The MULP Finale: Issue 5 OUT NOW!

Ahoy Adventurers!

I hinted in my previous blog post that some special news was brewing for MULP, and so it has! Thats right, MULP: Sceptre of the Sun issue #5 is finally finished and avaliable for all you to buy and read!

I'm hoping that with this post I can collect every scrap of news together to make this your one stop shop for all things concerning the finale of our epic mousey adventure!

Back in October, in the run up to Nottingham Comic Con which took place on Saturday 19th, we revealed the cover for our final issue!

It was touch and go whether we would have the fifth issue ready or not for the convention so we kinda kept progress under wraps till it was confirmed. 

And a tight call it was too! I took a trip to our excellent Bristol based printers in the week preceding the convention to look over and colour check the proofs, an insightful look into the litho process that makes the final step in creating our comic! Giving the thumbs up on printing the run, we collected a box of Issue #5 hot off the press on our way up to Nottingham the day before the convention!

Breathing a slight sigh of relief we set ourselves up at Nottingham Comic Con with the complete MULP saga! 

We had an absolute blast! I've always enjoyed Nottingham Comic Con and it was fantastic to the back. MULP was set up on table U35, in good company right next to the NoBrow tables and ACP's (Awesome Comics Podcast) Tony Esmond, with whom we shared many a chuckle.

Yours truly also appeared on a panel that day! Hosted by another of the ACP'ers Vince Hunt (they get everywhere!) Top gents Nick Prolix, Neil Slorence and I answered questions from Vince about doing comics yourself. That canny Vincenzo recorded us all chatting about the comic's making process and the versatility that the current age allows to get your work out there. You can hear the panel in full, along with interviews from other creators on the convention floor, recordings from other panels on the day and the lads thoughts on the convention as a whole on Episode 224 of their podcast. Click the picture below to check it out!

Nottingham Comic Con overall was, as before, fantastic! It is always so lovely to see such a family friendly comic's focussed event. There were loads of kids who came by to start or to continue their collection of our books, as well as plenty of adults who did the same. Massive thank yous to everyone who stopped by, whether you were starting your adventure with issue #1 or had been a long term follower of our story looking to read the next chapter. 

Huge thanks also to organisers Kev and Kel Brett for making us welcome and putting together such an awesome convention, I hope we can make it again next year!

On a slight side note, muggins here also appeared on The Nerds Who Haunted Themselves' podcast. Have a listen to me chat to that fab Stuart Mulrain about my personal comics origin story, the process for creating MULP and thoughts on the anthropomorphic comics genre on his "Why Comics?" segment!
Click the picture above to have a listen!

As we enter November the Thought Bubble hype has started!
Last week marked the reveal of the excellent pin-up art for our final issue by the lovely Steve Sims of Beast Hunting Battle Badgers fame.
I was psyched to have fellow anthropomorphic comic creator working on this for us and am totally thrilled with his rendition of our characters.
Check out more of Steve's work and Battle Badgers here: www.battlebadgers.co.uk

MULP #5 has also seen it's first couple of reviews!

The mighty Geek Syndicate's Barry Nugent was first to share his thoughts on the final issue of our story;

"Matt’s writing may bring the story to life but it’s Sara’s art that makes it fly. Her art throughout the series and in this issue is sublime. Not a drop of ink is wasted or a panel rushed. Every expression the mice exhibit is painstakingly recreated within every panel."

Thank you very much Barry for your kind words! Find the full review HERE

Long term supporter of our rodent escapades and all round lovely chap, Jeremy Briggs also chipped in his thoughts on the conclusion to our story;

"Sara’s artwork has become progressively more cinematic over the five issues but for me it is the facial close-ups that are the standout as her art conveys the emotions of our furry little heroes and villains making these anthropomorphic animals all the more human."

Once again thank you for all your support and encouragement throughout the series Jeremy! Read the full review HERE

This round up almost brings us up to date with some final bits of exciting news remaining...

Photo courtesy of our friends as Page 45!

Today is new comic book day, and you can now add MULP: Sceptre of the Sun issue #5 to your pull list!

