Anatomy of a Cover: Kid Phantom #1

Final low res cover mock up, announced by Frew last week (via Facebook)

From go to whoa- The wraparound cover for Kid Phantom #1, due out via Frew Publications in 2017.  This was actually the last thumbnail cover idea, with the other half a dozen being a single front cover design. But then, seeing as though many of Frew's other Phantom comics tend to have the wraparound, I scribbled up this idea, based on event in the first issue. 

The designs were inspired by memories of great covers and wraparound covers from John Romita Jr., such as his "Daredevil: Man without Fear" 90s mini-series/graphic novel with Frank Miller (tiny figures from story element, big background title character taking up the majority of space) and the Wraparound from memory that I also loved, from his 'Wolverine: Enemy of the State' part 1 (#25 of the Marvel Knights series? Can't remember the issue number, but the cover stands out, almost a callback to John Buscema's Wolverine #1 cover, standing on the pile of beaten bad guys) with Mark Millar as writer. Again, large element/title character from story, tiny figures that feature in story. 

For con season, if time permits, I'd like to do a WIP sketchbook, for "scholars review". Maybe. Anyways. Gotta run, Cheers!

Thumbnail: about A5

scribbly pencil roughs

Inked and pencils removed digitally in Photoshop

Colour Flats, and colour holds on various lines: Mainly clouds and smoke.

Some mild rendering

Process: Anatomy of a Cover/Pin Up: Retro Sci-Fi Tales #3, April 2016

After a post it note thumbnail, this was scribbled up. 

In a nutshell: Was approached by friend Darren Koziol, DarkOZ publisher of 'Decay' and 'Retro Sci-Fi' Magazine, to to a short story. I'm flat out finding time to sleep lately with all the other commitments, so a cover was proposed. From a list, I chose to draw 'Space Amazons', as I have a thing about drawing trees for some strange reason. *Shrug*- and thought it would be a cool challenge. The Alien landscape elements sounded like a fun opportunity. I scribbled something up, and tried to utilise the trees as a circular framing device for the figures in the composition, and place the figures in a staggered "fan" formation, countering the lines of action and heights for a bit of variety in their placement in relation to one another. I dig perpendicular lines in compositions- something I've seen Kirby pull off, or shown in Disney books on avoiding parallel placement of limbs in a pose, so this was attempted with the spear placement, for instance. Well, that was the thought process, anyways.

Raw scan. Inking is not my jam, but I take the Steve Ditko approach of using inks to "draw" the detail in, that the loose wrireframe scribble is missing. Keeps the job "fresh" in my head, rather than feeling I'm re-drawing something I already drew. Ultimised blacks in the foreground to re-enforce the framing of the figures, so that I didn't loose them in the image.

I'm not a Cheesecake artist, and frankly, that stuff doesn't interest me; A good drawing is a good drawing. In this instance, the subject matter and reference material suggested figures a bit too cheesecake for my comfort zone, and figured the Amazon component, coupled with the "John Carter of Mars/Sci-Fi fantasy/Red Sonja/Robert E Howard" vibes, should speak to female forms of more athletic frames, than buxom bikini types. So in this case, UFC/Women's Boxing and Olympian forms were referenced, at a poor man's attempt at what a Frank Frazetta drawing would look like if he drew like me (a monkey with a pencil taped to his paw, in comparison). If I can learn from a pose, I will. 

Cleaned up scan, with pencils eradicated. The handy part about drawing in Prismacolour animation pencils (actually, mine had died by this point; I think this image was using cheap, kids colouring in pencils that came free with a marvel pencil case :P), is that Clean ups after scanning the image is super quick in photo shop.

So this was the scanned image, with a black and white adjustment layer/filter applied to "knock out" the colours from the pencil roughs. Saves a heap of time (relative, without a Cintiq that is…*sigh*) in the clean up process, rather than deal with smudged/scribbly graphite that photoshop can confuse with ink lines when darkening/adjusting levels, contrast etc.

Re: inking- a discipline in itself, and something I continue to try and learn/challenge myself, particularly when I have the tools, time and courage to move beyond the cheap, store-bought calligraphy markers and art line pens. The smoke, for some reason I love trying to draw different sorts of clouds; the cross hatching with the thick to thin lines, is another poor man's attempt- in this case, Joe Kubert. The attempt is to at least give each element its own treatment- a Klaus Janson tip- so that the mud doesn't look like bark of a tree, the moss looks different to the bushes, the mist (it looks kinda Arthur Adams-ish, but I wouldn't point it out to him, it would be an insult) looks different to the heavy smoke clouds etc. I figured at least I could use colour to reinforce the difference.

