My
desk. This workspace is pretty new, but it already has some clutter.
I love seeing creative messes. Just so long as it isn't so messy
it's difficult to work, I love having piles of paper strewn about
the workspace.
Before
I begin, I want to make note that the way I draw Copper is far different
than the way I draw my other comics, including Daisy Kutter, Amulet,
and my Flight stories. The process detailed herein is very time-consuming
and somewhat old-fashioned. I see Copper as an exercise in restraint
and a chance for me to put a lot of thinking onto a single page
without having to dilute the information. At some point, I should
post a detailed process for the graphic novel work, but in the meantime,
you can all check out some process stuff in the back of the Daisy
Kutter trade paperback.
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To
begin, the thumbnail of the Copper strip is drawn on a sheet of computer
paper. The first draft, at left, gives me an idea what the strip should
look and feel like. I basically wrote this one around wanting to draw
Copper and Fred riding a turtle. The thumbnail on the right is the strip
after some adjustments are made for better pacing of the story. This
one is written just before I begin to lay out the panels.
The
comic is drawn really BIG. This is a 19 by 24 inch pad of Bristol paper.
The
comic's dimensions are 15 by 15 inches. I also draw a line about a quarter-inch
inside the frame for the outermost panel border lines. And strangely
enough, this is how I hold a pencil.
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Using the
very rough thumbnail as a reference, I lay out all the panels first.
These are not drafted using exact measurements. I just use the red lines
on a clear ruler to eyeball it, and save myself some time.
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I use a
Sanford Col-Erase blue pencil. NOT the photo-blue, but just standard
blue. It feels better to use and is easier to read. For my pencilling,
I begin by scribbling rough versions of the images, and then I go back
to carve out all the details and solidify the shapes.
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I use a
lot of construction lines since I'm still not able to draw good shapes
naturally. I have to work for the image every time. In fact, each time
I sit down to work on a comic, especially Copper, I feel like I have
to teach myself to draw all over again. You may notice that the dialogue
is different here than in the final. I usually end up tweaking the awkward
dialogue as I get closer to completion, placing stand-in text to just
keep myself moving. I also round the corners after I'm about halfway
done with the drawings. For some reason, doing the corner-rounding gives
me a sense of accomplishment and helps get me pumped to finish the rest
of it. It's all about inspiring (or tricking) yourself into getting
things done, I suppose...
Onward to part 2: INKING!
or go back
to:
Bolt
City
Comics Workshop
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