Cover process artcile
Dark Horse has posted a short article in which I describe my process for creating a cover...specifically Angel & Faith issue 1.
Raven art
Title: "A Barefoot Walk Down an Uncertain Path” I think this was originally started in '08, and was a cover for a personal project. The style of the project changed and the image fell to the side. Today I decided to dust it off and get it done.
Angel & Faith cover, issue 3
This started as a sketch for the cover of issue 1, but Dark Horse chose a different sketch for #1, and decided to use this idea for another cover. You can see on the sketch (if you click though) that the composition had London in the distance with Angel and Faith in a cemetery...so I need to change some elements so that the image looked independent from issue 1.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer cover, season 9 issue 2
When I originally showed the sketch for this cover to Dark Horse, the composition was flipped vertically , so Buffy was over the demon, and I think she was standing as opposed to falling. DH felt that the demon needed to to be more imposing, so I flipped the sketch and did some minor editing. I've included the edited sketch if you click through to see the rest of the post.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer cover, issue 1 season 9
Along with "Angel & Faith" I'll be doing a few Buffy covers, which was an unexpected surprise. Often liking to push story content into abstract and conceptual visuals, this cover is no exception although I can't explain the idea without giving story away. Buffy originally had a quizzical expression, but Dark Horse decided that on this first cover of the new season, she should be more placidly faced...which was probably for the better because I'm not sure I had the mouth correct on the first one. Note: I updated the old image with this new one...I was never quite happy with Buffy's face but deadlines are deadlines. After having not seen it in a long while, I realized the face really needed some editing, so I went to it. I believe this version is what will appear on the printed comic.
Cover Angel & Faith Issue 2
This was a fun one. I had churned out multiple sketches, most with Faith in some flipping or upside down action pose...I was determined to have her really kinetic on at least one cover lol. Rebekah Isaacs is doing awesome work on the sequentials, I don't think pages have been released yet, but I was psyched when I saw them.
Butterbroda scarves at Topshop
Topshop opened their Secret Store today, in which they are selling scarves with one of my "Butterbroda" images on them, for a limited time. The scarves have sold out online, but they may still be available at the NYC or Oxford Circus stores.
Angel & Faith Comic Cover Issue 1
Dark Horse posted my Angel & Faith cover, in their WonderCon recap, today...so at long last I'm posting it. I wasn't given any specifics other than the city (London) and the Clock Tower of St Stephens (aka Big Ben) should be under construction (due to its date with a spaceship). There was one other bit of info that they mentioned, after I had finished the drawing...take a guess on what the addition was :)
So I set about creating an issue-neutral image that could still impart back story about the characters.
Falling Skies TPB Cover
This will be the Falling Skies Trade Paperback cover for Dark Horse, more info here. I don't like using a single picture as a reference for likenesses, but since the studio sent the image directly and it was the angle I needed, I worked straight off their image for Noah Wyle's face.
Upcoming Angel Comic Covers
I've been sitting on this news for quite a while, but Dark Horse made the announcement at WonderCon last night, that I'll be the cover artist for their "Angel" or rather their "Angel & Faith" comic coming out in August 2011. There's a short article on FEARnet and also a mention on CBR. They haven't released my art yet...the covers that are currently circulating are Jo Chen's and Georges Jeanty's, which are variants. I took a screen grab of the tfaw.com video which shows my cover:
Meanwhile, I'm working on finishing up another cover this weekend, bringing the total to 7 covers which I've done, that are currently under wraps, three of which are Angel covers. Can't wait until they start rolling out.
Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf Final
Title:"Hushed Demons Belie in Pleasantry Strewn Gardens"
I managed to produce this over the weekend, which was much faster than I expected. I spent the rest of the week cleaning up and stray lines and refining curves. I'm glad I had done the smaller botanical piece first, as I think it really helped my time on this one. The wolf took some experimentation, my first attempts made the fur too detailed, but I finally found a happy medium.
The completed size is 18"x24" and is for sale here. I may also offer it as a diptych, with each print being a detail of either The Wolf or Little Red Riding Hood.
Little Red Ridinghood WIP
I just finished up a wrap-around cover for Dark Horse, which I'll post when they release the art. Meanwhile, this weekend, I've started work on phase 2 of my botanical pieces...above is a small detail of the larger image.
Botanical Art
I had some time yesterday so I decided to test out an idea I've had for a while. I started with this smaller piece as a way to experiment before I moved onto a larger image which will incorporate figures into it.
On the Horizon
I've been very busy lately with a few projects from Dark Horse, but won't be able to post them until Dark Horse releases the images for public view. I'll be doing covers on a monthly book for DH (more info to come) and I'll also be doing art for Jennie Arnau's next album, ( the art and design I created for her last album can be seen here ). Needless to say, my ability to work on personal projects has been at a stand still but I have been arranging (mentally) some of my backlogged ideas into a few different coherent series.
Dendriform Fig.1 drawing WIP
A detail of some progress on the first Dendriform drawing. The foreground subjects are finished, so I'm moving on to the background...just trying to decide how far I want to go with the detail and stylization. I planned to make the background float in the center of the picture, but I think I may take it to the edges, since the main figures are already close to some of the edges.
Verboten pg 2 WIP
Page 2 in the Illustrator faze of converting the old black-and-red style to the full color style. The second panel is only partially converted. After I get the second panel completed, I'll bring the page into Photoshop for coloring bells and whistles.
New York Comic Con
To any interested parties...I'll be at the Comic Con on the morning of Friday, Oct 8th and I'll be signing at the Dark Horse booth on Sunday from 11-11:30 AM, for the "Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale" GN.
Finished Verboten page 3
Verboten page 3 with the additional Photoshop finishing. I decided to bump up the initial Illustrator colors as they were too dull. I also added some more details and the dog.
The taffy pullers WIP
This will likely be a new Butterbroda picture. For a change, I decided to sketch out an idea by pencil, rather than stylus. Quite a few times I reflexively thought I could zoom, undue or move part of the drawing...it's funny how wired the brain becomes to certain tasks. Years ago I once found myself trying to "command-z" my way out of a spill on the kitchen counter...in my defense, I think I had a bit of monitor burn from many hours of nonstop computer usage.