Flash Forward

As some of you I'm sure have noticed I didn't draw the recently released Flash #11. I'm disappointed that I didn't get to finish this story arc. However, in order to get the last 2 issues out before Flashpoint they had to be done in an impossible time frame that there was no way I could do it without the work suffering. Talking to my editors we felt it wasn't the right situation for me, and that we should begin developing my next project. That said, I will state on the record that I've never had an issue with turning in my work and editorial has never had a problem with me. I may have stumbled a bit out of the gate as I was on the road filming during my first 3-4 issues of the Flash, but with the lead time we had we were able to avoid any major delays. I take my normal 4-5 weeks to pencil, ink, and watercolor a book which is the standard time everybody gets just to pencil it. Much of the delays were due to the multiple stops and starts in the work process that is completely out of my hands. Hopefully I won't have to address this issue again, but I just felt the need to clarify to try and avoid further vilification.

Moving forward my next project at DC is in the works. I'm EXTREMELY EXCITED about it, and my editors enthusiasm and endless support has been great! I've been developing it with my collaborator and editorial soon after my last issue of the Flash. Hopefully if all goes well, we can get started on doing the new book in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime I've done a few covers for Flashpoint as well as other DC titles, I also ended up contributing 5 pages for Flash 12 to help close out the series.

I'm so jazzed about the future and my next project, I think a lot of people will be too. I appreciate the fans that's stuck with me through this time and patiently waited. I really feel that the best is yet to come, and that 2011 will be an even bigger year for me. Thanks for reading!

fjm

Kid Flash 2 cover Process

I haven't done one of these in a while so I figured I'd do another one seeing as how this process I'm about to show is a new one for me. I recently got a cintiq and have been using that to create commercial illustrations but haven't had a chance to incorporate it with my comic book work. With a bit of time on my hands I thought I'd try it out on this cover.

The first initial stage as always are my layouts.

This second stage which is something new for me. I decided to "pencil" my page digitally. It allowed me to put a proper vanishing point for the buildings and make sure it's precise. It also allowed me to create some very nice curved lines for Hot Pursuits helmet. Although old habits die hard, using the grid, I started another layer and free handed the buildings.


I then "penciled" in the figure and I was able to change his orientation from the initial layout, and I was also able to play around with his size until I was happy with the placement.

I then simple printed the linework very, VERY, VERY lightly on my art board that it's almost invisible. It's visible enough that I can see whats there, but once it was painted you pretty much cant see it at all. It allowed for a very clean painting process and very streamlined. I used two different colors on this, ivory black, and sepia for the reflection.


After the painting process I scanned the art in, and I played around with the color scheme of the cover. I always do this for Brian Buccellato (colorist) just so that he has a jumping off point for how I want the colors to look. It also makes the colors layed under the watercolor look more cohesive and less muddy since it's not colors under black. I also fixed the lightning bolt on his chest, I had drawn it "normally" and not a reflection.


So that's about it. Hope you guys enjoyed a little behinds the scenes look. You can see the final cover at the DCU blog along with a description of the book written by the every so talented Mr. Sterling Gates.