Dribblin' On

Josiah Black.

2012-02-18T05:42:00.005-08:00

Met Dave West and Andy Bloor, the creators of Josiah Black at a local pub for an editorial and catch up of the first Josiah Black tale.
Over a bit to eat we talked all things Black to find out where we're taking the character...
And we've decided to take him to some pretty strange places.
I had some ideas I'd written down, some sketches, pencilled art and finished inked art (on me Ipad, isn't modern technology wonderful) that I'd taken, and the guys were pretty impressed with what they saw.
And now they've seen the inked pages I'm showing you guys out there the first three inked pages...well
it's only fair as you've already seen the pencilled pages.
Hope you like ;em as much as Dave and Andy did.

Josiah Black tease

2012-02-06T08:02:00.000-08:00

Here's a panel from the WesterNoir book that'll be published by those very nice chaps at AccentUK. I'm trying to finish this as soon as poss...

Finished.

2012-01-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

I completed the short story written by Dave Cook for Martin Conaghan's new anthology due our later this year. The story is called Comfort. Here's a small panel to tease and tempt ya. Can show too much, it's only 6 pages.

Comfort.

2012-01-28T05:51:00.000-08:00

The first page of a six page tale fer a new anthology that's coming out early this year...I think.

Mother knows best

2012-01-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

This is something that's been in the works for ages.
It's been drawn, redraw, partially inked by hand (by Matt Brooker no less. Fer those 2000AD afficiondos you may know him as D'Israeli), digitally inked in Illustrator when I started using that software, then finally digitially inked again in Manga studio.
It's been scripted, re-scripted and then finally scripted again. Not an easy voyage by any means.
But at it's heart is a fun-packed two guns blazing Monster romp.
Well that's the idea anyway.
And later this year (fingers crossed) it's gonna get printed in a new Anthology that goes by the name of Hardware.
The 26 page story will be split into 3 6page episodes and one 8 page action packed finale. (I hope)
The first six pages are done and dusted (or so I thought.) The remaining pages are in pencil form waiting for the inks and it was the first strip I did in manga Studio... I chose it specifically to practice and learn the software, it was only later when I finished the first 6 pages that I was approached and asked if it was available to go in Hardware...
If fact the editor wanted another story from me at first, but when that was not available (another tale fer a later date) he agreed that "Mother Knows Best" would be a crackin' replacement.
So here I am, first part done, waiting for the word on deadlines and such for the first issue of Hardware to be published, working on loads of other stuff, as I do, thinking no more of it when out of the blue the Editor calls me up and asks how do I feel if'n "Mother Knows Best" is printed in full colour.
"Oh my" says I.
"In colour?...I'm not good with colour."
Now the plan was that all the 26 pages of "Mother Knows Best" would be printed in black and white...
Which is fine I'm comfortably with that, and so when the editor says colour I'm thinking Oh shit...
That's me outta me comfort zone.
"No worries," says the editor "If'n you can't do it we find someone who can or we leave it black and white, your call".
So last weekend I have a go at colouring page one...but not in photoshop, I don't know photoshop and I feel that that would have take longer, but in Manga Studio, I'm hoping because I know that software it might be a tad easier
And here is me first attempt.
Not too shabby, oh it ain't perfect and it needs a few tweaks but not too bad and I learned a few tricks on Manga studio that I didn't know before, so not such a wasted weekend.

It's not finished, not by a long shot, but I'm on me way with it, I'll have another go next weekend, tighten it up some more. hopefully it won't take as long because I know (a bit) what I'm doing (HE says).
I'm kinda pleased that I'm learning to colour on this strip cause I learned to ink on this strip so that is some sorta karma...
Or am I just talking a load of shite.
Probably.
So until next time.
.

Josiah Black in Westernoir

2012-01-16T00:58:00.000-08:00

Page 1 pencils

Page 2 pencils

Page 3 pencils

Alright, I'm back fer the new year and apart from everything else that's on the "to do" list, I've been asked by friends Dave West and Andy Bloor if'n I want to work on a new title for AccentUK.
It's a western (what else) in four issues, so obviously I said yes.
It'll be about 25-30 pages (not quite decided yet)
Got a bit of time off from the day job so decided to crack on with it and so far it's going OK, rather pleased with how its coming together.
I'm cracking on with Hard Country as well, half way through chapter 3, and I'm liking how that's going. There'll be more news later on in the year about Hard Country. Quite exciting news but I don't want to jinx it by announcing anything too soon.

In fact 2012 seems like it's gonna be a busy year.
I didn't have much published last year but it looks like I'm gonna have actually books on sale this year, which is a great feeling.
There'll be more Josiah Black stuff later on this week.

