Yanick Paquette gets WASTED!

The new issue of Wasted -WASTED #8- is just around the corner, set to be out this week on May 5th. One of the cool things about this issue is that it features a teeny tiny bit of art (an Easter egg!) by YANICK PAQUETTE of Batman Incorporated fame.

Yanick is a friend of mine who takes his convention apperances about as intensley seriously as I do...as evidenced by this photo of us from the last fall's Montreal Con.



At the Wizard con after a conversation about art 'assists' that are sometimes happen in this industry, I asked Yanick if -as a lark- he'd like to draw a bit on the Wasted pages I was working on at the time. He said yes, and after a few minutes he drew the fellow in the bottom right of this scan. It was only later when I got home did I see that he'd also drawn his mustache and goatee in the upper panel. That cracked me up, and still does!



I can honestly say this is the first time I've inked a professional penciller for D.C. comics, and it was VERY fun. I had to 'GQ' Yanick's pencils up a bit so it wasn't too jarring a style switch in the middle of the story, but you can still see lots of Yanick in there!

The final published page is gonna look like this.



It's out This Thursday in the U.K. Grab one when you see it!

Cheers.

Sneak peek of HOLMES INC. #2 !

After Holmes Inc. #1 (remember?) got good reviews and was so well received, it was elementary that there would be a second issue! (Sorry....I could NOT resist!)

I'm currently working on 7 pages for issue #2. I'll be inking myself this time (sadly no inks from Ty for me on this one) so it will look alot more like my work over at WASTED.

The book is again spearheaded (and the editorial whip cracked!) by Ty Templeton. I've heard all the pitches, read all the scripts and seen chunks of the art on this bad boy, and it's like the best parts of issue #1 are now taking steriods!! Yep, it's that strong.

The release date has not been set yet, but keep watch here, and over at Ty's website for all the details in a short few months.

If you've not seen issue #1 yet, see me at a con, or head over here and grab one!

Ask an Artist on the 11th! - A3on11 - Comic Conventions...Why?

Video this time, let me know what you think...should I do another 'fireside chat' for a future A3on11?



UPDATE: Sometimes technology really SUCKS! I was able to put together a pretty nice video (IMHO) answering a question about conventions, but it will... Not... LOAD... Properly on the blog!! The audio and video are way out of synch. I've spent far too long trying to get it right...now I've thrown in the towel.

You win internet...this time. (-insert western gunslinger music here-)

So, my apologies.

In keeping with the theme of video and conventions and me answering questions, please check this informal interview from the Montreal con last year.

Cheers!

Hippy and Trippy!

My pages for Wasted #8 are in the can!

I'm quite happy with this panel in particular...Alan Grant's script called for:

"Large panel. Johnny is massively stoned, with half strenght images/visons of peace, love, flower power, dancing naked ladies and a hippy band playing behind him.
JOHNNY: I QUITE LIKE IT! "

I think I got the message across, even is the girl isn't quite dancing. ;-)

By the way, I hope the folks that wanted it grabbed Wasted issue #7, as it has now sold out! I figured it would, but man...it went SUPER quick!

Wasted 8 will be out in mid May. I'll post details when I get them, so check back here for details or head over here.

Zarjaz #11 -On Sale now!

Zarjaz 11 is now on sale in the UK at FPI and now ORBITAL of London, and can be ordered right here.

This amazing cover is by regular ABC Warrior artist and 2000a.d. regular CLINT LANGLEY! Click on this beauty for a larger image.

Stories and talent featured in this edition are:

Joe Pineapples- Tin Man by Lee Robson and Chris Askham
Mongrol- Blogging by David Withers, Bolt-01 & Mike Carroll
Mek-Quake- Little Jobs by The Emperor and Conor Boyle
Deadlock- Unrepentant by Richmond Clements, Gibson Quarter & Jim Campbell (inks & letters)
Blackblood by Eric Moore and Dunk! Nimmo
Steelhorn- Shadow of the titanic by Matthew Badham and Matt Soffe
Robusters- Terror in the Baltic Ben Clark and Nick Dyer
A.B.C. Warriors- RICOCHET by Richmond Clements and Kevin Levell


I wanted to put up the first 2 pages of story, but I dont have the lettered versions. So, the final inked pages will have to suffice. Even though we have a quick decapitation here, it's 'family' rated when compared to the last page of this story...trust me!

Ask an Artist on the 11th! - A3on11 - What Materials do you use?

The question this time around is: What materials do you use?

My working methods and supplies used have really changed since my "One pencil" days of long ago.

Here is a quick shot of just about all my 'tools of the trade' as it were. You cant see the photoshop program, but it's a big part of my work now too.





I use colored pencils alot more lately for layouts and underdrawing. I try to keep the gestural stuff (energy and lively lines) a different color than the tigher top pencil layer, where I'll lock in the parts I like while tightening things up. At this point I'll switch between technical and taditional pencils depending on what I'm rendering.

Once I'm done this part (often on seperate pencils in my sketchbook) I'll scan and throw in the individual section into photoshop to play around with. Photoshop is super helpful in the 'tweaking' of the page to help make it more dynamic when called for. Things like adding more of an angle to the panel, enlarging or shrinking etc, are all the types of descisions I'm confirming here. But all the while doing this, I'm keeping an eye on the layouts I've done previously.



Once the page is laid out in a manner I'm happy with,(and there is enough room for word ballons, sfx, etc) it gets printed out on quality paper sized at 11x17.

The inking starts and I'm now using lots of brush work (brushes size 2 and 3) for line weights and organic objects. After that a LARGE portion of the inks are done with a crowquill, Hunt 102 almost exclusively. Lastly the spotting of black gets the big old Sharpie marker treatment. Lastly, the touch ups are done with white ink -again with a crow quill- and I'm done!



I hope this answers the question!


Previous month's 'ask an artist' articles can be found over here : A3on11

Remember, I’ll be answering any questions you ask on the 11th of every month right here. Questions can range from very basic ones about general art creation and processes, to very technical comic creation ones. To shoot me a question, just email me ( gibsonquarter27@yahoo.com ), ask me on Facebook, or throw it in the comments section here. What I talk about just depends on what gets asked! Thanks for the question. Keep 'em coming. See you next month.

GQ appearing at the Wizard World Toronto Comic Con

Quick post to let you know that I'll be at the Wizard World comic con later this month. It runs March 18-19-20, 2011 (FRI-SAT-SUN) at the Direct Energy Centre here in Toronto.

Full details found here!

They have a host of great artists and celebs lined up. Folks like Yanick Paquette, Ty Templeton, Leonard Kirk, Phil Jimenez, Michael Golden and Mike Grell to name just a few!

I'll be bringing a precious few WASTED mags (get there early!), some Undertow #1's and also a few prints with me. I'm at table #606 in artist alley.

Fly on over, and I'll see you there!