What the hell is that?!?! Yeah, I noticed that this blog lacks some color in a major way. To remedy the situation, I decided to start tossing out some covers I've done in color. Why not start with my favorite. Gotta say, I really like this cover, which, if you know me, is a strange thing. Sometimes the stars align and things just seem to work out. This cover was one of those occasions. The truly sad thing is that I have yet to do a color piece that I like as much. The truth behind this particular image, though, is that it isn't the technical aspects of the piece that get me going. I like the subject matter here, and I hold this cover directly responsible for getting me interested in drawing things in smoke. This cover also holds a warm, fuzzy place in my heart because I used a good friend and former room mate Francesco Meo as my Constantine model. Francesco looks NOTHING like John C. but damn does he know how to smoke a cigarette. If I can dig up the black and white version I'll post it as well. I'm sure it's out there online somewhere....
At any rate, this piece was colored in Painter. I've just recently started to get brave enough with photoshop to venture into the world of 'layers' and 'command z'. For some reason it never occurred to me to do things on layers. Yet another Forrest Gump example of Lee getting a hold of technology and finding the slowest, most ineffectual way to use it. I would basically just scan the black and whites in and paint directly on top of the piece. If I screwed something up, I would just paint over it. DOH!!!!!
I did notice that some of your covers were paintings of pencil drawings, such as the joker cover. So this is adding color under the pencil and ink drawings, which i guess is much quicker! Also drwing smoke is fun and yours is awesome because it looks so natural!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I loved how you nailed the wisps of smoke on this cover. I was so taken by how realistic was the smoke and Constantine's pose that I didn't notice the face till the third or fourth glance!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI love your work for some years (basicly since the first time I've seen a cover of Hellblazer from you), and its very easy to be addicted to your work.
I still want to be able to buy a cover from you, I specially love the Constantine covers you do, like this one as a brilliant example of it, just didn't have the opportunity to afford one...yet, but its painful to see when one that I love is sold to some lucky person.
All the best and all the luck to your career,
João