Hi-Ex2 and more

Since I last blogged here all sorts of stuff has been going on. I've done the full graphic design package for a school mag (and sorted the printing) and finished the pencils on the next installment of Whistler for Dogbreath.

Then I did this:

Which I'm pretty pleased about as it is in the current end of year 2000ad. Cue big, silly grin on my mush. Of course I didn't draw it, that was Declan Shalvey who did that bit. I just put the words on.

Next up I'm taking a couple of days before leaping into the inks for Whistler to work on the FQP X-mas card for the year and to do some sketches for a script I'll be starting soon for Mike Carroll that is possibly one of the most bittersweet farewells to a comic character I've ever read.

Strontium Dog vs Iron Man

Strontium dog C Rebellion. Iron Man C Marvel.

Happy Halloween

A larger version of the entry in this months 2000ad message board compo

Harvest!

It’s almost time to start pimping the new comics. Last night saw the final CD burned of the current crop. Phew!

Working on:
The last Whistler story! There is anew episode in the new Dogbreath, and next issue will see the whole thing wrap up an leave the character in… well that would be telling.

Latest from FQP:

FutureQuake
Being Printed!

Something Wicked
Being Printed! Thanks to the efforts of Brett Buckle for getting the last strip in at the last moment.

DogBreath & Zarjaz
Being Printed!

Oh- remember those Kingdom Pics I did earlier this year? Well, Richmond has coloured them and they look lovely.




Dave

Crusader test & more.

I'm FREE! Only joking. I've been drawing the Crusader strip since May this year, and it is only six pages. Mental I know, but It has taken me that long. I'm hoping the next couple of strips are going to be a LOT quicker.

Anyhow- this is a pic I did as a test for Richmond to see what his colouring would look like. Pretty impressive to my eyes is the answer.



These are also the latest crop of sketches I've worked on recently.

Colossus of the X-men.

A rather tired looking mutie.

News & Sketches

Judge Dredd

Not done a proper update for a while, so here goes

Working on:
The Crusader for Massacre for Boys: I’m inking the last page as of today and seeing as I’ve been drawing this since May this year I’m going to be glad to see it finished. It has also opened my eyes as to what I can actually achieve these days. Not flippin’ much is the answer. I used to be able to do 3 pages (Full A3) in two weeks around my job & family, but not anymore.

Latest from FQP:

FutureQuake
The new FQ (11) is almost ready. Just waiting on Neroy and a few bits for the inside cover, then it is good to go.

Something Wicked
A much more perilous publication. Some issues with artists are putting this issue into a bit of doubt. Which is a shame as I really like this title and think this issue would be a corker if it comes together as I want it to. The latest thing here is that the cover art is being coloured by the mighty Mini-Bolt.

DogBreath & Zarjaz
Dogbreath is coming together slowly and Zarjaz is almost ready. The cover has to be seen to be believed and once this issue is done I can reveal the news that… Ah, that ‘would’ be telling. Suffice to say- there has never been an issue of Zarjaz like the issue we have planned for issue 07.

Dave



The Fat Man sings...


Keege's Day off.

Sketches

Strontium Dog Johnny Alpha.



I Don't know what this guy has done, but he's in trouble...



Judge Death.

Sketches!

One of my favourite series ever, the VC's. This may well get some more work done later, adding in a background or some effects.



a Mega-city monkey, out for a rumble!

Sketches...

A rather Iffy Wolverine, though the hair has some nice texture to it.



Hulk SMASH Puny Pencil Monkey!



Judge Anderson.

More Sketches

A Mega-City Fatty, looking fro trouble.



First sketch to reach happines of a character in the Crusader strip I'm pencilling.



Nemesis the Warlock.

In other news it is deadly quiet for the comics at the moment. Apparently copies of Zarjaz & Dogbreath are in FP shops- which is nice; but there is almost no artwork coming in. Scripts! We've got more scripts than we can reasonably run in the next three FQ's, which is leading me to thin that we may well close the doors again for a while.

The new inking tool is starting to settle down, the latest batch of sketches are looking almost as I want them to. So I'm pleased with my progress.

Rogue Trooper: MANHATTAN TRANSFER

Written by Jon & Gorath scribe: Mark Woodland.
Pics by myself & Richmond
for the 2000adOnline message board comp this month.

Sketches.

Sketch- Slaine

Quite pleased with this.

Sketch- Dante.

Never really sketched Nikolai before- and was quite pleased with how this turned out.

Sketch: Middenface.

Middenface McNulty. Strontium dog.

Crusader Remixed.

Just finished this and realise I've hit upon a much better version of the Crusader. Removing the hard edges of the visor and making it more like NEXUS is definitely an improvement.

Sketches: Paragon

I've not long finished reading the excellent New Heroes books by Michael Carroll and whilst scribbling I got to wondering about the Character 'Paragon'.

