Code 911 and the mysterios Inkling

I suppose you're all reading the awesome comics David Heath and I are creating for Bilateral Comics (and if you don't, you're breaking my heart). I'm very happy I found a good collaboration as this, since David is allowing me to experiment a lot with the art and I really hope this will help me grow. Right now the second chapter of Valley-01 is readable online, and Ten Fingers is now available to buy printed.

Now we're starting to build the next short issue - as Ten Fingers, this is going to be a one shot and a break from Valley-01 that will come back with the third issue after Code 911.

Code 911 is a "noir" story (as you can imagine, I can't get away too much), and I thought my usual style wouldn't fit the mood. I've always wanted to try the sketchy style done with ballpoint pen, because I use it for my life drawings and they turn out pretty good. It was time for my Inkling to shine!!!
...and it failed terribly. I haven't had the chance to actually try the pen before now: it has various flaws that make clear why it's not so popular as I believed. This is what I drew (scanned, with black areas outside the panels and text properly added after)

and this is what the Inkling saved.

Now, forget the eye in the third panel, as I moved the receiver without noticing. I'm also ignoring the fact that it doesn't cover the whole page, as it's meant to work on smaller paper. I know that not having the paper infos on the file make a difference; anyway, there are a bunch of gaps between lines that are actually filled, and it seems not to feel the pressure I put in making the signs on paper. I wanted to draw in pen as it's actually the media closer to the pencil in my hands, but the Inkling doesn't make justice to what I can do with a ballpoint pen. It's a pity, as it could have been very practical do to the whole comic without having to scan the pages.

Well, it seems that anyway Code 911 will be done like this. Bonus: the color test.

You all know I hate how colors often destroy my drawings, but this time it quite fits. I hope this turns out to be awesome!

School's out!

I study in the best school ever. This is the final project for this year (for those who can't read italian...well, look at the drawings ._.)

But HOW did we get here? This school year was full of new things to learn from the begininning. I felt like a newbie again, and it wasn't bad, but I think I need a lot of practice to actually learn what we've been taught.
First of all, inking.  I switched from various tecniques (nib, brush, brushpen, pen, digital...), and I'm still looking for the most suitable for my drawings. Anyway, I definately did a lot of progresses: one of the best of 2013 done with nibs, and one of the best of 2014 in brushpen.

Most of all, I think I'm starting to balance the ink with the color, that was one of the most difficult part for me. Color is still a bitch, but I've managed to make some progesses too (spoiler page from Valley-01 #2!):

There's definately a lot of work and exercise to do, as well as in every other aspect of the page (I'm still struggling with backgrounds, and I probably always will), but I got the principles and I think the result is waaay better in just a couple of months.

The most difficult part of this year's studies is that there are a lot of possibilities, both with ink and color, all of them equally useful. I mean, faces and hands and bodies and backgrounds have basic rules to follow, and I'm pretty sure about how I want them to turn out. This doesn't apply to ink, mostly because I'm not sure about the result I want. I like most of the results I can get, and I haven't even started to go into details as mostly of the scenes I draw are actually pretty plain (dialogues, mostly inside, with a few characters). I don't even start to talk about color, you can imagine how many differences there can be in coloring pages. As for now, I want to find at least one satisfying way to have a solid page, and avoid the messy look of my older pages.

Sketchcrawling!

Yay for nice weather and some sun!

Color, how I hate you

As anyone who ever listened to my complaints about coloring, you should know I consider myself a terrible colorist. I swear everytime I put shades on a good ink it gets destroyed.

So, we're having some badass coloring teachers at school, and I'm doing my best to learn what I can while I have time.  Turns out I clearly don't have patience to deal with traditional tecniques anymore.

Anyway, at least I'm learning to balance ink and color. Previously I just inked without caring and splat color in the white spaces, like a child. I still can't get a result that I like without the black lines, but it's a start.

Actual pages to come soon!

In a few weeks I have to get back coloring actual pages for Valley-01 second episode; hopefully the study will pay, as it's been inked in a slightly different way (a way that consider color as part of the drawing). Meanwhile I'm testing another style while working on the cover. Preview!

So many things to learn, so little time.

Note: I am now a proud possessor of an Inkling. Soon to come a (very important and never ever written before) review!

More dog art!

After a couple of serious blog entry...

I've been required to do more dog art, similar to the dog wars you've seen recently. I swear this is one of the most hilarious commissions I've ever received.

Not much to say anyway, except that I hope I'll have to do more.

Oh, PROMOTION TIME! Bilateral Comics is running well. The first issue of Valley-01 is completely up, you can read it for free (or buy a copy to support us) on the site. The second episode is being drawn right now, but while you wait for it why don't you read the short story we're publishing now?

Ten Fingers, on bilateralcomics.com

Rider graphic novel - Fastback pictures

I don't want to be scaramantic, so I'm going to update you on another upcoming project that should be interesting. In the last month I've been in the selecting process to draw a graphic novel written by Mike Ezell and Pascal Franchot based on the latest product by Fastback pictures, "Rider"
The project has been delayed a couple of times, first because of my other workload, then because of a trouble with another one of the people involved, but it should start in the next days. Post apocalyptic, sci-fi setting, with a badass main character riding an even more badass motorcycle. I only have some sketches right now, and I think most of the drawings will be kept private until given permission - anyway, the script and character appereance has changed since when I drew these.

Some other artists are responsible for the character and equipment design, and this is merely an old sketch based on the old Rider appereance. Now it's heavily changed - plus I think I took the helmet from another of their characters, the Gunslinger.

Also, the test page I did for them. This won't appear in the actual graphic novel as the script is changed as well as the appereance of the characters, but I think you get the idea. I truly hope this project goes on, as it's going to be really interesting. I'm familiar with this kind of setting, but I haven't actually had the chance to draw anything so sci-fi until now, so it's going to be a challenge.

Cover issues: Cheyenne Mountain Facility

Let's start saying doing covers always make me nervous. I know they are a decisive piece for everything I draw, and while if a page is not the best the next one can save the day...well, there's nothing to save a bad cover.
This is the last one I had to do, for a (probably) upcomic project about superheros with lab-created powers, written by the talented James Rowe: Cheyenne Mountain Facility.

So the above is the first stage. I'm lucky enough to have some dear friends that helped me when I was panicking ("ohmygodwhatdoIdoifit'shorrible") and reviewed the pencils, noting some elements to be fixed.

Yes, there's a reflection of the glass over her hair.

The ink looks pretty poor. Consider I don't feel proficient with colouring yet: I mostly rely on the ink. Imagine the panic at this stage. ("ohmygodit'shorriblewhatdoIdo").

aaand the colours save the day - and my ass. Maybe not the best cover ever but hey, I'm really satisfied. I truly hope this project will proceed into an actual comic book. We're currently looking around because we lack funds (as every indie project ever). Some of the pages have already been done, and they might come online soon. We'll see.