End of the Year sketch fest...ish

2011-12-29T08:50:00.001-08:00

That's gotta Hurt

2011-12-18T10:12:00.000-08:00

With "Well Hung Man" finished (just waiting for the spelling and grammar corrections) decided to concentrate on two strips- "Hard country and Josiah Black" both that'll be published next year by Accent UK.
Both westerns (obviously) but completely different.
Later I'll post some stuff that I've done for Josiah Black, sketches, layouts pencils, that sort of thing but for now I'm just gonna post the opening page of chapter 3 of Hard Country.
I've finished off 50 pages of this strip, got another 40 pages to go, so still a bit to do, but I've done a so much work in studies and sketches I'm hoping that it won't take too long.
Josiah Black is about 26 pages with 11 pages pencilled, so I'm motoring on with that.
Oh and there are acouple of other things sidelined as well to get stuck into .
It's gonna be a busy old time this chrimbo I'm a thinkin.

The Shadow knows.

2011-12-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

Recent Shadow commission.
Finished and posted...
And Alan loves it, so it's all good.

Done and Dusted.

2011-12-02T10:16:00.000-08:00

Well Hung man is finished...
Inked, toned and lettered.
It's with the writer now who's hopefully proof-reading it and picking up all of my typing errors...and believe me there'll be a few.
So in celebration here's another page.

Well Hung Man

2011-11-25T10:13:00.001-08:00

The inking is finished..
AT BLOODY LAST!
Laying down tone then on to the lettering stage.
But there's no rest as I'm already prepping the next strip.
Oh above is the first three pages.

And I'm back

2011-11-22T10:04:00.001-08:00

Well, that took longer than expected.
So what's happened since last I posted?
Much of the same actually, so close to finishing "Well Hung Man", fingers crossed that it will be this week. Two comissions almost done and working on character designs for a new on going comic that'll be out next year (that'll be them above) , plus "Hard Country" and "6 Months" plus a lot of odds and sod short stories including a four parter for the new "Hardware" book out next year.
See told ya much of the same.

Under the weather.

2011-11-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Man flu and bad tooth ache (that's now become infected) has temporarily knocked me off me feet, so not much in the way of sketching. But worry not, normal service with resume shortly.

Head study

2011-10-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

These are head studies of a character for a 6 page tale that'll go at the end of Hard Country. It's not part of the main tale, just a little back-up strip. It's all written and layed out, so all I gotta do is draw it...
Yup, that and a dozen other projects that I've got on the go.
Certainly can't say I've got nothing to do.

Tracker.

2011-10-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Ronin

2011-10-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

A character sketch for a project that might (or might note) happen next year.

Delivery men fer hire.

2011-10-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

More years than I'd like to admit, my mate and all around good chum Dave Henney and I came up with an all action gun toting pair of delivery men called Queet (Kweet) and Bott. 5 tales were fleshed out and I drew the first one, but nothing came of it.
But I thought, jest fer a bit of fun to bring them into the new century, so here they are all sketched up and the like.

Samurai senorita

2011-10-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

'nuff said

Robot Pin-up

2011-10-02T04:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a close up of some detail of a Pin-up I've done for Dave West's little book of robot tales.

Three Days- Three Posts. The worlds about to end.

2011-09-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Practising with some subtle pencil tone

2011-09-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Fido

2011-09-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

Just a sketch t'pass the day, still hard at work on "aWell Hung Man" but now I kin smell the end a comin'
Yeahah!!

Gargoyle

2011-09-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

a Plan...of sorts.

2011-09-04T03:06:00.000-07:00

A piece of detail from page 2 of a "Well-Hung man" for Lazy Bones Studios.
I'll be working on this for the next few weeks yet, so I'll be showing the odd image from it, then I've decided to finish Hard Country next, full throttle. I'm putting 6 Months on the back burner, because the writer Jim O'Hara is incredibly busy with his day job and he can't finish the script to issue/part 5.
There are other projects in the pipeline, one is really exciting, working with Shane Oakley and if it comes off it'll be a corker, but that's fer later.
So back to it.

BICS 2011

2011-08-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (august 27th) is the British International Comic show or Bics and I aim to go.
Lookin' forward to going in fact. Seeing old friends, hopefully making new ones and just generally being in geek mode fer the day.
Also AccentUK latest anthology PREDATORS is gonna be released and they 've kindly included one of me little tales.
It's called the Lure and it's a very old tale.
It's something that I wrote and drew 20 odd years ago for my two boys when they were in nursery school...so a long, long time ago then.
By the time I finished it, there were a few personal issues with me and their mum and I never did give them the strip so they could take it to school.
In the late eighties I sold it to Peter Hogan when he was editor at Revolver for the best bit of money I've earned, doing these comic tales, but unfortunately Revolver folded before they could print it.
Then it was printed in the horror anthology KILLING STROKE published by Malibu Graphics Inc in the early nineties.
Then I forgot about it for a while until I started to ink digitally.
I was looking to practice using Adobe Illustrator and the Lure was a tale I picked to re-do.
And it worked out pretty good.
Dave West and Colin Mathieson (Accent UK) were looking for tales to fill their latest anthology so I sent them the Lure and they said yup, we'll have it.
I still like the story, but if I had more time I think I'd have a go inking it in Manga Studio, now that I use that piece of software and not Illustrator.
Oh well.
So, if'n you're popping along to Bics tomorrow, visit the AccentUK stall and buy a copy of Predators, if I'm hovering about I'll even sign my tale fer ya.

