Layer .

VOILA!

Cool to see that this has held up! I would like to work on the clouds some more in the color stage ... c'est la vie...

TD

STAR WARS: PRINCESS LEIA #1 Preview

Here's a first look at our new comic - Princess Leia coming out in March 2015 from Marvel Comics written by Mark Waid, art by Rachel and I and colors by Jordie Bellaire!

Visit 

http://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-princess-leia-1-exclusive-preview

for more art and info.

TD

Vampirella #1 Cover - Step by Step Part TWO - Inks

Here's a look of how we created the cover to Vampirella 1 was made…

The book is out now written by Nancy A. Collins and drawn by Patrick Berkenkotter.

Now Rachel Dodson's inks….

Rachel's initial inks on the cover.

Inking the leather boots.

Rachel uses Windsor Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable #2 Brush and Higgins Black Magic Ink to ink the covers with.

Moving to the background. I inked the buildings in the background with a Copic Multiliner 01 pen. That's Seattle's Space Needle on the left and the Vatican on the right.

More detail on boots

The final inks

Detail of inks

Next up  - color!

The cover is out now.

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

http://www.comicshoplocator.com/Home/1/1/57/575

And digitally at Comixology 

https://www.comixology.com/Vampirella-Vol-2-1-Digital-Exclusive-Edition/digital-comic/104279

Enjoy!

TD

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA #1 COVER Step by Step PART TWO Initial Color

Here's a look of how I made the cover for Big Trouble in Little China #1 -

out now from Boom! Studios!

Now the color...

The first stage of coloring is to have the art "flatted".

Flatting allows me to choose an area to color at any point throughout the coloring process.

My initial flats very simple this as ...

I'm going for a different approach then normal. I'm coloring my pencils instead of a

 traditional inked black and white piece.

I'm going for a Drew Struzan movie poster look so I do a quick airbrush lay in of colors not 

worrying about the colors bleeding - in fact this gives the art the look I'm going for.

This also sets up the imprimatura halftones for the art.

This is done in Photoshop CS3 with a Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet. 

Next I start doing some rendering of form on Jack Burton using the Pencil tool at 100% to hit the shadows.

Crusing right along and add greens to the sky and begin more rending on Jack, the Wildman, the lights and the foggy background. Still mostly using the Pencil tool here at varying opacities and the Lasso/Gradient on the sky and the fog.

  

Starting adding more red's to the BG and really rendering the Wildman more.

I also begin to colorize the lineart - note the lines on Jack's right arm…

Detail of this stage...

Next time - the final coloring including some screen shots of how I set up my layers…

TD

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live Kansas City May 2014 RECAP 1 Wonder Woman

Had a great time at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live Kansas City May 2014.

Here's a look at how I made one of the few sketches I actually had time to do there!

Rough in of sketch.

Light Blue and HB Lead on 11 x 14 Strathmore Bristol.

Using Copic Warm Greys 1-4 to rough in the values.

I rarely work on white paper for my con sketches so it always takes a second to remember how the grey Copics will act...

Used Copic Warm Greys 6 and 8 for the darker values. .8 Micron for outline plus  CWG 8.

Used a little Pro White for the highlights.

Black was Copic Black.

Details of sketch.

More to come!

TD

X-MEN #13 Cover - Making of PART ONE - Pencils

Here's a look behind how the cover of X-Men #13 was created (out in stores this week from Marvel Comics - written by Brian Wood with art by Clay Mann).

The first step is to send in cover sketches to X-Men Editor Jeanine Schaeffer. The idea was to have Jubilee protecting SHOGO. 

Drawn at 2x3 inches in my sketchbook in pencil and pen and then cleaned up and colored in Photoshop.

It was decided to zoom in really tight and "E" was picked.

My initial rough in of the pencils, drawn in Light Blue and HB lead on 12 x 18 Bristol Board.

Did some corrections digitally on the figure as my drawing looked a little off and sometimes I can see the errors better on the computer.

Implementing those corrections on the actual artwork.

The final pencils...

Next INKS by Rachel Dodson!

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

http://www.comicshoplocator.com/Home/1/1/57/575

And digitally at 

hhttps://www.comixology.com/X-Men-Vol-4-13/digital-comic/90020

TD

ECCC 2014 - Ramona Flowers Sketch

Some pics of  the making of my Ramona Flowers sketch at Emerald City Comic Con, Seattle, 2014.

Drawn on  11 x16 Canson Mi-teintes Paper, I rough in the drawing with an Col Erase Scarlet Red Pencil. Then I go straight to "inking" the outline of the drawing with a small tipped (Pitt XS) permanent pen (to avoid bleeding when I later use the Copics greys).

Then I rough in the values with Warp Grey Copics at this point, #2 and 3.

Nailing down more values with the Copics.

The final piece finished with a White Prismacolor Pencil.

Detail.

More to come.

TD

CATWOMAN #27 Cover Step by Step

Here's a look of how the cover to Catwoman 27 was made…

My cover sketches I sent to Editor Rachel Gluckstern at DC Comics for approval. These covers feature the Gothtopia  storyline and Catwoman is the Catbird character - a Robin type of sidekick to Batman.

They were

drawn at 2x3 inches in my sketchbook in pencil and Pitt/Pigma pens and Copic Grey Markers and then cleaned up and colored in Photoshop

c2 is approved.

My  pencils, drawn in Light Blue and HB lead on 12 x 18 Bristol Board.

A close up look.

Rachel Dodson's inks  - using a Windsor Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable #2 Brush and Higgins Black Magic ink, plus a little tech pen and croquille for the straight lines.

Rachel started with the foremost element and then worked background.

After Rachel finished up, I lettered in the logo on the Garbage bin and added details to the background buildings.

The art is then scanned and cleaned in Photoshop.

I use Photoshop CS3 with a Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet to color the art. I stuck really close to my approved sketch.

The cover is out in stores starting today!

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

http://www.comicshoplocator.com/Home/1/1/57/575

And digitally at Comixology 

http://www.comixology.com/Catwoman-2011-27/digital-comic/66872

Enjoy!

TD