Bayou Arcana Launch at Bristol Expo 2012!!

"There is a place deep down South where dreams come true and nightmares find flesh."

Saturday 12th May, I held in my hands for the very first time my very own published copy of my very first comic project!! It doesn't seem so long ago that I was sketching up the concepts and colouring pages for mine and Matt Gibbs' story 'Promises', but it's longer than I think! 

It was back in Nov 2010 that I got an email from Matt asking if I'd like to work with him on a story for Bayou Arcana! 

Matt and Jennie Gyllblad (Bayou Arcana illustrator for 'Irons in the Fire' with Corey Brotherson) knew each other before Bayou Arcana came to be. She brought him along to our degree show at the Coningsby Gallery in London where Jen and I were both exhibiting our 3rd year Illustration work, having been on the same course as each other at uni!

I didn't meet Matt that night, but he obviously remembered my name and my work, as in that fateful email he asked if I would like to collaborate with him on a short comic story for the Bayou Arcana Anthology!
Bayou Arcana is my first involvement in any kind of graphic novel publication, so having just completed my degree I needed a nice big project to sink my teeth into and I was INCREDIBLY psyched that Bayou Arcana would be it!!

Through my involvement in Bayou Arcana I have not only built firm friendships with the other creators and learnt LOADS about what is involved in making a comic, but also this project has opened a door into the wonderful world of the UK Small Press comic scene! I have met and collaborated with many wonderful people since my initial concept sketches for Bayou Arcana went up on this blog! 
If it weren't for BA I wouldn't have been asked to illustrate for Dark Harvest: The Legacy of Frankenstein, Sugar Glider Stories 2 or Into the Woods: a Fairytale Anthology!
I owe a LOT to Jennie, Matt, Jimmy and the whole Bayou Arcana Project for getting me at where I am today!


But enough reminiscing! Let me show you this beautiful comic and it's long awaited launch!! 

Cover art by Jennie Gyllblad, integrating characters designed by the other creators; Swamp Pussy there is by Nic Wilkinson and I designed the One-Eyed Racoon!

(Showing here the Limited Hardcover edition)

One of my early Bayou colour concepts was used for the back cover panel! It's on my blog right here!

And here in all of it's glossy paged glory are the first two pages of 'Promises'!!

Bayou Arcana, as part of the Markosia Showcase, was given special treatment with this gorgeous table and display set up in the Ramada Hotel!

It was there at 4:30pm on Saturday that a bunch of the writers and artists, myself included, sat on the panel and discussed Bayou Arcana's roots and ambitions. Here was the first time that I actually got to meet some of our very widespread creators, the lovely Jenny Clements (The Skeeter) and Trish Echavarri Riego (Six Bullets) who flew from Mexico! I enjoyed the experience thoroughly despite being slightly nerve wracked! 

After the panel discussion it was time for the signing! I was slightly unprepared and nervous about defacing someones beautiful book by scribbling my name in it! It was a rather surreal experience, but it was wonderful to see people who were as excited to read our comic as we were to see them buy it!

 

I had an amazing time the whole of the Bristol Expo weekend, I mean the excitement of BA launching aside, I got to see and catch up with people I hadn't seen for a year, met plenty more brilliant people for the first time, and got my hands on LOADS of excellent comics!!

This'll certainly be one con that I'll remember!

There are more photos from the Bayou Arcana panel and signing on my Facebook Page!

To find out more about each of Bayou Arcana's creators, visit the BA blog: 

http://bayouarcanacomic.blogspot.co.uk/

You can get your very own copy of Bayou Arcana: Volume One. Songs of Loss and Redemption on the Markosia website: 

http://www.markosia.com/wordpress/titles/bayou-arcana-songs-of-loss-and-redemption/

If after reading you find yourself wanting more, never fear!! There are plans for a Bayou Arcana Volume Two, not to mention other parallel arcs focusing on Earth's 6 other Arcana's (Outback Arcana, Amazon Arcana & Tibet Arcana being some of the ideas!)

Bayou Arcana: Women in Comics Interview!!

Hey there Comic fans!!

