Dream Solver: Alive and well

Howdy, i've been a bit absent with much news on DreamSolver....and everything else but i assure you DreamSolver still lives!
We at the DS camp have just put up a little Blog post with some samples of panels in the Ebook preview we're just tying up. so go have a peek. should have the cover in the bag soon, so there will be some background and result of that when i get it done. working on that and more so i leave you with a piece reflecting the artists current state:

Artists are known to put a bit of themselves into their work....

True Grit : First of the sketches

I was slightly taken aback by the trailer of the True Grit and wanted to draw Bridges re-vison of Rooster Cogburn straight away.
Also the past few months i've been getting into and reading the style of a lot of Euro comic artists, seem to have found a style that i feel really comfortable trying to work towards. recently i've been reading the Likes of Blueberry and Bouncer which are just plain and simple beautiful works of art in each panel. so think any Western style skecthes or work will ooze of Moebius or Boucq influence.
This is a tryout for a full sketch of the Character.

"Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici"

had a recent fever of the 5th of November and did a little warm up sketch of V, still trying to get to grips with the brush pen. think i messed up the cloak near the bottom a bit. this is just a slap of colour. so hopefully if i come back to it i'll get a bit more experimental with the colour, but i thought for now the basic will do.

Recent Work: The Unmentionable

So heres a couple of samples of some more recent work. i'm not too sure how much of this i'm allowed to speak of but basically it was for a little pitchi worked on with Martin Conaghan writer of the recent Burke and Hare Graphic Novel.








For this i worked heavily from photo reference, that alone for me was something quite different because i feel a lot more comfortable making up the poses myself. again more use of the brush pen was included and i was a lot more confident with shadow and making the guys look...well manly and rough. so it was a fun little bunch of pages to work on.

DreamSolver: then and now part deux

Another Redrawn example from the DreamSolver Book. like the last ne i kind of think it shows a bit how I've progressed recently. Dream Solver is a heavy Dialogue book so I've been a little sparse on some background details but i think its should set it off ok when it has the letter art over the top.
the original page i couldn't even bare to spend the time colouring i wanted to re do it so bad so i didn't even attempt it. the newer panels also show that i've been using a brush pen a lot more. still not completely at home with that but it feels so nice and natural when it works. i need to add more shadow into these but another confidence factor i'm working on.
Before:Drawn 2009



After:Drawn 2010

Revamp Dream Solver

Apologies for yet another lack of posting. recently been very busy. taken on more than i can chew and burnt the candle from both ends to the core....but this has brought about it a plus.....finally some coloured work and plenty of it so without further ado!

Recently in light of the Insomnia fiasco's the Dream Solver team have been working to get together a new preview of the book, this time were going for a fully functioning Ebook preview and Longer than the last. So in true self depreciating artist style i have been going over the first chapter and killing any form of ego I'd built up over getting my first full comic job. and realizing that i had made quite a mess. i know this is typical for an artist to look over the old work and tear any form of love and pride down but its now over a year since the first 8 page preview we posted up on the Dream Solver blog and i feel like a totally different artist, the work has grown in both style and technique so looking back i can see the way i was and think what a shameful time!
Anyway. looking over the old stuff I've felt that i cant post up any of that work professionally without giving it a good once over re work some of the really bad flaws, some may be forgivable so its not a whole new book.
one page i re worked hit me and made me realize the big leap I've made since last year. and that would be the first page. after I'd re drawn it i too a lean back in the chair and it did feel good to look at then and now.

This is the original panel 2 of page 1 i drew summer of 2009


And this is a few weeks back. i think the comparison speaks for itself. the pose, style and neatness has taken a leap...i think/hope anyway.



More to come!

The Long Excuse: Rise of the Sleepless Phoenix

So I’ve been busy lately, actually found myself in a position where I’ve had more offers to work than I can take on, I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet or brag about it but its felt nice to be so busy in the work i love to do. so that’s another excuse for the long absence but over the next few posts I’ll go over what I’ve been doing recently and show some pretty pictures along the way!
Mainly I’ve been whip cracking at the comic book work, if you haven't been following the comic book realms then you may or may not of heard of the Demise of Insomnia Publications, unfortunately a book I’m working on DreamSolver was part of this Publisher and was caught in an inevitable "rights to" battle along with all the other creators and their children. So a fairly drawn out battle to force the hand of the appropriate head to officially excuse everyone and their projects from the Insomnia camp ensued.
Eventually we were released and Insomnia was no more.

