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!

Ask an Artist on the 11th! - A3on11 - Timing with publishing?

This month's question is: "How far ahead do you work?"

Hopefully WAAAYY ahead of the deadlines...but that aint always the case! It's usually about 2-3 months from the time the page leaves my drawing board to when it gets published in the comic. For example, I'm currently working on pages for the next issue of WASTED which will be published in and around May.

I'm also just finishing up some Zarjaz pages which are set to be published in time for the comic expo in London mid-March. Admittedly, I'm cutting it a bit close on that one.

There is also the one comic that took about 8 years from when I drew it until it saw the light of day...that story is over here.

Comic covers have a much longer life cycle, as they need to be done very early for marketing purpose. (Website promo, the Previews catalogue, etc.) The next cover for Wasted was done back here, and that was done in early November. It'll be out in May, so that's like 6 months or so.

The publishing delay is frustrating to me. Once I finish the pages, I'm obviously happy with them or they wouldn't be finished! At this point I want to show EVERYBODY what I'm up to, and how they look. Problem is, publishers hate that and it will often spoil part of the story. (Spoiler alert- Johnny K. shoots a junkie!) You know, that type of thing. So...by the time the actual issue comes out, I'm usually thinking, "yea it's ok, but you should see these NEW PAGES I'm working on now...they really rock!" Unfortunately that art wont be out for about 3 months. The vicious cycle continues. ;-)

That's why I sneak in previews on my blog. It lets me my sanity, and show a little art to the world without getting in too much trouble.


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 (address on the right side on this blog), 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.