Monday, June 7, 2010

Page 100 Number Two!

Here's the second of my Page One Hundred Project pieces. Page 100 of "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett.



Learned from this one:

1) I hand-lettered it and while you can read it, it's a bit small. I think a heavier line for the type might help as well. Learning the Alvin lettering guide might also help. The tortoise lettering was done by Sweet Enemy (The tortoise in the fourth panel is stylized on her suggestion as well).

2) Hair. I need to practice light colored hair. I did use a brush to do the hair which is unusual in itself. I usually only use one sort of tool per drawing. This is not a good thing and I'm trying to break the habit.

3) Drapery. I have to get off of my but and draw more drapery.

4) drawing a background separately seemed to work pretty well.

The original text:

Brutha lay on his back among the sails and ropes somewhere under the decking. It was hot, and the air smelled of all air anywhere that has ever come into contact with bilges.

Brutha hadn't eaten all day. Initially he'd been too ill to. Then he just hadn't.

"But being cruel to animals doesn't mean he's a... bad person, " he ventured, the harmonics of his tone suggesting that eve he didn't believe this. It had been quite a small porpoise.

"He turned me on my
back," said Om.

Yes, but humans are more important than animals, " said Brutha.

"this is a point of view often expressed by humans," said Om.

"Chapter IX, verse 16 of the book of --" Brutha began.

"Who cares what any book says!" screamed the tortoise.

Brutha was shaken.

"But you never told any of the prophets that people should be kind to animals," he said. "I don't remember anything about that. Not when you were... bigger. You don't want people to be kind to animals because they're animals, you just want people to be kind to animals because one of them might be you."

"That's not a bad idea!"

"Besides, he's been kind to me. He didn't have to be."

"You think that? Is that what you think? Have you looked at the man's
mind?"

"Of course I haven't! I don't know how to!"

"You don't?"

"No! Human's can't do--"

Brutha paused. Vorbis seemed to do it. He only had to look at someone to know what wicked thoughts they harbored. And grandmother had been the same.


Whew. This turned out pretty good. Next up is The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac.

I'm thinking of another give-away to help me grow in my art. Not another free ink drawing to the first five takers like last time but something more contest-y. I haven't got a contest-y thing yet, but I think the prize will be a choice of either one of the Page One Hundred projects already complete, or doing a Page One Hundred of the winner's favorite book (unless, of course, the book is awful).

How's this strike you guys? If even one person expresses interest, I'll come up with a contest. Sound off, people!

Listening to while posting: "Broadripple is Burning" by Margot and the Nuclear So and So's (jeezum. I had to go back twice to get that right)

7 comments:

Kristen Eaton said...

Love it! Also, now I have to read this book. (Not that everything by Pratchett wasn't already on my list, but now I have to read it sooner.)

What kind of contest?! I feel totally greedy to be expressing interest after scoring a drawing from the last give-away, but I am anyway.

Sweet Enemy said...

Am I automatically excluded from this potential contest?

Samax said...

AWESOME! great work!

Lee Sargent said...

I really like the expression on the guy's face throughout, you've managed to set a tone with some very subtle expression and without even reading the text I could pick the flow of the conversation.

I like how you've picked out lessons learnt too and I too have a remarkable dislike for light coloured hair and need to practise it more.

I'm working on one which is from a novel based on a comic book based on the Aliens franchise and is very wordy so my lettering is going to get a work out (do you pencil in guidelines?)

Look forward to the next one!

Don Snabulus said...

I think you caught the Pratchett mood very well. Are there Pratchett inspired comics there I wonder? I think they would be successful.

Arkonbey said...

@Rambler: Don't know what kind of contest,yet. I have an idea, though...

@SE:Employees and family of Arkonbey are not eligible. 'sides, isn't there enough of my stuff floating around the house?

@Samax: Thanks!

@LS:Sooooo, a comic based on a novel based on a comic based on a movie? Jeez. Makes me think of "The album of the soundtrack of the trailer of the film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail"

@Snab: There was a comic of "The Colour of Magic". It was very close to awful...

Sweet Enemy said...

@Arkon: there is a distinct lack of your pen & ink around the place. Get crackin'.