The Horde

2011-08-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

All inked and such, fer AccentUK's 2OMBIES coming out later this year.

The "Hanging Judge"

2011-08-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

Seriously you don't wanna piss him off.

Jest plain embarassed.

2011-08-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Work on "A Well Hung Man" coming from Lazy Bones Studios jest as quick as a can finish it.

New Stuff

2011-07-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

A new series to start on, next year perhaps.

doodle of the day.

2011-07-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

A doodle a day keeps boredom away

2011-07-25T08:30:00.001-07:00

Or in this case-two doodles.

6 Months

2011-07-22T06:22:00.000-07:00

Issue 4 pencilled, inked lettered and Done.
A lot of talking heads with this, so it took waaaaay longer than I wanted.

A "HORDE"

2011-07-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Keeping warm

2011-07-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Sum sketches.

2011-07-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

That's all I got today. More later this week.

Not Gonna take me alive, Copper!

2011-07-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

I'm NOT dead, jest Writing

2011-07-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

Well, that was a longer break from this "blogging" lark than I planned.
I haven't retired or giving it all up, just been doing loads of writing, fer three different projects.
And that's not so interesting to show:-first drafts of scripts and such.
Also the 4th issue/chapter of 6 MONTHS is almost done:-15 pages completed, another 6 pages almost there and 1 page I'd rather not talk about. There's always one bugger of a page that gives you trouble ain't there?
So I'm behind me self imposed deadlines, got loads of stuff to do. (And I've not forgotten about certain commissions) It'll all get done...honest...
So back to it, then.

Coloured cover.

2011-05-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

This is the cover for "A Well Hung Man" coloured by the wonderfully talented Yel Zamor.
I think she did a smoking job over me pencils.
You can see examples of Yel's work at Markosia Enterprises and Orang Utan comics, where she does all manner af corkin' work.

Well pleased how it turned out and Ken Thomas (the writer of the little tale) is over the moon.
This project of his has been sitting in the very depths of his mind for well over a year now, and seeing it develop has made him a happy man.
Just down to me again now, to start drawing the pages. Fingers crossed I'm starting next month...if I can finish the latest chapter of six months, in the next couple of weeks, that is.

Six Month gubbins

2011-05-17T10:00:00.001-07:00

Doing loads of sketches for issue 4 . And here's some to prove it.

Death Race update

2011-05-01T07:43:00.000-07:00

Well I finally finished the layouts to the 3 issue Death Race comic being published by Bluewater Productions.
I haven't seen any of the finished pencils by the artist Mel Smith (I think he's still plowing ahead with them) so I can't tell ya if'n he's followed me layouts or decided to go his own way.
What I can show is some layouts from issue 2.
When I find out more, publishing date and all that kind of stuff I'll let you know.
When I see some of the finished art I'll show ya, but until then enjoy me layouts.
Ta fer now

A six month page

2011-04-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Got lots on (and I do mean lots) but my first priority is to Six Months.
Working like mad thing trying to get this episode/issue finished. Almost all of the pencils done (bugger just seen that I've got two full pages not even started yet) and I've started to ink 'em.

As you can see.
This is the first page of the chapter. I decided to raise the dead body slightly up the page which I think works better.

Inked and such.

2011-04-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

I spend the whole of Friday working on this to get it inked and finished.
Think it turned out pretty good and more importantly the writer, Ken Thomas likes it,
so I dun did what I set out to do.
Got to get it all coloured and purty and the cover is done...
Just gotta start on the 22 pages inside, so we can say we got ourselves one of those fine and dandy, gen-u-ine funny books.
The pages are all laid out and waiting fer me to get stuck in...
And I'm chomping at the bit to start, it's just that I have other stuff that's higher on me to-do list.
Hopefully, fingers crossed I'll be able start next month...maybe...or June at the latest.
Promise.

A well hung man.

2011-04-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

A cover sketch of a 22 page comic I'm working on...
That's it, there's nothing else to see. I mean I'm working on a lot of things at at the mo, and it's very stressful, but today this is all I'm posting.

Spirit of Hope

2011-03-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Scrappy pencils done in a hurry.

