Painting Rocky Jordan: Process

Continued from yesterday's post on the pencil process, here we are in the paint. Part 2:

I transferred my drawing to a heavy weight illustration board prepared with gesso using a graphite pencil and sharpened up the drawing using Prismacolor pencils: Burnt Ochre, Light Umber, Terra Cotta, and Black.


I also tinted the overall board with a light coat of Raw Umber acrylic paint and blocked in the dark's with Payne's Grey or Raw Umber.

I cut some masks using a clear acetate and started on the background colors, keeping the two main figures covered up. I glazed acrylic color with the airbrush into the overall background, working light to dark, and enjoying the process of the colors working together; warm and cool. At this point I was creating a dance between the blue sky at dusk (Cobalt Blue) and the warm glow and shadows of the buildings (Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Green, and Dioxazine Purple).


Examining the hue of the sky against the buildings:

After I've laid down the background colors, I remove the masks to take a look at what's going on. Total time is approximately 5 hours. Background is not complete but it's time to move onto the figures before I work on the background anymore. I'll complete the background and figures pretty much together as the painting starts to fall into place.

I start with the flesh tone of both figures (Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Light Portrait Pink) and shadows in the face and hands (Viridian Hue Perm., Cerulean Blue).


A short break and call to my friend Anthony Schiavino. He and I collaborated on my Knuckles, Tough Guy for Hire painting for his publication, "Episodes From The Zero Hour". Anthony knows pulp and I've trusted him for many years. I'd been tossing around ideas for both Rocky's coat and the femme fatale's dress but I wanted Anthony's opinion. Even though I knew which way I was leaning - I wanted to be absolutely sure. White coat and deep blue dress. Got it, thanks Anthony.

I bit of Dioxazine Purple and Raw Umber next to some Cadmium Yellow Medium areas, then Ultramarine Blue glazed over the dress.

Stay tuned.

Sketchbook Entry 11: Happy Noir Year

This next drawing from my Sketchbook is from the cover of "Episodes From The Zero Hour" Volume 1 from Blinding Force Productions featuring Tommy "Knuckles" McNichols. This piece (and specifically the finished painting) is a very important project to me: one, because I'm mighty happy with the way all the noir, pulp and private eye influences all fit together for me, two: because the project moved along nicely with the writer, art director and designer and, three: because it forged a great professional and personal friendship with the designer Anthony Schiavino. Aside from Anthony having an impeccable eye for good design, he's a great writer / creator himself with some really fine ideas. Anthony and I talk a lot via email all week long, talking about everything important: comics, films, art, work and family (not in that order). We've become great friends this year and it all began with a Tough Guy, named "Knuckles" created by his cohort Jay Butkowski. It's a great pulp story (available at: www.lulu.com/zerohour) so give it a try.



When Anthony first inquired about my schedule and interest in the project, he had the cover designed with color palette options and a rough sketch. The original layout had "Knuckles" sitting behind the desk with his feet up, but after discussing the character with Jay and Anthony I came up with a rough thumbnail that had more body gesture and attitude of a tough guy for hire. More of a "Bobby the Mitch" swag to his personality. I also put more emphasis of noir by adding the blinds and played with light and shadows. Adding the framed boxing photograph behind him in the shadows introduced a bit more of the characters past.



Have a great 2009! Thanks for visiting the blog over the year. It's been quite a busy year for me, which explains the lack of posts but I'll get to them and I will try and update with new posts on a more regular basis in the coming year. I still have some exciting things to showcase as they take shape as well as continuing with the Sketchbook entries. See you next year.