The Slave and The Crown

Three different posts, three different coloring styles. I think I'm gonna work on getting better at the first, I prefer the softer almost pastel look.

BJ gave me this piece to color, it's the cover from a book he's doing titled "The Slave and The Crown". I really want to know what's in the bag.

No Paint, No Gain.

So yeah, Bolaji's slacking off on providing pencils for me to practice with so I had to find these pencils on the net. It's not really anywhere near the subject material we'll be dealing with, but I get to practice. Unfortunately the source file was pretty tiny at 72dpi. Does anyone know where to get good pencils to practice on? Anyway, I'm not entirely satisfied with the piece, still lacks those "lighter tones" Erica mentioned were missing in the last image, and the characters seem pasted in. Still workin'!

When Bad Bloggers Bite Back!

I've been busy. Busy with work and busy workin' on my super top secret, super project... which some of you might already know about. It's a pretty big project with a roadmap that stretches over a year into the future, but it has the potential to make dreams come true... or make me very poor.

I almost don't want to talk about it because I don't want to jinx it, but mostly because if (when) it ends up failing spectacularly y'all are gonna know about it.

But what the heck, I'll tell. I'm going to start a mainstream comic book publishing outfit here in Nigeria! Yes, it'll cost a lot of money, but what most of you don't know is that I'm actually a prince, and heir to the Wakandan fortune. Yes, it's going to be hard work, but I'm not entirely naive to the challenges, and I'm eagerly doing as much research as I can. Bottom line is that I'm excited about it.

I'm going the "Image Comics" route of publishing creator owned comics, starting of course with one of mine (my creative partner on the book will be a fellow named Bolaji, he'll be doing pencils). I'll be handling colors, lettering, layout and design, editing and the story. The first book is called "Orishas" and it's a sweeping, epic, period piece set just a hundred years after the creation of the world.

The art below isn't from the book, BJ's still working on designs for that. I'm done with writing issue one and am currently getting used to using a tablet to paint, and learning (slowly the art of lettering... and it really is an art). We're going for something of a compromise between the digitally colored look of most comics and something hand painted. Dark Horse's "Conan" run has been very influential, as has Siku's work on Judge Dredd: Fetish.

Anyway, that's all for now, will post again soon, and more frequently even!

P.S. The publishing company will be called "Atomic Lore".