Ghost #1 Step by Step PART THREE Color

Here's the final step of creating the cover to Ghost #1, out this month from Dark Horse. Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Christopher Sebela and art by Ryan Sook.

Here we go!

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

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

  My initial rough in of the colors, done in Photoshop CS3 with a Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet.

I had the idea of an orange sky in my head the whole time

However, I couldn't get the right orange so I switched to a green sky.

Now that I'm happy with green background I began changing the rest of the orange elements to green.

Pushing the lighter areas of the figure and foreground.

Using a custom brush tool, I began adding texture to buildings.

Pushing the lights and darks to help separate Ghost and the FG building from the BG.

Began turning the black lineart into color on the figure.

Turning the BG lineart into color lines - really helps separate.

Fine tuning.

And finally added some clouds and lights to the sky for the 

Final colors…

TD

Ghost #1 Cover Step by Step PART TWO Pencils to Ink

Here's the next step of creating the cover to Ghost #1, out this month from Dark Horse. Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Christopher Sebela and art by Ryan Sook,

After I turned in the pencils seen in PART ONE I received feedback from Dark Horse to make some minor changes to Ghost's costume so I used it as an opportunity to change a couple of things that bothered me in the original pencils.

 I started on a new piece of paper with a blue line printout of the original pencils on it. I used light blue and HB lead on 13" x 19" Bristol Board.

I wanted to give the pose a little more dynamism and movement - so I had Ghost's right foot coming "atcha"!

And this is what I gave to Rachel Dodson to work on because…

Rachel had started working on the original pencils.

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

This is Rachel's inks over my original pencils.

This is the ink's over the 2nd pencils.

And the magic of Photoshop where I combined the images together.

Onto the color…

TD

Ghost #1 Cover Step by Step PART ONE

Here's how I created the cover to Ghost #1, out this month from Dark Horse. Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Christopher Sebela and art by Ryan Sook!

First thing was to come up with a cover sketch. These are sketches I submitted to Editor Patrick Thorpe at Dark Horse - drawn at 2x3 inches in my sketchbook in pencil and pen and then cleaned up and colored in Photoshop.

 Next I worked on the costume and look of Ghost in order to figure out how I was going to draw her. I actually drew an issue of the original 90's series when I didn't have a clue what I was doing so this was a great opportunity to revisit the character.

Figuring out the hood and cape.

Figuring the body structure and hood/scarf.

How the costume works underneath.

I went back and forth with Patrick (and Dark Horse and Mike Richardson) and Ryan with these sketches to get their feedback and suggestions, especially Ryan's as it's his book.

 Once we were all cool, I started penciling the cover  with light blue and HB lead on 13 x19 " Bristol Board.

The finished pencils - or so I thought!

More to come!

TD

Wonder Woman Breda 2013

Here's a Wonder Woman sketch from Stripfestival Breda.

Drawn in 10 x 13 sketchbook with Light Blue Col Erase, pens and Copics.

TD

No CTNX appearance this year and other news

Due to a larger than usual workload I won't be attending the CTNX show in Burbank in a few weeks.

My next con appearance will be early next year at Emerald City Comicon, Seattle, Washington, March 28-30, 2014

www.emeraldcitycomicon.com

I had a great trip to Holland for Stripfestival Breda and will start posting some are from that soon but you can check out my twitter feed for some pics and drawings from the trip -

@TerryDodsonArt

Back to the drawing board!

TD

Strip Festival Breda - Breda, Netherlands, October 26-27, 2013

I will be appearing at Strip Festival Breda - Breda, Netherlands, October 26-27, 2013

WHERE/WHEN

I will be appearing along with Mark Schultz, Jim Silke and Thomas Yeates. All will be signing at the booth of Flesk Publishing.

There will be a special meet and greet  Flesk Prime event planned for which tickets are available through Mark Thelosen from the Breda Strip Festival 

for more info - 

http://fleskpublications.com/blog/2013/09/15/reserve-your-ticket-to-the-second-flesk-prime-event-the-netherlands/

For the festival -

http://www.stripfestivalbreda.nl

 Also check out the Blog of Flesk Publishing for news as the event comes 

SIGNING

I will be signing as usual.

