15 - The Ride Out

First page HERE

So normally I focus on the comic and then jot down my current comic related thoughts very quickly. This time I started typing these words slightly ahead of time. Progress! Science! The Future!

So I know I was just yapping about gray tones last week, but now I'm focusing on the inking and trying to see if I can create a well balanced page without grays. I know other people can do that, I'm just trying to do it myself. So in about 9-10 pages you'll likely see a page with no gray on it... probably.

Now that I'm drawing more often I feel like every moment is a miniscule incremental learning experience. Some observations:

• I've settled a bit on inking first with tech pens then brushing. This is becoming my norm. Although I neaten up after with tech pen again.
• Drawing feels in some ways like I am touching/feeling around imaginary objects with my mind. Practice is helping, but I don't have the time to practice much.
• I do better with an hour to warm up, but I usually only have 10 minutes at most.
• My head still isn't grappling with perspective. It is a major uphill battle. I think it will be THE battle.
• I like to draw FAST, but it looks better if I slow down at certain points. Slowing down and being careful are very hard for me to do.
• I like to practice doing gestural/tube people in different positions, different angles, etc. But I just draw the same familiar/safe angles/movements unless I come up with a mini-story which drives the tube person's actions. Even if it's something as simple as shopping in a supermarket. Story always helps me.
• The cardstock paper I'm using is limiting how fine I can draw. I used some better paper for a charity piece and I can work much finer on it.
• I saw a Wieringo Spidey pencil page and an Olivier Coipel inked Thor page live and direct. I realized I need to be much more careful and precise down to a smaller scale and with smaller lines than I currently use. They are just tight, yo. (I'm Gen X and I slang that way. That's what's up.)

Totally irrelevant to the comic. I started watching Penny Dreadful on Netflix. it's a SHOWTIME series and it's pretty good, fun in a dark way. Reminds me of the League of Extraordinary Gentleman comic a bit.

Below is an ink brush practice of Derek a.k.a. Silent Seeker, the team's resident ninja of sorts and field leader. I like how this one came out. It was fast and felt natural. 

Later, 

Nick