Draw! #29 Fall 2014 (magazine review).
Going back 7 years with this issue of ‘Draw!’, Mike Manley interviews and talks shop with illustrator Dave Dorman and we see samples of his work in progress. When it comes to digital, we share something in common in preferring a graphics screen rather than use a Cintiq tablet because it gives a better communication with the picture.
When he paints, Dorman prefers oils, but will detail in acrylics. I should point out for any of you people experimenting, don’t do it the other way around or you’ll have problems with the paints sticking to the canvas. He does go into this in depth later in the interview.
Essentially, it’s all to do with porosity and blocking the canvas. Something I hadn’t realised was Liquidtex had actually made oil paints but only stopped when their factory burnt down. For those who like tracing their pencil art onto canvas, I hadn’t realised that there was graphite paper that is pencil coated so you don’t have to do the laborious task of penciling on the back of your paper before tracing.
Not something I’ve ever done myself as I tend to layout my lines directly onto canvas. It would be interesting to see when printer manufacturers make a printer capable of printing onto large canvas.
For the ‘Comic Art Bookcamp’, Mike Manley and Bret Blevins, with his son Tim Blevins, show how idea concepts are developed for the latter’s fantasy ‘Epoch’ although there is more an emphasis on the characters than the world. I’ve created my own realities in a variety of ways subject to story demands. With comicbook, you have to have an idea of the visuals laid down to ensure some consistency so useful lessons.
By far the longest interview I’ve seen in ‘Draw!’ is Jamar Nicholas with LeSean Thomas, who goes over his poor background and inattentiveness but lucky to get people who have faith in him as he went into animation and later comicbooks. I’ve looked up his current CV and he’s taken on many other credits since then proving you can make it in the industry.
Finally, Jerry Ordway goes through the development stages of recreating ‘The Challengers Of The Unknown’ as a mini-series for ‘The New 52’ and finding what was originally going to be 5 issues reduced to 3. Being flexible in the creative process is all part of being professional and, even so, there must have been a lot of nail-chewing.
Although this issue is a lot more text orientated, the important thing this time is more to do how to sort your thoughts out. Drawing well is the main talent but being able to be flexible and thinking on your feet is all about being a professional so useful lessons.
GF Willmetts
June 2021
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $ 8.95 (US). ISSN: 1932-6882. Direct from them, you can get it for $ 3.00 (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&products_id=1168
