Talented comic artist Todd Nauck will be hosting a special Q&A, signing and artist workshop event to celebrate his first art installation in an accredited museum, the Bakersfield Museum of Art. The exhibit opens February 4th. 

Todd Nauck has over 17 years experience in the comics industry. If you’re into comics, you’re probably familiar with his work for Image, DC and Marvel comics - Amazing Spider-Man, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Teen Titans Go, and Wild Guard, Young Justice and the Spidey and Obama teamup.

When he travels to comic shows and conventions each year, fans commission him to create artwork rendered in Copics.

Recently, we were lucky enough to chat with Todd on Twitter about his art making process, his Marvel Custom Solutions projects, and the artwork he created for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Lance Briggs (and others) for the NFL Superbowl, and ESPN.

We asked him to explain his unique creative process. His approach – which involves first defining the form in color – deviates from the more conventional approach of starting with pencils, following up with inks, then finally adding color. Seems that @RAHeight also likes working this way:

Judging from the dozen or more images he started posting, this method works very well for him. He chose the subjects from recommendations from his army of loyal Facebook and Twitter fans.

A few images unveiled during the conversation (see all of them, here):

During the Q&A session, Todd was answering questions from our audience. @Darksparkle asked about skin tone colors:

Next, @WorkingClassGMR asked:

Fellow Copic-loving artists @AH_AdamHughes, @CatStaggs and @MahmudAsrar each got shout outs for being inspirational Copic artists.

If you love comics, follow these great artists and let Todd know you enjoy his Copic sketch cards! He’s super interactive, and who knows – perhaps your suggestion will get chosen the next time the request lines are open…

On that note, what are your favorite comic titles? If you commissioned an original Todd Nauck Copic sketch, who would want him to draw? Let us know in the comments, below.

Todd Nauck online:
Website: The art of Todd Nauck
Facebook: Todd Nauck
Twitter: Todd Nauck

More information about the special Q&A, signing and artist workshop event at the Bakersfield Museum of Art.

Recently, reading a collection of popular Japanese ghost stories called Kwaidan inspired me to create a comic based on the work. Since these stories were collected and translated over a century ago, I wanted to use traditional illustration techniques and media to honor its rich history.

With the help of Copic Multiliners, the lettering, background textures and shading tones have all been hand rendered using pointillism and hatching. By mixing simple techniques and rendering them using multiple pen sizes in the same element, I’ve added greater levels of depth and subtlety to these pages while keeping the style personal and unique.

COPICS Used: Multiliners of the following sizes: 0.05, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0 and Brush-M

To begin my project, I create a storyboard on standard copy paper folded into a half-size booklet (4.25″ x 11″). This allows me to read it like a finished comic. I can see how things flow and make changes before spending too much time working on the details.

From there, I sketch rough pencils on Bristol board at 1.5x the finished printed size. I work them until they’re ready to be inked. For this step, I prefer hot press (sometimes called “plate finish”) Bristol board due to its smooth surface, heavy weight and durability when erasing and inking.

I use non-photo blue guidelines to mark the comic’s live area and trim guides. Turquoise colored Multiliners are perfect for creating guidelines when preparing your own custom boards. These blue lines will disappear when scanned, leaving only the black ink ready to be printed.

 

Figure: For basic line-work, I use the 0.05 Multiliner SP due to its precise nib that gives me really fine detail which stays razor-sharp at the reduced, final comic size. Before adding shading or texture, I complete all of the figures on the page. Once the outlines are finished, I move on to the shading and texturing of the figures.

Background Basics: At this stage, I only add basic texture and shading to the backgrounds. Leaving the backgrounds until after all of the figures have been finished lets you shade and texture them appropriately so they don’t overpower the characters.

Fabric: By combining pointillism and hatching, I create a smooth base shading with only 0.05 on areas like this kimono, followed by pointillism layers using 0.3 and 0.5 to create shadows and folds in the fabric. This is a great low-tech way to do your own shading screens (screen tones) directly on your artwork. By varying your lines and point density, you can simulate different materials, indicate the draping of fabric and create the illusion of volume through light and shadow.