A few of the creators of Bayou Arcana got interviewed a little while ago, in light of the recent gender issues stirred up by the scheduled appearance of a few of the artists (which of course are all female) on the Kapow Comic Con panel!

As far as I understand it, this will be the first time in a long time that women have been invited to speak on a panel at Kapow! Go go Girls!!

The full interview by the lovely Laura Sneddon, featuring Nic Wilkinson (Swamp Pussy and the Hanged Man), Valia Kapadai (The Tale of O' Mercy), Jennie Gyllblad (Irons in the Fire), Vicky Stonebridge (Tohopka), Dani Abram (Small World), Corey Brotherson (Irons in the Fire - writer), James Pearson (Creator/editor/writer) AND myself, can be found right here!

However I'll copy and paste my bits below (excuse the waffle!)

How did the project come together?

Sara Dunkerton: For me the project started with an email back in November 2010 from Matt Gibbs. Matt and Jennie Gyllblad (Bayou Arcana illustrator for 'Irons in the Fire') knew each other before Bayou Arcana came to be, she brought him along to our degree show at the Coningsby Gallery in London where Jen and I were both exhibiting our 3rd year Illustration work, having been on the same course as each other at uni!

I didn't meet Matt that night, but he obviously remembered my name and my work, as in that fateful email he asked if I would like to collaborate with him on a short comic story for the Bayou Arcana Anthology!

Bayou Arcana was my first involvement in any kind of graphic novel publication, so having just completed my degree I needed a nice big project to sink my teeth into and I was INCREDIBLY psyched that Bayou Arcana would be it!!

Through my involvement in Bayou Arcana I have not only built firm friendships with the other creators and learnt LOADS about what is involved in making a comic, but also I've received a few commissions and requests to draw for other comics from people who have seen my development stuff for 'Promises' on my blog! I owe a LOT to Jennie, Matt, Jimmy and the whole Bayou Arcana Project for getting me at where I am today!

I just know I'm going to feel like a proud parent when this baby hits the shelves!!!

What are your thoughts on the Bayou Arcana panel at Kapow?

Sara Dunkerton: I'm excited for the guys that're going to be appearing on the panel and the massive stir that our little book has caused!! But I'm gutted to say that I won't be able to make it there in person!!

I don't know if anyone expected such publicity and interest to surround the project, I know I certainly didn't! But I'm delighted that there are loads of people out there who are talking about it and us, the creators!

I WILL definitely be at Bayou Arcana's launch at Bristol Expo however. I've no excuse not to be, it's right on my doorstep! Haha! And if we get a panel there I shall be more than willing to get up there and natter along with the rest of them (after the appropriate amount of sweets and sugar...)

How do you feel being a woman creator in a fairly male dominated industry?

Sara Dunkerton: This one is tricky, I mean my involvement in Bayou Arcana was my big break into the Small Press/Indie scene! So the people I've gotten to know through this project are incredibly accepting of female creators. Everyone I know is very supportive and the things I've heard about other female creators and their achievements are incredibly encouraging!

Though being rather new as a creator I'm looking through unexperienced eyes. However I can say from experience as just a female punter in a crowd that is Superhero/Mainstream orientated that it can be a bit different. I have found that when I talk about comics to guys they are surprised to hear that there are actually girls out there that are into all that stuff, and not just Manga or Indie but Marvel and DC too! I've occasionally outstripped the cockiest male DC buff with my geek prowess, which was fun, and most of the time the guys may seem surprised to see the littlest geeky girl in front of them but they accept it!

Though there have been times when I've felt I've been talked down to, patronised or completely over looked in comic book stores and such, in those cases I tend to speak up "YES I'm a girl, YES I like Batman! And YES I am aware that Dick Grayson was the original Robin, who then outgrew the role and assumed the name Nightwing, which is kryptonian in origin!! And Martian Manhunter, aka J'onn J'onzz, likes Oeros!"

Would you want to do superhero/"mainstream" comics or not?

Sara Dunkerton: Ummmm..... Yeah, I'd give it a go! :D

I mean I first found comics through Batman and made DC my home, so I'm not at all opposed to the mainstream superhero stuff! My longterm favourite comic illustrators are Michael Turner and Jim Lee, I found a love and appreciation for comic illustration through their work!

