Draw! #31 Fall 2015 (magazine review).
With this issue of ‘Draw!’, I’ve caught up with my multi-buy of issues bought of this magazine. Editor Mike Manley interviews watercolourist J.G. Jones about his techniques, depending on layouts then models to get the desired looks he wants in his illustrations. He also gives a sound argument to use quality paints than risk them bleaching with age. I was surprised this also applied to Doc Martin’s colours so I hope those of you with original art on their walls, don’t keep them in direct sunlight.
Jerry Ordway explains the problems he had with interpreting the cover designer’s drawing into something he would be happy with. Looking at Ed Hannigan’s design in full inks, you would wonder why they would need to hand out the work at all as it was mostly a complete piece of art in its own right. The cover sketches that I own of Dave Cockrum’s when he was cover designer at Marvel kept mostly to pencils and roughs in comparison leaving room for the final penciller to do their own interpretation.
Choosing the right picture or interpretation shows how much thought has to be given and then relies on the strength of the artist to sell it. Of particular note, always have your characters going to the right as, at least in the western world, we read pictures that way and also avoids characters running or flying into the staples.
Mike Manley’s interview with Khoi Pham clearly shows it’s not age when you start, he was 30, but talent and a bit of luck that gets you work. He draws on paper or digitally depending on requirement. Even so, there’s a hidden lesson that if you’re going to sell art to fans, then it’s not digital you need so does make sense to straddle both types. He also uses ClipStudio Paint as his digital platform and his examples here shows how flexible it can be with quick sketches to warm up as well.
The ‘Comic Art Bookcamp’ has Mike Manley and Bret Blevins gives some very important lessons in what you need to be to be a professional artist and a lot of it boils down to hard work, busy late hours and continual enthusiasm. If you like your leisure time too much, this isn’t the kind of work you want to do. You never stop learning and practice all the time and need to keep your portfolio up-to-date all the time with various samples because you never know which ones will pique an editor’s fancy. Manley pointing out that a funny animal comicbook page and not one of Batman continuity gave him his break.
Jamar Nicholas tells of a visit to Japan and looking for art equipment that he couldn’t get in the USA. His example of the Kuretake No. 7 Brush Pen-Fine, only available in Japan at the time, made me check and it looks like that still applies. You do have to wonder why its manufacturer restricts it so much.
As ever, lots to learn here and if you can buy the available issues from TwoMorrows as a set, then its money well spent to help you improve your art techniques and learn from a lot of different people.
GF Willmetts
August 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&cPath=98_59&products_id=1199