I got involved in doing a four page strip for an anthology comic published via the COMIC BOOK ALLIANCE. It's a charity gig done for the victims of the recent Earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand.
There is a tight deadline on this...the 2nd of April or so I'm told so not much time really.
My very good friend Paul Birch wrote this little tale, I pencilled it, Mats Engesten (an outstanding artist in his own right) is inking as I type this post John Robbins is lettering it (it's just like old times when I was pencilling Carter's Column) and it's being coloured by Yel Zamor. Now, I haven't worked with her before, but I've gotta say, the pages I've seen so far are terrific.
These three have done an outstanding job of making my meagre pencils shine.
Hats off to the three of you...and fer Paul for coming up with such a crackin' tale.
And the fact that we've squeezed an 8 page tale into four is something to shout about.

6 Months update.

2011-03-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Working on loads of projects ( probably too many if truth be know) but my main focus is on 6 Months, Layouts and half the pencils are done for issue 4, and to prove it here are some sketches from this issue.

Abe Lincoln V Kris Kringle.

2011-03-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to be the artist on a new 5 part series; Abe Lincoln Vs Kris Kringle.
Yea I know, when I first read the idea, I thought what the...??
I didn't give an answer straight away, not because I didn't like the idea, but because of the commitments I've got. So the writer asked, while I was making my my mind up, if I'd mind doing a 1 page illo, so he he could show it around Wonder Con in April (1st-3rd).

So I said sure, and did a few sketches, as you do, until I settled on the one I liked.
Then I Inked the two major characters.
So far so good.
Liked how it was going.
The writer, Ken Thomas wanted union solders in the background, so on another layer I drew the soldiers above.
And he wanted Elves, so I drew a bunch of elves looking decidedly scared and nervous.
The I did a forground with all the toys being tossed about.
Well, you can't have Santa's grotto without toys and prezzies.
So I put it all together, and it came out Ok. Of course a lot of what I'd drawn was hidden behind characters, but that couldn't be helped.
Next I drew the backgound...
and added a bit of tone and highlights...
...and voila..
One illo.
Ken likes it... I like it (which is unusual, cuz I'm not usually happy with me stuff)
And it'll be shown around Wonder-Con.
Job done.

Jest a little tale.

2011-02-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

I hope y'all enjoyed this little tale.
Jest goes to show what could happen to ya, if'n ya are cruel to any critters smaller than you.

Hard Country

2011-02-20T06:44:00.000-08:00

A page from the second issue/part (I haven't decided the format yet) of Hard Country all inked, toned and lettered.
Hope ya'll like it.

Jest a couple of sketches.

2011-02-17T08:30:00.001-08:00

'Nuff said.

Last of the Heroes and a few villians

2011-02-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, these are the last four I did.

Second lot

2011-02-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

Another 4 four stoopid heroes

Stoopid heroes

2011-02-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

These are some sketches I did of Sooper heroes.
They were for a pitch to a well known kids weekly comic.
Unfortunately the writer wanted to use established and copyrighted characters and I thought that he wouldn't be allowed to use 'em, so I came up with me own.
He's decided to still pitch the idea, but I walked away.
Pity, anyway have a looksey fer yourself and see what you think.

There's twelve in total and I'll post 'em over the next three days, (I know, I know teasing bastard!)
Can't be helped that's just the way I am.
Hope y'all enjoy 'em.

Hard Country: Inks and letters

2011-01-30T09:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a page from Hard Country chapter 1 that is all done and dusted.
Hope ya all enjoy it enough to come back fer more.

Hard country

2011-01-28T01:48:00.000-08:00

I've had a few days off from the day job and I wanted to crack on with finishing the second part of Hard Country.
Not gonna be able to do that as quickly as I wanted, didn't realise just how much work I've still to do on it.
But I'm pleased with what I got done, especially sorting out some of the difficult panels.
So here are some sketches I did to help me along in getting this tale told.
I'll be posting completed pages shortly.

Carter's Column

2011-01-23T04:08:00.000-08:00

My stint as guest penciller on Carter's Column comes to an end today, as the the Birmingham Mail has posted the last episode of the Shang Ra La La La storyline.
52 episodes; a little over 52 weeks (what with technical difficulties that delayed a couple of the episodes for a few weeks).
I gotta say it was fun to do, took me a while to get used to the strange layout, but all in all I enjoyed drawing it.
Big thanks goes out to Mats Engesten, Andrew Dodd and John Robbins who did a cracking job making my poor pencils come alive. A big shout out goes to Garen Ewing who inked the first four episodes ( and if'n you haven't already got 'em, I thoroughly recommend his Rainbow Orchard books. These are a joy to behold and hopefully the third book in the trilogy will be published this year. I fer one can't wait.)
But mainly I want to thank my old mate and terrific writer Paul Birch, who asked me to work with him all those many years ago. Hey who knew that this guy could write...well actually we all knew.
So that's it...
Carter's Column will return in a few weeks time with new artist Jon Edwards.
I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do with the character.
So until next time, I thought you'd all enjoy seeing some pencilled and inked episodes.
So what are you still doing here, pop on over to the Birmingham Mail (blogs.birminghammail.net/speechballoon) and see how it all end's up fer Carter and his chums.