Backgrounds, leaves: Once the figures are shaded, move to the backgrounds. I did the leaves using the Brush-M because its flexible tapered brush nib allows me to create that classic leaf shape with just a gentle press on the board. For each leaf, I held the pen at an angle and dabbed at the paper lightly, compressing the brush tip only hard enough to leave as large a mark as needed. To get a more realistic look to the leaves, I rotated the direction of the pen so the leaves weren’t all pointing in the same direction and varied the brush angle and pressure to vary the size or shape. The shallower the angle, the longer the leaves. I also created perspective by making the leaves smaller on trees that were farther in the background.

Grass: I rendered the grass with three sizes of pens, beginning with 0.05. By pressing the pen to the paper vertically and quickly flicking the pen upwards by rotating my hand backwards, I created random tapered lines. By flicking the pen, it caused the tip of the pen to lift in an arc from the paper, naturally tapering the tip of the line. For a more natural, grass-like look, I added in 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0, especially when creating the shadowy area and repeated the process a few (thousand) times! To get a smooth texture on this stone wall background, I used 0.05 for crosshatching.

Crosshatching: This is one technique that Multiliners excel at because of their consistent line thickness and ink density which is why I recommend them for anyone wanting to achieve this style of shading. By filling an area with an even layer of parallel hatches, the shading looks smooth. To create different shades or a gradient, I hatched in one direction and then again at a ninety degree angle. I repeated this in a third direction, or as many as I needed to achieve the darkness level I was looking for. For the textured surface of earth and rocks at the base of the wall, I used 0.05, 0.3 and 0.8 to create multiple layers of pointillism with a random placement of points. By intentionally building up 0.3 and 0.8 points in certain areas, I was able to simulate peaks and valleys which either caught the moonlight or were in shadow.

Lettering: Even though this page has no standard lettering on it, I wanted to show an example of lettering using Multiliners from a different page. Drawn at 1.5 times the finished comic size, I laid down parallel nonphoto blue lines 3mm apart for the lettering and 2mm apart for the leading (the vertical space between each line of lettering). Since I was going for a clean, mono-weight lettering style, I simply drew out the letters using a 0.3 for standard text and a 0.5 for bold. In this case, the Multiliners beat a traditional nibstyle pen and ink’s varied lines.

As you can see below in the finished page, basic illustration techniques can be taken to the next level simply by using a variety of Copic Multiliners. By switching between pens, you can add as much depth as you need to set the mood for your piece.

What Multiliner techniques do you use? Let us know in the comments, below.

For more from Alex, visit him online. Enjoyed this post? Feel free to let him know.

Website: http://AlexHeizer.com/
CopicColor: Alex Heizer
Twitter: @AlexHeizer
Facebook: Alex Heizer
Google+: Alex Heizer

Largely self-taught illustrator Drew Blom talked with us about having work curated into the Art for Hope exhibit, his art making experience, and using SketchBook Pro Copic Edition.

Congratulations! How did it feel to be approached by Autodesk for this art show?

I was contacted by Chris Cheung at Autodesk to see if I was interested in contributing a piece for their Art For Hope benefit book in partnership with Viz Media. It was right around the time the Copic Edition of SketchBook Pro (SBP) was released. I planned everything digitally, printed out and did a traditional graphite rendering, scanned back in and used the new Copic settings to create the colors for my piece.

I was pretty humbled to asked to be part of the Art For Hope book. It’s a great cause, I was excited to work on the piece  – and excited to hear it was selected. It was quite an honor.

Unless you’re a big name who’s having their work reviewed all the time it is easy to work in a vacuum. I’m not a big name so it’s kind of fun to see that the piece is making an impression on others.

Anything you’d like viewers to keep in mind while viewing your piece?

The piece was created as a cover for my story Calvin Hedge and the Iron Golem. It’s a story about hope, so it was a natural fit for the anthology. The story is intended to be the first of a trilogy of YA fantasy novels. I am writing and illustrating a children’s book as a precursor to the world and characters early next year. The characters in the image were not just put in to fill the composition. They all have a part in the story. Knowing who the characters are really helps me as I work on the actual piece.

Calvin Hedge and the Iron Golem, Graphite, Strathmore 500, Digital, 11″ x 17″

How do you normally go about art making?

I use digital drawing tools like SketchBook Pro for planning because it’s easiest to change, but for the actual work (rendering and line art) I prefer traditional media.

Every artist has a preference for tools and it usually winds up being the ones they have the most control over. Graphite and colored pencil are my go-to most of the time. Markers and pen-and-ink techniques are also a part of my process. I like the digital tools available because of the speed and ease of making changes. But I am still a sucker for the texture and depth of traditional media. The computer does “perfect” really well. But the hand of the artist is more readily visible with traditional media.

