Work Classification (Comic Book Art)

When it comes to producing a comic book or graphic novel one realizes very quickly that it requires a team and is almost impossible to produce fast enough and on a level of acceptable quality without two or three people working on the same project. However, the writer/story boarder/character designer is the guy with the vision. Its his project, his story, he is the producer. He directs others on the project like a brain directs the hands and eyes. 

Here follows a project I produced, some character concept designs (100% my work), some final character sketches (100% my work), some story boards (collaborative work under my supervision) and some final pages (collaborative work under my supervision). To acknowledge some people who have worked with me on this project I will mention where they have contributed.

Character concept designs done in pen.

Final design sketch done in marker pens and ball point. 

Character concept sketches done in pen. 

Final design sketch done in Copic marker and ball point pen. 

A story boarded page inclusive of the designed character, done in pen and marker by Pitshou Mampa and myself. This character has not been in a final rendered page yet. 

This concept sketch is for the head of a dragon done in pen. 

This story board done by Pitshou Mampa and myself uses the designed dragon's head. 

This "final" page meant for printing was not of good enough quality. 

This photoshop rendering by Paul Loubser was redesigned by me but still failed to satisfy. 

This photoshop by Paul Loubser came very close to what my designs required but it we never completed it.

This level of hand drawn quality only touched up in computer is still the best as far as I am concerned. Here Pitshou Mampa reached my specifications perfectly. This page was signed off for printing. 

This was the original cover design concept for the comic but it ended up not being so scary. 

This was the final cover chosen. 

Work Stages (Concept Sketches 2)

Concept sketching is a divergent thinking process. This means you let your mind run free and you come up with many and varied ideas. This requires very quick sketches to capture the basic ideas. The drawings will be small and loosely sketched. The best media for this is pencil or marker pens but any will do. The principle is to not get caught by developing and over-working one idea but to rather just plot down as many as you can. Development follows later. 

Pencil and pen capture the basics here. Notice how easily basic lines capture the mood of each figure. 

Here the concept is to see how armour would look once worn. Concept sketching allows for all kinds of quick experiments. 

Again pencil combining with pen allows us to see this concept for a proper sketch to follow. 

Pen and marker pens for this skull idea. 

A concept for a ring design inspired by a feather done in pen and marker pens. 

Ring concepts leading to a final concept done in pen. Now proper design development should follow. 

In the jewellery design profession, designing for a client requires concept drawings to be slightly "neater"/ more developed. This is to assist them to understand and interpret the drawings more accurately. These are all done in pen. 

Concept designs for a comic book character. 

Media (Pencil 1)

This very old worldly and traditional medium has for centuries been used as the mainstay for sketching. Sketching on quick concepts and for completing what can definitely be seen as final works of art is accepted in this medium. It is forgiving due to being erasable, it's subtle and bold. It works well for beginners and the extremely adept. 

It's rare that I do concept art or pre-sketches in pencil. Seeing as these are never final works, mistakes are irrelevant and as such pencil is too "boring". Still here was a "pose" sketch done in pencil. 

These design concepts for hair pins are probably the only concepts I have ever drawn in pencil for jewellery. These have also been digitally edited. 

Greater detail is clear in this one. 

Great emotional dynamic can be gained through the use of pencil's shading qualities. 

Pencil can be very inspiring to work with and allows for extreme detail. 

Media (Marker Pens 1)

The faster I can draw the better. I like being able to communicate a concept or idea through drawing but being able to doe it accurately and quickly is very important. Marker Pens gives the clear definition of Pen and Ink coupled with a speed that surpasses Water Colour. 

Again it works well for initial concept sketching and can by itself or combined with other media, allow for a completed work of art or design rendering. 

Markers combined with some ball point pen it goes a long way for putting down a 40sec concept. 

Only markers with the addition of very little fine liners give a very effective outcome and can take all but a few minutes. 

With a more controlled application of the markers combined with fine liners the effect comes closer to an actual rendering rather than just a concept drawing. This two can take up to 10min to complete. 

Works amazingly well for quick jewellery concept sketches. 

Combined with pen for a quick jewellery design sketch meant for a client. 

Works equally well for any quick concept design like clothing design.

The markers used in this sketch were of the cheap "made-for-kids" type and combined with fine liner and a bit of pencil for a great effect. 

It's easy to imagine how far marker pens can take you toward what would be considered a completed art work. 

Media (Pen and Ink 1)

Now here is a medium that is not for the faint hearted. Its unforgiving, sharp and precise and there is no turning back or "blending-in"of mistakes. I absolutely love the uncompromising confidence it requires and inspires once successfully applied. 

For quick client design concept sketches ball point ink pens work well especially when more than one colour is used. 

Quick and very clear sketches make it easy for a client to understand the design. 

A high level of detail is possible on even a mere concept sketch like with this tiara design done entirely in ball point pen. 

You can imagine the confidence to work in pen as mistakes cannot be erased especially while a client might be watching. 

When it comes to art, pen and ink allow for anything from rough concept sketches to extremely time consuming final works of art. 

A quick unicorn head drawn in pen.

A doodled sketch of an eye. 

A more "developed" design sketch for a cyborg arm. 

A skull concept. 

To complete a drawing like this A3 viper entirely in ball point pen takes several hours of dedicated "scribbling". 

Pen and Ink as a medium is one of my favourites.