Behind the Scenes
Since I’m posting this weeks page in stages, I’ll archive the images here as I replace them in the comic area to show you my process. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images.
The first stage is thumbnails (which obviously, I didn’t post since no one but I can decipher it). This part can be extremely rough (like it is here) or detail depending on how much I have to work out visually.
The next stage is a layout stage, where I work out my staging and poses. This is done digitally and often times I will incorporate CG sets that I have created in Google Sketchup. This stage is created digitally using Sketchbook Pro and Photoshop.
I print out my layout and trace it off in light blue Col-erase pencil onto a piece of 2-ply Strathmore Bristol. At this point I am paying special attention to putting the characters on model and adding character to the environment.
I ink the art mainly with a Windsor Newton Series 7 #2 brush with a little bit of Rapidiograph and various dip pens.
After I scan my inks as 1200 dpi line art, I “flat” the colors in Photoshop by selecting and filling areas with the lasso tool. Here is the image without the line art.
Last I add shadows, highlights, a few textures, salt and pepper, and it’s good to go.
Loving this Eddie, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Tom!
Really love this post. Great work!
Nice to see the process. I always enjoy posts that take you behind the scenes.
[...] pals Dani Jones and Eddie Pittman recently posted step-by-step process posts about their respective webcomics, so I thought I’d [...]
Loving your work so far Eddie. Thanks for posting all this! Just one question, what size paper of Strathmore are you inking on? I always hear people tell me the brush sizes they use, but never the size of the paper they ink. Plus, what kind of ink do you prefer?
Thanks Lance. I think the reason for that is that most comic artist work at the standard 11×17 page with a 10×15 live area. Unless they specify different I think that’s a safe assumption to make. As far as ink, I’m still trying to find a favorite. I once used Pelikan, but the quality has drop significantly. Higgin’s Black magic is good and I have been trying Dr. Ph. Martin’s Black Star Hi-Carb to good result.