Comic art has always been an art form I was interested in. I
started drawing due in part because of comics. I found most interesting was the
different styles that were produced in comic art. Why did I like certain styles
over others? Sometimes it was due to knowledge of anatomy and other times it
was consistency. Bart Sears had an interesting style, and he clearly understood
anatomy. I didn’t like his work as much as I liked Todd McFarlane, and it had
nothing to do with anatomy or consistency. It was simply an appealing style. I
would find myself negating the story over the visuals. I’d study his work as if
somehow I’d figure out his secret formula. Each page was an explosive
exploration of dynamics and detail. Today I can remember the art more than the
story.
Today I draw comics with the mindset completely opposite of
Todd’s detailed work. Though this approach is different than what I’ve done in
the past, it has stuck with me all the more now that I’ve been working on the
same project for over a year. I feel that there are stories that require the
kind of attention to detail as Todd’s work implores, but for Steamroma it is
important to keep the art simple and direct. I think this is something I never
considered as an artist. I always assumed once I find my style I just stick
with it no matter what. But for now that’s not how I approach a project.
At the moment I’m working on Steamroma the most. I have the
other project I’m doing with a friend called Rock Slingers and that story I
believe can more closely resemble a more detailed art form, not like Todd’s
work, but something with more detail to give the sense of adventure in the
story. While Steamroma seems to be more about the people in the place they are
in, Rock Slingers is a story about the future and potential of space travel. I
think both projects will be a challenge if I continue to draw them at the same
time, as I am now. I’ll have to put my brain in a different mindset to keep
each of the stories from spilling over into each other.
Here are some pages from Steamroma.
