FLIGHT

Thanks, guys! The crit about chadows vs. linework is well taken - I actually am using a palette of colors for the shadows, which are on a photgraphic "burn" layer - cool blues and purples for outside and warmer red for inside. I think it's a little too subtle though, and perhaps a just a little more saturation would help bring it out more. On the other hand I didn't want to go all the way towards making the whole thing look too blue or red...

A lot of it may have to do with my monitor - I was actually afraid they were reading as too BRIGHT for night scenes! Maybe in print it'll differentiate better, but that's some time in the future.

I think subconsciously, I'm also trying to cover up the lines a little bit. Frankly, I'm not really happy with the linework on this comic - it feels very heavy and clunky to me so far, but I'm sticking with it because it's easier to do (technical marker and brush, where I'd normally be using a mix of steel pens and crowquills, like on Hotel Metropolitan).

--M

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Finally got this thing back on schedule. So here's the next page.



Jason - I tried to push the colors on this one a little bit, with the shadows. It definitely looks warmer, but I still think it can go a little farther still.

Joost - as for the "day" scene - I actually had to sit down and plot out the time sequence for the action here, and as it turns out, dawn is at the end of this chapter!

As for this page, specifically, though, there's a whole bit behind it but it's already on my site so I'll spare you, except to say thanks again to everyone who's been reading!

--M

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I see what you mean about the text being a lot. But you just can't avoid pages like this from time to time; story must be told. I actually think you great job making the command post feel claustrophobic and let Zaballa and Haulley have their argument all on the same page.

What I wanted to say: great page!

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www.joosthaakman.com

I'm bound to thank you once again, Joost - the encouragement goes a long way! And both you and Jason are responsible, in a way, for the tack I'm taking on this particular page (which is why, in this posting, it's just inks down there!)

This week I've again fallen short of my goal, as seems to be my lot recently. But I got a long way, and this page is one I'm really happy with - I really think it's my best page so far on this project. Colors are now in progress and will be posted as soon as I'm done with them. But the comments I've gotten here about the colors and the dark-vs-light contrasts I've had and their effect on the linework has made me think a lot more carefully about this page, and so I'm slowing down the production a little bit to reassess my color technique, in particular my highlighting and shadows, so as to get this page just right.



Thanks again to everyone following this, and for the comments and encouragements!

--M

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Let's just say I know where you're coming from; I find it very difficult to keep working on my own comic and put in all I have just so it might come a little closer to what the big boys are making.

About your colors and shadows; what I do is I set the shadow layer on multiply to let the shadows blend a little with the colors underneath this way it looks less like the shadows are painted on.

About your page; Great page! I know I say this a lot but then again you make a lot of great pages. The pose of the bottom left Russian getting hit is excellent and I like that the unarmored ones are looking really scared. Oh and the headlight of the tank in the front has some really nice detail!

Again can't wait for the colored version.

Joost.

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www.joosthaakman.com

Just a note to let you know that color's been added above! Page 11 took me a long time to do, all told, with the linework and colors and all, but it came out the way I wanted it to in the end!

Thanks, Joost, once again, and everyone who's been visiting!

Back to the drawing board!

--M

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Hey M! This new approach to your colouring surely paid off, it adds a lot of depth to the image. It's quite a big improvement if you compare it to the colours on page 10.

I like it, keep 'm coming!

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www.joosthaakman.com

Two new pages. I held off posting because I wanted to get them both at once, as they're a sort of a couplet, action-wise.


It's almost redundant to be posting as much here as I am on my own website, but whatever. I still hope you visit the site, anyway!

And remember, critiques can be helpful - Joost left me a very useful couple of comments last week that helped me tweak this scene, and it really helped me correct some problems I was having and didn't even notice! So, yeah!

Anyway, I'm outta here. Merry Christmas, everyone who's celebrating it, and to those who aren't, I send a non-threatening, non-denominational seasonal vibe to you, as well!

--M

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Great action!
Those 2 pages together look awesome! Good colloring, good work!

Merry Christmas.

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www.joosthaakman.com

Merry Christmas, man.

It's looking really nice. I was a little worried that your art could look a little static since the inks are so tight and proportionate, but you've done a good job at implying motion, and showing direction.

I kind of feel the same way about posting my strip here and on my blog, which is why I've done a preview kind of thing like Steve LeCoulliard does, but every once in a while I like to post a full strip. Plus hardly anyone comments on my blog except family members, and you. hah. Thanks.

Alright, have a great holiday.

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Wow, thanks, guys! Gunwhale: I was afraid of the same thing, and it's kind of what I have to accept for working with technical markers on this one. I'm trying to be more adventurous with them, but there's a definite limit to what they can do. On my other "semi-active" project Hotel Metropolitan, I use steel crowquills and brush, and though more difficult to use cleanly, they give a much more satisfactory result. Markers, though, allow me to work much faster and on lower-quality paper. So it's a tradeoff.

Joost: as always, the support is much appreciated! The comment you left on the proportions of the character in midground really tied the composition together!

And here is the latest page. Inks now, color later. I am quite happy with the result. (Brief profanity below - if this is a no-no, I'll "bleep" it and repost. Mods message me if this is no good?)



Thanks again for the comments, everyone! It's a huge help, and a great encouragement!

--M

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Those last four pages together make an awesome action sequence! I like little things like the driver pointing his gun at the soldier ripping out the door of his truck.
Oh and Mike is big! Really big!

As always can't wait to see it colored.

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www.joosthaakman.com

Color added!

Thanks for the compliment, Joost! Mike certainly IS big. Actually, I think he might be a little out of proportion to the tank he's crushing, versus the size he appeared on page 4. But I think it's forgivable for dramatic effect. Also, with the coloring this time I tried something new. I used more textured and shaped shadows, to produce shade along curves and on soft surfaces, while trying to maintain the cel-shaded, "animated cartoon" style. I like it, but it still needs more development, I think. But it does look a lot smoother, for sure. The hard lines on the edges of all the shadows was bugging me, and I think this partially improves it.

--M

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So here we go again. Inks now, color later. This one feels particularly smooth to me for some reason. I just like it. Of course, in looking at old pages, ones I liked at the time I now hate, but that's all part of the biz.


Incidentally, I want to summarize here a special part of my post for the blog this week: I'm travelling for two weeks at the end of February, and I would very much like some guest art to fill the gap. As a small incentive, I'm offering a cameo appearance in 6-Commando, in the political affiliation of your choice, to whoever produces a piece of guest art I then subsequently use during those two weeks. I'm not picky or protective, so anything that's 6-Commando-related will be acceptable to me! So email me, PM me here, or post on my blog, or whatever! Think how fun! No reasonable offer turned down! All welcome!

--M

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Great page M.!

That last panel with colonel Haulley is truly excellent! I have seen quite a few pictures with foreshortening in published work that are just “off” and yours is just spot on. Well done!

And the tank is simply awesome.

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