Thumbnail stage - here is where i write most of the story, on these stupid little sheets of printer paper and some thin Copic SP markers. rough little squiggles aren't they?
Then I sketch the page out full size on tracing paper in very rough, quick form. I'm trying to capture some of the energy of the initial sketch and at the same time, capture the angle that i see in my head, not always an easy thing to do.
A second piece of tracing paper over to make the work more concrete, add guide lines for the anatomy on the face, draw through the figures. From here, if i can see the drawing in my head, I'll pencil this on the final page.
In this case, the lighting was important to get right, so i pulled out the trusty copic Multiliner pen, and a thicker marker to work the shadows until i got the right. I'd prefer to waste a few more square inches of the tracing paper than have to rework the thing on Bristol in the supposedly final stages.
The second issue of The Carnival! coming to APE in 2014! Alex Sheikman and I will be at booth 724. I will be there on Sunday only (owing to them scheduling the Con on Yom Kippur), but Alex will be there selling Dark Crystal work and his sketchbooks both days!
Below is the rough for the second cover...
