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January 31, 2006
January 25, 2006
News Round
Course work:
I've used the colour tests I conducted last week to inform my new paintings. I've started using a process of layering washes of colour to make the images more integrated. Above is the start of a painting next to it is a pile of colour swatches I made.
The grouper is holding some kind of summit, the other fish seem very interested, but the dolphins weren't invited. Some people (i.e. Andrew Smith) think I have toy fish on my desk just to play with them, but they don't understand the intricate politics that go on...
Freelance work:
I am working on two projects at the moment, both of which I thought would be finished by Christmas, but both are still on the go and I'm looking forward to moving on. I'm also applying for a job at Newcastle Uni. I don't have exactly the right qualifications, but I have experience so they said they'll consider me. There is also some crazy mayhem surrounding a tv show pitch I helped work on, which is causing some stress!
General comics stuff:
James Harvey (some of you may remember him from 'Super cookie mix') has a new website, check it out:
http://www.maudevintage.com/jamesharvey/index.html
Also, 2000AD are looking for new artists and writers to contribute to their magazine, and it's currently dividing the small press community. On one hand, people are saying the offer should be rejected by everyone because there is no money being offered and 2000AD are just looking for free stuff to fill their pages. On the other hand, people are saying it's too good an opportunity to miss out on.
Both are valid points, and it seems to be artists who are used to getting paid for work who taking the first view and small pressers who are used to paying to produce work who are taking the second view.
This is a common situation for freelance illustrators. In illustration there isn't really a set fee and it's very difficult for established artist to maintain rates when new artists (particularly students) are willing to do the job for little or no money. It seems to be a very similar situation with this 2000AD thing. Boycotting it won't work, there will always be someone willing to contribute to it.
Oh, and I've just found this great link on Drawn!, Kazu Kibuishi shows us how he makes his comic 'copper'. It's very interesting. He holds his pencil really weird.
January 24, 2006
YCNI:M
Sheriff has been working on the new YCNI:M video, and there are now some photos up on his flickr account. ( And they'll be playing on the 6th of Feb at the Cluny)
January 23, 2006
Everything's spinning.
Pub crawl in Hexham yesterday was fun at the time, but I'm regretting it now. It's been a long time since I had a hangover and I'd almost forgotten how much fun they aren't.
Did my Kali grading on Saturday. Won't get the results till Tuesday, and there's still a written test to do. I thought it went well, but apparently when me and Dave were doing Heaven six lying down the instructor was laughing at us, which I'm thinking isn't such a good sign.
Finally transcribed that Bryan Talbot interview, and I will be posting an edited version up here soon.
And some news from Chris Staros, Kochalka's HOCKEY MONKEY song is theme to a new show on Fox called THE LOOP. It will premier on Wednesday March 15 at 9:30pm Eastern Standard Time, immediately following AMERICAN IDOL on FOX.
Matthew over at Bugpowder reports that there is a Zine fest in Manchester in Feb.http://www.manchesterzinefest.org.uk/. Sounds interesting.
January 18, 2006
It's tough always being right.
Well, I wish I'd seen this when I was writing my essay. In my last essay I hypothesised that the future of web comics would be a combination of comics, animation and game, making it a new medium in its own right. Andy just sent me a link to the new Sam and Max site, and it has a perfect example of my theory (move your mouse over the panels to interact).
I know marvel experimented with this kind of thing years ago, but it didn't really take off.
January 17, 2006
Foto Folly Project
I'm the first person to submit a story to the Foto Folly project on www.startastory.com. Read it here, then go submit your own. It's fun and easy!
Do you miss the show Firefly? I do, and so do these people. (Warning: For those of you viewing this when you should be working, apparently this site is noisy, I don't know I had the sound off anyway.) They're trying to raise enough money to pay Joss Whedon to make a new series. Some fans just won't take 'no' for an answer.
Also, Paul Rainey has a new issue of There's No Time Like the Present out. I've just read it and it's very good, but that's all I'm going to say about it because I'm going to review it for C.I.
Incase you missed it, here is where I interviewed Paul.
January 16, 2006
Fighty photo shoot
Stayed behind after training on Saturday, Sheriff and Andy were taking photos of Matt, Iain and Sam for an article which should hopefully appear in Martial Arts Illustrated magazine. I took some 'behind the scenes' photos, but with an old fashioned camera so it will be a few days before they appear on my flickr account.
Sheriff has some of his up and they are great.
Also, Andi Watson has agreed to answer some questions for me, which is well timed as my next essay is about gender issues and his comics are popular with women, so it should be useful research.
January 13, 2006
Links galore and C.I. January issue.
A bunch of links today:
Malcy told me that the much loved cameo cinema in Edinburgh is in danger of closure. Check out:www.savethecameo.co.uk.
John (of What What) has told me about fun and interesting projects at:
http://www.startastory.com/.
If you picked up the January issue of Comics International and came to this blog looking for the Expo review Loriann mentioned it's here:
Saturday and
Sunday
Photos are here: Flickr set.
The 12 hr comic 'Sunday' mentioned in the announcement section is documented here: Sunday comic.
January 12, 2006
Colour experiment.
I don't usually get to work with colour in my comics, but I always have a colour scheme in mind when I'm writing and drawing. Colour is really important in this graphic novel, so I need to get it right. Today I am conducting some colour experiments to try and find the right kind of blue that I need. This would probably be easier if I was colouring on computer or just using a pantone ref., but with painting there are so many factors to consider, so the tests won't be too indepth but they should give me a better idea of what I need to do.
January 11, 2006
Garfield experiment.
Garfield strips follow a pretty simple formula, and I've always wondered if the punchlines were interchangeable. Now there is a site that brings up random panels, so you can find out for yourself:
http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/natetrue/gar.html
January 10, 2006
Essays complete.
Hooray!! 4000 word essay has been handed in, 1000 word essay is complete (but not yet printed because finding an available printer in this place with ink in it is a job in itself.) Now I can get back to drawing. And detective work: who is Benjamin Stove? Help solve the mystery! Where is Scooby when you need him?
Dave loves Robots
Dave West has a new site devoted to robots. He is building up a great collection of robot art (and a drawing by me), with everything from Cybermen to the Terminator. Artists featured include David Hitchcock, Garen Ewing and Roger Langridge. And me. http://www.robots-assemble.com/
January 09, 2006
New publisher
And now Virgin are making comics too.Arune Singh article
Accent UK strip
I was really happy to be asked to contribute to the next Accent UK anthology. The books they've been releasing are excellent. When I was asked to do something for it, I thought it would be neat to collaborate with andy on it, as we haven't worked together in ages. So, I came up with a story concept and asked if he was interested. It turns out, he was developing a character that would fit in the story really well, so he went off and wrote the story over Christmas. He handed me back a great script, but it was 10 pages and we only have 4 pages to play with. Anyway, above is the first page of my script breakdown. I've managed to fit 4 pages into 9 panels, is this a record?
Today I was invited to join the We love Hulk Hogan group on Flickr, thanks to the pictures of Brownlee at the Christmas party. Naturally, I accepted the invite!
January 06, 2006
New year.
Happy new year. I will resume proper blogging activities on Monday. At the moment I'm working on some essays for Uni, a four page comic with Andy for Accent UK's next book, a pin-up image, a website and I'm getting ready for my next Kali grading this month. It's free for new members to train at Phoenix this month, so if you want to learn some martial arts get yourself down there! Anyway, as Mr.T might say in this situation, 'I'm helluva busy.' Wasn't I meant to be doing a Graphic novel too?Hmm...