Tablet FTW

Recently I purchased a new tablet because I heard about a nice little app called Procreate.

Unfortunately I had to purchase an iPad 4 because it was only available in iOS.

You see, I would have much rather gotten an android tablet, such as the Nexus 10, if only because I've already invested in quite a few Android apps.  I also like that there is quite a bit more freedom in Android.

The iPad does have a really good contrast ratio though and that makes it good for this sort of thing. Though not nearly as good as a decently calibrated monitor.

At first I was worried that I wouldn't make much use of it, but fortunately, I now think it was one of the best purchases I've made in a long time.


Because now I can draw anywhere, and draw the way I want to!

Here are some quick sketches done to get a sense of the whole thing.


I did use some other apps as well.  I find that I prefer roughing things out in Brushes or Sketchbook Mobile. So I have been using those apps a lot too.

Instagram Helps Me Create

It can get very tiring working on Who Needs the Moon in the dark, dingy and unfinished basement in my house.  Well, maybe I shouldn't complain, plenty of people would probably love to have even that.

Anyways, to get my mind off the book and to procrastinate, I have been taking photos often when I am out and about with my Nexus S phone and posting a lot of them to my instagram profile.  Instagram clicked with me.  I am wishing there were either more apps like this, or more sites like this that allow users to just view images and like them.  Specifically I'd love to see something for cartooning and illustration.

I think it helps me take better photos and gets me thinking about composition and colour in unique ways. Also some places help inspire the stories inside my crazy brain, including Who Needs the Moon and my werewolf friend.

Soon, I am planning like to scout out abandoned towns and dark forests, and look for images that I can use as reference for backgrounds in the comic.

It's helped me come to the realization that I have a real thing for #skyporn and #fogporn. Alas, not much fog ever in my neck of the woods.

If you like instagram, why not take a look at my profile?
http://instagram.com/toughmccuddllo
Maybe you can follow me, and I can follow you.

BTW - instagram really should implement a webspace to view this stuff.

The Power of Good Colour Choices

I feel it might be re-hashing a whole lot of stuff that other poeple have gone on and on about over the years.

They've talked about the importance of colour and I have ignored the advice every time.

Recently though I smartened up.

I was going through Nick Cross' Blog reading about his process after watching his fantastic short - Pig Farmer

The Pig Farmer from Nick Cross on Vimeo.

He mentions to, "Never underestimate the value of using gray." It finally got me thinking hard about how I paint and use colour.

So I created a palette with a whole lot of grey values, and threw in more saturated versions and other tones.



It has made a world of difference. Until you start working with greys, you don't realize how colourful they can actually be. What's more, when you add a more saturated value over top, you can start to play light more easily, direct the eye better, make your image more dynamic and create interest.

I, personally feel that it has made a big difference in my paintings already. As I become more comfortable it, I can only get better at it.

Fooling With Styles

So...
I'm developing a graphic novel and at this current point in time I've produced 3 pages.

You'll be able to read it here. Free.

It will most likely be considered a horror book, but I hope that it comes across more as a study of a man.

I was recently very inspired by the works of Yoshihiro Tatsumi and his inspiring ink work. I've pretty much decided that I want to go in the same direction with my own book.

There is something deeply traditional in reading black and white ink work on paper that I feel can really make the reader connect more deeply with a book.

I think it was something I loved about Jeff Smith's Bone and Jim Woodring's Frank too. There is just this sort of simple graphic appeal to the contrast between black ink on paper.

That's not to say that I am not inspired by colour works though. Ben Templesmith's art is very moving too.

Below I sort of did a quick monochromatic experimentation with his work as inspiration to test the waters.

What do you think?