2010 has left the building

2010-12-31T07:40:00.000-08:00

So 2010...
It's all over bar the drinkin'.
Didn't have as much in print as I'd liked, although I did pencil a newspaper strip for a whole year over at the the Birmingham Mail (see link..blah blah) and I was interviewed, again for the Birmingham Mail.
So not too bad I suppose.
Had a few bits and bobs pop up but nothing major.
Mostly the year was taken up with me working on two huge graphic Novels-
6 Months and Hard Country.
And I'm about halfway through both of 'em.
So what's to come next year...
Well hopefully there'll be the two graphic novels of course and there'll be two AccentUK books out in 2011 and I'm in both of them. I'm drawing a couple of short stories that I hope I can place, I've done all the layouts to the Death Race comic by Bluewater Comics, that I'm hoping is out next year.
Plus a couple of projects that I'm trying to finalise. So it'll be a busy year then.
I also plan to go more conventions and actually spend some time with old friends that I haven't seen in a while.
And I'll try to post more on this here blog thingie, even if'n it's just the odd sketch.
So as a teaser, above are bits from the strips I hope to come out next year.
and on that note...
2010, I bid you adieu.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

Poor Santa ain't bin the same since 'e cut 'imself shavin'!

The Explorer and the pig. First page.

2010-12-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

So here's the first page inked.
Not much detail cuz I didn't want to smother the colours when (or indeed if) I colour 'em.
A bit of detail the pig's name is Craig...but it's not intregal to the story, in fact the explorer just calls him "pig".

The Explorer and the pig.

2010-12-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

I was reading Mike Mignola's excellent book " Mr Screw on Head and other stories" the other day.
A fantastic read and I thoroughly recommend it to one and all.
Anyway, y'all know I'm bogged down with all these huge projects that take up a vast amount of time to finish, well after reading Mr Mignola's book I decided that I want to do a small story that's just a bit of fun.
Nothing serious, nothing deep,
Something that's got a real clean cartoony look, so I came up with a 3 page short called the "Explorer and the Pig".
It's all been all sketched out and I'm just about to start inking it and really I don't want it to take any longer than a week to do.
My plan is to colour it, very simply and then post it on here so y'all can have a read.
So we'll see how it all goes.
Obviously the two sketches are of the Explorere and the Pig. I let you work out which is which.

Hard Country detail

2010-11-28T02:56:00.001-08:00

Some panels from the first Issue/22 page chapter of Hard Country fer y'll to gander.
Still working like a madman to get the first two chapters finished fer Chrimbo, especially now that I've got other stuff to work on (more on that soon).
I'll be showing more Hard Country stuff as I finish the pages.

November already?

2010-11-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Hard Country page one (illustrator)
Hard country page one (Manga Studio)

I know, I know...not much posted recently....
And I've got no excuse really. Still doing bits and bobs, although I'm waiting for three scripts, including the fourth chapter of 6 Months.
I'm still halfway through me 4 page "fly tale", but I was getting a bit frustrated on one of the pages so I decided to put it away fer a bit and start work on the second chapter of Hard Country (me extra long western that I've bin working on ferever) .
Anway, finally typed up the working script from all the bits of notes and such, I'd got lying about, which meant I could start on the layouts to issue two.
I did 'em pretty quickly too, and they went well.
OK, I had to juggle and crop a few of the panels to get 'em to fit in the 22 page chapter, but overall I were pretty pleased with how they turned out.
Then I did the pencils, or to be more precise, the breakdowns, cause me plan was to do most of the drawing in Manga Studio when I'm actually inking the bloody thing.
And it was all going tikkety boo, until I noticed that the inking on chapter one (in Illustrator) didn't match the inking in chapter two (Manga Studio).
Not a big surprise really.
I couldn't leave it and I didn't want to ink in Illustrator any more so I did what any self respected obsessed artist would do...
I 'm inking chapter one again... in Manga Studio.
This'll be the fifth or sixth time I've done this bloody chapter, but I have to say it's the best so far.
So that's been me month.
There are one or two other things in the pipeline..more as they develop, but fer now, unless I get the script fer 6 Months soon or the other two scripts I'm waiting on, it's me working on Hard Country till chrimbo.
I'll defo get the two chapters finished and maybe get the third issues layouts done...
Which may see it done fer next year instead of 2012.

Death Race

2010-10-24T05:18:00.001-07:00

I was asked a couple of weeks ago by me good mate Paul Birch if'n I wanted to do the layouts on the new Death Race comic coming out from Blue Water Comics.
'Course I said yea, I'll have a go, I can't seem to say no to anything and I've done the first 2 issues.
Actually looking forward to seeing it all come together, and what Mel Smith (the artist on the book) will do with me layouts.
So here's a few pages to show.