I've long since branched out into the Indie and Creator Owned stuff, I have found that side has the most passion and excitement (and more often the better stories...) and I hope to be a long term part of that!

However if Marvel or DC came a-calling and asked me to illustrate a one off story I wouldn't be able to pass that up!! :D

UPDATES!! Bayou Arcana & Into the Woods!!

Bayou Arcana: Due for release May 2012!!

Pre-Order NOW!!!

If my little arty snippets for the Bayou Arcana story "Promises" has wetted your appetite for more, not to mention all the recent exposure we've had due to the Guardian Article, then that'll be nothing compared to this glorious cover for the anthology done by the wonderful Jennie Gyllblad (who has also illustrated the story "Irons in the Fire" written by Corey Brotherson, for the anthology). Not to mention all the other stories lying in wait for you inside!

And it just so happens that for those of you who cannot wait, Markosia have recently posted up a Pre-order page for our little comic!!!! Click Here!!

EDIT: Bayou Arcana is now available for pre-order from the above link!! Order before 1st April 2012 to get £3 off!!

Cover revealed for Into the Woods: A Fairytale Anthology!!

Stacey Whittle revealed the Into the Woods cover today!!

This beauty was illustrated by Andy Bloor with colours from Steven Howard, and they certainly have done a fantastic job!!

I of course illustrated the Red Riding Hood story for the anthology that this cover echoes, however collected inside are a whole HOST of original Brother's Grimm style fairytales to delight you!

Into the Woods will be launching at Cardiff Expo, 25th & 26th Feb 2012!!

Eagle Awards Nominations are open!!

My last bit of news is about the annual Eagle Comic awards!

For those who aren't familiar with the Eagles, they were introduced in 1976 and are the comic industry's longest established awards. The Eagles have been featured on the covers of leading US and UK titles across the last 30 years, and are unique in that they reflect the people's choice!

While registering my nominations, I was delighted to spot my name listed for "Favourite Newcomer Artist"!!!!

Without sounding like the typical Oscars kinda speech, I am genuinely thankful to those who put my name down to be nominated!

Being a complete newcomer to the comic scene, with only a year working on projects with amazing people, to just see my name listed there is a great surprise and an awesome feeling!!

So thank you very very very much!!!!

Remember, if you'd like to have your say over whose nominated then go ahead and complete the survey! And, y'know.... If you feel I deserve your nomination for Favourite Newcomer Artist, then my warmest thanks shall be extended to you also!! :)

BAYOU ARCANA HITS THE PRESS!!!

There was big news concerning Bayou Arcana yesterday...

We had a story in The Guardian newspaper!!! :D :D

Back in October a Guardian journalist got in contact with the legendary Nic Wilkinson (Slaughterman's Creed, Cancer Town and illustrator for Bayou Arcana story: Swamp Pussy) requesting information on Bayou Arcana to include it in an article about the UK comics world and female creators!

As some may know already Bayou Arcana appears to have a completely unique creator pairing to any other comic/graphic novel across the small press, indie or mainstream board!

ALL the illustrators are female and ALL writers are male!

The article was to be about the diversity of storytelling that is happening in independent comics and, in particular, how the stereotype of comics being a male dominated industry by both creators and readers does not apply to the exciting stuff being done in the indie world!

So here (for anyone that missed it) are scans of the article for you to read at your own pleasure!!!

Oh, and note art by yours truly featured at the bottom of page 2! :P

This isn't the only bit of breaking news regarding Bayou Arcana either!

I can now reveal that we have been working on a BA Facebook group, where everyone can view development artwork from all the creators involved, take a sneeky peek at some completed pages and stay in tuned with news and updates!!

You can request to join right here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/bayouarcanaofficial/

Hope to see you there soon!

Bayou Arcana - Lettering Preview!!

Howdy all Swamp Folk!!

As you well know Bayou Arcana, "Promises" has reached completion and I owe you lot something pretty!

So I thought, as you've seen the first page develop from pencils through to being coloured, that I would let you all see that process through to the end and post up Page One in all it's lettered glory!!

