Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Viking! Hammer!


This one is one of my personal favourites in the continuing theme. Mainly because I love John Buscema's Conan artwork which I looked through when drawing this. Also because I inked with a brush instead of the Pitt pen (whish is how all the rest were inked). This one needed to be brush inked because I wanted more roughness and texture in the fur and muscles (read that as mus-Kulls, like how Popeye would say it). I especially like how the Hammer looks...imagine getting cracked on the noggin' with that hefty piece of stone? This guy is truly a God of War! ;)
best,
j.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

J,

I'm definitely enjoying this series of men. I do love the fur i must say and the roughness of him. I love how the snowy blue background compliments his red hair and beard. Very striking!

Great stuff as always.

Jeff Spokes said...

Another great piece for series, i like all the battle ticks and scars, nice Kirby squiggle on the helmet too.

Doug Leake said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
j. said...

Carlos - Thanks! Would you believe the fur was added later! This was one of those times I resisted the urge to draw chest hair and in the end couldn't do without. How else is this guy to stay warm in that snowy mountain range?!?

JSpokes - Battle scars are so ruggedly manly aren't they? They complement the girly braided hair! :)

Francois - Not interested in Conan? Oh, Francois...there really is some gorgeous art in those stories. Maybe I like it because I know that it's the type of comic book Buscema truly loved to draw. Or maybe it's because the men wore only a loin cloth and boots...hmmmm

best,
j.

Nickel said...

Ahh, this one's mine. And a fine specimen he is. Yum. So glad, J, that you added the body hair.

I might have to take back my earlier comment about not being attracted to others who "match" me.

'Course, my experience is that when I get together with guys like that, the sex is really good . . . it's just not something for the long term.

Hmmm . . . If I could get this stud to lay down his hammer, I might be okay with that. (I mean, there are toys, and then there are toys. Yikes.)

Thanks for doing me and my "brothers" proud!

j. said...

Francois - I'm a sci-fi fan myself and very rarely read fantasy novels as a teen. Even now I prefer the sci-fi. My dad used to watch any horrible barbarian movie ever made and I can't ignore the effect those had on me as a kid! :)

Incidentally, is your work being published right now or is the comic project you're working on something we can look forward to? I'd love to check out what you're writing.

Nickel - Glad you like him! :) Most of my friends are actually my "match" or in the same area. But my boyfriends are often fall to early winter. Funny how things work out!

best,
j.

manpop said...

you really shine when you riff on Kirby. it comes off naturally in your own way. most cannot pull that off. have you ever tried your own take on a Ditko pose?
very nice brushwork! what's a Pitt pen? ever use a Wacom tablet?
LOVE your stuff.

j. said...

Francois - Yes, I'd seen the story of the Gardener before but didn't know it was yours. Nicely done. I like the way that story unfolds. Looking forward to hearing more about your new book when the time comes.

Manpop - Many thanks! I'm coming at Kirby through a few filters (Bruce Timm, Mignola, Buscema, etc...) so I'm glad to hear it still manages to come out as something altogether my own.

Pitt pens are fabulous brush pens made by Faber Castell. The tip is solid like a marker but with a give that allows for thick and thin. The ink is permanent which is great for artists who want their work to last. With a lot of patience I've managed to use them to ink my everyday comic work...but every now and then, when the drawing cries out for it, I return to my old favourite pot of ink and cheap brush and wallow in the nostalgia!

I did tried a Wacom once or twice. I don't care much for it. I love colouring on the computer for all it's forgiveness. But I think I would really miss brush and ink if I tried to switch over to all Wacom drawing. And I'd miss the joy of having a page of artwork sitting on my desk...ink drying in the glow of a job well done! :)

best,
j.

Skullossus said...

That warhammer is totally bone crushing looking! I hope you do get to draw a barbarian book one day, especially if it's a savage sword of Wonder Woman type story.