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Draw! #36 Winter 2020 (magazine review).

The opening 40 pages of the latest issue of ‘Draw!’ is an interview between editor Mike Manley and comicbook artist Mike Hawthorne where they are literally talking shop, comparing notes on everything from pencil technique (Hawthorne uses 0.3mm HB autopencils which explains his fine lines), using Photoshop to darken lines, perspective, teaching to comicbook conventions to Kirby’s dislike of the change in the size of original art pages.

Nothing is wasted and it will make you wonder how some art teachers are employed in the USA unable to do some of the basics like perspective correctly.

Jerry Ordwell goes over how he prepares a page from research to word balloon placement, allowing sufficient dead space in the design. Although saying that, on the pages shown it is over background details that don’t otherwise have to be drawn.

Mike Manley interviews French-Canadian Yanick Paquetti who switches between drawing and digitally, using Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint. For those who want to play with this graphic software, which I have, it is reasonably priced and quite flexible, although you have to buy the advanced version if you want to do anime on it, so don’t buy that version unless that is what you’re planning to do.

I like his idea of a digital pen type that needs to be re-dipped in the ink. After all, some digital water colour brushes do this fade out already so it’s not impossible to do.

In ‘Comic art Bookcamp’, Mike Manley and Bret Blevins discuss kickstarting your imagination although what they do in practice we call doodling. Just let loose with a pencil on the page and have some fun. Mind you, both do it elaborately to get their ideas out on paper. Make sure you have a few doddle pads to hand in case you don’t want to waste your more expensive paper. I think I must spend some time doing that more. When I draw these days, it’s often to some purpose or something pre-thought out. Their piece should make you think and act.

Finally, Crusty Critic Jamar Nicholas looks at the merits of Prismacolor and Copic felt-tip marker pens. Both do their jobs but differentiated by price and just how many you need.

In many respects, ‘Draw!’ is targeted at the comicbook professionals and those who want to learn the trade. As I fall somewhere in between, it’s also a fascinating read that gives insight into the profession regardless.

GF Willmetts

December 2019

(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $ 8.95 (US). ISSN: 1932-6882. Direct from them, you can get it for (US))

check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com, www.draw-magazine.blogspot.com

 https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_59&products_id=1413 and

www.penciltopencil.com 

UncleGeoff

Geoff Willmetts has been editor at SFCrowsnest for some 21 plus years now, showing a versatility and knowledge in not only Science Fiction, but also the sciences and arts, all of which has been displayed here through editorials, reviews, articles and stories. With the latter, he has been running a short story series under the title of ‘Psi-Kicks’ If you want to contribute to SFCrowsnest, read the guidelines and show him what you can do. If it isn’t usable, he spends as much time telling you what the problems is as he would with material he accepts. This is largely how he got called an Uncle, as in Dutch Uncle. He’s not actually Dutch but hails from the west country in the UK.

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