Without further a-do, I give you "Promises", Page One!

But thats not all I've got for you!

As I've done before, with showing you how I draw and put a page together (click here to be reminded) and how I colour (click here), I'll now show you how I lettered "Promises"!

Step 1: First things first I set guides on the page (the light blue lines) to mark out the safe zones to place text, so nothing will be chopped off when printed.

I then type the text for each speech bubble and position it where I reckon it flows best. Using the oval Shape Layer tool I draw white circles behind the text, then with the Direct Selection tool I tweak the shape of the circles to fit the text using the bezier handles, as can be seen on the top speech bubble of this picture.

Step 2: With one shape layer selected at a time, and making sure the "Add to Shape Layer" option in the toolbar at the top is highlighted, I draw in three new Anchor Points using the Pen tool for the tail of the speech bubble. The Anchor Points I then tweak using the bezier handles with the Direct Selection tool, as seen on the last speech bubble on this picture.

Step 3: As I wanted to integrate the speech bubbles into the page and make them feel like part of the art work, I needed to somehow introduce a texture to the Shape Layers I'd created. Problems is with Shape Layers, although their vectorized and useful for making a perfectly clean and smooth bubble shapes, they cannot be selected or filled with anything other than a block colour!

So what I did was to right click on each bubble Shape Layer in the Layers palette to bring up the set of options in this picture. I selected "Rasterize Layer" which turned the Shape Layer into an ordinary customisable Layer like any other, but kept the clean vectorized qualities of the Shape Layer!

(For the B+W comics I've lettered - Dark Harvest: Resistance and Red Riding Hood, I wouldn't use Steps 3 or 4, but leave the bubbles as block white Shape Layers and proceed to Step 6!)

Step 4: I then chose a suitable texture with which to replace the currently white bubble, in this case an old paper texture, and positioned it on a layer behind.

With the white bubble now as a regular Layer, I can use the Magic Wand selection tool to select the outside of the bubble. With this selection still active I then choose the old paper texture layer in the Layers Palette on the side and then press the Delete key.

Step 5: What this has done is deleted all the extra space the texture had around the white bubble (as you saw in the previous step, it was just a square of texture behind it) making it now an old paper bubble, exactly the same size and shape!

I then get rid of the white bubble layer.

Step 6: The final touches!!

I add an outline by double clicking the bubble layer in the Layers Palette to bring up the properties window. Then tick the bottom box on the left marked "Stroke", choose a line width of 3px and click Ok. The "Stroke" effect appears as a little drop-down menu on the actual layer itself, as seen on the right in the Layers Palette of this picture!

Lastly to add a little bit of transparency to the bubbles and integrate them into the page a little more, I change the layer opacity to 80%.

Repeat that process for all 6 pages and there you have it! One lettered comic! :D

I'll update you all on any news regarding Bayou Arcana's progress to print as of when I receive it! So watch this space!! :D

Jelly Baby!? (& Update!!)

Hellooo my lovelies!!

Boy, have I been busy!!

In my last post I told of how I'd just finished all the art for "Promises" and was well on the way to finishing Red Riding Hood!

Well, since then I've not only completed all art for Red Riding Hood, but I've completely completed it! Yup, all 5 pages are drawn, toned and lettered ready to print! Thats another comic under my belt, Oh Yeah!!

I'll post updates of the whole Into The Woods anthology as of when I hear more news, and hopefully'll be able to show you some RRH art if, I'm allowed!!!

So stay tuned!!!

Progress on Bayou Arcana "Promises" at the moment is pretty much where I left it with you last time.. I'm currently waiting for the word on wether or not licenses for fonts need to be bought, or if we can use the free Blambot.com fonts... I'm not at all good with the legal stuff so I'm making sure we've covered all out bases before going ahead.

But I'm ready and raring to make a start on the lettering as soon as I get a green light! And maybe, just maybe a lettered page might be revealed! :)

At the moment though I've been catching up with a commission thats been put on the back-burner for quite some time now...

