My first page of sequential comic art in over a year is starting to come together. I never intended to have such a long break from it, and since starting this Jikan page I've realised just how rusty I've become. Drawing all these portraits has definitely helped my art overall, but it's also hindered it at the same time. Background details, full figures, hands, clothes, panel composition, focusing in and pulling back just like you're directing a movie, and just plain drawing things smaller - I'd truly forgotten how much planning and effort goes into even a single panel. And that's what we have here - my first panel in too long, for a page I'm doing for Paragon's time-travelling demon slayer Jikan.
I used this for a couple of things - first to knock the rust off all the above skills I've been neglecting before I start planning the pages for the first episode of my magnificent octopus 'Last Road to the Backwoods' (with the Emperor), and second to have a bash at a very different style. I've been becoming more and more obsessed with the genius that is Mike Mignola, so decided to try a style that, although not directly copied is certainly influenced by him. Thinner lines, blockier shapes, flat areas of solid blacks etc. Keeps me from boring myself, just churning out the same thing over and over again.
