I'm pretty happy with these now... Nice that I've done all of it myself too, there's a sense of achievement in that!
Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.
I've been asking myself questions about these samples; Am I getting closer to the standard necessary for a comic book artist? Are these worth submitting to Panini, the UK publisher for Marvel characters or should I keep hold of them and try to show them at the upcoming Birmingham convention? Can I indeed submit them to Tharg, even though they are not his characters?
My gut feel answers to those questions are; probably, it might prove most useful to get feedback face to face and no, not really.
Next up is a Batman piece I've been casually sketching things for - then it's some strip work for the Zarjaz guys... busy, busy, busy!
5 comments:
Hi Kev, loving this strip, and sorry I haven't commented earlier but my pooter threw in the towel and needed a major transplant to bring it back to health.
I think you've been up to standard for quite a while now, and it can't be long until you work is seen in the pages of 2000AD. Your anatomy has come a long way in the last few months, and I'm always impressed at how you manage to keep continuity of character facial features between panels.
I hope you don't mind me adding my two pennies worth at this late stage; but whatever colouring effect you've used on page one to give it a dream like quality (particularly effective on panel one), to me gives it a sense of vibrancy and life that page two lacks. If you were to do anymore to this (and you really don't need to, I'm being picky) could you use the paint style from page one on page two, and go all out on page one with some really mad colour scheme.
Hope you don't mind me saying all that, 'cos I really do like it. Like I said, I'm being picky.
Looks great Kev. I like the extra 'weight'/contrast the revised colours give...sensitively done. Personally (just me though...:) I'd still like the first panel on page two to be before the lights go on with more 'shadow fights bedside clock and blinds' lighting. A minor quibble though...not to distract from a bloody good piece of work. I'd go with your gut instinct vis. feedback...always good to hawk your wares, y'never know!
Yes, Yes and yes. I'd be happy and proud to show this if I were you. It looks quite professional. You have good movement, solid anatomy, and great comic 'flow' from panel to panel. The only suggestion I could make....don't be afeaid to pull out for an establishing shot once and a while to keep it fresh. The 2nd page lives in the mid-shot when a pull back ( to see the whole room) might help this page's dynamics become even stronger.
Cheers!
GQ
It is all very good - the first page in particular is seriously impressive: the figure work, angles (especially the first panel) and colouring. As has been said the second page could feel a little flatter in comparison (although it is technically excellent) and I think the ideas above would be useful in turning it up a notch. From a storytelling perspective I'd want the "reveal" to be further down the page so I'd definitely think about using shadowy heavily in the first panel - drop everything back into vague shapes in the gloom (perhaps with an unusual/skewed angle), you can then have the second panel with him coming more clearly into frame (if it is still darkish there is still an element of mystery and a little danger), then the bedside lamp can go on in the third panel for the semi-reveal (ahhh it was all a dream) and you can bring everyone into full frame of the big reveal (spider trapped in the bath). I know it must be a pain not showing such lovely work off to its best but a more shadowy start to page 2 would help draw the reader deeper into the story.
I'd also be thinking about trying to find some kind of... resonance (or "link") between the first and the second page. It might be there is something in the shapes in a darker version that could suggest the bath scene but the most obvious thing that occurs to me is to have a bit of background in the final panel where we see bathroom door slightly ajar (possibly closer to the left of the panel).
Anyway top work. I don't know what Panini's submission procedure is but I'd definitely find a way to show them this - if they let you email this in then do so, being able to follow up on it at Brum is a bonus.
Fabulous !!
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