Brian Level Artwrecks, Some of my comic art Options

Being a Long-time Lurker, I have chosen to be a first-time poster. Though updates may be infrequent, they will exist. Thanks for looking. If you see problems with the art, please help me out by mentioning it! I wanna get as good as my pencils will allow. All art done by me, unless otherwise noted.

This is piece inspired by a novel called "Mr. Clarinet" by Nick Stone. a crime/noir thriller that's off the CHAINS!! I loved it! so everyone go buy 3 copies tomorrow! anyway... here she is.

 mr_clarinet_2_lighter_small.jpg ( 669.01K ) Number of downloads: 36


Inked with brush, Quill, and a cheap calligraphy pen. about 8.5 x 11" on crappy sketchbook paper.

p.s. that lame little stick figure dude is important in the book. It looks like I phoned-in a chance to draw a sleepy terminator, but, he's supposed to look like that.

This post has been edited by uphillbrian: Apr 30 2011, 12:55 AM

Wow, very nice! I'm digging all the textures you have going on in this piece.

Brian,
Bob (Hickey) has been posted with the Darkness Chronicles pieces you've been doing. I'm glad you've stopped lurking! Post away!

Welcome Brian, what a wonderful piece. The anatomy is perfect, the composition excellent and as Lisa already noted, you've gotten the max out just sketchbook paper, I too am amazed. Honestly, if this were the cover of the book, I'd have to pick it up!!!
Great job. Please, keep it up.

Very nice! And welcome, Brian, glad to have you posting. Like Ron said, I see nothing wrong with the art here. Anatomically, compositionally and artistically it seems right on to me. I too love the textures and the muted color choices here. Extremely nice piece, and like Ron said, were this a cover, I'd definitely pick it up to flip through it. And on sketchbook paper? Wow.

Thank you, EVERYONE for the kind words. It's been a huge treat to check these forums out for so long. only recently did i get the balls to post. You guys all rule! Anyway, Robocop is my favorite movie ever. soooo....

ROBOCOP SKETCH!!! like 3.5-4.5 hours. Lengthy sketch, i know. Lost track of time cause I didn't pay too much attention. Tossed in a quick background texture to contrast the helmet. Experimented with some holds in the face and lips. I LOVE getting really liney at times, but then i think it can get confusing with color, so, i tried the hold technique. Let me know it worked/didn't work/couldn't tell/didn't care/etc if you wouldn't mind


7"x7"ish. inked with w&n cotman 0 brush, calligraphy pen, and a hunt's 104 quill on bristol. fought the paper the whole time. i used vellum because i didn't plan on inking. oh well...



BTW, for got to mention, all color is photoshop unless noted. sorry if my first piece was misleading

This post has been edited by uphillbrian: May 2 2011, 11:30 PM

Thank you, EVERYONE for the kind words. It's been a huge treat to check these forums out for so long. only recently did i get the balls to post. You guys all rule! Anyway, Robocop is my favorite movie ever. soooo....

ROBOCOP SKETCH!!! like 3.5-4.5 hours. Lengthy sketch, i know. Lost track of time cause I didn't pay too much attention. Tossed in a quick background texture to contrast the helmet. Experimented with some holds in the face and lips. I LOVE getting really liney at times, but then i think it can get confusing with color, so, i tried the hold technique. Let me know it worked/didn't work/couldn't tell/didn't care/etc if you wouldn't mind


7"x7"ish. inked with w&n cotman 0 brush, calligraphy pen, and a hunt's 104 quill on bristol. fought the paper the whole time. i used vellum because i didn't plan on inking. oh well...

[attachment=416:robocop2_copy.jpg]

BTW, for got to mention, all color is photoshop unless noted. sorry if my first piece was misleading

Really great stuff here. I have to ask, are the hold techniques you are referring to the way you are holding the pencils or holding the brush/ ink pen?

Cougar18, I should have been more clear. I meant, "color holds" on the lines. I hope my definition is right, but, I always understood "holds" as taking the blacks provided from pencil/inks and coloring them. Like when characters are in a car and the camera is outside, so the colorist takes all the outlines of the characters and makes them a medium blue to give the impression that they are behind the glass. I guess I could have googled the actual definition, but, I thought of doing that after I typed everything.

"'Overlays' or 'color holds' (where there is no black outline or the
outline is in a specific color) are done on a separate sheet of acetate
or vellum overlaying the original art. This is usually done by the
penciler or inker as a special effect -- simulating invisibility or
colors in a fire or explosion. 'Red-lining', or putting one color next
to another with no black lines between, is usually indicated by the
penciler or inker but may be done in the coloring stages as well. Red
lining has many of the same uses as color hold.'"
--Rob Davis Article on google...

