Draw! #22 Spring 2012 (magazine review).
Editor Mike Manley says this issue was the best up to this point. Seeing Frank Miller on the cover should guarantee that, although the issue starts off with an interview with inker Scott Williams who discusses his trade and the deterioration in equipment. Rather interestingly, his selection of Pentel Presto! Correction Pens for white correction because it is easier to ink over should make you think. I shouldn’t be that surprised really. After all, the usual white-up is water-based but too chalky, even when dry.
Rather more telling and applicable to all people who sit for long hours working is to get up and exercise those back muscles at least once an hour or risk having some serious back problems which means you can’t work at all. Not a good choice for any freelance artist in any kind of job. It did make me wonder if this is one of the reasons why painters stand up when painting. Oh, for the Neal Adams fans amongst you, there are some of his pages before and after inking of his ‘Batman: Odyssey’ by Williams.
Mike Manley goes over his painting a Robin Hood book cover from models to enlargement of sketch to final work. I do wonder why manufacturers haven’t considered more economically priced A3 scanners and A3 printers that can print non-photographic blue for commercial artists.
Something that did make me stop and think is his comments on indecision and something I hope Manley goes back to later or if he hasn’t covers in a more current issue if he’s reading my reviews of early issues. There’s a lot of decision making when drawing or painting or any project come to that as to when a particular stage in the process is complete and then moving onto the next. Think of how many times you are in any project when you step back, look at the work and modify it and never be quite satisfied and have to look the next day or later with a fresh eye.
The time creating any painting or illustration is often less about the time working and looking over the work knowing there’s something that can be improved and how far should you go before implementing let alone choosing the right technique. There’s always a need to know when to stop and get a move on, often to deadlines, but the indecisiveness can leave personal works on the easel for ages. Not quite artist’s block but definitely needs further exploration and professionals discussing how they tackle it. This also explains why so many artbooks are bought to see how this is covered by others.
Danny Fingeroth interviewed Frank Miller about how he developed as an artist and he learnt more by the pros tearing apart his work until finally it was realised despite his flaws he could tell a story and then things clicked. Seeing the sample pages after the interview, Miller’s strengths are obviously with chiaroscuro giving shape more than detail to the page. Seeing how he builds his pages and playing with design than standard panelling is also quite interesting although I doubt if many pros will go that way. Miller also discusses his writing and varies how he writes to the artist he is working with.
James Nicholas as the Crusty Critic has a look at the various black inks out there at the time. The main criteria should apply wherever you are in the world. Remember Indian ink, you need a good black permanent ink and then look at how it flows from brush or pen. I was very cautious with Indian ink because it could be blotchy so you need to find something that works for you that stays permanent.
Finally, under ‘Rough Critique’, Bob McLeod looks over another hopeful and how to address problems that would give problems for the reader to follow the art. A lot of this is more to remember direction the characters are facing and maintain between panels. His block patterns should be a handy test to see where the motion is across the panels.
I tend to agree with Mike Manley. A lot to learn here and you are now in masterclass with your art here. If you’ve been able to buy all the issues as I did, you should be building up your technique. Always remember: Practice, practice, practice but study as well. You never stop learning.
GF Willmetts
February 2021
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $ 7.95 (US). ISSN: 1932-6882. Direct from them, you can get it for $ 7.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com, www.draw-magazine.blogspot.com and www.penciltopencil.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_59&products_id=1006
