Pinups and Process Porn

Page 1 in Color

Initial finished Page 1 of Malu, utilizing both ink and color. While it falls mostly within the the most traditional presentation of a comic book page, it struck me as an unsatisfying middle point between pure ink and pure color.

Page 1 (Digital) Painted

Page 1 given the full painted treatment. This approach is more pleasing to me, but also more laborious. Still, it took a few fully painted pages for me to come to a decision about whether I like it enough to continue.

Page 2 Painted

I think, if I were in a position to be able to work fully in physical media, which is much faster for me than trying to achieve the same look digitally, the draw of a painted page -- or even more enticing, a mixed-media page -- would be far stronger. It is fun to think of how this approach would have evolved over dozens or hundreds of pages.

Page 3 Painted

By the time I reached Page 3, I had realized that if I were to go "whole hog" on a single approach, it's inking that brings me the greatest joy. I love to look at it, and I love to draw with it. And, frankly, of all the ways I can draw, inking is what I'm best at, too. I know a lot of tricks, and I'm equally comfortable inking digitally and physically.

That stated, I can't help but feel pretty good about how the few pages I did "paint" this way had turned out. I'm definitely leaving the door open for future painted pages.