More comic work...

Ok - first up, meet Sprocket. Primary robot on-board Lucy's ship...
He's quite a good egg, but sometimes he has attitude...

... as well as a set of rocket powered skates. He's chief cook and bottle washer too. Last, but by no means least, is Crykk and Honest Jock...
Crykk is the Engineer - someone you should have complete understanding with, which is a problem, as the only word that Crykk knows is "Crykk!" Luckily (for Him) Sprocket is fluent in Crykk. Honest Jock is the used spaceship salesman on WayPoint Station, who's primary purpose in life is to separate the Captain from his hard earned cash...

Some of these cartoons are shaded in pencil - this is deliberate, as I want to use them as a platform for futher work later on, possibly in ArtRage3... Yes, ArtRage3 is imminent, and it comes with a proper inking tool - my christmas's have all come at once...

Lucy and The Captain

These are a couple of characters I'm looking into for a new webcomic (I gave up the idea of the hamsters - not enough scope). I'm really please with these ones, although in the future, I'll probably change the black shirt - trousers for color, to improve the look. Lucy is the second in command of a trading ship, and is our much beleaguered heroine. Her Captain (name to come) is basically a well meaning, Captain Hastings type (utterly hopeless, in other words). Other characters will come soon, but as for these too, I'm happy enough with the design.

My Experiences with Bristol Board

This month, I finally got round to purchasing some Bristol Board, just to see how it compares. Up till now, I've used either straight 80 / 110 gsm copying paper, or 250 gsm smooth off-white card, so I took 1 A3 sheet of Bristol, and prepared to destroy it...

First impressions: very smooth. Lovely to pencil on, and you can erase really easily. So far so good then, so on to Inking...

Tried some dip pens and indian ink - not as impressed as I'd thought I'd be. Just as scratchy, and no real improvement. Brushes next, and yes, about the same. Then on to technical markers. Again, no real improvement, everything about the same. Bring on the brush pens...

Again, no real improvement, but I noticed more smudging, as if the ink was taking longer to dry. On to the LAMY fountain pens...

..And disaster! Smooth to work with, but noodlers absoluetly hates Bristol - it slides like a dog on ice! I was happy enough, until I came to rubbing out the pencils - smudge, smudge, smudge...

Also tried my UNI Signo white gel pen for correction... Got some strange results. Definitely depends on ink drying time being longer on Bristol.

Long and short? Use technical markers or brushes - everything else hit and miss. Makes me wonder if marker paper would be a better alternative...

On a side note, I'm starting to think about reducing my working pens to...

0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7/0.8 Technical Markers - usually Pilot/Faber/Staedtler
Black brush pens - small and large, filled with acrylic ink.

CCGB Compo 31/10/2009

Character Designs - Fuzz

Meet Fuzz. Fuzz is a hamster character I'm working on for a new comic I'm planning. Looks cute doesn't he? How wrong you would be, because Fuzz is a hamster with attitude! The first version is done with Lamy's, the others with mapping nib and brush.

It's no good...

I've tried, and tried and tried...

...but I can't create digitally.

I've tried different types of software to create my cartoons - Artrage, Manga Studio, OpenCanvas, Painter... the list goes on and on. I've tried digitally inking, pencilling, vectors, everything.

And I hate them.

I love paper and ink. There, I've said it. I'd rather pick up a pencil and draw my cartoon, ink it with pens and brushes, rather than try to re-create the feel of it digitally. There's just something so bloody sexy about it. If you're reading this Cathy, I think I'm beginning to understand where you're coming from now.

Having said all that, I still feel happier colouring digitally - I like correcting my mistakes after all!

Keep watching people, because I'm working on a new fluffy project right now, and you'll be the first to see the previews - watch this space peeps!

Honest answers required...

Well, I'm in a bit of a quandary. I'm trying to work out if I prefer my line art using Xara, or inking by hand - what do YOU think?

First off, a tramp (or is it a former RBS employee?)Secondly, a practice piece inked in Xara - am I wasting my time?

One thing I have noticed - the whole process is faster by hand...!

More Ladies

Couple of more girls today. We have a girl at a party...

... and a mum (or auntie) and her baby (aaawww!)

I think both show that I'm getting better!