If I recall, the colour scheme shifted during the course of this; Colouring for me is the ultimate fight; make this image work, or at least get as close to the vision I have in my brain not always the case- but the main idea was to simply select a main colour, and work in terms of complimenting the main colour, without overdoing the values, and still supporting the focal points.

So this was essentially the colours, sans ink lines. Flats to renders and final flourishes etc. Always starting with a base gradient/colour, I wanted to further reinforce the alien landscape, and support the light/framing of the inks to tell the "story". An illustration can still convey a story, which is why I always promote th importance of understanding composition, and visual storytelling language regardless of the chosen medium; knowledge and practice of these elements always lift an image over a mere "drawing". 

I think the hardest part of the colouring was that damn Alien Parrot in the foreground...

The Final image: A bit of a challenge to say the least, but at the moment, I don't hate it. That's a win, in my books. The problem with something like this is that the variety of colour elements run the potential of clashing if not handled subtly. Being able to utilise complementary colour-rim lighting, helped further separate the figures from the environment, without having them feel like their colour scheme clashes, or that they don't belong/feel part of the image. Some Colour holds and bits used to knock the edge off some of the parts in this pic, and given the number of these I got a chance to scribble a signature on, over the last weekend at Adelaide OZ Comic-Con (where the book was launched), I guess some people thought it was alright, so I'm content.

Thanks Darren for the opportunity to draw your characters, and for publication of the image. You can find DarkOZ publications on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DECAY-horror-comic-249103491793685/?fref=ts, or from their website  www.darkoz.com.au.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=995150443855649&id=249103491793685

I hate warm ups. But...

A Mike Mignola-inspired 'Soldier Legacy' image (with a dash of Jack Kirby "dots"- the best smoke and fire in comics ;) ).
I'm going to throw some colours down and see what I can do with this. Maybe a cover for issue 6, or new print? Aussie team fundraiser print? I dunno. Just had the urge to try some mediums that I wasn't comfortable with. Particularly before I dive in on a sequential page without crash testing it first. I'm usually not a "warm up sketch" guy. To me, I don't have the time to screw about, and warm ups feel like "Stuffing about before starting work" guy :P But in this instance, I felt it necessary.

I also started a mini-fundraiser to aid to pay my way to compete in the Open World ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in London in July. July is a big month- a guest at Melbourne Oz Comic-Con, a trip to SDCC in LA to talk on the Human Fly panel (!), and see some of my stuff released in the US for the first time (a bucket list item-very stoked), and then shoot to the UK to prep for the fights. All great, all life memories, all bank account draining. Broke, but we'll see what happens. Here's the link, plenty of cheap stuff and freebies too: I'm giving away a tonne of time on sketches, so I hope if you're keen, you get in before stocks run out :D http://paulmason.bigcartel.com/ Please spread the world, and many many thanks to the kind readers and supporters who have touched base/ordered so far. (Mostly from Perth by the way, I love you W.A!)

'Lazarus Burne's Maleficus Seven' cover for 'Soldier Legacy's Strange Tales.

Lazarus "Larry" Burne and co., created by Chris Sequeira and Paul Mason. Art by Paul Mason.

This is the cover for the back up feature in next month's 'Soldier Legacy's Strange Tales'. It features characters created by writer Chris Sequeira and myself, which has a bit of a slight history that I couldn't be bother talking about in depth now, but basically it was a pitch that Chris presented, and I illustrated the original idea, using a cast of supernatural characters from one of the big guns. They couldn't find a place for it, so we then decided that we could create our own characters and do something ourselves with it.

What you see above is basically the concept ideas we talked about, and I went away and played on the drawing board. A couple of character ideas and details were merged- I'm not sure if it was forgetfulness, lack of sleep or otherwise, but essentially what notes we made in a plotting session last year is what you get. We were going to launch the original 8 page strip in last year's Black House Comic anthology 'Parahuman'. It was fun to plot- basically, the first 3 pages existed for samples for myself, and concept pitch for Chris. That character was removed and ours entered, and the remaining 5 pages was tossed around, and action panels made "Kirby-style"- however I wanted a demon to be "dealt with", I did :P. However, the Parahuman book was cancelled. At the time, I recall being pressed for time with Soldier #4, The Soldier graphic novel, the 6 page back up story in 'Dark Detective: Sherlock Holmes', and pencil layouts for the artist, that were all due at the same month. I was upset we lost a cool title that Parahuman was going to be, and the page rate and 50 copies of the issue was for all intents and purposes, the best thing going in any independent publisher I've seen on our comic scene in recent years. So it did boggle the mind that creators didn't jump on board. I'm getting off topic.

