March 21 2019
“What if? “
What if Jack Kamen drew muscles like Mike Deodato Jr, but used proportions of waist like Todd Macfarlane, and angles/perspective/shadow like Neal Adams, with the portraiture of Adam Hughes, and the facial feature stylization of Maurice Whitman; in a world looking like Skyrim, except in an equatorial bucolic paradise, with character drama like Lord of the Rings, with barbarian costumes and grittiness of John Buscema’s Savage Sword of Conan, and explicit gore, nudity of Nahuel Lopez’s Belladonna Fire and Fury?
Well, that would be a comicbook I would be interested in.
This is an example of a ‘combination’ possible with a repertoire of styles.
By studying styles,( like Todd Macfarlane trained different anatomy) with repetition and reference, I can have that ‘form’ as part of a repertoire.
Golden Age:
I have done studies in modern styles but the Golden Age (pre-code) I have least familiarity with. I know more came before the 1940’s, but that is my chosen breadth. Choice aspects of it, to feature in the upcoming comic; Jungle Girls, savage tribes, animals, explorers, slavery, war and Jungle kingdoms.
I enjoy creating fan fiction comics, but I am more passionate about creating an original world, characters and stories . I appreciate variety, and adding something to well-known characters people recognize.
I am sharing Vintage Comicbook covers, by Character – and have organized pages by characters: Red Sonja, She-Hulk, Wonder Woman and Spider-Woman, so far. (I have many others).
Early Access subscribers have a VIP pass into my process; fine drawings studying references, chosen to derive quality templates. Subscribers have been sponsoring the upcoming work for months, in good faith, and I feel you deserved to be trusted with references. (I want to bring to this endeavor no less effort than a graduate level of research and study; viewing each member as fellow scholars).
The Comicbook Ages, and Masters:
Ideally gaining the best of each Age of comics is the result of practicing each master artist’s style. I look forward to utilizing these ‘forms’ to create original work – using the ‘basics’ of what has already been done well.
In my experience, raw talent can result in a default style. But with discipline, and time on task; more control, and the ability to create something precisely envisioned is possible. Such as reimaginings, reinterpretations, and original work resembling classic forms.
Good Girl Art: (GGA)
To some , The Golden Age is associated with Sheldon Moldoff (Batman drawings). To others: Jack Kamen, Maurice Whitman and others, whose Good Girl Art still captivates viewers.
A timeless quality, is worthy of study. I think their details of facial expression, and cartoon aesthetics – Archie comics, but not as stylized – bridge naturalism with style ideally; in a way unique to the medium. I really like the way the faces of Maurice Whitman and Jack Kamen’s women look. It would be awesome to combine the detail of modern muscle anatomy, inking of the 90’s and digital coloring.
Creating art for myself – essentially art for artists – I greatly appreciate the rarefied tastes of subscribers with a similar palate. Whose kind patronage kindles the forge, from which creations are shared, and new amalgams of style and form are conceived.
Have a great weekend!