Lamy Girls (warning ** nudity **)

I said there would be some updates soon didn't I? Here are my LAMY Girls - warning, there is nudity...
Here is my greek girl, and the first one drawn this week (you should notice that they get progressively better!)

Now it's Action Girl - yes, I know the boobs are off...


Now it's Goth Girl - generally better than the previous too - except for the feet (what was I thinking?)
Now for Action Girl - complete with "Monkey" style staff, and getting better still...
Lastly, Nude Girl - MUCH better all round, including the pose (this also has the destinction of being the first drawing withe new Uni Eno Soft Blue leads)...


What do you think? Note for myself - Greek Girl has best arms, Nude Girl has best overall figure and style.

News...

Interesting week so far. My last compo toon got 2 points, amid some very stiff competition, but it was the first one to use my new Lamy Nexx. I've now got some Uni Eno Soft Blue leads from Taiwan in my favourite tech pencil, and I love 'em! They're much nicer to use than the Pilot Blue leads that I have been using (lighter, much more erasable), and I feel much more comfortable using these when I'm drawing.

I've been doing a lot of Toon ladies in the last week, as I'm trying to get a more sensual female character style (including changes to lips, body proportions etc..) but hands are still my bogey item! I'll post some soon, once I'm happy with how they're going (there will be some nudity - you have been warned...)

Perhaps I'll take some pictures of my drawing kit soon - just for future reference... :)

Thoughts on the LAMY Nexx...

OK - MY Lamy Nexx (with EF Nib) has finally arrived, thanks to those good people at The Writing Desk. So far, I've been very impressed by it. It has a lovely feel, thanks to the aluminum barrel & rubber grip, and it's balance is good. It seems a bit easier to handle than the Lamy Safari (at least, for drawing), although it's a similar size, but the star of the show is definitely the nib. Smooth (for a fine nib), fast & free flowing. Expect to see more work from me soon, using this new pen... :)

CCGB Compo 3/10/09

Latest entry for the CCGB Compo!

Formula Romanii

When Bert the Ancient Britain, suggested to Ignoramus about the possibility of a new sport...

"You know, like a chariot race, where we can compete for a.. a.. Trophy like, and each clan can enter a chariot or two, and we can get sponsors...."

...I don't think he had this in mind. But, Ingormaus is nothing if not a traditionalist...! Anyway, he's heard about a new kid on the chariot racing block, Jensonus Buttonus...

WOW - I've been cartooning for over a year...

... and I hadn't even noticed the anniversary!

I can't believe it's been a over a year since I started - it seems like forever, and I don't mean that in a horrible way either. it's just been so quick...
Anyhow, my "lemmings" cartoon didn't get any points this week - too many people had the same idea, however, I made a quick change to the caption, and now it works better...


And Steve Bright liked the idea of a lemming called "Leopold"!

Billious being, well...

Billious just LOVES girls. And it's always a bad idea to walk past a barracks full of horny legionnaires anyway... The motion lines on the leg are wrong - just more stuff I've got to practice...

ArtPen, and Lamy Safari. New pen is on it's way - A Lamy NEXX with an extra fine nib...

CCGB Compo - 26/09/09

Latest attempt in the CCGB Compo (26/09/09). Will this get any votes?

Last of the Romans, and other bits

Bits and bobs this. A trek-type character, a space harlot of some kind, and a test Legionaire.

Quick note - the last few posts have been drawn using my new favourite tools - Rotring ArtPens and Lamy fountain pen, all filled with Noodlers Ink.

Romans 3 - Characters

More character work. (from left to right - top row) Billious, Centurian Stomachus Grossus, Ignoramus (Bill's best mate), General Motus, (bottom Row) Brutus Maximus, Billious (again), and two views of Secretia (our love interest)...

Romans 2 - More Design Work

More design work for a possible comic. The big guy is Brutus Maximus - the real "muscle" in Billious's little squad of grunts...

Romans - Billious

I've been reading some history books about my home town of Colchester recently - it's really suprising how much actually went on around here you know. Anyhoo, it got me thinking about creating some comic characters that could be set in Roman Colchester (Camulodunum to you), the biggest city in Roman Britain. Meet Billious - a typical Roman Legionaire...