Yes! The final issue of MULP is available at all our supporting UK comic shops, so if you missed us at Nottingham Comic Con or if you're not able to catch us as at conventions, you don't have to miss out! 

Check out the list of shops where you can get your paws on the final issue: https://mulpcomic.com/wheretobuy

However, if you happen to be heading to Harrowgate this weekend for Thought Bubble then come on over to the ComiXology Originals Hall and find all 5 issues of MULP: Sceptre of the Sun with Improper Books at tables 155-156.

I'll be there both days, signing and sketching along with the rest of the Improper Books clan. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Hong Kong Couple - Watercolour/Pen and Ink Portrait

Good Morning you lot!

A few things have been going on in the world of MULP since my last post and I've been making regular art posts on Instagram and Twitter in preparation for Inktober which starts today!!

I'll be sure to update any readers of this blog on the details for each of those in the coming weeks with full posts of their own, but in the mean time why don't you give those accounts a like/follow to stay up to date with current progress!


Today though, I'd like to share a new portrait I was commissioned to produce as an anniversary present to a very special couple and good friends of mine, who celebrated their 8 year anniversary on 27th September!
Lewis and Beth here have special ties to Hong Kong, so I've given this portrait a bit of a Chinese flavour to the composition by dropping in the city skyline, a border of lanterns and the iconic silhouette of a Junk.

Congrats again guys!!

This Portrait is A4 landscape in size, inked with pen and ink, and then coloured using watercolour paints.

Do you know a couple celebrating an anniversary or a marriage? Get in touch and gift them some original art! sara-dunkerton@hotmail.com

Scott, Abbie and Freyja - Watercolour/Pen and Ink portrait

Hey Everyone!

It's been a little quiet on the blogging front these last couple of months while I've been finishing off the last little bits for MULP: Sceptre of the Sun issue #5.
Right now Issue #5 is drawn, coloured, lettered and going through the final proofing before being sent off the the printers! We're so close!

Today though, I'm going to share a special portrait commission with you all!

This portrait was commissioned for newlyweds Scott and Abbie by their usher, John! In this cosy fireside scene, Scott and Abbie are reading their favourite books, with their gorgeous golden retriever Freyja at their feet.
The block calendar on the mantlepiece shows the couple's wedding date, 1st September! Massive congratulations to you both!

This portrait is A3 landscape in size, inked and then coloured using watercolour paints and ink wash.

Do you know a couple celebrating an anniversary or a marriage? Get in touch and gift them some original art! sara-dunkerton@hotmail.com

Pet Portraits - Mel and Wesley

Morning all!

Yesterday I hinted that there had been a recurring theme in recent commission requests, so today I'm pleased to be sharing another very special pet portrait with you.

Commissioned by that there Tom Curry as a lasting memorial to his parent's gorgeous dogs, Mel the Greyhound and Wesley the Whippet. Here they are featured together in this traditional pencil colour portrait.

Thanks Tom for the opportunity to draw these two stunning pooches for your folks, I hope they like it!

This commission is A4 landscape in size and done using colouring pencils.

If you know someone who would love a some original art featuring their beloved pets then get in touch: sara-dunkerton@hotmail.com

Pet Portraits - Beautiful Bess

Good Morning everyone!

I've had a couple of commissions come through with very similar themes, the one I will be sharing with you today was an utter pleasure to draw.

Bess the spaniel was the beloved pet of Anne and Brian, who lost her quite suddenly on the 1st June. I was asked to commemorate her through a traditional pencil portrait, and what a beautiful girl she was!

Goodbye Bess, you will be sorely missed by your whole family.

This portrait is A4 in size and done using colouring pencils.

If you also have a beloved pet you would like to have a lasting memorial of, then please drop me an email: sara-dunkerton@hotmail.com

Themed Portrait - Now and Forever

Morning All!

I've got another portrait commission for you today with a rather familiar theme!
Harkening back to my first blog post of the year, this bookends my current run of commissions quite nicely.

Yes, its another Nightmare Before Christmas themed portrait for another newlywed couple!
Dearest friends Dawn and Mark, who are also fans of the Tim Burton film, it's as plain as anyone can see you guys were simply meant to be! I hope you both like it!

