Daily doodle. Tharg the mighty.

From the pages of the galaxies greatest 2000AD I give you the main man himself.

Daily doodle- 15/11/2011

Today I give you a gift. The gift of death'as ssweet releassse.

Daily doodle. Rogue Trooper

Today I give you Judge Dredd.

Daily doodle- Middenface McNulty

Seeing as I'be now got me a smartphone I am going to be posting up more of my workplace sketches. All of these will be going out with comic orders in future, so this is my only record of them. Today, Middenface McNulty from the 2000 ad strip Strontium Dog.

New Strip: Captain Gallagher.

Coming soon is Captain Gallagher- written by Richmond Clements and drawn by me. This was a three page strip that I had a ridiculously short deadline for. Having achieved it I am now trying to keep the momentum going and the plan now is to complete a page of art each week for as long as I can possibly manage. Fingers crossed!

I'm alive!

Hello? Ahem. I'm Bolt-01 and I'm very guilty of being rubbish at blogging. Unless I'm trying to flog comics, that is.

I'm not really drawing much these days- the 2000 AD board comp to the left is first thing I've really done since christmas.

So- I'm trying to get back into things- I've accepted a quick strip for Dave McDonald and his Tales of the Emerald Isle written by Rich Clements that has a deadline of end April. Hopefully I'll be able to use that to get back into the groove and start making progress again. I've still got a half pencilled strip for Mike Carroll sat in my folder that I really want to have finished.

Phew! Been a bit busy, but next week is deadline week!

Next week sees the deadline for the new crop of titles, FutureQuake, Something Wicked, Dogbreath and Zarjaz. Zarjaz and FQ are already over page for their issues, with Zarjaz actually gaining 8 pages for the next issue in order to give the issue the chance to take shape properly, and Dogbreath & something Wicked both taking shape 'very' rapidly now.

The worst bit of the process is about to need to be done- the emails to tell folks that despite them hitting deadline- I'm bumping their strip to a later issue. I hae doing that- I've had it done to me, on several occasions and it always leaves a feeling that your work isn't as good as you thought it was. Of course the real reason for it is that I only have so many pages in each issue, and sometimes I struggle to actually fit the strips into 48 pages. Thankfully I've had a few shorter strips in, which make it easier to find room to manouvre. Still doesn't make it nice to have to tell folks that their strip is going to be another six months in the drawer though.

Anyway, what have I been Working On!


ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll Still storming through page 3, because I’ve had to take a detour to draw page 36 of Fractal Friction!

The final page has been coloured and lettered by Jim Campbell, and very well too.

Completed this Week!

Publishing:

FutureQuake 16 Strip in this week:

Something Wicked 06 Strip in this week:

Dogbreath 24 Strips in this week:

Sun & Moon: Hunters of Bounty- Brainspotting

Zarjaz 10


Lettering:

Average Joe.

Ongoing. This week lettered: Nowt. Got quite a few pages in- but until I get the new comics done they can wait.
Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.
Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Working On!

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll

I’m now back into inking this and steaming through page 3.



Completed this Week!

Publishing:


FutureQuake 16 Strip in this week:

Robo-Sapiens

Something Wicked 06 Strip in this week:

The Curse of Rama-Set

Dogbreath 24 Strips in this week:

Damned Mutants

The Gronk- Small Universe.

Zarjaz 10

Lettering:



Average Joe.

Ongoing. This week lettered: Nowt.



Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics

Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren

Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.



Red Sands for Starscape

Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren

Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Friday 30/07/2010

Working On!

A quick piece for the 2000 AD message board comp this month. Based on an idea by Stephen Watson

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Still inking page 2. I hate losing momentum like this...

Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16 Almost full. 1 strip out for final approval. 1 strip lost it's artist. Hopefully we can find a suitable replacement- but this is a big blow.
Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10 BIG leaks about a certain strip and also the New cover too!

Lettering:

Average Joe.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 4 pages.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Working On!

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Still inking page 2. I hate losing momentum like this...



Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16 Almost full. Room for 1 strip left…
Something Wicked 06 Did I say that I'd got the confirmation of the cover artist?
Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10

Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 4 pages.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

09/07/2010.

Over at 2000 AD this week, in prog 1692, I got a rather awesome surprise. If yo look in the BG of the panel above, you will see a S/D agant with a beak- that is Whistler, a character I created many moons ago to star in some fan fiction on the 2000 AD website. The reason for Whistlers awesome appearance- It is a thank you from John Wagner and Carlos for being the continuity nerd for the current Strontium dog strip. The actual image was sorted by my good compadre in all this, Richmond; and he had known about it for months, in fact it was all his idea. Friends are good. As for what happens in the rest of the series- that would be telling :)



Working On!

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
I got righteously stuck into page 2 last weekend- pencilling most of it in a single 2 hours blur, I'm now decyphering my scribble and laying down the inks.



Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16 Did I say that I'd got the confirmation of the cover artist?
Something Wicked 06 I've now sorted which strip is lead, and begun to arrange the cover artist for the issue.
Dogbreath 23 The Cover is now sorted!
Zarjaz 10

Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 2 pages. Got another 5 to work on though.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

02/07/2010.

Working On!

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Page 1 Inked, looking at getting stuck into page 2 over the weekend.



Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16
Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10
Zarjaz 11 – The ABC Warriors special- We got a rather nice extra for this issue through. No spoilers yet though.

Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 5 pages.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

MONGROL SMUSH!

Working On!

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Page 1 almost Inked. Sorted all my design work for it now (Biro scribbles really, helping me sort out kinks in the look of things.)



Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16
STAR POLISHERS
Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10

Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 2 pages.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

ABC Warriors- MONGROL. Starting work

Working On!


ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Page 1 almost pencilled.



Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16
Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10

Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 0 pages.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Beginning! Mongrol- Blogging!

Working On!

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Thumbnails complete- some storytelling tweaks made to make sure this rocks! Starting character sketches- so I’ll have something to share next week

Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16
A Better Place.
Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Cover Assembly begun.
Zarjaz 10

Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: 4 pages.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing. Nothing happening yet.

04/06/2010; Catch-up!

I spent last weekend working on the commission piece. Which is now complete! I've also scanned, lettered and hand-toned a print of this as well for the customer and I plan on having the whole thing in the post tomorrow.

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Thumbnails started- some storytelling tweaks being ironed out to make sure this rocks!



Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16
Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10


Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: nowt. However, I've got four to do, so I'll hopefully have them by this time next week.
Unfortunately I can't really show anything from this yet- I don't have permission.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing.
Over on his BLOG, Locust talks about, and links to- some reviews of the strip.

Friday 28th May...

After last weekends hectic rushing and meeting and drinking and a bit of selling, but mainly chatting- This weekend hopefully will be a little quieter.

Working list:
Drawing:
The Crusader: Spoonful of Honeywith Chris & Steve Denton.
The pages are now away to my trusty colourist and I've finished the lettering.

The image at the top is my entry for the 2000 AD site art comp this month. I even managed to colour this (though I did get some advice on things from Mini-Bolt as I was going along.


Commission. I’m drawing the family unit of a member of the Hive-Mind. Sketches started and I'm looking forward to this. I've also started laying out the board with the required perspectives and I'm hoping to be able to scan somethng worth looking at after the weekend.

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Sketches started, as I've never drawn Mongrol before.

Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16
Cover artist sorted!

Something Wicked 06
Cover Artist sorted!

Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10

Lettering:

Average Joe for Insomnia Publishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: nowt. However, I've got four to do, so I'll hopefully have them by this time next week.
Unfortunately I can't really show anything from this yet- I don't have permission.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing.

Red Sands for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing.

Eagle Awards Rant...

As many of you here will know- the Eagle awards are up and running full tilt now for 2010. This is for titles published in 2009, and FutureQuake has been nominated for the third time in a row. You can vote here, if you like, but read the rest of the blog post first please.

Okay- firstly apologies if this gets a bit obsessive- but this has been bugging me for a couple of years now-

The Eagles, as it stands at the moment, is geared to whoever can get the most votes. It has two phases- open nominations and once the shortlist from there has been decided (presumably the five from each category with the highest nomination votes) then the top five go through for a direct vote-off!

I'm really only focusing on the 'Best British Black & White' category- as that is the only one that I have a vested interest in.

The opening section- with the open nominations is fine- as many folks, myself included, will simply vote for their own titles and hope that they can convince enough readers and friends that they are worthy. This leads to a huge number of nominations presumably, however it seems to work quite well. Indeed this years list is really strong- and I am very proud to have made it this far.

It is the second portion of this that I would change. It is again an open vote. Which is personally a mistake I feel. The current system is open to vast numbers of 'Internet' friends being balloted via Facebook- Twitter- or indeed good old fashioned email to vote for titles that they may well have never read. What is wrong with that? Well, as long as you have read all the books nominated- nothing.

I, personally, feel that once the initial nomination stage is complete, then a set of all titles nominated is provided for a panel of judges- similar to the mercury music prize- where each judge will be able to vote across the board. Automatically there is less chance of 'who has more friends' being a deciding factor- and the work itself will be in a position to shine through. I think that the lead of the eagles should choose a different panel each year- made up of members who do not have a vested interest in which titles are nominated and that all votes are collated in secret.

That would be an Eagle award worth really working towards.

I'd like to say good luck to all those nominated in whatever category you are in- as I feel the Eagles are a fantastic thing- but in need of some work.

That Pre-Bristol feeling!

It’s Bristol weekend. Traditionally seen as the biggest gig in the country- Bristol is based in two venues this year. FQP can be found in the Mercure for both Saturday and Sunday. I’ll most likely be on the table- so if you want a sketch from me, free if you are buying comics, drop by. I’ll also be looking at art samples all weekend.

Working list:
Drawing:
The Crusader: Spoonful of Honeywith Chris & Steve Denton.
All scanned and approved! The pages are now away to my trusty colourist and I’m going to sort the lettering.


Sneaking in next will be my entry for the new comp on the 2000 AD site. Then it is on to...

An actual, honest to god commission. I’m drawing the family unit of a member of the Hive-Mind. Sketches started and I'm looking forward to this.

ABC Warriors: Mongrol- Blogging with David Withers & Mike Carroll
Sketches started, as I've never drawn Mongrol before.

Completed this Week!
Publishing:

FutureQuake 16
MASON HE WROTE

Something Wicked 06
Dogbreath 23
Zarjaz 10

Lettering:

This week I've finished lettering a little strip for Matthew McLaughlin & Tony Rothwell Called Rek Fen-Birn. Only four pages.

Average Joe for InsomniaPublishing.
Ongoing. This week lettered: nowt.
Unfortunately I can't really show anything from this yet- I don't have permission.

Angels of the Somme for Timebomb comics
Writer Alec Robertson, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing.

Red Sands
for Starscape
Writer: Matthew McLaughlin, Art Bruce McLaren
Ongoing: 1st chapter now available from Red Sands and it is all wrapped up in a lovely Alex Ronald cover, too!


As part of the continuing assault on Millarworld by short strips- I’ve relettered the Joy of Text strip from FQ10 by Paul Glasswell and Simon Penter. Simon has done a lovely colour scheme for the page so good luck to the both of them.

The Paginator is a single page strip for the Emperor and Chris Askham that is for the 2000 AD art comp this month.