Before Dark Harvest's Iain Lowson involved me in his idea for the RPG intro comic: "Resistance", he approached me about four 1/4 B+W Illustrations for the next Dark Harvest book! I took on the commission and completed the roughs (which you can see here!) and then had to put it on hold while I completed "Resistance" in time for the deadline!

Currently I've just finished the 2nd illustration and will tackle the 3rd next weekend.

I'm also in talks with Iain about possibly giving you all a sneaky peek at said illustrations once all four are complete! So defiantly watch out for that!! :D

Lastly I have been collecting images and researching like a crazy person!

All in readiness to start a couple of very exciting projects that are waiting patiently in the wings. Once I've finished all current Bayou Arcana and and Dark Harvest commitments I shall be totally set to scribble away to my hearts content!

One project is a collaboration with my Bayou Arcana writer, Matt Gibbs. and the other I briefly mentioned before (click here to be reminded) was a team up with my boyfriend, Alex Beedie on a fab Doctor Who Story!!

So with the promise of LOADS of artwork to come, I think it's only fair that I doodle something for you now!!

This quick sketch was inspired by a morning spent listening to Alex watching a youtube video featuring clips of Tom Baker saying "Would you like a Jelly Baby?" in various episodes, and then an evening spent taking screen shots of Paul McGann in the Movie. Which resulted in a MASSIVE craving for Jelly Babies!!

So much so that I had to rush out and by a bag to be able to concentrate on drawing!!!

Bayou Arcana - THE FINAL PAGE!!!!

This is it! All 6 pages of "Promises" are drawn and coloured!!!!

The deadline for all the Bayou Arcana stories to be collected is January, so that leaves me plenty of time to letter at my leisure! :)

As far as my two week holiday goal goes, I'm very nearly there.. only one more page of Red Riding Hood to draw and tone before that comic is ready for lettering too!!

Once both those comics are all completely completed I'll have 4 short stories under my belt! Whoop Whoop!!

Right now though I'll leave you lot to wonder over why poor Alice is so sad! :P

Here's your sneaky peek at page 6!

Enjoy! :D

Bayou Arcana - Page 5 preview!!

Howdy all swamp folk!!

I'm now very close to the end, only one more page left to draw and colour before all the art for "Promises" is complete!!!

I've got some time off work for the next week or so and am hoping to reach the end of not only this comic, but Red Riding Hood too!! (I've only 2 pages left to complete for RRH!!)

That'll then leave only the lettering to finish up whilst I make a start on developing visuals for another couple projects waiting in the wings!

But for now though here are a couple panels from page 5 of "Promises" to tie you over!

Bayou Arcana - Page 4 preview (& a quick update!)

Hey folks!!

Apologies for my recent blogging absence, please don't take the momentary quiet as a sign of unproductivity... Quite the opposite in fact!!

During the final week or so working of on the Dark Harvest comic I was also beavering away on another small project... Which is now complete, however I can't tell you about it yet!!! :(

The news will be officially announced soon and I'll be sure to splurge full details on this mystery project for you all!

Also I've been working on getting some finished pages of the Red Riding Hood comic under my belt. I've currently got one page out of five complete, but as of yet am unable to share peeks until Editor, Stacey Whittle gives the word!

BUT!!! I have been working on something that I CAN show you a little bit of!! :)

It's been a while since your last taste of "Promises", the short story for the Bayou Arcana anthology, and with the last post I mentioned that I'd no longer be posting up full pages!

However I do have a couple of panels to share to keep your appetites wet (and not give too much away!)

Here we have pencils for panel 2

And a coloured panel 3

I've two pages left to draw and colour, and then the whole 6 pages to letter. So you can expect a couple more previews of upcoming pages!

ALSO, I've been asked by Dark Harvest's Iain Lowson to step up with some artwork for winning characters created and submitted to the RPG's Create a Character competition!

The final illustrations will be published on the Dark Harvest website and also signed prints will go to the winners!!

You'll be pleased to know I'm allowed to fully blog each step in the process, so there'll be plenty of new things to look at!

Promises - Page three Colour!!

Righto folks, this is it.. this is the last full page your getting! :P

From now on I'll only be posting up odd panels from the remainder 3 pages (both sketches and colour) to show Promises' progress!

