Friday, May 31, 2013

Scarlett from Big Wow Comic Fest 2013


From Big Wow Comic Fest, San Jose, May 18-19, 2013, Scarlett of GI JOE fame. Rachel suggested the Rosie the Riveter Rockwell pose which I thought was brilliant! Interestingly enough, Rockwell based the Rosie pose off a Michelangelo figure on the Sistine Chapel so there you go..

http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/norman-rockwell/rosie-the-riveter-1943

http://www.rosietheriveter.org/painting.htm


It would have been great to have had a little more time on this so I could have really nailed  it but it's a con sketch!

Grew up reading GI JOE comics but never drawn anything professionally so this was kinda fun to do.

Drawn on 11 x 16 " Canson Mi Teinte Pastel Paper with a Col Erase Scarlet Red Pencil, Pigma Pens, Warm Grey Copics and White Prismacolor.

Thanks for the request, Olivia!

TD


Sunday, May 26, 2013

X-Men 4 Cover Step by Step

Ok, this is the look behind the making of August's X-Men #4 Cover from Marvel Comics, featuring Wolverine and Jubilee.
First step, cover roughs in my 11 x 14 Canson Sketchbook using Col Erase Light Blue Pencil, Pigma Micron and Copic Warm Grey Pens. I know in general what I'm doing compositionally so I really focus on the energy and the mood knowing...


I'm scanning these in and cleaning/formating in Photoshop. This stage is really to clarify for the editor, Jeanine Schaefer and everyone else at Marvel who is looking at these I won't be personally talking with so I try to make sure all the necessary info is here.

Sketch B was approved so I went right to pencils - drawn with Col Erase Light Blue and Staedtler HB Lead pencils on 12 x 18 Bristol Board. Knew exactly what I wanted to do with this piece so essentially drew this in one sitting. Once, I realized how simple the composition was I added in the "X-Men" in the background to help fill it out and add some angles and values - I had this in mind in the sketches but didn't put it in for clarity.

Rachel Dodson then inked the piece, she always starts by "masking off" the area she isn't inking so it doesn't get rubbed or dirty. She usually starts with the faces, for a similar reason - while the pencil line art is at it's highest point of clarity.

A closer look at Rachel's initial inks.

Rachel's inking this all with a Windsor Newton Series 7 #2 Kolinisky Sable Brush and Higgins Black Magic Ink.


Still all brush - working foreground to back.

More inks.

Rachel used mostly brush on this even the "X-Men" as her pen's weren't "behaving". She did use her croquille on the furthest back rubble.

Art is erased with a Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser and ruled the border with a pen.

Scanned and cleaned by me in Photoshop.
I then send to my "flatter" and this what I got back - brilliant!
I do a few corrects on the flat as no one is a mind reader and lay in my initial colors knowing pretty well what I want (which is always nice). 

I start everything off in a medium value of the color. Then begin rendering by adding darker values first at 100% color.

Begin adding lights and refining and cleaning up the colors I laid. Used a custom brush to add texture to background areas.

Finished cleaning up coloring using the lasso tool and 100% color or gradients as necessary. Add clouds in background with custom brush. 

Finish up by coloring lineart as necessary - this is the icing on the cake of the piece!

TD

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Bombshells 7 Cover Sneak Peek


Here's a sneak peek at the cover to my upcoming sketchbook collection, Bombshells 7.

Just sent it off to the printer, with the immense help of John Fleskes -  it will be available this summer starting at Comic Con Int'l, San Diego and online through my usual sources.

TD



Friday, May 24, 2013

Enchantress Big Wow 2013


Not sure if I have drawn a sketch of the Enchantress before -this is from this past weekend's Big Wow! Comics Fest in San Jose, California (May 18-19). 

Actually drew this in the Marriott Hotel lobby with Aaron Lopresti and Rachel.

Drawn on 11" x 17 " Canson Bristol Board with Scarlet Red Col Erase, Pigma Pens, Warm Grey Copic Pens.

TD

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Supergirl from Big Wow! Comics Fest 2013


A Supergirl sketch from this past weekend's Big Wow! Comics Fest in San Jose, California (May 18-19).

Drawn on 11" x 16 " Canson Mi Teinte Pastel Paper with Scarlet Red Col Erase, Pigma Pens, Warm Grey Copic Pens and White Prismacolor.

TD

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Death Supanova 2013


Death on Holiday! Another sketch from Supanova, Gold Coast, April 2013 - obviously inspired by the Gold Coast surroundings!

Drawn on 11" x 16" Canson Pastel Paper with a Red Col Erase Pencil, Pigma Micron Pens, Warm Grey Copic Markers, and a White Prismacolor Pencil.

TD

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 Variant Cover

This is the Guardians of the Galaxy#1 variant cover for Maximum Comics.
Here's the cover sketches I submitted to Marvel - actually had no shortage of ideas for this one - wanted to draw all of them.
Drawn in my sketchbook with pencils and pens and the scanned and cleaned up in Photoshop.

Pencils for the cover drawn on 11" x 17" Bristol Board with Light Blue and HB Pencil.

Rachel Dodson's  inks for the cover - using mostly a Windsor Newton Series 7 #2 Sable Brush and Higgins Black Magic Ink.

Here's the colors done in Photoshop CS3 with a Wacom tablet. Still not happy with my solutions for the color - I like bits of what I did but not the whole. 

TD





Thursday, May 9, 2013

Wonder Woman Supanova 2013


Wonder Woman sketch from Supanova 2013 Gold Coast Convention.

Drawn on 10 x 14 Bristol Board with Red Col Erase Pencil, Pitt/Pigma Markers, Copic Warm Grey Pens and a white Prismacolor.

TD

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Big Wow! Comicfest May 18-19, San Jose, California



BIG WOW! COMICFEST

Yep, another appearance! And they have a heck of a guest list!

Rachel and I will be appearing May 18-19, at Big Wow! Comicfest in San Jose, California. 

For more info-

http://www.bigwowcomicfest.com

WHERE/WHEN

Rachel and I will be seated in Artist's Alley, tables AA93 and AA108 and should be there most of the show.

SIGNING

I will be signing books/comics/statues/etc at my table the whole show and for free.

COMMISSION SKETCHES

I will take sketch requests at the start of the show Saturday and the first part of Sunday.

I will write down all names however I will be choosing myself who's sketch I'm drawing and if you had a sketch recently I won't be doing you a sketch so I can try to get sketches down for fans who I haven't done sketches for.

Sketches are $250 each for a single figure and $150 for a bust. 

ORIGINAL ART

I will be selling original art from  Avengers, Avenging Spider-Man, The Defenders, Uncanny X-Men, Wonder Woman and selected covers, pinups and sketches.

PRINTS/POSTCARDS

I will have the my new Down Under print plus the New York, San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, Paris and Seattle prints for sale. I will also have postcards of all the prints available as well.



TD

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Batman Supanova 2013 Melbourne

Time for a little testosterone in this place - Batman sketch from Supanova Melbourne 2013.

Here's the final where I  dropped in Black Bats in the background!


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



TD