Cougar18, I should have been more clear. I meant, "color holds" on the lines. I hope my definition is right, but, I always understood "holds" as taking the blacks provided from pencil/inks and coloring them. Like when characters are in a car and the camera is outside, so the colorist takes all the outlines of the characters and makes them a medium blue to give the impression that they are behind the glass. I guess I could have googled the actual definition, but, I thought of doing that after I typed everything.

"'Overlays' or 'color holds' (where there is no black outline or the
outline is in a specific color) are done on a separate sheet of acetate
or vellum overlaying the original art. This is usually done by the
penciler or inker as a special effect -- simulating invisibility or
colors in a fire or explosion. 'Red-lining', or putting one color next
to another with no black lines between, is usually indicated by the
penciler or inker but may be done in the coloring stages as well. Red
lining has many of the same uses as color hold.'"
--Rob Davis Article on google...

Ah sweet. I'm still new to alot of the technical mumbo jumbo used in the industry. Thanks for the information.

That Darkness Chronicles piece was awesome, Brian. You'll be cool on that project. And if you're looking for more to do, lmk, I can find you something to occupy you.

No problem cougar18! Thanks a lot Bill, I busted my hump on that piece!! haha.

(Spoiler and crappy illustration alert!!!)

Been busy doing some character face sketches for my next project entitled "UBERBLUD: The Ballad of Wendell Rhoades" Written by my steadfast hetero-life-mate UphillBrad. We've had the project in the backs of our heads for quite some time. The past few months we've been tightening everything down and I've been learning how to draw. Hopefully by the time the scripts come in I'll feel okay about putting pencil to paper. Warming up to the property with character development and sketches. The cast (which i believe is VERY cool!) consists of a lot of weird people. Here be 3. 2 villians and one hero. This project has me very thrilled to be a part of!

Bad guy: Kraus


Bad guy: Ginger


Good Guy: Josey



I will post more of the cast when I have them sketched. Thanks for looking.

BTW, BILL, am I allowed to post that Darkness Chronicles stuff?

This post has been edited by uphillbrian: May 5 2011, 12:49 PM

Great facial expressions on these heads. Thumbs up on maintaining the likenesses for each character.

BTW, BILL, am I allowed to post that Darkness Chronicles stuff?

You might want to ask Bob. I don't know if he wants to hold it for the SkyStorm bible

some more head sketches for our book. trying to get the actors consistent AND actually ACTING! If only I were Kevin Maguire

Good Guy: Josey (again) added a couple of small faces to try them out.



Supporting Character: Rosa (caught a couple of wonky eyes in there... oh well... they're sketches right? RIGHT???)



Supporting Character: "Sweet Pea" Charlie (was going for a tougher-looking, slightly-slimmer Cee-Lo Green)






Working on coloring a big teaser image for the book. may post just the inks, or full color. not sure yet. if anyone cares to see it either way lemme know.

Thanks for lookin'

So... Long time no post. Finished this hog and i'm happyish (lots of anatomy problems and size issues but whatever. you move on and make it better next time right). I actually finished it in early june but...WIFE'S PREGNANT! baby stuff occupies a lot of time (who wouldve thought?). So since then I've been writing. UBERBLUD is on a slight hiatus. been working on another thing here's the UBERBLUD teaser.


here's a little teaser for the other thing (if it ever comes to fruition). Been working on rearranging my style. less detail more "umph!" thanks for looking

I see what you mean about the Ooomph.

Congrats on the pregnant wife. I see what you mean about being busy.

Hope everything goes well. I know hospital visits and other baby related costs can be expensive.

Yeah, and that's only the beginning. Having raised five kids, most of which went on to college. Your life just got totally turned upside down.
Your artwork is awesome and I can only see success in your future. This is such good work.

So... Long time no post. Finished this hog and i'm happyish (lots of anatomy problems and size issues but whatever. you move on and make it better next time right). I actually finished it in early june but...WIFE'S PREGNANT! baby stuff occupies a lot of time (who wouldve thought?). So since then I've been writing. UBERBLUD is on a slight hiatus. been working on another thing here's the UBERBLUD teaser.


here's a little teaser for the other thing (if it ever comes to fruition). Been working on rearranging my style. less detail more "umph!" thanks for looking

Congratulations, Brian!

And awesome work. Still up for doing The Darkness Chronicles?
Hmmm, maybe I should bug you to do a sketch for my Ursula Sketchbook in the meantime....just so you don't get rusty...

a DD sketch i did in honor of Daredevil 220. one of my favorite issues ever. HAILZ to the o'neil and mazzucchelli!! RIP H.G.

work in progress just for ron fortier. He has a kick-ass character named "Black Lion" Here's some fan-art I've been working on.