 

This commission is A4 portrait in size and coloured using Copic Markers.

Are there any more NBC fans our there? Would you like to see yourselves as you favourite characters? Just drop me an email: sara-dunkerton@hotmail.com

Pet Portraits - Peanix

Hey everyone!

I've another pet portrait commission to share with you today.
This piece is the latest in a series of commissions I've been asked to provide for one particular animal lover who has a penchant for pet name puns!

You may remember previous posts featuring furry felines; The Goblin King and Batroc the Leaper. And feathered fowls Hawkeye and Peckasus. (okay, thats enough with the alliteration..)

Yes, Paul with his amazing menagerie is back with a new addition; a beautiful Peahen called Peanix!

This commission of Peanix is A3 in size and coloured using Copic Markers. The text is also hand drawn and rendered in the style of the classic X-Men comic logo.

If you'd like to check out more of my commissioned Pet Portraits, be they caricatured like this one or more traditional in style, click here!

But if this has inspired you with a portrait idea for your pet, then just drop me an email: sara-dunkerton@hotmail.com

Themed Portrait - Cheers

For Valentine's day this year I was commissioned to do this really fun piece!

For those of you who aren't familiar with my other work, here's some context to explain the idea behind this commission. So along with MULP: Sceptre of the Sun, an anthropomorphic pulp adventure comic published by Improper Books, I also illustrate a semi-autobiographical comic which was also anthropomorphised! This comic is called Paws for Thawt!

Paws for Thawt is a slice of life comic, taking scenes and moments I've experienced with people I know but casting them as animal characters! It became quite a fun exercise to cast my friends and family as animals that best suit their personalities and a good few people joined in the fun!

Including Malwina and Ben! Here we see them as their chosen anthropomorphised characters, an Otter and a Giraffe, toasting each other with their favourite beverages at a swanky bar.

This commission is A4 portrait in size and coloured using Copic Markers.

If you'd like to learn more about my other work mentioned in this post you can check out MULP: Sceptre of the Sun here where you can read free previews of each issue: mulpcomic.com
and you can read all of Paws for Thawt here: pawsforthawt.tumblr.com

If this has inspired you to join in and cast yourself as an animal that suits your personality, get in touch and I can make it happen! sara-dunkerton@hotmail.com

Pet Portraits - Group Portrait, pt.2

Hello there pet lovers!

This morning I'm going to be sharing the second half of the process behind a very special Pet Portrait which was commissioned last year.

This Portrait features beloved pets; Ollie, Bubble, Bailey and Suzy. The completed commission measures 50cm x 50cm and is a mixed media piece combining Watercolour and Pencil colours.

When I posted last I had just shown you the completed watercolour backgrounds for each section of the portrait (if you missed this, then catch up here!)

Today I'm going to continue where I left off and share the colouring process for each animal.

Step 5: Another Watercolour Wash

Because each individual portrait measured 25cm x 25cm, I decided to lay a watercolour wash as a base layer to work on with the coloured pencils, thereby giving an even covering and ensuring that no part would be left patchy over such a large surface area.
This also gave me an idea of how each of the animals individual colouring and marking would sit upon the watercolour background behind them, and a projected view of the completed piece!

Step 6: Pencil colour 

The next step was just a matter of using the photo reference my client provided and building up the layers of colour that make up each animal's markings and fur, starting with lighter tones and then defining markings and waves in the fur with darker pencils and bolder strokes.

Step 7: Finished!

All that remained to do is to add the finishing touches!
The whiskers I painted on using white acrylic and a fine brush, then I worked back into them with a pencil to add definition and mass. I also took a colouring pencil to the watercolour backgrounds behind each pet, adding a bit of subtle cross hatching to lift the animal from the two-dimensional backdrop.

And there you have it! One 50cm x 50cm group pet portrait, framed and ready to go to it's forever home! Thank you so much for commissioning this Mo, I really did have a lot of fun with what is easily my largest portrait commission to date! And I hope the rest of you enjoyed these posts showing the process.

If there is anyone out there who would like a portrait like this of their beloved pet then email me at: sara_dunkerton@hotmail.com