Although out of this fray the creators Including the DreamSolver Camp of myself and Luke Foster joined forces to form the Group of 'The Sleepless Phoenix' mainly this group had the intention to re form and print up a short stories book originally intended to be published through Insomnia, funnily enough it had the Theme of Survival and was dubbed 'Survival Stories' The stars where far too perfectly aligned so we have seized the chance and created a Kickstarter plea website to get funding for the book and explain the story behind the book.
DreamSolver had intended to have a new preview go into this book and we'd pulled together a nice little section to be included in the original, so naturally we where quite gutted to be cut short of that opportunity to get some more audience for the book and our first printed proof of our work.
So I’ve done what I can do to help with the Survival stories book anyway, I’ve done a few pin ups and been assigned to do some sketches of the High Donators which they would get with they're own copy of the book.
The Pin ups I’ve done are from a personal selection of the short stories in the book. i tell thee no lie when I say there are some astounding shorts in that book, both in writing and Art, so I was glad to have the opportunity to pay some homage to the great work in that book. Here's a few of the Pin ups I’ve put into the book.





I’m not the only one to add some pin ups and sketches I’m sure, so I can only imagine the wad of creation this book is going to behold.
Since the kickstarter site was set up we smashed our goal and gone beyond the target! So right now if you haven't already thrown in some dosh I’m not sure if you can get a mail delivered copy or big bonus package, but you will be able to get a signed copy if you head to the Birmingham BICS this year so get to the table if you can and get yourself a copy and chat with some of the guys working the table.

I'm extremely happy and grateful to have been part of this creative collective who have shown nothing but passion and willingness to endure and prove their worth, I hope to work with these guys again.

Limbo and The Marquis

I've not posted for a couple of weeks on here. Still in moving house Limbo, but will be finally moving into the new abode in the next couple of days and should be able to fully set up shop so i can get some form of regular posting again.
Meanwhile i've been working on a new 5 Page preview for Dream Solver which will be published in the next book by Insomnia. so keep an eye out for that....even though i'll fully bombard any reader with more info closer to the time it gets released.
I can't go posting up on here without having something to show for myself, so here is a sketch i'm working on of Guy Davis' 'The Marquis' its not finished, i think i should make something more out of this, if it turns out well i may try and send it to the Marquis Blog. wish me luck.

The Dude: House Broken

Found myself on a bit of a roll with sketching the Dude today so i thought i may as well throw up this one too. I'm actually ahead of myself for once. I think i messed up the toilet a bit, but it was a quick one so...
This is from one of my favorite scenes in the film. "Where's the money shit head!"

The Dude: No1

I'm i the middle of moving house at the moment. Meanwhile managed to squeeze in a sketch of the infamous 'Dude' from the 'Big Lebowski'
I never ever have any reason not to watch this film. should be sketching him more this week.

Lo Pan: Finally!

A little bit delayed but finally sat down to do a Lo Pan sketch, because its so late i threw in a little bonus monster. if you know 'Big Trouble in Little China' you'll know who he is.
Monsters are fun to draw damn fun, i get jelouse readng The Marquis by Guy Davis, he looks like he has so much fun inveneting horrible monsters. think i might make an effort to experiment with more beasts.
So i'm going to leave him now for a while and move on to another character. My brother has suggested the Big Lebowski's 'The Dude' so going to sit back have a white russian listen to some strike compilations and have a few plugs at him.

Big Trouble In Little China: Lo Pan

The rules here are thus: I take a week (Monday to Sunday) to try out the theme, i'm aiming to pull of at least two portraits and a full body or scene.
to begin with, i admit i'm cheating a little, although this sketch was what pushed me to start the new blog assignment. I'm a big fan of 'Big Trouble In Little China', i saw it at a very young age and it is one i will always sit and watch if it's playing. Lo Pan is such a fun character and more fun to draw. he'll be my theme for my first week.

Fresh

So this here is my first post of my spanking new Blog. Recently i've found myself to be working on Comics full time, hopefully i can make a massive go of this and keep this as my full time job. with this has come a bit of slackness because i have found myself without structure or someone telling me when and how long i'm supposed to work. this new blog is an attempt to get myself on some sort of regime a challenge if you will.
The intention of this blog will still be around putting up sketches and what not but each week i'm setting myself a themed character or type of person to draw, just to train myself in areas i'm weak on, or to just punch out some characters i'd love to draw. bear with me, stay tuned, i'm aiming for weekly updates, i've got all the time to myslef now so i haven't really got any excuse, any feedback is welcome and any suggestions towards possible people to draw is welcome, i have my own list which is pretty long but if i like the suggestion i'll be sure to go down that road.
anyway, if you have read this, thanks! and hope you enjoy the stuff to come.

take it easy

Chris