COMMISSION SKETCHES

No exactly sure what I will be doing sketch wise as time is so short. Price will range from FREE to 300 Euros. I will doing sketches only at the show and there will be no pre-show list.

ORIGINAL ART

I will be selling original art from Songes, X-Men, Avengers, Avenging Spider-Man, AVX VS, The Defenders, Uncanny X-Men, Wonder Woman and my recent Catwoman, X-Men and Ghost covers plus pinups and sketches.

PRINTS/POSTCARDS

I will have all my prints for sale. I will also have postcards of all available as well.

RECAP

I will post pics of the sketches after the show here!

See you there!

TD

Thrillkiller Batgirl Sketch Rose City Comic Con 2013

Here's the Thrillkiller Batgirl from Rose City Comic Con, Sept 21-22, 2013. 

Only had time to do a couple smaller sketches at the show but "thanks" to Jordan for asking for the Thrillkiller Batgirl, loved the art on this series and never have had a chance to draw this character - had a blast!

Drawn on 9 x 12 Canson Me-Teint Pastel Paper with Col Erase Scarlet Red Pencil and Warm Grey Copics and Pigma/Copic Black Pens and Prismacolor White Pencil.

TD

Rose City Step by Step

A little behind the scenes look at how I made the Rose City artwork.

My initial sketches - knew in general EXACTLY what I was going for - but not SPECIFICS. I would let the drawing dictate!

 

I started off working full-size, 12 x 18 2 ply Bristol Board, using Light Blue and HB Lead. Nailed the figure and personality, knowing everything was there to set her up.

I roughed in the roses for compositon and design puroposed then found tons of Rose pics to make sure they were accurate. Went for a Heavy Mucha Dead Line on the roses with a thin interior line so they are more decorative than realistic.

Roughed in the rest of the BG details then found reference for the iconic Portland images that existed in the early 20th century - Mt Hood, the Steel Bridge, and Union Station.

The final pencil art

Face detail.

Rachel Dodson's inked the art using #2 Windsor Newton Series 7 Sable Brush and Higgins Black Magic ink. Rachel always starts with face when it is at it's highest level of clarity/.

Face detail.

She then works backwards in depth - all brush.

Detail

Know the flowers.

Final inked line art.

First step in color is to create a flat layer - this is saved as a separate channel that I can select any area later on that I want to recolor or change.

Quick first stab at coloring - went with a muted old travel poster look. Used simple tools in Photoshop at this point just Pencil tool and a few gradients on the sky and foreground for a variety.

Next layer of depth in coloring and I begin to alter the lineart into color.

Face detail.

Final colors!

Here's my hand lettering I did on tracing paper... print size with a B pitt pen.

and then scan and drop over the print template.

I color and clean the lettering and then drop on top of the art and adjust as necessary.

This print debuts at Rose City Comic Con, Portland, OR, September 21 and 22.

 I will be at Flesk Publications Booth 733 both Saturday and Sunday.

TD

Rose City Comic Con, Portland, OR, September 21 and 22

WHERE/WHEN

Rachel and I will be appearing at Rose City Comic Con, Portland, OR, September 21 and 22.

SCHEDULE

The majority of the convention Rachel and I will be at Flesk Publications Booth 733.

SATURDAY

11:00am - 1:30pm Booth 733

3:30pm -  5:00 pm Booth 733

SUNDAY

11:00am - 2:00pm  Booth 733

All times are approximate - final times will be posted before the show starts.

SIGNING

I will be signing books/comics/statues/etc at the Flesk Publications booth.

COMMISSION SKETCHES

No idea what I will be doing sketch wise - probably only a couple and maybe bust shots as time is so short.

ALSO

ORIGINAL ART

I will be selling original art from Songes/Muse, X-Men, Avengers, Avenging Spider-Man, AVX VS, The Defenders, Uncanny X-Men, Wonder Woman and my recent Catwoman, X-Men and Ghost covers plus pinups and sketches.

PRINTS/POSTCARDS

I will debut a new "Rose City" print at the show plus have all my prints for sale. I will also have postcards of all available as well.

RECAP

I will post pics of the sketches after the show here!

See you there!

TD