Sketches

2010-10-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

As I haven't done any sketches fer a while I decided to doodle a couple.
And here they are.

BICs Boys

2010-10-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

Four grumpy men reminiscing about past Comic conventions, cheaper comics and smaller waistlines.

Interviewed

2010-10-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

I've been interviewed for the Birmingham mail Speech Balloon blog and it'll be online on Thursday. So you'll find out quite a bit of boring stuff going on in me life way back to the late sixties. Least there'll be some art to have a look at in case you get bored with all the words.

A minor distraction.

2010-10-03T03:59:00.001-07:00

Ok, Ok I haven't posted fer a while, but I have been a bit busy, honest.
So the third issue/part of Six Months is done and dusted, but you knew that, cuz you all read the last posting.... You did read the last post didn't you?
Anyway, while I'm waiting for Jim to finish the script of part 4, I thought I'd spend some time on one or two other projects that I've got waiting in the wings.
And this short story is one such project.
A little four page tale of survival that was actually written for Insomnia's latest anthology book.
However it was to late, I missed the deadline and so it remained in limbo...fer a bit.
But cuz I've got a bit this "spare" time, I thought I'd have ago of drawing it.
It was originally from an idea, written by my mate John Halfpenny, as a single page horror tale.
But I like the idea so much I stretched it to 4 pages, mainly so I could do this big "reveal" on page 3..
So it's not finished, work in progress and all that, but I thought I give a sneak peak of how I do me art.
So these are the first 2 pages and I hope you like 'em.
There is the possibility of it finding a home when it's done...but we'll have to wait and see.

6 MONTHS, issue three, inked

2010-09-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

Here are 6 pages from the now inked and finished part 3 of 6 Months.
Not too much to say about 'em art wise, other than I enjoyed working with all the tone.
Inked in Illustrator, but I think when I finshed all the 6 parts I'll probably use Manga Studio fer anything else. The lack of a rotate tool in Illustrator really knackers me wrist.

So I hope you'all like what you see.

Finished

2010-08-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well I've finished all the main inking to issue three, just gotta letter it and "tone" it up.
So here's the double page spread finished...
But without the words, well I can't give everything away now, can I?

Inked but soooo small.

2010-08-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

And here they are, all inked up.
This 2-page spread is almost done, but I thought I'd show y'all how it turned out.

A little bit of Detail

2010-08-20T02:16:00.001-07:00

There's a double page spread in the third issue of 6 Months that I had to do.
A two page spread with 38 very small crime scene photos pinned across three large boards.
As you can imagine it took a bit of time and they really are very small, so a lot of the detail won't be seen.
Fer a bit of a treat, I thought I'd show the sketches of all af the 38 murders.
I tried to make them all individual deaths and to some extent I pretty much succeeded.
There are one or two similar deaths, but fer all that, I'm happy with the result.

6 Months-pencils

2010-07-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd show some of the pencils from issue 3.

They're in no particular order and don't give away too much.
I'll show more when I've done the inks, which I'm cracking on with as I type this.

The thing is, there are some issues with Insomnia Publications.
These were the folks that was gonna print this tale of ours. Can't say too much about the goings on, cuz I don't know much about it... yet.
It won't stop Jim and me from finishing this 132 page GN, it'll just be a different publisher that prints it.
When we find one that'll be willing to do so
'Course, I'll keep everyone updated how it all turns out...but fer now enjoy the pictures.

CHOMP!

2010-07-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is me last sketch that I've done this weekend.
All of 'em were fun to do, and although I'm a complete novice using colour, I'm not too disappointed on how they turned out.
So maybe I'll carry on experimenting with colour.

Twice in one day!

2010-07-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Bloody hell, it's like waiting fer a bus.
Nothing on this blog fer weeks, then two in one day...
What's going on? What does it all mean?
Nuffink, just enjoying the day relaxing by me drawing board and drawing zombies.

BOO!

2010-07-09T05:03:00.000-07:00

Done fer me own amusement, and fer a bit of practice in Manga Studio.

Something fer the weekend, Sir?

2010-07-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying working on the 6 Months graphic novel.
It's motoring along quite smoothly...
BUT...
Every so often I want to do a bit of weird..
So, here's a bit of weird.

Wolfmen

2010-07-04T04:17:00.000-07:00

Remember a few posts back where I showed the pencilled version of the pin-up I'd done fer Dave West and Andy Bloor's Wolfmen 2 book... I'm sure you do, and if'n you don't...well just click on the older posts and have a look to remind ya...
Seen it?
Well here's the inked version.
Done in Manga studio.
And I thoroughly enjoyed doing it as well.

