We Have it Covered

So I finished neatening up all the artwork last night, it was really good to see it all together in .cbr file just to see how it all looks on-screen next to each other. I knew how I wanted it to look in my head, and how I wanted the pages laid out, but to finally see it all together and to discover there were no problems was nice.

Mixed Media Painted Cover

The cover was good fun to make I did it with my two boys, I drew some circles, we threw paint at them, let them dry, cut them out and stuck them to a huge purple watercoloured "universe" sheet of paper, it is around three feet in length. Scanned it and places the vectorized art over it. The back cover is more of the planets from the painting. I think I will do the rest of the covers in a similar way, most definitely painted.

So the next stage is to get the two story 20 page comic printed (on actual paper) that way I can release the digital and physical copy at the same time. Also I should probably start on the second issue as the story is infinitely more complex in nature, the first issue was just about setting up the art style and the character of DOBU, I know exactly what is to happen I just need to now draw it out.

Here are some images to get you interested.

Very excited by it all, hope you are too.

A Change in View

Well I am pleased to say DOBU: The Infinite Issue #1 is done, well the first stage of the artwork is anyway. I am just neatening it all up at the moment, editing the hand-drawn scans and colouring it. I am very pleased with it and it has all come together much quicker than expected but I don't want to rush it so I am trying out a few different image techniques to find the best one. I am doing this as the storyline drastically changes in ISSUE #2 and it requires a lot of severe straight lines which don't look quite right in the hand drawn versions.

Final "Outlined" Art

Original "Inverted" Art

Original "Outlined" Art

So I still believe DOBU: Issue #1 will be done by the end of the month which is pretty good going, as I have had to learn how to make a comic as well as actually make one. So below is the Original and Vectorized cover there isn't much difference between the two except obviously the smoothness of the image. It is still rough I just wanted to share it with you.

That is all from now, I am sure there will be more news soon. Below is just a version I like due to it's minimal colours don't know if I'll use it but I do like it.

Half-way there, Already!

I think it is fair to say that I have been working non-stop on Issue #1 of DOBU: The Infinite and it has really paid off being totally submersed in this weird and wonderful world. The art has gotten better I have gotten faster and I am now 12 out of 24 pages through the first issue.

It is really strange my "drawing table" contraption has literally taken the space usually reserved for my Macbook Pro, I have gone from being virtually digital to analogue in just a few days. I have drawn so much I ran out of ink and had to venture out to buy more inking pens. If you would have told me a few weeks ago I would be standing in a shop deliberating over the benefits of a 0.3mm over a 0.5mm I would not have believed you, anyway I went with the 0.3mm.

Issue #1 Intergalactic Daydream

That is it for now I don't want to give too much away and I really must get back to it, I am very excited about this new and very different project.

Dobu #1 and my workspace.

Due to the response from people about "Dobu : The Infinite" issue #0 experiment, I have decided to make, issue #1. I think the whole Dobu series will be around 6 comics in total each 24 pages long with approximately two stories in each comic. The first issue might be a bit longer just so you can see what you are getting into. Here is one of the pages from Dobu #1 "Lonely Dobu / Intergalactic Daydream".

Issue #1 "Lonely Dobu"

So I have had to setup a workspace, with a nice piece of laminate board, a cartoon animation paper clip, lots of electrical tape and an old business card box to hold pens and pencils all of this is leaning on an easel. I have everything I need to draw. It is a far cray from the professional drawing tables that I have seen comic and cartoonists use but you got to start somewhere and this is definitely a step up from leaning on a hardback book on my lap. I have even made a rolling ruler out of some LEGO and wheels until my "real" rolling ruler and other equipment arrives.

From the pencil and inked drawing go to the scanner, neatened up in Adobe Photoshop and coloured in, it is a nice, easy and enjoyable process. I am making about one to two pages a day, so all going well, I should have Issue #1 finished by the end of the month.

I am thinking I am going to need to buy a font for "Dobu" and looking around think "Blambot's Silver Age" to be the most suitable, so I will need to save some pennies for a license for it. It is a really good font, and I think it is definitely needed for the project. Check out their cool fonts through the banner below.

That is it for now, time for pizza and then more drawing.

DOBU : The Infinite Issue #0

So here it is "DOBU: The Infinite Issue #0" my first ever attempt at a comic book. I started drawing it less than 72 hours ago and already I feel like I have been on an epic journey myself. I have thoroughly enjoyed the process and have drawn until my hands began to ache. I want to do more I have at least six full stories in my head for "DOBU : The Infinite" but without funding and time I don't think I will be able to do it, at least not full time at the moment.

Each panel took around an hour to sketch, ink, scan and then colour, but in all fairness it seemed like time actually flew by when I was working on it.

I hope you enjoy what you read, this issue is totally safe for all ages and for work.

You can find the Issue #0 here in .cbr format and here as a .pdf.

This is not a complete story, this is Issue #0 it is just an experiment to see how far I can take the idea of making my own simple, quirky comic book. If you like what you read please consider donating in the sidebar, donations mean more time and equipment for me to make more.

I have at least six stories I would really like to make in to full 24 page comic books, so if you want more please consider donating, tweeting or sharing this project on Facebook as it really helps a lot. If you know somebody who likes comics or you know something about comics yourself, don't hesitate to get in contact @pixelh8 on Twitter.