Friday, July 28, 2006

More Archie Stuff...


I just finished a couple more pages of an Archie story. It is kind of tough trying to figure line widths. Archie seems to have their own standard to keep things pretty much the same from
book to book where Super Hero books are distinct to the penciler and inker.

For example you know it was Mike Grell or John Romita once you look at the art.

Here is a pencil for page 2 of the story
Pencils by Fernando Ruiz. Story and Characters are (C) by Archie Comics Group


My Inks.

You see some subtle differences from the pencils. These pages are fun to ink and Fernando does a great job on Archie art. He wrote the story as well and it was for Archie's Mysteries so don't forget to support his work.
See you next time... Jimmy

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Boston Comic Show

Rusty B and I went to the Boston Comic show Sunday. We met up with Cesar Feliciano. We had a cool time, Cesar is producing better pencils everytime I see them. We exchanged pages there. Man Cesar, the new pencils are pushing my inking to the limit. I learn more by inking these everyday.

Norm Breyfogle and RickLeonardi was there and Scott from the Inkwell. Rick is doing the JLA Classified story and showed us the pencils. I hope he does well.

Norm's book about Vampires is a gas. Nice job and a lot of work. Brilliantly illustrated.

We also met up with artist Jim Taylor who is penciling for Masterpeice comics, same company Cesar and I are working on a title with. They are slated for a 2007 release.

We talked with Denny O'Neil and I asked him the criteria he used in assesing art and inks when he was with DC and basically there is no formular. Dennis said it was a gut call. If he liked it it was going through.

All in all, while no San Diego convention it was productive and we had a good time.

Now I have to bang these pages out for Cesar with my Skilled, precision skills honed by many months of guessing.

Cheers and see you next time...Jimmy

Friday, July 21, 2006

Archie Comics

I have been reading Archie since the late 1800's and they were pretty cool. A lot of guys I know have never read comics yet they always know who the characters are (A guy Thing, Huh.).

Archie comics produces a quality line of comics free of death and destruction. They are wholesome and refreshing. And better yet you do not need to collect thirty issues of a comic to read a story.

Well the Archie from the forties was kind of a Mickey Rooney take off of the freckled face all American teenage boy. Slowly they pulled in characters we know today. In the 40's the artwork changed ever so slightly and then in the fifties it continues to today with very little change.

Who has not heard of Betty and Veronica, what about Jughead, Moose, Dilton or Big Ethel and the rest hanging out at Pop's Chocolate Shoppe.

Dan DeCarlo was a favorite artist/Inker of mine as well and I loved his work with Archie.

As much as I love inking superhero and monster pages I would love to Ink an Archie story or at least a one pager. I did some pages that Fernando Ruiz penciled from Archies Mysteries.



Archie Mysteries Splash Page I inked over Fernando Ruiz.

So if you like you can write or e-mail Archie comics and ask when I will be inking something in Archie.

That aside The inkers at Archie are extremely Talented. Jim Amash and Bob Smith are amazing in their range of inking.

They have many great pencilers as well like Stan Goldberg, Dan Parent and Fernando Ruiz. So pick up a copy and enjoy the world of Archie.

See you next time...Jimmy


Monday, July 17, 2006

Inking Tools

OK, After many pages of inks, I have come to the conclusion that anything you can use to make a page look good is fair game.

If you want to ink for a living though it seems there can be only three, a Brush, Crowquill and white out or Pro White.

If you use tech pens to ink a page to emulate brush or quill work you effectively are doing twice the work for the same money. You wouldn't cut your grass with hand shears, so why take the time when you can work faster with the correct tools.

I am 99% brush now, and use quill for lines and some curves. I am trying to develop my skill with brush because you lay one teeny thin line to bold and it is in one pass. And like Bob Ross says "I have many happy accidents."

I find circles and short curves to be difficult, but that is a hump I will overcome. Feathering is also my weakness. I could cheat and make them perfect but then a page a day becomes a page every two days and that won't be good.

Anyway, I would use anything I could to do effects and am looking for some suggestions.

I really should explore the possibilties. Any suggestions ae geatly appreciated.

Don't forget you can view my Gallery at Deviant Art.

See you next time...Jimmy

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Doodling...

I am constantly Doodling and have still not learned anything. I love early Archie art and so I do a lot of doodling Archie characters. Here are a couple.

I just draw and sketch in no particular direction. Like I am letting out a steam valve.

I suppose you should diciplin yourself as you go but with no formal training I wing it.

I do know that with constant drawing you will always improve.

So what about Hal Foster? You ask...I love Hal Foster's art and it is the best I had ever seen to tell a story the way he did. I see a lot of Hal in Wally Wood's art.

I just love doodling Prince Valiant as well.

Batman and Superheroes are diferent now to doodle because I have to do it from an inkers eye. So Now I have to restructure my doodling.





Anyway This is what I do to draw...Nothing structured unless asked to.

See you next Time...Jimmy....

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