Wonder Woman Sketch Step by Step

Here's a little look at how I create one of my conventions sketches -  this is a WONDER WOMAN sketch from Comic Con Int'l July 2014.

The sketch is drawn on 11 x16 Canson Mi-Teinte Paper.  I start off with Col Erase Scarlet Red Pencil for an initial rough in and then use a Pitt XS Pen to nail down face details and begin adding value with Copic Warm Grey 1.

I use the thin black pen as it hardly bleeds once I start using the Copic Greys. At this point just more of the same tools contenting the line drawing.

Moving to the next stage of Copic Warm Grey - 2, 3, 4. I just go ahead and draw in the black hair.

I use a White Prismacolor Pencil to add the lights.

Use the Copic Warm Grey 4 6 and 8 to finish the values. 

Add the whites to the background to finish the composition.

Add just a little more white to the sword to polish off.

Detail

The final scan.

TD

X-MEN #18 Step by Step PART TWO Colors

How we made the cover to X-Men #18 (out now from Marvel Comics by Marc Guggenheim and Dexter Soy).

And so the colors…

I use  Photoshop CS3 and Wacom Cintiq 13HD to color with.

FLATS

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.

At this stage I go and adjust the colors to their medium value or imprimatura - I use this as the starting point.

Initial rough on color on Jubilee

Start adding colors to other characters and adjust the background colors.

  

Detailing Jubilee and Rachel.

When I'm comfortable with the colors I go in and adjust the lineart - from black to whatever is the appropriate color I want it to be.

The final colors.

The actual comic in print.

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

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

And digitally at 

https://www.comixology.com/X-Men-2013-18/digital-comic/129881

TD

X-MEN #18 Step by Step PART ONE Pencils and Inks

How we made the cover to X-Men #18 (out now from Marvel Comics by Marc Guggenheim and Dexter Soy).

This bad boy had to be turned around really quick so not too many stages to show this time…

As usual we start off with the cover sketches

Editor Daniel Ketchum and I discussed this new story arc featuring the X-Men in Space so had a blast coming up with ideas.

B was picked.

The sketches are drawn at 2x3 inches in my sketchbook in pencil and pen and then cleaned up and colored in Photoshop.

Pencils drawn in Light Blue and HB lead on 12 x 18 Bristol Board.

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

Next time - the colors…

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

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

And digitally at 

https://www.comixology.com/X-Men-2013-18/digital-comic/129881

TD

GIRL BAND: IN SPACE By Brian & Audrey Wood and Rachel & I SNEEK PEEK and AVAILABLE for PRE ORDER

 Brian and Audrey Wood and Rachel & I have created a new story for the CBLDF Liberty Annual 2014. 

And it is now available for preorders here

http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/917?stockItemID=AUG140568 

And here's a SNEAK PEEK of the first panel

This ships in OCTOBER from IMAGE COMICS.

Pencils and colors by me and inks by Rachel Dodson.

TD

Infinite Crisis #1 Slumber Party Harley Quinn Variant Cover Step by Step PART THREE Color

      Here's a look behind how the SLUMBER PARTY HARLEY QUINN variant cover of INFINITE CRISIS #1 was created (out NOW from DC Comics).

                                                  And now finally, how I colored this…

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.

At this stage I go and adjust the colors to their medium value or imprimatura - I use this as the starting point.

Knew exactly how I was going to color this so quick stage for me...

My initial rough in of the colors, done in Photoshop CS3 and Wacom Cintiq 13HD. I add darker values first and then the lighter values.

Already happy with how this is going I move right into altering the lineart to color.

Initial coloring pass.

Screenshot detail

Finalized version

Printed version

PART ONE

PART TWO

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

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

And digitally at 

https://www.comixology.com/Infinite-Crisis-Fight-for-the-Multiverse-2014-1/digital-comic/98728

TD

Infinite Crisis #1 Slumber Party Harley Quinn Variant Cover Step by Step PART TWO Inks

                 Here's a look behind how the SLUMBER PARTY HARLEY QUINN variant cover of INFINITE CRISIS #1 was created (out NOW from DC Comics).

                                      Now for part two - the inks by Rachel Dodson…

The final art inked directly over my pencils on 12 x 18 Bristol Board

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

Some of Rachel's feather lines and how she creates greys - all with brush.

Detail of Teddy Bear

The art cleaned up digitally for the coloring stage...

Next time - the COLORS!

PART THREE

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

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

And digitally at 

https://www.comixology.com/Infinite-Crisis-Fight-for-the-Multiverse-2014-1/digital-comic/98728

TD

Infinite Crisis #1 Slumber Party Harley Quinn Variant Cover Step by Step PART ONE Pencils

Here's a look behind how the SLUMBER PARTY HARLEY QUINN variant cover of INFINITE CRISIS #1 was created (out NOW from DC Comics).

Slumber Party Harley FYI

First step is to do sketches for approval by DC Comics for the cover. Pretty open for this cover  as it has literally NOTHING to do with the interior - enough freedom to cause problems - however, being Harley I had a number of ideas for it!

The sketches are drawn at 2x3 inches in my sketchbook in pencil and pen and then cleaned up and colored in Photoshop.

I send these in to my Editor Jim Chadwick for approval. 

B was chosen.

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

Pretty simple cover and I was happy with the concept so I just plugged away from the character back…

Almost finished pencils...

I tweaked Harley's smile a bit more and voila!

Detail.

Next time, Rachel's inks!

PART TWO

Colors

PART THREE

You can find this comic at your local comic book retailer

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

And digitally at 

https://www.comixology.com/Infinite-Crisis-Fight-for-the-Multiverse-2014-1/digital-comic/98728

TD

WONDER WOMAN from SDCC 2014

From Comic Con Int'l July 2014, a WONDER WOMAN sketch.

Drawn on 11 x16 Canson Mi-Teinte with Col Erase Scarlet Red Pencil, Pitt XS F Black Pen, Copic Warm Grey 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and White Prismacolor Pencil.

Detail

More to come….

TD

CHUN-LI from SDCC 2014

Another sketch from Comic Con Int'l July 2014, CHUN-LI.

Drawn on 11 x16 Canson Mi-Teinte with Col Erase Scarlet Red Pencil, Pitt XS F Black Pen, Copic Warm Grey 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and White Prismacolor Pencil.

Detail

More to come….

TD

NEIGE sketch from SDCC 2014

Another sketch from Comic Con Int'l July 2014, my own character, NEIGE..

Drawn in a 11 x 14 sketchbook with Col Erase Light Blue Pencil, Pitt XS F Black Pen, Copic Warm Grey 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and White Prismacolor Pencil.

Detail

More to come….

TD