"Ambush" Page Process

I think it's cool to see how other artists approach page design and breakdowns, so I threw together a little piece on my page process.

From the script I start beating my head against the wall, sketching out a bunch of panels and multiple angles for scenes and try to work out panel sizes and placement to ensure everything fits naturally and the storytelling is smooth. It's something that kind of just happens, but I almost always work in some variation of the three-tier layout.

Once I've gotten something that works, I draw up a final thumbnail at 50% of the art board size so that I can enlarge it by 200% and lightbox it on to my bristol board.

Once it's lightboxed, I pencil it (the tightness depends on time and detail) and ink. I use a 4H pencil, and sometimes an HB for important details, and a #1 red sable brush with the occasional Micron tech pen.

Then the peerless Mr. Bennett slaps some tones on it and it's ready for printing.

I think this is my favorite page from "Ambush at the End of the World". As usually happens, the script changes from typed page to finished page. Case in point, I decided to end the scene with a staredown between Dr. Metzger and his White Whale, the Corsair.

-Scott