Art Archive Comic Artist Mark Spears

some people can talk rubbish but thats ace - viva la fett

 

Wow, I love your pics.
Amazing! Would love to see more.

 

I like your Fett - very nice!

 

Thanks! I love those programs since I can't draw at all. I have been trying to teach myself to draw in the last few months, mainly drawing on clothes onto my naked poser people. I have only been working with the programs for less than a year and I didn't have any previous art experience, so they could be better.

Your drawing of Luke is fantastic. You are a very talented artist. That must be a great job to have.

AG88

 

Howdy,

Love your work. I used to read a lot of the Image stuff, but have been mostly a Dark Horse guy (for Star Wars reasons) for the past few years.

What kind of markers did you use on those cards. I've got a set of Prismacolors I'm trying to find my comfort level with.

S_H

 

Wow...your work is amazing, its wonderful to see professionals showcase their work in Fanart too. If you could spare any advice or comments to help the fellow artists here I'm sure everyone would be appreciative, but of course no pressure because I can only imagine how busy you must be.

Your website was a wonder to look through, so much gorgeous work from sketches to finished art. While its great to see highly polished worked pieces, its also a joy to be able to see sketchbook work, those rough raw strokes have a beautiful quality. Truly an inspiration to us all here. Thank you so much for sharing!

 

I think I am going to do a few Star Wars test pages to submit for some work. Usually they like to see their characters and not "Superman fighting Hulk" etc. It will look good in my portfolio too.

Thanks,

Mark

 

Thanks! Glad to hear people enjoy my stuff. I use prisma markers on all my color art. I usually never digital color anything because if I sell the original I can't sell digital colors. I have used digital colors for the last two statues color guides. It was much better to color over pencils than to ink the original and color it with markers. I will put all my concept art in my gallery when they allow me to. When using prisma markers I work in a 3 tone system, the same way I did when I digitally colored the concept work. I get a dark red a medium red and a light red. That really creates a rich depth. I don't use that method on skin color because they don't make that many choices. I use light peach and light walnut for the dark, sometimes sand.


Thanks!

Mark

 

Thanks! Again glad to hear someone likes it. I'd love to offer any advice I can. Ask any questions you can think of.

 

I'll have to try that out with the Prismacolors. At this point I just have the basic set (which came with no freakin' grays...). I need to pick up a few more colors.

Two other questions;

Do you use the 'clear' blending marker? I have not picked one up yet. I wanted to get some feed back from a few experienced Prismacolor artists on how it worked before I get one.

What kind of paper have yoyu found to work best with markers? I've tried a few, butmore oftern than not, I scrap what i was working on because fo the soak-in and bleed factor from the marker ink.

Thanks!

S_H

 

I have tried the blender, not worth it to me. It soaks up the color you first try it with and then if you try to blend some light colors in bleeds into it. Find a store that sells singles and get a few different "reds" "blues" "greens" "yellows" "greys" etc. You can also go online and get them. On grey, I get cool grey, 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 70%. The markers run around $3.50 each so they can get pricey. I charge more for coloring because they tend to dry out and only last a few pictures.

As for paper, I use Bristol Board. Smooth Bristol. You can get it in 9x12, 11x14 and bigger. Also thats what comic pages are made of, those come in 11x17.

Make sure you are using some good ink pens to ink. Also let the ink sit a little before coloring on top of it just in case the marker trys to make it bleed.

 

Thought I would tackle some Star Wars characters. What do you think?


[image=http://users.nehp.net/mspears/Marks%20Pics/maul211.jpg]

 

Wonderful!! I love the flowing robes. I am trying to learn how to draw clothing, but it is so hard to make them look realistic. I can never figure out where to put the folds and wrinkles. You do a wonderful job with the clothing.

Fantastic job!!

AG88

 

Thanks!

 

AAACK!!!

Amazing!! What a superb drawing: I absolutely love the way you've done the rain, actually showing it splashing up off his robes and hands, and "steaming" away from the lightsaber blades...just wow... This is so cool--a completely unique and heretofore unseen view of Darth Maul--the movement in his pose and robes, the expression on his face (and the highlighting of those blasted black tattoos...no small task, that...)--all just wonderful! It almost makes me want to run...

What a great, great piece! How long did this take you, Mark? The lines look so swiftly done, but everything--the likeness, the clothing, the background--is also so very precise...just awesome!



FF

 

In actual drawing time, around an hour, though I was watching TV while doing it so if might be less than that. I had to stop at one point and look for photo references for the lightsaber and robes.

When I layed this one out I also layed out an Aayla. I might finish that one up tonight if I get a chance.

 

Thought I'd share this one...


[image=http://users.nehp.net/mspears/Marks%20Pics/aayla212.jpg]

 

Thanks for the advice on the markers. Nice work on the sketches as well!

 

Impressive work! I love the details

 

Here's a Slave Leia.....

[image=http://users.nehp.net/mspears/Marks%20Pics/leia213.jpg]


What do you think?

 

Beautiful work on two of our favorite SW ladies, Mark! I especially like the Aayla Secura piece--I always admire an artist that conveys some of that "kick-butt Jedi Master" that had to have been present in her, rather than simply the "eye-candy" version! Her expression is great, and along with the pose (saber lit and held at guard) it really says "Don't mess with me!" And with Leia, it's very much the same! Her face and that chain pulled taut between her hands is a very clear message that this woman is not to be taken lightly--a lesson Jabba learned the very hard way! I read that you did Maul in an hour and almost broke all my pencils in half, lol! It's awesome quality work for such a brief time-frame--and I'll bet these two were done in about the same span of time... Sigh. Again, amazing work, and thanks for sharing it here!

FF

 

Thank you for the comments, I reall appreciate the feedback. I had one person tell me that Leia looked like a man in drag. So I was wondering if anyone liked it or not. With her as well as any character that an actors face is known for it is hard to find a middle ground where I can do a likeness, yet keep it in my own style. I thought I captured it yet I did get the 'drag' comment so i wasn't sure. I plan on doing a few more Star Wars pics to shop around for some work as well as some sequntial pages for comics.

On a side note, the concept art for my statues was shown at Toyfair this Sunday and was well recieved. Lots of great feedback from them.

 

"I had one person tell me that Leia looked like a man in drag."


With that body?! You've got to be joking!! ROTFL!!
**recovers from laughing fit enough to continue typing**
No, seriously--it's about as far from a man as I can imagine! And I think you captured the likeness very well while keeping to your own style.

Great news and congrats on the Toyfair success--hope it nets you some royalties!

FF

 

Oh my god, your Aayla is so voluptuous!

 

Thanks! Glad to know someone likes it. I thought about doing some other female jedi as well.