Bats vs Supes!

So here's how the Batman and Superman #50 Midtown Variant Covers look together!

The Original Sketch

Rachel Dodson's inks combined into the final Line Art

Coloring in Photoshop

Before the final merging - the clouds and Supes cape...

The final.

And you can connect them yourself!

See the complete making of the cover art

Superman COLOR

Superman Line Art

Batman COLOR

Batman Line Art !

TD

Superman #50 Variant Cover Step 2 Color

Here's the 2nd part of how we made the cover to Superman #50 guest starring Batgirl - this time dealing with the colors!

This was done for Midtown Comics and my DC editor was Mark Chiarello!

The book is out in stores now.

Flats

The first stage of color is called flats - flatting allows me to choose an area to color at any point throughout the coloring process.

Generally, I hire someone to do this for me - a "flatter".

At this stage I go and adjust the colors to their medium value or imprimatura - I use this as the starting point for the piece. - the first part of coloring. 

Based off my sketch, I knew almost exactly what I was going to do with one...

Initial color rough in

I colored this on my Cintiq 13 HD using Photoshop CS3 after I scanned the original line art.

Used a big Pencil to rough innate 100% of color then used lower % to work to add lighter and darker values. Used a Custom "Cloud" brush to rough in the background. Plus the Gradient tool to break up some of the flatter areas. 

Detail of same shot

Began Batgirl - keeping her more "cuts" as opposed to rendering. Moved to the next level with Supes and Background...

This cover matches up with a Batman cover  (see Step 1) so I began adding the Blue elements from that cover in on the right side, plus the next level of rendering on Supes.

Converting Lineart to Color.

Adding Reflective color.

General cleanup.

Detail of Lineart colored...

Final colors.

Pushed the contrast on Batgirl.

Cleaned the Background.

The Printed cover.

Next time, the Batman side....

TD

Superman #50 Variant Cover Step 1 Lineart

Here's a look at how we made the cover to Superman #50 guest starring Batgirl!

This was done for Midtown Comics and my DC editor was Mark Chiarello!

This is an interesting assignment as it lines up with the Batman #50 Variant so I had to design them to fit together ...

Roughs were drawn at 2 x 3" in my sketchbook using Warm Grey Copics then colored in Photoshop CS3.

and to work on their own.

Now, I was leaving to go to a SCAD Comics Art Forum for a week so I HAD to finish these pencils so Rachel could ink while I was gone because both this and Batman cover were due the following Wednesday. We were really up against on this one..

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

I actually drew the bulk of the Batman Cover at the same time so it line up correctly (plus I wouldn't have much left to pencil when I got home...)

And now Rachel's inks ---

Since I was out of town while Rachel was inking - she sent me step by step of the inks!

Rachel started with Batgirl.

Detail

Rachel inks over my pencils with a Windsor Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable #2 Brush and Higgins Black Magic Ink to ink the covers with.

Moving along...

Boom! Batgirl Done...

Onto Superman

Almost there....

Done until I get home to take a look at it.

I finished up Supes neck, worked on Batgirl's mouth, and moved her left leg back...

Scan into Photoshop - next time-

 Color...

TD

Lois & Clark #5 Cover - Inking Neal Adams

Heres a look at my first professional inking job over somebody else. It was for a Lois and Clark cover by Neal Adams.... no pressure.

Had a total blast doing this - if the penciling gig goes dry I might switch to inking..

The cover is out in stores now from DC Comics!

Here are Neal's pencils that were provided to me...

Detail.

I had email my editor to determine if he was changing into a monster or just mad -didn't know anything about the story. Interesting to be on this side of things...

I turned the art into blue line and printed out on full size DC Cover Stock.

I stared with a Pigma Micron 02 pen and just started with the faces.

Detail of Pigma 02 and a Zig Managka Flexible F on the thicker blacks.

Worked into the main figures - using 02 and 08 Pigmas and some Pitt S.

Same tools just working farther back into depth of field

Detail

Not worrying pretty lines just drawing in ink...

All main figure work done. 

Using the 08 and Mangaka F to thicken everything up plus a little Pitt F. Basically whatever was handy... 

Detail

Really happy with how the face turned out - good thing....

The finished art. 

I had Rachel Dodson fill in the blacks with her brush and india ink to make sure it looked sharp (good help if you can get it ;-)

Detail

Worked on the wedding dress material and little bits of white out here and there.

Scanned in and sent off to Mark Chiarello for approval.

Alex Sinclair added his masterful coloring for final print.

TD

Wonder Woman #46 Looney Tunes Variant Cover Detail

Here's a little closer look at the cover I penciled and colored - idea by Mark Chiarello with Elmer Sketch by Warner Animation and inks by Rachel Dodson.

Some of the ref I found for this cover - had a blast doing research for this cover!

The book ships in November from DC Comics.

I will post a detailed look at the making of this cover closer to publication.

TD

Wonder Woman #34 SELFIE Variant Making of … PART TWO COLOR

How we made the SELFIE Variant Cover to Wonder Woman #34 (out now from DC Comics by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang).

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 in color of the colors - just using a big pencil 100% and a little lasso and gradient.

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

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.

Art director Mark Chiarello suggested the outdoor sky for more "pop".

Details

The printed version

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/Wonder-Woman-2011-34/digital-comic/130411

TD