Patti Page Paper Mate

indiscretion

Skew(er)ed

In the comics tools blog a few weeks back, Matt put up a lil' ol' post about inking with bbq skewers (you know, the bamboo skewers in any 99c store (even in winter!)). I don't have time to find it, but just click on the left and it's a few posts down.

I finally got around to trying it. It was definitely different from a marker or a nib. It's weird using something that's not supposed to carry ink and forcing it to. It did feel a little empowering in that, oh-my-god, the-world's-gonna-end-and-we-won't-have-electricity-or-markers-any-more. Like if I was stuck on a desert island, I could use a squid and a stick and still draw comics.

That's pretty rad.

Oh, but the lettering and balloon was done with a brush, not askew(er). But I did fill in the hair and the shadows with a skewer by rubbing it on its side.

Vampire State Building

I love breaking in new sketchbooks and today was no exception. A city's (nation's?) landmark rising amongst the balmy blandness of midtown New York. The Empire State Building in all its sketchy glory.

Happy Zardoz Day!

Happy Zardoz Day, everybody!!!

Mike Mignola Sobers Me Up

I've been really going through it lately. Somewhat near the end, but so far and really wanting to go back and redo pretty much everything I've drawn... I found this sobering quote. It actually makes me feel better knowing that I am doing single issues. I don't care if they sell; this is practice for what I really want to do.

I stole this quote from the first seconds blog, which has all sorts of guest bloggers, including Paul Pope whose inking gives me a boner.

ENJOY!


"There is so much great young talent out there these days, but I'm afraid to work with anybody who hasn't been in the business for ten years, someone who's been mistreated by all the major publishers and has a mortgage and a family to support. What I wouldn't give to be able to insert a work ethic into people. So, don't know what to tell you about that end of stuff.

I CAN pass on something that Frank Miller told me when I was about to start Hellboy--It's as good advice as I've ever gotten on this subject. He said something like "just do it, do the best you can, don't drive yourself crazy, just KNOW that when you look back on it you're going to hate it. It can't be helped. The next one will be better." I don't know if that really helps here. Your problem is that you're dealing with GRAPHIC NOVELS and they are a lot scarier than comics. They're sold in bookstores and are going to be in print for a long time. The beauty to doing comics in the old days was that you did a shitty job, it came out, and then it was gone. Now everything is collected and we have to live with our mistakes--Of course that also means we keep making money (which is good) and when we DO finally do a job we're proud of it stays in print. I wouldn't want the old days back, believe me, but it was easier to learn as you went, knowing that your early work would be forgotten.

For me the only thing that works is having a lot of projects lined up so as you are working on one, and it's not coming out quite as well as you'd hoped, you can always say the next one will be better."

-Mike Mignola
(from the first seconds blog, click here for even more great advice!)

A Blot of Good That Will Do

Just to let you into my process a wee bit.... Here's my blotter; an insurance guide from my work, though you'd never guess it looking at this:


I think it makes a strange beauty all by itself