Color

Initially, I wanted the color of Boop to be super simple for two reasons: 1) I think the detailed artwork would have a nice contrast with the flat colors and 2) it would be faster. I’m not sure if I was right on either count so I’m redoing the color of the previously posted page 1.

But I don’t want the recoloring of the pages to slow down the inking, so I’ll be posting final inks to the blog and the comic page.

– Steve

What the villain doesn’t look like

After the jump, you can see some of the dozens of the sketches and designs for what the villain in Bloop doesn’t look like.

One of the keys to the design of the character was to make him physically look like the life he has led.

I’m coloring pages 2 and 3 now for posting this week. The villain appears on page 4 – the next penciled page I’ll be posting.

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Omnivor Planetary Development

This is the logo of the company which has designs on Bloop’s planet. Truly a name you can trust.

This was a lot of fun to do. The name changed a number of times but I’m pretty happy with this one.

– Steve

Bloop page 3 inks

Inks from page 3 of Bloop

Bloop page 2 inks

Here are inks from page 2 of Bloop

Inks from page 2 of Bloop

Bloop page 3 pencils

Here’s a look at the pencilled art for page 3 of Bloop.

Pencils for page three of Bloop.

Bloop page 2 pencils

Here’s a loot at the pencils from page two. I’m going to try inking this on a number of different boards.

Pencils for page two of Bloop.

Bloop page 1 inks

Here’s  a look at the inks for page 1.

Inks from page 1 of Bloop

Bloop page 1

Here’s page one.

149 pages more to go!

Someone asked if the book will be wordless. In a word, nope. Bloop doesn’t speak but everyone else in the book does.

– Steve

Pencil roughs for page 1

Here’s a low-res scan of the pencils from page one. This page has a few goals: showing Bloop and his environment are top of the list. He’s the star so he’s front and center and he’s small in relation to the forest. I want to create a lush environment – the more we care about the environment, the more impact the later story developments will have.

I’m working at a smaller-than-comic-book size. The pages are less vertical than traditional comic book pages. After months of sketching, this shape felt right for the story.

The head-size of Bloop in the first and third panels are a little to similar and I’ll likely adjust them in the final for more variety on the page.

UPDATE: inks for page 1 are slow-going. I’m trying Pearl Art and Craft‘s 2-ply bristol board and this stuff is absorbing ink like a paper towel. Not good. Depending how the next few hours go, I may redo the page using another brand of board and save Pearl’s boards for sketching. — Steve

Pencils for page one of Bloop.