Once all 6 pages are done to this stage I'll set about lettering. Stay posted 'cause I might be persuaded to put up a couple lettered pages!!

Promises Page 3 - Sneak Peek!

I'm just over halfway through colouring Page 3 of Promises and here is panel 2 in it's full coloured glory!!

Another panel that makes for quite a nice illustration on it's own!

Promises - Page three Pencils

Page three's frames feature a kinda swampy/mossy tree motif to match the Panel their framing!

I should warn you folks now that this shall be the last WHOLE Bayou Arcana page that I post up!!

Once I've got this page all coloured up you shall only see glimpses of odd panels and things from the remainder 3 pages, gotta keep the mystery now! :P

I hope to also be posting up development stuff for the other projects that I'm currently involved in, so you shan't have a shortage of pretty things to look at! :D

Promises - Page two Colour!!

And here's how I coloured it!

First I select a couple of textures, these are jpegs I've made, scanned, found, even google searched! For this scene the primary colours would be the rich chocolaty brown and wood panels of the dining room inside The Charon.

I then pick a flat background colour for it all to sit on, this acts as the colour for the gutters and bleed. This dark brown was used as the background colour for page 1 so I just re-used it for this page too (continuity!!!)

The textures are then brought in and layered behind the pencil sketches, which are set to the Multiply blending mode. The levels of the sketches are altered slightly to make them darker and more visible, and the textures have a blending mode put on them to combine them.

Here the brown paper has the wood texture layered over using the Soft Light blending mode, this makes the wood grain appear more subtle. The wood is also erased at 60% or so opacity around the figures to give them a lighter base to "paint" onto.

(Erm.. I must have got a bit mixed up with my layers on the bottom block of panels and painted onto the texture layer... whoops!)

Next I build up the colour. It's difficult to show you the exact process in which I do this as I try to use as little layers as possible to save disk space/loading and saving times... (My laptop is quite old now and will probably burn out opening a massive file!!)

But I'll try my best to talk you through the method... I use a Chalk Blender brush set to 25% opacity, 50% flow to block in the colour on a layer underneath the pencils, and practically paint in shadows/form as anyone would paint on paper! I vary the opacity of the brush constantly to make some areas lighter some darker, but ultimately by not using a 100% opacity I'm allowing colour from the base textures to show through and so make the colours I add into the picture look like they belong!

For example the Actress Margaret Belmont, her red dress in this setting would look a browny/yellowy red in the candle lit wood paneled room. If I were to use that red in 100% opacity I'd need to do some serious blending work to make it look like she isn't just plonked into the scene. By gradually building up layers of colour in a 25%/30% opacity the brown texture shows through and the hard work is done for me. It's very similar to watercolour painting in a way... only if I screw up I can press undo!

Next I used a Chalk Pastel brush on a separate layer, on top of the pencils, to scatter in some highlights that can sit on top of the darker pencil line. The brush'll be set at a higher Opacity something like 70/80%. The non-uniform stroke of the brush makes the highlights look more dappled and natural and not too shiny!!

Unless of course I want bits to look shiny, in which case I'll use good 'ol Chalk Blender at 90% or so.

Sometimes also the pencil line can be too dark for the highlighted area, if this is the case I'll simply erase it out and use the painted highlight to define the edge.

Then over the top everything done so far yet another texture is layered on. This one is a Greyscale natural paper texture, set to the Colour Burn blending mode and a 20/30% opacity. This subtle layer just ensures that any of the colour blending that I did in the characters etc, doesn't look too polished and flat compared to the background. It makes it feel like the colours have been painted onto a heavy weight paper, and just grounds them within the image a little more.

Next I choose a texture for the frames, In this case I went for a kinda distressed orangey/gold number so it stands out more amongst the rich browns (and kinda looks like a gilded victorian portrait frame!). Then I have to erase the texture out around the frame outline, which is fiddly considering I decided to make things hard for myself in adding lots of twiddly bits!!

And then the same as with the characters, I add some highlights and make it all look shiny. And the final cropped page is as you saw it at the top of the post!!

(Also a note on the frames... more will be added to this page but at a later date, as they will contain text!!)