All my Charmed work is reproduced from penciled pages, and, starting this issue, I experimented with a 50s/60s magazine illustration vibe by using Prismacolor black colored pencils (Verithin black and PC 935). The inspiration came while I was re-reading Andrew Loomis' Figure Drawing For All It's Worth and stumbled on this passage:
"Get used to using a soft pencil, one that will give considerable range from light to dark. A thin, weak and gray drawing has practically no commercial value." (pg. 18)
Aha! It hit me. A pencil drawing should LOOK like a pencil drawing. Further on in the book, Loomis recommends the PC 935. Using the side of the pencil creates a warm range of tones, and, on a smooth surface, it leaves a soft, rich texture. I was hoping these halftones would help lift some of the modeling burden off the colorist.
The wax-based Prismacolors don't smudge nearly as much as regular graphite, and, when it comes time to put them in the computer, they scan nice and dark. On the whole, I thought the pages had a lot of life to them.
I'm still not satisfied with the final results, but, with comics, you have to do the best you can with the deadline you have. And, try to improve with the next issue.