I did a talk recently explaining the process a little bit here. My part starts about 20 minutes in:

I use traditional Copic markers as well and am planning on using them as a monochromatic underpainting layer for a children’s book I’m writing and illustrating. After that I go in with digital color, similar to the SketchBook piece. I just need to start building up my grayscale collection of Copics.

Underpainting is a technique that has been around for a long time. In traditional oils it is used to define value and texture before a full-color realization is done over the top.

Calvin Hedge and the Iron Golem, underpainting

With the piece above, I used graphite pencils for the values, lighting and materials. It’s my version of underpainting and brings in the texture of the traditional media I’m working with.

With my upcoming children’s book I’m exploring a new process where the initial planning of the composition is done with SBP. The piece is then printed off and traditional Copics are used to lay in value, lighting and texture to the scene. Once the values are defined and the edges are contained with colored pencil the piece is scanned back in and a full color treatment is done digitally. This allows the texture of the paper and the markers to build up as they naturally would in a 100% traditional piece but also allows for the speed of doing final colors digitally.

What makes Copic your marker of choice for that?

The Copics blend very well, and with a set of grays you can lay in value incrementally. I like to feel in control as I’m creating the piece and the Copics are very natural and easy to reign in.

Have you been using SketchBook Pro (SBP) very long?

In one way or another, I’ve been using SketchBook Pro since version 1.1. I started out using it for storyboards but now use it for a lot of other things like planning out my compositions and coloring my final pieces.

How about SketchBook Copic Edition?

I picked it up the day it was released. I did a pretty quick update when the announcement was posted.  I already was using the markers so it was a natural transition.

It’s is a very natural sketching tool. Because I work on a tablet computer, I appreciate the gesture-based navigation. For coloring it is a bit different than I’m used to for my comic work, which is based on laying down flat color for selection and then building up volume. Its closer to traditional media which makes it very easy to get started with. You can tell the software was developed from an artist’s perspective.

The Copic presets are helpful as well. The palettes make sense and are great for narrowing in on a limited palette. The brush presets make the transition from traditional to digital media pretty smooth.

Any advice to people wanting to give SBP Copic Edition a try?

If you’re used to traditional Copics you’ll be familiar with the color palette. And the actual use of the digital preset brushes is pretty close too. Just like with traditional markers you can’t lay in light color over darks. It was a bit odd at first because I was used to standard digital tools, but over time it became an advantage because it kept me in the same mindset from traditional to digital.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

___________________________
Connect with Drew online: http://about.me/drewblom

Tell us a bit about yourself!

Well, I’ve been drawing since I was about 5 years old. I would copy cartoons that I saw on TV . I always seemed to be drawing the weird characters or bad guys in the shows. When I got into middle school I was introduced to graffiti and was hooked. I didn’t just like writing on walls though, I loved the characters you would see and the crazy colors and letters. I kept trying to improve my style through out high school and even after. I finally realized that art is what I wanted to with my life so I went to the Art Institute of LA. I didn’t finish because the school headed in a way that I didn’t like, but what I did learn really helped me grow as an artist.

What are your biggest sources of inspiration?

Graffiti, music, monsters/ aliens, nature and lots and lots of cartoons.

How do you describe your work?

I like to create a world for my characters, even if the background is simple. I usually put them in a very isolated environment with islands and a dark space-like atmosphere. My characters can be weird, and sometimes gory. Sometimes I like to give them a storybook-like feel to them.

How do you incorporate Copic products into your work?

The backbone to all my pieces have to be the 12 C set of Copic Wide markers, as well as the blending marker. These are what help me get the shading and rendered look to my work. The fact that I can refill these markers is great since I use them A LOT.

What are you working on right now?

Right now I’ve been working on designs for people. Usually t-shirts, or band cover/ logo designs. I am working on new pieces for a featured artist spot coming up in October at The Hive gallery in Los Angeles. Also, a friend of mine is having a show in Dec. at the GCS Gallery in Santa Ana, CA, where I’m going to have about 6 new pieces. On top of this I try to work on my personal drawings when ever I get a chance.

Can you tell us a bit about your future goals? Where do you hope to go with your artwork?