These are the result:




A bit rough and ready, but I like the direction this was going in. Hopefully I'll get time to work up something more suitably heroic for him in the future.

Sketch:

I've recently decided to start finishing my sketches to a higher degree. Not saying that the drawings are any good, only that I'm going to be keeping some sort of record of my scribbles.

First up is a reasonable headshot of a character I'm working on for the Brothers Denton. The Crusader (not to be confused with the Crusader that appeared in Daredevils drawn by alan davis all those years ago)



I'll be hopefully doing something every couple of days.

Strontium Dog: Nice Little Town detail

A long time ago, before Futurequake, I illustrated a story by Richmond called Nice Little town. It appeared in Dogbreath 11 (iirc) and was never remarked upon again.

Now Richmond has decided that he wants to present this again over on the website with the illustrations in colour. Not a problem says I, I'll send the pics over and you can colour them and we will all be happy.

Then I looked at them.

I'm not the biggest fan of my stuff, in fact there is very little I've drawn over the years that doesn't make me cringe eventually. But there was one illo in here that I would not want to inflict on anyone again. Therefore I'm redrawing it. That is a part of it at the top. Hopefully I'll have this in a sort of finished state over the weekend and then rich can work his magic colour stick on top.

Invasion- Chippy.

Here is the first of my entries into this months 2000adOnline messageboard comp. Lots of fun and one of my favourite jokes.

Bristol countdown: 15 days...

Been a busy old week for me; On Tuesday I turned 38. Feeling old is just around the corner, but I'm not there yet!

I delivered FutureQuake, Dogbreath and Zarjaz to the printers this week, so barring 'The Great Warlord Sugi & Other Tales' that is it for prep for this years Bristol con.

I collected World of Weird from the printers, a comic I've been putting the finishing touches to for Ed Berridge & Bryan Coyle, and has been in the pipeline for almost three years! The finished product looks good, so hopefully it'll make some folks happy to read it.

MangaQuake 06 was also ready for collection, and includes an absolute gem of a strip. Titled 'love is not wrong' it is a superbly paced tale with art by first time published artist Sophia Grant. Sophia is also one of the folk who took part in the portfolio session at HI-Ex earlier this year. Nice to see someone dipping their toes into small press after that.

Art-wise I'm now inking page 3 of the Kingdom strip for the next Zarjaz, and I'm making sketches for a perspective based shot of Mega-city one for the 2000ad message board. Not sure if that will turn into anything though.

In the near future I'm thinking that we well make a third issue of FutureQuake next year, as we have a significant page count already in files ready to print. Things will have to be discussed before a proper decision is reached though.

I'll try to get a picture for next time I post...

Dogbreath 18 Detail

I've posted the full version of this on the Quequam blog, but I like this enough to want to post the line art here. Very pleased with how this came out.

Time passes on...

This week I've been busily working on Kingdom. Page 3 was completed (pencil-wise) in a flurry of activity and page 4 is coming together steadily.

We lost the cover artist for Dogbreath 18, which was a bit of a blow, and is still not sorted. I'm working on a back up plan of doing it myself if I have to, but I'm not keen on that to be honest. Think Dogbreath deserves a 'pro' on the cover.

The running order for the next FQ is all sorted now, and I think it is going to be a well received issue. Hopefully the last few pages of strip will be here within the week so I can get to the printer early for once!

Walking Wounded.

Bit of a bias here, as I lettered the second issue, but the Bros Denton have sent me copies of both WALKING WOUNDED comics that are in print, and damn fine theye are too.

Featuring the war-time exploits of a group of supposedly unfit for duty soldiers, this is a well written and drawn series that will leave you wanting more.

Massacre For Boys

Work so far...

Progress is slow on the kingdom strip. As the deadline for the latest crop of comics gets closer, the amount of time I have to devote to the artwork that I love shrinks.

Still, I can't really complain as I agreed to take all this on.

So far I am pencilling the third page (of five) and I think this is some of the best work I've done. However I feel like that about all my work till the ink is dry, then I can barely look at it.

Here's a rough scan of pages 1 & 2.

Set the controls for the heart of the sun!

My latest entry into the wild world of 2000ad art competitions. The colour on here was provided, as ever, by Richmond Clements.

Kingdom! Coming soon

As a taster for the strip I'm about to start for the End of Year Zarjaz, here are a couple of pics of the mighty Mutt- Gene the Hackman.

Gene the Hackman Copyright Rebellion.

Mecha KONG!

The new art comp thread over at 2000adOnline is running well, and I've managed to get an entry sorted for it. The BG is taken from a photo and run through the 'Live-trace' function in Illustrator- twice. Once for the grey tones and again for the black line. I then composed the image in Photoshop.

Check the thread out, as it has some stunning artwork.

http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=fan&page=messagethread&choice=21685&skipto=-1&Replies=102