Magneto! Master of Magnetism! - A process look at a 12" x 18" gouache painting

I use  Arches 140lb Watercolor Paper Block, Cold Press. Its over $60 for 20 sheets. 

This paper holds paint and water without warping, better than anything I've ever used.

It's important to lighten the pencil lines as some of the colour will be semi-transparent when used with water and the lines can show through.

I use PrismaColor Kneaded Rubber

I snap off a piece and roll it into a cylinder. It molds just like silly puddy--its fun!

Then I roll the cylinder lightly over the pencils with the palm of my hand. This lightens without erasing all together.

wash your hands and dry them thoroughly before doing this. There will always be oils on the skin of your palms, but the less the better. Remember, if you are using a water based paint like gouache, it can be disrupted by a greasy surface.

Now I mask with this.

Just scotch masking tape. 

The cheap stuff works just fine and it never tears the Arches paper. (it has been known to tear some of the cheaper bristol board I've used, however. So be careful).

I paint with gouache, generally and though I use many brands, I usually prefer either Winsor & Newton or the Royal Talens Art Creation line.

The colours I'll be using will be:

Azure Blue (Royal Talens)

Prussian Blue (Royal Talens)

Yellow Ochre (Winsor  & Newton)

Lemon Yellow (Royal Talens)

Chinese Orange (Winsor  & Newton)

Spectrum Red (Winsor  & Newton)

Cadmium Red Deep (Winsor  & Newton)

Burnt Sienna (Royal Talens)

Zinc White (Holbein)

Jet Black (Holbein)

The brushes I'll be using are:

#8 round sable hair brush

#10 round sable hair brush

 Then as always, I start with the background.

 Then I establish the lighting I want by filling in the shadows with black.

 Once the shadows are established and I have a consistent light source nailed down --

 I start in with the Zorn skull mask. I love painting metals.

 I start by painting a red base for the cape using Cadmium Red Deep (Winsor  & Newton)

 After the base red is established with shadow and highlights, I coat it with a semi translucent blue colour after the red is dry. I use Prussian Blue (Royal Talens). It allow the red with its shadows and highlights to show through and gives the fabric and metal a purple hue.

 Now I start in with the red using a combination of Spectrum Red (Winsor  & Newton) and Cadmium Red Deep (Winsor  & Newton)

 Cyclop's Visor is painted in with Spectrum Red (Winsor  & Newton) for the Ruby Quartz part and the gold is done with Yellow Ochre (Winsor  & Newton), Lemon Yellow (Royal Talens). Chinese Orange (Winsor  & Newton) and Burnt Sienna (Royal Talens)

The masking is removed 

then its scanned in so you can see a more accurate representation of the colour.

JK’s Happy Hour: Rebekah Issaacs

In this episode Darrell and J.K. talk some Trek before reviewing IDW’s new Judge Dredd series written by Duane Swierczynski. http://www.idwpublishing.com/news/article/2557/

Then we’re off to the Pub to talk with Rebekah Issacs about her work with Dark Horse’s “Angel and Faith” http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Angel_%26_Faith , London Super Comic Con http://www.londonsupercomicconvention.com/guests2/

and the upcoming Granite Con this fall. http://www.granitecon.com/artists/

Follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/JKsHappyHour

http://jkwoodwardart.blogspot.com/

Discount Comic Book Services http://www.dcbservice.com/index.aspx

Instock Trades http://www.instocktrades.com/

Join us on the forums at http://www.forumforgeeks.comhttp://thetaylornetwork.wordpress.com/

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Thad Vander Bie's DC Chapel

Early this year, I was approached by Mark Waid about a strange and interesting commission. He emailed me to tell me about a friend of his, Thad Vander Bie, who had been putting the word out that he was looking for a painter to help finish a DC comics version of the Sistine Chapel ceiling for his home. Apparently when the word went out, Dean Haspiel had heard and suggested me to Mark. This was a huge thrill for me as I'm a huge fan of both of these guys, so I immediately was interested in hearing more.

That's when I heard from Thad Vander Bie and started getting some photos of his impressive pop culture  collection as well as some shots of this ambitious and as of yet, unfinished project.