I plan to continue to show my work in galleries and hopefully get marker drawings to be seen as more of a fine art. I also have been thinking of coming out with a comic or short story of my main character, the 3 eyed elephant. Another thing I’ve been working on is bringing out a line of t-shirts that are all my drawings/ designs. I already have some stores where I sell shirts with my elephant logo on it. Another thing is sculpting some of my characters and try to bring them to a 3d world. I want to do everything!

Any words of advice for new artists?

Draw, paint, sketch… whatever it is you love to do, just do it, and do it everyday. Keep trying to grow and look for new inspiration everywhere. To me it feels great when I see my improvement, or find a new technique in creating my drawings

View more of Ivan’s work:
http://www.3rdiartist.com/
http://www.facebook.com/3rdiart

Tell us about when you started drawing, and how you became interested in Manga style art?

My mom tells me that I was drawing ever since I was old enough to hold a crayon! In grade 7 my friends and I started drawing cats. But then I was worried that I would become “the crazy cat lady” so I started to sketch people. In grade 9, someone told me I looked like an anime character named Misa, so I started looking at some of the manga and watching animeonline. I fell in love with it instantly and started collecting manga. Later, I decided I wanted to create my own characters.

That seems like a pretty natural progression. How and when did you come up with the idea for PaigeeDraw?

When I decided I wanted to learn to draw Manga, I was frustrated with the tools and books available. I felt that the books I found showed the finished product but didn’t explain the process of how to get there in enough detail. So I started collecting manga comics and taught myself. Later, my friends kept asking me to teach them, so I approached my dad to help me find a way to make it easy for anyone to learn how to draw.

So what makes PaigeeDraw different from other teaching tools on the market?

In PaigeeDraw, I break every character down into as many as 29 steps, and provide instructions and tips each step of the way. I also provide detailed tutorials on how to draw hands, eyes and faces. Also, PaigeeDraw teaches users how to hand draw, not rely on digital drawing tools or expensive software like Photoshop.

Do people need special supplies to get started, or can they use what they have at home?

All you need is a pencil and a piece of paper to get started. But manga looks best using special markers and marker pads, which are all available on PaigeeDraw.com When I was learning, my mom had to drive me all over town looking for art supplies, so we sell starter kits that make it easy for people to get started.

The kits you sell to go with the application come with Copic markers. How did you first come upon Copics, and why do you continue to use and recommend them?

I first came upon Copic Markers from DeviantArt. Many artists that I love are on DeviantArt, and most of them prefer to use Copic markers when they use markers. I have tried a number of other markers, and Copic are my favourite! They are very reliable and do not streak as much as other brands.

Which part of drawing a character gives you the most trouble and how do you overcome  that challenge?

Hands and feet still give me the most trouble. Like most artists though, I love drawing hands. I look at images from artists I look up to. I always reference them for difficult poses, and for practice.

Do you draw your characters based off of real life experiences and people, or are they random ideas from your imagination?

Imagination! Many of my characters are based off of my dreams. Reading manga comics and watching Japanese Anime inspires me. The characters from the application are based on individual poses or hair styles I like. Sometimes, they are based on fashions that I have seen.

I’ve heard that you have a name for your character in mind, before you draw him or her. At what point do you know what colors you want to use for a character?

I usually just play with the colors while creating the characters. When I created the PaigeeDraw application, I tried to use only a few colors, so that people could draw the character without having a huge Copic set.

We know you’re great at creating mango character, and are considering Fashion Design school in the future. Do you have any other interests or talents that we may not know as much about?

One of the other things I like to do is bake. I have a lot and am getting quite good at it. I’ve made Melon pan, cream puffs, cookies and cakes. I plan to tackle macaroons and chocolate mousse in the future!

My passion is still art. I have recently been practicing with my airbrush! I have not included backgrounds in my application yet, hopefully we will get there in the future.

We’re thrilled to announce a very exciting relationship with famed creature designer Terryl Whitlatch. Terryl and Copic Marker are teaming up to bring you an online art education experience unlike any other! Be on the lookout for a preview of the program, and join us at Anime Expo in Los Angeles for demonstrations July 2nd -4th at the Copic booth (#501). Terryl will also be on hand Friday, July 1st in our booth at Anime.Music.Manga in Anaheim.

Also be sure to check out The Jedi Path, a new collector’s item for Jedi enthusiasts featuring Terryl’s illustrations.

What was it like to work for Lucasfilms and the Star Wars Universe?