Anyways, the pages for our story were penciled and feature in my 2012 folio issue for last year's LA trip (colouring was shelved 2 pages in, but pencils were the aim of the game anyway), and got great response from industry folk. We decided we should finish the strip based on that positive response. When issue 5 of the Soldier was complete late last year, I restarting colouring, and finished it last month, where Mr Sequeira worked his scripting magic for me to letter, and here we are, ready to insert into our appropriately titled "Strange Tales" one-shot. We'll see what you readers think, yeah?

Anyway, think 'The Dirty Harry of Exorcists' (hence the homage to the original 'Dirty Harry' film poster and Clint Eastwood-ism in the main character). The names of the rest of the 'Seven', include (from left to right, front to back) 'Johnny Incubo', 'Ju Ju Heart', (then in white) 'Sister Strigoi', Sinquisitor, Grotesque, (and at the back) Deadriver.  

Oh right, the cover. A pinup for the book, and most likely a back cover for the issue. 

Like all my colouring, it's "man, this isn't working, what the hell am I doing?", until it gets completed, and it does work. Kind of. *sigh.

If I saved a screen shot or jpeg of every colour variation for the foreground figure, and the background figures, there would be about 200 images in this post, particularly when flicking through colour blend types, or overlays to lighten/knock back/bring forward the characters. Craziness. The main things I aim for are a clear focal point, value control, temperature control, and making sure the characters seem like they're in the environment- I feel if you manage to maintain the character's colour scheme in an image, you've failed. I feel you need to include the colours and "lighting" of the environment on your characters, otherwise the image comes across as "gawdy", with elements fighting for attention. Anyway, my 2 cents; I could be wrong. I prefer pencilling- I colour out of necessity.

The top of the post in the final image, and the process is below (roughs, clean up, flats, black and white value checking (an early one- still has "muddy" grey bits undefined), the almost finished colours: the pre-colour line holds and extra fiddly "on-top-of-the-lines" colours and highlights that the completed image has (in my poor man's attempt to get a "Dean White" feel to it). Unfortunately I lack the skill, patience, and bravery to be able to pull off the work he does in this colouring, and my little bamboo tablet is no match for the hand/eye control a Cintiq would allow to even properly pull off those fine white line details that lift his coloured characters off the page. One day perhaps, when I don't have multiple day jobs and actually make enough money to be comfortable enough to invest in toys....*to dream. Anyways, I make do with what I have, and a lack of equipment, or inspiration or any other thing you can think of, is no excuse when it comes to producing something. That's the beauty of the comic medium- worlds can be created with a pencil and paper.

 All characters featured here in this post are copyright © 2013 Christopher Sequeira and Paul Mason. Illustrations copyright © 2013 Paul Mason.

Some Soldier Legacy Pack head sketches

Some free requested head scribbles as part of the current sale of the "Paul Mason" online shop front- clearing out the last sets of 'The Soldier Legacy' issues to help raise funds for my World Titles trip to Korea later in the year. I have to get new sparring gear, plan squad trips etc. and the problem with my sport is, to represent Australia once selected, we have to pay for the lot. Easier to fund raise if part of a big club contingent, a little harder when you're the virtual nomad I happen to be. So, as they say, every little bit counts, folks :D

(If you're a company and you're reading this, sponsor me, and I'll be a human billboard for you ;P)

If you feel like chipping in, suss it out here: http://www.paulmason.bigcartel.com/ Head sketches in front of the TV have been a fun time-out away from the deadlines- and nice to see People actually  requesting my Aussie character over the anything else- kind of neat :)

Take care, folks :D

Oh! Was just watching a 'Best of' The Late Nite Show on Channel 44 (Briz31 Digital) and seems my November interview is to be part of the Repeat madness next week (10th Jan). Thanks, Mr. Black! That's all sorts of cool. Thank you to everyone here who watched the video- those Youtube views inadvertently cemented the "watch this idiot again" status ;D
If you're not in Brisbane to watch at 9:30pm next week (10:30 EDST), you can watch it live stream via the magic of the internet here: http://www.31.com.au/live/
Thanks again, Soldiers!