A day trip

2010-06-12T08:58:00.001-07:00

At a bit of a loose end today, feeling a bit sorry fer meself wot with it being me birthday and all, and my sons refering to me as old as trees, I decided to take a trip to Shrewsbury.
I knew Gary Young and Dave Hitchcock were doing a signing at Infinity and Beyond of their new book Madame Samurai, and I'd spoke to Dave a few days before saying I might make the trip to see him and give him my support, but waking up this morning in a mighty FUNK I almost decided not to go.
But I thought sod it old man, get out the house and go and see Dave, so off I set.
Me youngest driving (it was his car we took) and just over an hour later we landed in Shrewsbury.
Ten minute walk from the car park to the comic shop and their they were in all their glory.
And I gotta say it was well worth the trip. Meeting writer Gary Young (he wrote the screenplay to Harry Brown with Sir Michael Caine, don'tcha know) and publisher Shane Chebsey of Scar comics was great and it was terrif to talk to Dave again and seeing all that glorious artwork made me drool at the corners of me mouth.
I shall have a quiet weekend and digest every inch that is Madame Samurai. It looks stunning and I thoroughly recommend everyone buying a copy, not just cause Dave's a mate but because the book is the dog's danglies.
I think the only problem that I see with reading this book is that, I'm gonna have to wait until the second book is printed to find out what's going to happen.
But in the meantime I shall be feasting on the luverliness that Gary and Dave have produced.

A Fistfull of sketches

2010-05-30T04:02:00.000-07:00

I've started the pencilling stage of issue 3 of 6 MONTHS. All the layouts are done and I've been sketching away at certain panels, trying to find what works and what doesn't.
I do dozens of rough sketches.
Once I find what I like, I'll get the old Light box out and refine the pencils.
But I thought I show you lot, a few of those pencil sketches.
Some will make into the final stage, while I may use a variation of others.
Sometimes it clicks straight away and a panel will work with no or little fiddling about.
While others, if I can't get it to work I'll start from scratch.

Carter's Column

2010-05-16T10:09:00.001-07:00

After a couple week hiatus, Carter's Column, the weekly strip at blogs.birminghammail.net/speechballoon starts again this week, just as I've completed the final pencilled episode. Hurrah.
Obviously I can't show that page here...it'll ruin the whole plot, but here is the pencils of this weeks episode.
Pop over to speech balloons to see it in colour and all the funny words added.

Wolfmen 2

2010-05-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

This is the pencilled sketch (but I will ink it later) of a pinup done for Dave West and Andy Bloor's excellent Wolfmen 2 book, hopefully out later this year.
I feel privilaged that they asked me to contribute.
I only hope I done the lads proud.

The CREW

2010-05-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

A bit of a treat. more info coming soon...he said all mysteriously.

Cross Hatchin' Frenzy

2010-05-08T04:29:00.001-07:00

After the "clean" art of 6 Months I wanted to do something a bit looser, so while I've taken a week's break from the graphic novel (but I'll be back on it from next week) , I had a moment of madness and did these.

And now we rest...for a bit.

2010-05-02T06:12:00.001-07:00

Finally finished the 2nd issue of 6 Months (hurrah).
Decided to have a break for a week afore I start issue 3.
It'll give me time to finish off a few other projects that I had to put on hold.
so a few more pages for y'all to have a look at.

Finally some inks

2010-04-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

I know, I know it's been a while, but I have been beavering away on stuff honest. Anyway some pages from the 2nd chapter/issue of 6 months INKED.
I would have posted earlier but I was tweaking here and there and time just gits away from you.
There are still things I'm not happy with but all in all they came out OK.
All done in illustator, but after using Manga Studio I did find some draw backs that I hadn't realised. Oh well. Enjoy these until the next time.

More pencils

2010-03-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

Some more scenes from 6 Months.
This is a violent issue, so trying not to show too much is a bit tricky.

Enjoy

6 Months issue 2

2010-03-19T11:32:00.001-07:00

A sneak look at part of page 2 for 6 Months. It's a bit of a nasty scene so I can't show too much just yet, but there will be definitely more to come.