Working for the Lucasfilms companies, in my case, Industrial Light and Magic, LucasArts, LucasBooks, LucasLearning, as well as Lucasfilms itself, was a blast.  We worked long hours, but the time went quickly, it was quite a roller coaster, with lots of deadlines, and lots of fun.

Regarding Star Wars itself, those films are under the jurisdiction of Lucasfilms.  For Star Wars—The Phantom Menace, I was the principal creature designer, and invented most of the creatures, as well as reinterpreting preexisting characters, in that film.  I  designed Jar Jar Binx, Sebulba, the majority of the pod racers, and most of the animals that swam, crawled, flew, and galloped in that film.  I also worked on Star Wars—The Special Edition, and Star Wars, Episode 2.

Working for George Lucas was a great experience.  He met with us at least once a week, but you never knew when he might pop in.  He was a very gentle, genuinely nice person, and had quite a pithy, funny sense of humor.  I really liked him, and he treated us very well.

This might sound like a silly question, but were you a Star Wars fan before working on the films?

I saw the first films in the theater when I was a teenager, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, and was blown away by the amazing special effects that had never been seen before, and which changed the face of movie making forever.  I had fallen in love with the wonderful stop action animation and creatures of  Ray Harryhausen when I was a child, and this was the next natural step.  I really liked the way George Lucas took what he saw in real life, and just put a little spin on it.  For example, we can believe in banthas because we know about elephants and woolly mammoths. Or, likewise, Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder because we’ve seen Ford Galaxies and Chevy Impalas.  So, yes, I have a great fondness and appreciation for the Star Wars films.

When you were asked to contribute to The Jedi Path, how did you feel?

I was very happy to be asked, first of all.  I’d been working on many other projects since the last films, and it was great to be doing some Star Wars work again.

What is The Jedi Path, and what is it about?

The Jedi Path is basically a long lost training manual for young Jedi apprentices, called Padowans.  Due to the long wars of Federation vs the Empire, all the other Jedi documents have either been lost or destroyed.  This is the only surviving Jedi literature.  It contains all sorts of secret information on becoming a Jedi, such as fighting techniques, survival methods, histories of the Jedi Order, handwritten notes from various Jedi knights such as, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and yes, even Yoda.  There are other goodies, like tokens and badges tucked in its pages.  The book itself is protected in a special hi-tech mechanical vault.  The Jedi Path is a must-have for any true Star Wars fan.

Certainly documenting in great detail the Jedi Knight creed is not a small undertaking. Did you meet the author, and what was it like to collaborate with him?

Daniel Wallace, the author of The Jedi Path, was delightful to work with.  It’s not easy to trace and tie together all the lore and information concerning this subject that has accumulated over the last thirty-four years since the original Star Wars film was released in the theaters.  Rosanna Brockley, the hard working designer of the book, was equally as wonderful to work with.

What were your favorite Creatures of the Force that you designed?  Were there already pre-existing designs of them that you reinterpreted?

I illustrated 6 different creatures, which already had various interpretations by various artists over the years.  I tried to do a definitive interpretation for each one, and looked to nature for inspiration, such as salamanders,  caterpillars, and sabertooth cats.  My favorite three are the Jakobeast, Nighthunter, and Beck-tori.  While these creatures are all different species, and not biologically related to one another, what they do have in common is their ability to use the Force, for survival and defense.

We’re told you used Copic markers to illustrate these creatures. Is that correct?

Yes. I chose to do these in traditional media, to give a more authentic look given the history and archaeological nature of The Jedi Path.  However, the creatures had to look highly realistic and contemporary at the same time.  Copic markers, which are Industry standards, with their fresh appeal, color variety, and easy blendibility, were the perfect choice for the project.

Is there anything else are you currently doing in the Star Wars Universe?

Yes, definitely, and I will be able to tell you about it shortly—but what I can say is that this time it has a great deal to do with the dark side of the Force!

TEWSR1 displayed work in the gallery and did live graffiti work at the event. In addition to those at the recent Black Book event, TEWSR1 has worked with notable artists and comanies such as Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg, Steve-O from Jack-Ass, Audio Hustlerz Records, One World, FIND Art Magazine and 5 Star Clothing.

You can go here to find out more about the Black Book event and to read attendee comments and feedback. Or view more of TEWSR1′s work at waistedtalent.com. We’ve pictured work done by TEWSR1 with Copic Markers in this interview, but his website will give you a glimpse at work he does in other mediums. 

