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Graphic Novels
Jeff Smith
Computers have invaded almost every aspect of our lives—even art! But cartooning is still created in much the same way now as it was a hundred years ago by Winsor McKay in his ground breaking comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland. My graphic novels are lettered and colored with the help of a computer, but the artwork is drawn on oversized Bristol boards and inked with a paintbrush, using India ink. Not all cartoonists use a brush, but I think it's the only way to get that graceful, thick and thin line that gives such grace and life to a classic cartoon character. Here are the steps I follow:
Step 1. Bone script pages
Mechanical pencil on 8 1/2" X 11" copy paper
This first set of four pages comes from the script of a Bone story from later in the series. The sketches are loose and fast. They have to convey where the characters are in the panel and what they are feeling, so I can remember later when drawing the real pages. And since they are only meant to be seen by me, the scripts are often very rough. Next, I'll show you these same pages enlarged and penciled onto 14" X 17" Bristol.
Blue pencil and ink on 2-ply Bristol plate
Now the four pages of script have been enlarged and traced lightly on to sheets of 2-ply Bristol. First, the panel borders are ruled in and pre-cut bits of lettering are glued into place. You'll notice that some of the dialogue has been changed from the script version; as I work on the pages I will reread the lines trying to hear the most natural flow. Finally, I use a light blue pencil to tightened up the drawings. The blue pencil doesn't show up later under the ink. Next I'll take the first pass with the ink brush, where I concentrate on the main character and hand lettered sound effects.
Step 3. Partial inks
Ink and blue pencil on 2-ply Bristol plate
In an effort to keep things interesting for me, I will often start by inking my favorite bits, usually Fone Bone if he is in the scene, but also all the faces of the major characters. I do this early on while I'm still fresh to ensure the "acting" is the best it can be throughout the book. By inking just the main point of visual interest in each frame, I can also track the flow of the panels as the scene builds. Here, Fone Bone is inked as he splashes and tumbles around in the Dragon's Burial Ground. All the sound effects and loud or emotional word balloons are done by hand. And then . . . we finish the page!
Step 4. Finished art
Ink and blue pencil on 2-ply Bristol plate
Now comes the final push, with last minute changes in dialogue glued down and patched up. In this case the word balloons are switched back almost exactly to their original script form. This is the kind of nonsense that slows a fellow down and makes a book late, but I haven't figured out yet how not to do it. The trick to inking is varying the weight of your line, making sure it appears to go over or under the next line, pushing some objects forward and others back. Sometimes a thin line can be used to suggest distance, like the far walls on the second two pages, and sometimes the fine lines are used to render details on objects closer to us. The last step I take is visually scanning the finished drawings, letting my eye float naturally from panel to panel, making sure the story flow is clear and uninterrupted. If it isn't and my eye is distracted, then I can usually fix it by adding or subtracting a few lines.
Step 5. Color
Coloring comics is an art in itself, and we can save that for another sunny day. For now, we can look briefly at the two main steps. First, the main characters and background elements are blocked off and given their own layers in Photoshop, so that they can be worked on separately. Then air-brushing tools and blocks of color are used to bring the image to life.
Well, that completes our tour through the art of a comics page. Thanks for checking in! •
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About the Artist:
Born and raised in the American mid-west, Jeff Smith learned about cartooning from comic strips, comic books, and watching animation on TV. In 1991, he launched a company called Cartoon Books to publish his comic book Bone, a comedy/adventure about three lost cousins from Boneville. Against all odds, the small company flourished, building a reputation for quality stories and artwork. Word of mouth, critical acclaim, and a string of major awards helped propel Cartoon Books and Bone to the forefront of the comic book industry.
In the Spring of 2005, Harry Potter's U.S. publisher Scholastic entered the graphic novel market by launching a new imprint, Graphix with a full color version of BONE: Out from Boneville, bringing the underground comic to a new audience and a new generation.
In 2007, DC Comics will release Smith's first non-creator owned work, SHAZAM! Monster Society of Evil, a four-part mini-series recreating a classic serial from comic's Golden Age.
Between projects, Smith spends much of his time on the international guest circuit promoting comics and the art of graphic novels.
Six graphic novel titles recommended by Jeff Smith:
• Flight 2 by Kazu Kibuishi et al. (Image Comics)
• The Book of Ballads by Charles Vess (Tor)
• Louis Riel by Chester Brown (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Buddha by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)
• A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran (Image Comics)
• Further Grickle by Graham Annable (Alternative Comics)
In the Artist's Studio:
Jeff Smith, May 2006
Ann Grifalconi, December 2005
Iza Trapani, August 2005
Robert Sabuda, October 2003
Mark Teague, August 2003
Stephen Alcorn, April 2003
David Wisniewski, November 2002
Paul Zelinsky, August 2002
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