I am currently badly sketching random things. It seems to be part of the creative process. It happens every time I finish a large progect. I rest a bit. Do things other than draw. Then I have to learn to draw something I like again.

This means I have to sketch a bunch of random things until I feel comfortable sketching again. The sketches look bad to me because they don’t look like what I’m seeing in my head. They’re probably fine. They’re just not what I want.

Once I’m comfortable sketching again I start sketching specific things. I usually have a number of projects planned (if not simultaneously in process) so it’s easy to pick one. After I’ve chosen a project I start sketching specific characters, scenes and objects that will appear in that project. When I have enough base and concept sketches/ideas worked out, I start sketching the illustrations/designs/pages that will be the physical versions of the final images.

I usually try to do a small stack of sketches before I start turning them into the final art. Each project is different but, these days, for each image, I usually do:
1) a rough sketch with a nonphoto blue pencil
2) a tight graphite (B) pencil sketch over the original blue pencil sketch
3) scan the graphic sketch into the computer. In Photoshop, increase the size and convert it to a blueline image. Print it out.
4) If the image is mostly what I intended I start inking. If a little work is needed I add changes/details to the printout with my nonphoto blue pencil and then ink. If the image needs a lot more work I go over it with my graphic pencil and then repeat step 3 (without needing to blow up the image again).
5) When the inking is done I scan the image. I will use this scan to create the tight black lines of the final image.
6) I then add shading and tones to the original inks. I might use pencils. I might use markers. It depends on the effect I’m trying to acchieve.
7) I scan in the toned version and get to work in Photoshop. Colors. Layers. Electric voodoo.

I’ve been making process GIFs of the stages of my individual designs and posting them in this newsletter.

For instance:

Mugshots

This is a design that got away from me. It’s my version of Glinda from Steve Ahlquist’s Oz Squad. I’d originally intended to just depict the upper body of the character. I did the first sketch so that she would fit on a coffee mug. As I went from step 1 to step 7 I thought it would be fun to expand the design to a full body image that would better work on a t-shirt or as a poster. 

Because the image no longer fit well on a mug it’s not available in my Zazzle store. Other Oz Squad related designs are. At some point I should probably create a t-shirt version for that store.
It is available on schtuff in my Redbubble store.

The Weather Report

Here’s another concept/promo image for my Kaiju Weather project. Since it’s planned as a graphic novel the process of creating it is a bit more complex than just making a series of images. I’m past the point of having ideas but still working on creating a story that works with those ideas.

This image is available in my Redbubble store.

Time to go back to sketching. My next big project is a series of comics featuring the Mighty Nizz. It’s going to be a lot of fun once I get through making bad drawings.

Thank you for reading. I hope life is treating you well. Be as good as you can to your friends and loved ones. And yourself. Remember to treat yourself as well as your friends and loved ones.

See you next week!