You can also see his work this summer at the L.A. Art Machine International Urban Art Festivalfrom July 14-17th.

Tell us about your background and how art played a role in your life growing up.

I grew up in Orange County, California in a city without much of a strong graffiti element or influential art movement to speak of at the time. I began copying and drawing from comic books and old cartoons when i was younger. I eventually developed a cache of techniques and elements that gave me a good basis to start creating my own ideas incorporating my style characteristics. In grade school I created a small revenue selling sketches of Mega-Man and Tiny Toons characters, and it was then I realized there was a chance to make a living in art if I could learn how to do it well enough. I’ve been actively trying to acquire a better grasp ever since.

How has your work changed over time?

I think my work has become more refined and technically complex compared to my earlier work. I create with the intention to provoke thought. My art used to have a more cartoonish look and lately I have been using my knowledge of realism to twist my creations into a more tangible entity. It also adds to my style of graffiti work since the realism aspect in that genre is only applied by few.

What makes you want to draw?

My drive stems from my desire to learn and to constantly acquire new techniques to apply to my art, to achieve the caliber of work I’ve been seeking ever since I began this worm-hole journey through the world of art. I feel that if I never reach that point, then I will still be consistently learning new things in hopes of arriving there. That is what ultimately drives me.

Copic is sponsoring a Black Book event you’ll be showing work at. For those of us who aren’t graffiti artists, what is a Black Book, and why does a graff artist have one?

A black book is a way to develop one’s style and way of working out the look before actually bringing it out into the open public for all to see and ultimately judge.

Some use their black books to complete and fully render pieces of art and fill them to the margin with everything they’ve learned of hope to learn. I use mine mostly for brainstorming and concepts. Although I have been known to rock a mean full-page or two-pager, nowadays it seems more archival and useful for me to spend the time completing the works on canvas or illustration board. I will never lose the desire to throw something  in a black book thought. It will continue to be a staple in the arsenal of the seasoned graffiti artist and all other alike.

Who would enjoy a Black Book event like the one you participated in on May 21st?

I think this [kind of] event is for anyone with an open mind and desire to see some truly amazing work by some of the most prolific and talented artist’s around. It’s a great chance for anyone that has never had the opportunity to see first hand how graffiti mural is done from start to finish. And a great way to see how the difference in sketchbook techniques used by many artists with the same goal; to achieve a great looking piece of art! People can enjoy all this with the ambient sounds of some of the “freshest” D.Js out.

What’s the farthest you have traveled to be in a black book event?

Unfortunately, I haven’t been much farther than within California since the good black book events are few and far between. However, I am willing to travel far and wide to spread my art, wherever it’s needed, and not needed for that matter.

Joanne Sharpe has a layout from pages 66 through 70 entitled Making Magic with Markers that breaks down the Copic color coding system, explains blending trios and provides an exclusive black and white illustration for trying out the techniques yourself.

Joanne will be at the Create Retreat in Costa Mesa, CA May18-22 teaching the following classes:
“Color Blast Buffet” Art Journals
Color Me Creative Copics
Oh My Word! Artful Lettering Inspirational Journals.

Not signed up for Create Retreat?

There is still availability in Copic’s mixed media workshop called Ink & Art, this June in Indianapolis. The experimenting will go from 9am to 5:30pm and attendees are encouraged to bring their own collage materials to incorporate, such as favorite photos, magazine or newspaper clippings and copies of inspiring art. Some techniques to be covered include:

Copic & Bleach Bath
Found Object Resist
Layered Backgrounds
Hot Photos
Colorizing Transfers
Faux Batik
French Ribbon Dying
Tinting Acrylic

I was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Missoula, Montana. I’m a self taught artist. I originally wanted to go to college for architecture or illustration, but I realized early on that my art had its own ideas for me. I always had trouble following assignments when I was taking art classes in high school.  My teachers would think I was just being stubborn and give me a low grade. Of course I WAS being stubborn, but I was also trying to do something that felt really important to me.  My favorite thing to do was to just sit and draw without trying to control the outcome. It never really felt like I was drawing to make art.  It always felt more like drawing was a physical act that allowed me to think more clearly. Drawing in this way helped me find a place in myself where I could relax and get perspective on things.  I ended up travelling a lot after high school instead of furthering my schooling. During that time, my art felt more like a personal practice, something I needed to do for myself, and I rarely showed it to anyone.  I feel like it was really valuable for me to develop my art away from any kind of influence, and only start sharing it after I’ve been alone with it for awhile.

