Comics and Graphic Novels have two distinct elements: one part is text and scripting, another is sketching, inking and coloring. Comics and Graphic Novels are unique in the sense that both pieces work in tandem to tell the story. Great comic artists are amazing in their own right, even under deadlines to meet monthly, bi-weekly or even weekly art commitments. I've selected 3 great artists in the comic book field, each with their own unique vision and approach to comic art.
The basics of Comic Artwork is the original (real or digital) pencil sketch which provides the skeleton which is how the picture take shape. The artwork then moves to the inker who enhances the pencils of the original artist, adding touches of light and shadow and depth to the artwork for effect. A great inker can enhance the original artwork and add perspective to a 'static' comic panel. Great pencilers and inkers go hand-in-hand when producing superb comic artwork. One of the best in the business is J. Scott Campbell.
J. Scott Campbell draws Harley Quinn, a supervillainess from Batman for an artwork commission. This is Campbell in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xuOk4LnY5s He starts off by drawing the base framework of the art by using pencils. Next, he fills in those pencils (3:13) by using a marker. Campbell inks his own drawing, and fills in the minute details that really make the artwork pop. From this point forward, the art can then move to the colorist to fill in the appropriate areas. A great artist has an incredible inker to add perspective to the sketch, and the colorist builds on the previous labors of penciler and inker. Though Campbell pencils and inks his drawing, the white space is generally red on the character's profile. A great colorist can enhance any comic artist's previous efforts in a collaborative process. Some artists manage pencil, ink and color their own artwork brilliantly.
Skottie Young is a unique artist that is recognized for his distinct artistic style, and is the regular artist for Marvel's adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. Here are just some of his fantastic efforts on display: http://skottieyoungstore.bigcartel.com/products Skottie sketches, inks and colors his daily sketches, but uses computer programs to enhance his pencils, inks, etc. Again, his very stylized and unique art style is expressive, but retains a sense of wonder and oddness that stands out among other artists. Skottie inks a cover for The Wizard of Oz adaptation: http://www.youtube.com/user/skottieart#p/u/8/XdsEsb_CcKQ Again, Skottie pencils the sketch before inking it digitally, but uses the tools available to bring out the depth and shadow that he wishes to convey from the sketch. By using these inking tools, he can make changes easily without damaging the original sketch. Skottie has penciled and inked many of his own works for various comic companies which is an incredible feat: http://www.skottieyoung.com/p/about.html Generally speaking, comic book art is a three step process, penciling, inking and coloring, but sometimes one artist can complete all aspects of it.
Jim Lee is one such artist. Lee pencils, inks and colors this commissioned piece of The Joker from Batman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es00TDfFQPY This is a fantastic example of the comic art process in action. He starts with 'pencils' with light marker lines, fills in the more defined lines with marker, and then fills in the subtle details with red marker highlights. Jim Lee is one of the most dynamic and revered artists in the field, and is a regular contributor to DC comics. Jim's pencils have an incredible amount of detail within them initially, but when inked and enhanced, the true mastery of his artwork shines through. In this pencil drawing from Batman: Hush, Jim Lee has an incredible amount of detail in the initial stages of his work. When applying the colors and inks to the drawing, the brilliance of his detail work shines through: http://scifimafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/hush1.jpg The detailing and cleanup of those initial lines is brilliantly rendered with the additional detail. The small details and embellishments in Lee's artwork convey a large field of vision, and brilliant shadowing and depth are brought to the surface with the colored art on the right.
There are hundreds of incredibly skilled pencilers, inkers and colorists in the field of Comic Books/Graphic Novels, but being a great artist is a collaborative process. Though Comic Book art can convey the simplest aspects the script writer lays out, great art takes on a life of its own when all the pieces are in place. Comic Book art is as integral to the direction of the story as the words on the page, but both aspects are needed for a great comic book to tell a great story. Sometimes, a picture tells 1000 words. This is such a picture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xp_tY4KNhI&feature=related This is a magnificent example of an incredible artist creating incredible artwork for incredible stories. Comic Books and Graphic Novels are like no other medium in print, especially when backed by spectacularly talented artists.
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