3/25/12 - Bob McLeod Workshop-Inking

Bob McLeod was in town last month for the first Lexington Comic & Toy Convention. This was a one-day show so we were able to host Bob (been wanting to do this since I met him at Baltimore Con in 2008) for a one-day comic art workshop the following day Sunday March 25th, 2012. He is a great artist and teacher - a rare combination - if you ever get the chance to talk or study with him take it!

Here are some inking samples I did before the workshop: one is from Bob's pencils and the other is from Ryan Sook's pencil art. These are both original inks on 11x17" Strathmore 400 Series 2-Ply Bristol. The scanner won't do a full 17" high but the width should be right on 11". Bob asked how long  I took on the Superman page and I told him (complaining that tech pen work took forever) and he told me I was going too fast! He said at this stage I needed to slow down and work on my line control.

6:30, bristol borad smooth,
Raphael 8404 #3, Hunt 102,
Rotring Rapidliners

3 hours, bristol board vellum,
W&N SS7 #2,
pro white splatter toothbrush

bristol board smooth, all brush,
W&N SS& #2 and #3

Here is another sample that I worked on during the inking portion of the workshop. It is not finished and shows the blueline print out of the pencils. It was quite different for me to have someone watching while I tried to do this (and I was pretty frazzled from being sick and stressed from con & workshop prep). I learned I have a ways to go to be able to make the smooth and controlled marks that Bob was able to demonstrate for us. I heard Bob say to slow down but I think I do better when I kind of "attack" the page. I definitely lost my confidence on parts of this page. Like so many things in life I suppose I want to find a "happy median".

I purposely chose this page because it was tough - lots of different textures. Smoke, shiny metal armor, leather jackets, and wood. Still trying to figure out how to render the lady cop's sunglasses lens. Maybe with a colored pencil?

One thing that I am curious about is if all inkers spin the page. Bob did do this and advocated using the same, away from your body, stroke for all your lines. I have seen other inkers, most notably Tim Vigil (as seen here on youTube doing a Conan sketch) who don't spin the page.

My natural inclination is to try and make the mark as if I am drawing the line from life. When I life draw I don't spin the page - painters don't spin the canvas (at least traditional media painters). Panel two was mostly from the seminar - while panel four was done after the fact (and without turning the page). So I am a little confounded about this spin/don't spin dilemma. I guess common sense is to do whatever you have to do to make the line you want, but to also work to have the dexterity to make the lines you want from different angles.