What is your earliest memory of drawing or making art?

My first memory of being creative was simply the act of pretending. It’s interesting to think back and try to remember what it use to feel like to pretend things as a child. Through simple actions, like rolling a toy car across the floor of my living room as a child, I was also taking part in an imagined, alternate scenario that was happening invisibly all around me.  I remember having really intense and sometimes frightening pretend experiences, then suddenly being called to dinner time.

The act of actually making pictures was a whole other story. When I was a kid, I wanted to draw well, really bad. I wanted to be good at coloring. I remember having a robot coloring book, and coloring each picture as carefully as possible. I remember getting my mom to color some of them, then trying to color as nicely as her. I use to enjoy trying to carefully cut out pictures from magazines with scissors. I’ve always wanted to be able to create delicate details and intricate scenes with my hands. I remember getting really discouraged when I was trying to draw in middle school, because I could sense so much possibility in each drawing, but my ability to draw felt far removed from the things I could imagine. I loved thinking my way through pretend, epic scenarios, visualizing alien worlds, and making movies in my head, but drawing didn’t feel like a place where I could document these kinds of thoughts until later. Drawing was something to sit and do carefully. I was a rowdy kid, and this is one of the few calm activities that could wind me down.

My Brother and I were both really affected by the early Star Wars Movies. Growing up with tons of alien action figures and a big set of wooden building blocks was a good thing. We would create entire scenes and light them with flash lights. We went through a destructive faze where we blew up a lot of our toys in an attempt to create movie special effects.

We were  really, really into comics too.  Something about that dynamic combining of words and pictures has always stuck with me. The way that my eyes interacted with the line work, the colors, and words on the page; the epic and strange mythological stories that seemingly continued endlessly, with dozens of characters, and multi-dimensional crossovers. It was the closest thing I had found to the kinds of things I liked to imagine in my own head.  It took me awhile to come back around to realizing that comics were the ultimate art form for me. Being able to tell stories with my drawings is a challenging and satisfying thing that I want to be exploring for years to come.

Tell us about the role different media play in your artistic life.

I love exploring different media, but drawing is really at the center of everything I do. I like building sculptural works, especially when they’re also wearable.  I’ve been working on some cut out paper characters for my brother to animate. I write. I’ve dabbled in music a bit. I paint, but too often these days.

When and How did you start using Copic Markers?

My good friends Teesha and Tracy Moore introduced me to the Copic Sketch markers and I fell in love with them instantly. I’ve been using them to color my new comic and they’ve been amazing. I wish I had an endless supply! They’ve really affected my work in a positive way.

Do you have a set process you go through when creating?

It’s always mutating. Right now I’ve got a little studio about 6 miles from my apartment. I ride my bike there in the morning. The bike ride itself feels like an important part of my process now. It gets me pumped up to really get focused when I get there. Sometimes I’m laying out dozens of pages all over the floor, sometimes I’m cutting out panels, gluing, or coloring. Sometimes I’ll spend all day just sitting and drawing on a single page. Like that it’s always changing. I’m about to start in on a really large installation piece at the Portland Airport, I’ve never done anything this large before, so I’m about to discover out an entirely new process.

What’s your favorite part about being an artist?

The personal experience of it. The constant discoveries and surprises that happen while working.

What is the worst part about being and artist?

It can be really challenging to make ends meet. I feel like making art is meant to be my full time job, but it doesn’t always  seem like that feeling matches up with the demands of society. It sort of feels like I have an imaginary job I go to every day and I’m hoping that one day it will be accepted as real. I’ve never quite felt like I’m on stable ground, but I’m truly thankful to be making art full time!

Do you have any advice for others looking for artistic inspiration?

I think that not enough can be said for simply being yourself in your work. I think that everyone has their own natural way of making art. Your art can only really start talking to you if you let your art have its way.

Follow the links below to see his Free Art Lessons, produced by Burning Oak studios for Jerry’s Artarama.  Each video is about 10 minutes long.
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Adam Hughes How to Draw Eyes | Free Art Lessons.
Adam Hughes How to Draw Fabric and Clothing | Free Art Lessons.
Adam Hughes How to Draw Flesh Tones | Free Art Lessons.