Hell's Nazis

2010-03-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

One of the most satisfying feelings in being in this business apart from seeing your work in print is when you finish a tale and it's all gone to plan (mostly)
Last week I finished Hell's Nazis, a 10 page tale of rip roaring action set in WW2 with monsters , mad scientists and zombies.
Regular readers of this blog (and I want to thank you fer coming back time and time again) will have followed the genesis of this tale from my very first mention of it.
It's written by a most talented new comer to the business-John Halfpenny (and with a name like that you just know he's born to write comics).
When he wrote it, we sat down to discuss how we would aproach it, and his vision was to do a tribute of all those wonderful Britsh weekly war comics.
So I started pencilling away just hoping to capture all those marvelous descriptions that he'd written.
I was also a bit apprehensive because I'd be inking it with a new drawing software that I'd purchased-Manga Studio. I was still trying to get me head around learning all the new features.
As well as all the other projects I was already working on, I started, and let me just say there were some days when it wasn't going that well. But finally, down to a sheer stubbornness to see this teriffic tale finished, I completed the final page last week.
I sent it John straight away, with fingers crossed, to see what he thought and to edit all my typos and spelling mistakes.
Thankfully he loved it which was a great relief.
Unfortunately, although it's got ahome to go too, it won't be published until next year which is quite a while and that's why I've posted the completed second page to whet all your appetites.
This is the second project with John and there is a third planned which I'm looking forward too.
Anyway enjoy the page and I'll let you know where and when it'll finally see the light of day.
On another note Carter's Column, the weekly comic strip published on the Birmingham Mail's webpage is at chapter 11 this week...11 weeks already...bloody hell that's gone quick.
There are a couple of changes with the art. The magnificent Mats Engesten inks over my pencilling from this week, so he can't do the colouring, so lets welcome aboard Andrew Dodd who carries on where Mats left over and a terrific job he's done. But don't take my word fer it, go on mosey over to the wbsite and check it out fer yourselves.
And that's it fer now...Almost finished part 1 of another short tale( more on that later) and 6 Months is thundering along. Issue 2 is almost pencilled.

Day 28

2010-02-28T03:21:00.000-08:00

The last Day.
I started this cuz I had very little motivation for the projects I was involved with.
Oh I'm not talking about the material itself just that I've got some many projects on the go the sheer scale was wearing me down.
So I decided to do one sketch a day for a month to pull me out of me funk and lo and behold 28 days later it's kinda worked.
I'm mostly happy with what I've presented this last month, one or two I'm thinking "where the hell did that come from" a couple scared the shit out of Karen and she still can't look at them.
One had a physically reaction from me when I was drawing it.
But it's all done and dusted and yea, I think I did OK.
I've still got loads on, but I'm handling it Ok so in that way this whole process worked.
I hope you lot enjoyed the ride, I'm sure you've all got your favs, I know I have.
I don't know if'n I'll do another one of these for a while, but you never know, maybe make it an annual event.
The last image...
I didn't have a clue what each drawing was gonna be at the beginning of the day. I just started each one around the eye area and let 'em develop. However halfway through Feb I decided I wanted the last image to have a zombie in it.
I started on a typical image, full body shot, that sort of thing, but although it came out alright it wasn't what I really wanted, so I tried again with an idea of a victim looking up at the surrounding dead...It worked...kind off, I tried again and bought the image in tighter and whatya know third time lucky and here it is.
I like it and I hope you folks do too.
And that's all I've got to say on the matter.
It'll be back to the irregular postings about the strips I'm working on and Carter's Column.
bye fer now, I'm off to work on a strip with mutants in.

"Sweeter than chocolate"

2010-02-27T02:55:00.000-08:00

Well this is the penultimate sketch of the month.
And it's a fun one. Enjoyed drawing this.

Give us a kiss.

2010-02-26T02:11:00.000-08:00

I quite like the simplicity of this one.

Four days left

2010-02-25T09:03:00.000-08:00

Well that certainly when quicker than I expected. Day 25 already and we come to some carnivorous plants.
It ain't water that keeps 'em fresh, that's fer sure.

Day 24

2010-02-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm on the final lap of this sketch fest.
I liked the texture on the bone arms and I'm pretty happy with his face, normally when I do something I don't quite like, it takes an age to sort, but this was rattled off fairly quickly and very few corrections.
And that is the best I can ask..

"It won't 'urt...Much"

2010-02-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed drawing this one. I mean we had an axe-wielding maniac a while ago, so you gotta have a crazy Slasher haven't ya?

Old Fish Eyes

2010-02-22T09:21:00.000-08:00

Another one that just developed, I started at the eyes and voila. Fish boy.
Strangely though I enjoyed drawing the scales...it was very soothing.

Stretchin' things a bit far.

2010-02-21T05:07:00.000-08:00

You know when you get an image stuck in your head and you just have to draw it, well this is one such drawing

Medusa...ish

2010-02-20T03:18:00.000-08:00

I did this mostly for the texture on the hood, which I'm pretty pleased with but sort of lost it with the snake's heads.
I'm quite into the feathering and subtle shading of the pencils, it's more or less what I intended when I started this.

"Feeding time"

2010-02-19T05:32:00.000-08:00

This one, more or less drew itself.
I started with the eyes and the rest came pretty easy.
I haven't watched any old vampire movies recently, but it does remind me of a still from an old Hammer movie.

CHOP IT!

2010-02-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

How could I not do an axe-weilding maniac.
Obvious really

Anuvver of the beggers

2010-02-17T07:58:00.001-08:00

This one's better than yesterday's. Can't beat a good tentacled fish boy.

Day 16

2010-02-16T09:01:00.001-08:00

Bit of a cop out today. Probably me least favourite so far