I always like seeing other people's process creating comics, so I thought I'd share how
Matt Sheean and I put an Expansion page together.
First, I write a "script", although it's almost an outline. It has dialogue and everything, but it's not very detailed. This way the story is more of a collaboration between myself and Matt. From there Matt creates thumbnails for the whole book. Here is his thumbnail for page 9 of Expansion Part 3:
After the thumbnails are finished we make revisions. The sequence that page 9 is a part of got shuffled around, so the layout changed. Matt starts working on the pencils, usually giving them to me in batches of 2-4 pages at a time as he finishes them. The pencils for page 9:
Matt keeps the pencils loose so that the finished image is also more collaborative. I get the page back and use the following tools:
Recently I've been using a Japanese brush pen that I don't know the name of. (This is a little different for me, I usually use the watercolor brush next to it) I use a 08 Micron for the panel borders, and the Staedtler for lettering. Page 9 doesn't have lettering... so we won't get into that. My inks, unedited:
Expansion has a flat grey tone for most of the book. After I finish inking the main page, I tape another piece of paper to it and use a light board to create the shapes that will be grey:
I scan the two parts in and tidy them up. I put the grey tone (which at this point is still solid black) on its own layer, set it to "Multiply", and then change the opacity to a grey tone. For page 9 it's a little darker because it takes place at night.
That's that! Here's the final page:
My double sided comic, Top Five / Sweet Dreams is now available through this site and on Etsy. Pick it up! Speaking of Etsy, I've added tons of new stuff to the Etsy store, like this original drawing I did for the Covered blog a while ago:
Everybody! I'm going to be at the Alternative Press Expo this weekend, sharing a half table with Matt Sheean. We'll be at table 254A, with the brand new penultimate issue of Expansion! I'll also have some new prints, aside from my usual comic offerings. In addition to that, I'll be signing Mome 22's over at the Fantagraphics table: 12-1pm on both days. Seeya there!
A painting I did for an art show a couple months back. Should I make prints of this for APE?
Floating World is doing some good work to raise money for Dylan Williams' battle with cancer. I've got the above painting up for auction as a part of the benefit here. An 11x17 print will also be available through Floating World. You can check out other auction items here. And of course you should buy comics from Sparkplug. I recommend Lemon Styles by David King and Neverland by Dave Kiersh.
After the thumbnails are finished we make revisions. The sequence that page 9 is a part of got shuffled around, so the layout changed. Matt starts working on the pencils, usually giving them to me in batches of 2-4 pages at a time as he finishes them. The pencils for page 9:
Matt keeps the pencils loose so that the finished image is also more collaborative. I get the page back and use the following tools:
Recently I've been using a Japanese brush pen that I don't know the name of. (This is a little different for me, I usually use the watercolor brush next to it) I use a 08 Micron for the panel borders, and the Staedtler for lettering. Page 9 doesn't have lettering... so we won't get into that. My inks, unedited:
Expansion has a flat grey tone for most of the book. After I finish inking the main page, I tape another piece of paper to it and use a light board to create the shapes that will be grey:
I scan the two parts in and tidy them up. I put the grey tone (which at this point is still solid black) on its own layer, set it to "Multiply", and then change the opacity to a grey tone. For page 9 it's a little darker because it takes place at night.
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