I would be re-imagining 2 parts of the Sistine Chapel; Alan Scott-Green Lantern as Jonas and  Bobby Reed asZacharia.

 

It starts with sketches. They would use 4 ceiling tiles and would have to incorporate the light fixture into the image. Exact measurements were taken and the sketch was done to 1/6 scale.

There were subtle changes to the original Jonas painting. To match other characters already painted on the ceiling the character had to be slightly reduced in size, creating additional space that needed to be used. 

Thad had very specific ideas on how he imagined this, but he was also very open to suggestion and even requested my collaboration. This is always good for the project. Here's a sample from our email conversations. It shows how, by having a back and forth, we came up with something better than either of us might have imagined on our own.

THAD:

"Green Lantern is too big in proportion the rest of the characters on the outside of the ceiling.  He is 43" in this image.  The other characters average 27".  Green Lantern should only be a head taller than the other characters.  No more than 32" tall by my guess.  This will leave empty space at Green Lanterns feet which I would like to fill with another imp from the 5th dimension.  I like the idea of using Yz Thunderbolt with the name plate Scott like what was previously done see image 7.

The ceiling tiles are primed with absorbent ground purchased from Dick Blick's.  

I like to collaborate so let me know if you have any suggestions or questions.

I look forward to working with you."

ME: 

"Here's a thumbnail. These are exact dimensions. It's all been measured out and drawn to your specs. I changed a couple small details. The left boot on the other didn't quite match up with the original anatomy. Also, I'd like to have Alan hold some of his draping cape with his free hand. (just feels very "Renaissance-y"-I just made a new adjective)

Since there was much more horizontal space below Alan's platform then in the example you sent, I thought I'd have thunderbolt in action, flying across. I tried to mimic a Renaissance pose, particularly with the hand articulation." 

THAD:

"Love it! Go for it. I like the way you filled the space with thunderbolt very cool. Could you throw in a power battery on either the right or left to use up the available space?"

Here's a look at some in-progress and close-up photos:

I start by priming the 4 tiles with Gesso. Then I project the rough sketch onto the tiles using an Opaque Projector

G'Nort detail

Thunderstrike detail

Lantern Detail

column detail featuring a sculpted representation of some well known Guardians

column detail featuring a sculpted representation of some well known Guardians

Alan Scott detail

finish photo

When it came time to imagine the Zachariah as Bobby Reed sketch, I realised there would be a lot more changes made to the original then there was with the Jonah as Alan Scott section

 

The pose had to be slightly altered for Bobby to use his dial, rather than reading a book, but the posture can remain the same. The fact that we're drawing a child not an adult will change the size as well. Also, rather than Booby being nestled inside a nook like Zachariah, he will be in front like Jonas. This will create both create space for all of Bobby's heros and create a matching composition to the Jonah section.  Thad wanted a matching  imp for the bottom and chose  Qwisp.

THAD: 

"I would like to see as many of the heroes Robby has become filling the space surrounding Robby.  I would prefer the heroes be in front or in back of each other, not interacting with each other or Robby.  These are heroes Robby would become so it does not make sense to me that they would touch.  I would like to see as much detail on the dial as possible.  The letters on the dial are A D E H I L N R O V.  It was Mark's idea to make these letters Interlac.  I attached is an interlac alphabet.  The cherubs on this side will just be generic oan guardians.  The notable guardians have already been used.  

... Under Robby's feet will be the imp Qwsp (Quisp) see attached once again set up similar to image 7."

Past sketchese seem to imply up to 5 heroes. I was not stopping there. I knew I could fit 7 without over crowding it. 

Here are some more photos of this section of ceiling:

I start by priming the 4 tiles with Gesso. Then I project the rough sketch onto the tiles using an Opaque Projector

Human Starfish, Radar-Sonar Man and Super Charge detail

Qwisp detail

column detail featuring a sculpted representation of  2 Guardians

column detail featuring a sculpted representation of  2 Guardians

Bobby Reed detail

Ziptide and King Coil detail

Plastic Man detail. I used Bruce Campbell's likeness as a starting point for his look. I always thought young Campbell would've made a great Plastic Man.

The Mole and Human Starfish detail. I use Ernest Borgnine's likeness as a starting point for Human Starfish

finish photo