Start to Finish

so i have gotten a lot of people ask me in the past to show how i start a comic page.  they want to know how i come up with the different panels and the look of the final image.  so i decided that i would finally get around to showing off how i do a page.  i will use the first page for the upcoming Transformers: Drift mini series (as that is the only page that has been shown off already and is safe for me to use)

first off after i have read the script i will do a layout.  these are basically thumbnails, just drawn a bit larger then a typical thumbnail.  usually about 4 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches.  the actual proportions don't match my final page size, but since i'm just using these to get my ideas on paper, it really doesn't matter.   so i will do my page layouts in these thumbnails, placing the panels where i think they should go.  then i send those off to my editor to look over and get the green light to go ahead with the final pages.    this helps too just in case the editor wants something changed, you don't waste all your time on the good page, then have to go change it.  this is where you want all the changes to happen.  most of the time it works out that way, but not always :p

then come the pencils.  now usually i go a lot rougher then this since i ink the pages myself, so i put all the details in when inking.  but with this one i was getting back into the feel for drawing G1 style bots again, and i wanted to take my time and make sure the page looked the way i wanted.

then come the inks.  not much to really say, other then i add all the final details to the image, and have all the black areas now filled in.  it can be fun to ink sometimes, and others it makes me want to pull my hair out and throw my desk across the room

finally we get to the colours.  this is when i have the file saved as a digital copy and send it to my colourist.  this is where the real magic happens.  What can i say, Josh is a mad man who always delivers something awesome to my work.  i've worked with the man for 6 years now, and he just keeps getting better.  i know that there are times when stuff has to get done, and he can't work on everything i do, but for the most part, i really don't want to work with anyone else.  i'm happy with the work he does, and thats all that matters to me :) here is a link to his deviantart gallery.  some really nice stuff in there.

http://www.dyemooch.deviantart.com/

so i hope that gives you a little insight into how i work and how things are done.  i gotta get Josh to post how he does the colours sometime.  maybe then i'll be able to steal some of his secrets :p

well back to work

laters ;p