I've been working toward finishing this piece for the past couple weeks and am inching my way toward completion... leaf by leaf.
I call it "Awakenings" and it features Julie, the magical dryad character in my comic "I Thought It Would Be Zombies..." I've shown a couple of previews of it before, in earlier stages of completion... but this is just how I roll... showing the same stuff over and over again until I finally get it finished!
I've taken to working on this a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. It sits on my desk and every now and then as I walk by I take a moment to just snap a couple more pieces (leaves) into place.
I'm not even sure exactly how I'm going to utilize this work yet. "Awakenings" is the title of the second issue of "I Thought It Would Be Zombies..." which focuses in part on the origin of Julie. This could possibly wind up as the cover? Maybe an alternate cover? Back cover? Inside front cover? Frontispiece? I dunno. All I know is I just had to draw this image.
I'm pretty happy with the way it's turning out. I'm getting a bit faster at rendering the leaves. I've begun to be able to see them as just a field of texture... rather than thinking about them as individual leaves... which overwhelms me and makes my eyes bleed!
Besides its place in a future issue of "I Thought It Would Be Zombies..." this will also be my next release on NFTShowroom.com. I plan on the same format as my first release, "Sundown", where this original art edition 1 of 1 will be more expensive and I'll have a larger run of color "prints" at a more affordable level. To me, this strategy most resembles the comic convention market that I'm trying to emulate in this newly emerging digital space.
If you're interested, keep an eye out for this in the next week or so! It'll be available at https://nftshowroom.com/bryan-imhoff/gallery where you can also still pick up your copy of "Sundown" as well!
After this is done, I actually have some fun character design work to explore. While "Awakenings" is turning out how I hoped... it's not the style I want to use all the time on "I Thought It Would Be Zombies..." for obvious practical reasons, as well as fitting the overall tone of the book. I'm striving for a more animated and lively feel and consequently have been studying up on my character design principles, such as "shape language" and am looking forward to sharing more about that in the future!
I have more ideas for possible uses of NFT artwork to come... with ownership granting special benefits such as "airdrops" of more art and merchandise, both digital and physical. I envision special NFT releases which serve as a badge of honor and exclusive fan club card for "I Thought It Would Be Zombies..." More details to come as I figure them out on the fly!
Of course, if you have any ideas, thoughts, or feedback on the artwork or the NFT market... please leave them all in the comments. I love to hear from you!
- Bryan "the Imp" Imhoff
I vote for the artwork being inside front cover, assuming the font will be a colorful one. Often times I've been grabbed by black-and-white intricate illustrations opening the hardcover as if they are inviting, "welcome, this is what you're getting into."
I like the shading of her hair and the flowers. All of them are a little different in shape, must have taken you a long time. Drawing one flower/leaf at a time explains the variations a bit.
I Thought It Would Be Zombies looks neat! I'd love to read the final comic book. Btw, the art style reminds me of a graphic novel series I've read somewhat, didn't finish, and now regret not finishing - Saga.
About that shape language, you can write art-theory and stuff like that on hive, you know. You clearly have the knowledge and it might help a lot of aspiring new artists.
I've been leaning between inside front or back cover so I appreciate the vote! Back cover reminds me of some old Savage Sword of Conan magazines which often featured some nice black and white back cover illustrations.
Writing more tutorials & discussing art theory was absolutely a motivation of mine for starting the Creating Comics community. As with everything I just need to find the time and energy!
Ah, I haven't noticed the community before.
I hope you do find the time and energy.
As much as I can read or watch, I believe learning from someone I can interact with and who's in the business for a while will be different.
Lots of nice detail in that picture. I hope to read the comic some time.
I'll hit you up direct on other social media with a link to a PDF download of that "Preview Edition." I already find it cringeworthy and am making those major revisions... but you've been a patiently waiting supporter for so long I owe you a behind the scenes peek at least!
Cheers. I think any artist feels they could have done things better, but you have to release it some time. I'm sure it's great.
wao my dear Bryan looks amazing really ..!
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So nice😊😊
lovely work, good lines and coloring, looks very nice. congratulations.