Commissions, orders and post-con updates

Just a quick update to folks waiting on orders, email answers etc., these will be sorted shortly.
I'll be hitting the post office early/mid next week, so those books/commissions will be on the way.
To answer some of the other questions; yes, once I get through the rest of the post-con commissions, Soldier  Legacy #6 will begin, along with a long -overdue finishing of a Chris Sequeira concept thingy, which could possibly see a new comic property to toy with in 2013. Folks with the 2012 folio book, and who actually give a damn about anything I post in general ;D,  will see the beginnings on this thing. More as we go.

For now, it's overdue thesis work (cry), tidying my war-zone of a house, and trudging through the rest of these scribblings to do. I hope you guys like them as much as I enjoy getting the requests. It's very nice, considering there's many capable people out there, more with an over-inflated sense of their work too :P
Enjoy the dodgy scans, and thanks all :)

Pre-Supanova Commission: Ghost Rider

Page preview- Soldier Legacy #5.

Less than a week left to put this issue to bed. Last preview page before then (I think... ;P).

The Black and white version was previewed a few weeks back, thought it might be nice to reveal a coloured version, just so you get an idea of how the final issue is shaping up.

Gotta run.

The learning process: 'The Soldier Legacy'

Thumbnail

Roughs

Clean ups and darken lines

Flats (in progress)

Rendering (trying to find the look I want)

Final (or abandoned-still up in the air, but the other still looked too saturated)

To be published in upcoming 'Soldier Legacy #5'. Thanks all :)

Works in progress leaks from Soldier Legacy #5

Leaking a couple of pages from the upcoming Soldier Legacy #5, which I'm looking forward to releasing  when I guest spot at Brisbane Supanova Expo in November.

Still going with the last 6-7 pages of pencils, hoping to kick-start the colouring on the weekend to try and catch up before I run into the deadline.

Thanks for the continual support :D

April 2011: 'Drawing aNd Animation' Exhibition at the Gympie Regional Gallery

Found this image- Not sure if I ever posted it :S

This was from the opening day of the Queensland college of Art's "Drawing aNd Animation" exhibition, held at the Gympie Regional Gallery in April 2011. I was unable to attend, as I was at Melbourne Supanova that weekend, but the Professors and postgraduates also part of the exhibition kindly posed for this photo in front of my pages from'The Soldier Legacy' #2 that appeared in the show. Thank you to the other wonderful artists from the exhibition: Paul Cleveland, Andi Spark, Louise Harvey, Matt Ditton, Chris Denaro, Xin Li and Zhi-Ming Su  :D (and Ross Woodrow, the Curator, pictured on far left.)

The idea of the exhibition was to show completed images, plus the process. The catalogue for the exhibition shows images from the comic page colouring process, with early flat colours being applied (and I managed to sneak a 'Jack Kirby' reference into the statement ;P)

Thanks again, folks :D

Soldier Legacy #5: Working Cover

The working cover for the next chapter in 'The Soldier Legacy'. An early sneak peek to thank new followers, and long-time supporters of the series. Your attention and feedback doesn't go unnoticed. I look forward to releasing this next issue before the end on the year, and I hope you'll stay for the journey. More previews as we go, including some big news soon :D

Yes, I have to say, Jack Kirby drew the best fiery explosions in my humble opinion. Perhaps I'm bias. Ah, well. Who better to learn from with an image aimed to grab the eye?

Gotta run, thanks all ;)

Pre Con Comission- Jack Kirby's Etrigan the Demon

Just briefly, a pre-convention commission request for Jack Kirby's DC comic creation, Etrigan the Demon. When time permits, I am hoping to have a crack at colouring it in the future for a sketchbook filler. It was fun to do, and a little different to the Soldier work, that's for sure.

Anyways, gotta run.

Penciling sneak peek, and more Geek Speak shout outs

Ok, just briefly, Folio book to the printers, there's a heap of stuff in there that hasn't been seen before, a big sequential pencils section (a snippet above), and a load of colour pinups. Cover pic to come :)

AND, thank you for the shout out by the Geek Speak crew in their recent podcast :D

http://girlygeekspeak.com.au/geekspeak/geek-speak-live-podcast-11/