Usagi Yojimbo Book 32 Endpaper process
I finished the endpaper art for the Usagi Yojimbo Book 32: Mouse Trap hardcover, scheduled for June.



Rough layout using .3 mm 2H mechanical pencil. I am just dealing with shapes and positioning at this stage with a rough idea of the background.



Finished pencils on the characters using .5 mm B-lead mechanical pencil.



Figures inked with Koh-i-Noor Art Pen and Platinum Carbon black ink.



Perspectives for the background penciled using .5 mm B mechanical pencil, a meter stick and triangle.



Background inked.



Erased, then blacks spotted with Pentel Brush Pen filled with Platinum Carbon ink.

All that needs to be done now is the addition of the details and textures.



The finished art on 11x17 inch 2-ply, 500 series, cold press Strathmore Bristol.



These are the tools I used:
.3 mm 2H mechanical pencil
.5 mm B mechanical pencil
Sumo Grip eraser
Platinum Carbon Black ink
Pentel Brush Pen
Koh-i-Noor Art Pen
Triangle
Meter stick

Jim Henson's Storyteller: Fairies #1 variant process



Jim Henson's Storyteller: Fairies #1 from Archaia came out this week. I did a variant cover for it. Here's a very detailed look at its creation.

Ink and watercolor on 4-ply, 500 series Strathmore Bristol.



I submitted two concepts. There were certain things I wanted done with the coloring so opted to color it myself.



Detailed pencil art drawn with .5mm HB mechanical pencil.



Inked with Koh-i-Noor ArtPen and Platinum Carbon Black ink. Characters, some foreground elements and borders were masked then the flat background was painted on.



I wanted an autumn feel to it because the changing leaves and the berries would make for a much more interesting look. However, I wanted to limit my palette to avoid it looking too garish.

I stripped off the mask on the foreground leaves and berries for painting.









The mask on the fairies are peeled off.









The finished art.

I never knew I wanted a Rocket Raccoon comic drawn by Stan Sakai before today but now that I've seen it I need it in my life.

Cover process for Usagi Yojimbo #166

September 29, 2017

Turned in the cover for Usagi Yojimbo 166. 10x15.5 image area on 11x17 inch 2-ply, 500 series Strathmore Bristol.



Penciled with .5 mm B mechanical pencil.



Inked with Koh-i-Noor Art Pen and Platinum Carbon Ink.



Pencils erased with Sakura Sumo eraser.



The finished b/w piece. Now it is off to Tom Luth for coloring.

Cover process for new TMNT / Usagi 2nd printing

The TMNT/Usagi Namazu hardcover did well enough to warrant a second printing from IDW. I believe it will be solicited for March.

Here is the process for the new cover.

As usual, this was drawn on a 11x17 inch, 2-ply 500 series Strathmore Bristol with a 10.5x15 inch image area.

Rough pencils drawn with .3 mm 2H mechanical pencil



Finished pencils with .5 mm HB lead.



Inked with Koh-i-Noor Sketch Pen and Platinum Carbon Ink.



Erased inks.



Finished B/W drawing.

UY Book 32 Cover step-by-step

Usagi Yojimbo Book 31: The Hell Screen just came out a few weeks ago, and the cover for 32 is already due. Here is a look at the process.

Ink and watercolor on Strathmore illustration board.

Another Inspector Ishida themed book. I've tentatively titled it "UY: Mysteries". This is the first rough.

The roughs were done in a 5.25x8.25 inch moleskin sketchbook.



I like this rough composition, but thought it was too different that the other covers in the series. I will probably do this as the tip-in art for the hardcover.



This is the one I went with. This is a scene from UY #163: Mouse Trap part 1.



I roughed out the art on illustration board. The first time I used this in a long while. I prefer 5-ply Bristol, but Strathmore discontinued it. After using the illustration board, I still prefer the Bristol.

The size of the board is 11x15 inches. Penciled with a .5 mm H mechanical pencil.



Detailed pencils, using a .5 mm B mechanical pencil. I also determined the vanishing point for perspective.



Inked with a Koh-i-noor Art Pen using Platinum Carbon Ink, the first time I used this ink with watercolors.



Erased with Sumo black eraser.



I masked off the art and laid in the background color. I knew this would take place at night, but had to make the area around Usagi and Nezumi lighter as they both wear dark colors and needed them to stand out. I chose to put a cloud form behind them.



I removed the mask from the roof tops.



Working on the roofs with watercolors.



Removed the masks from the figures.



There are two ways to mask. There is a liquid frisket that you paint on and rub off, and a sheet frisket that you cut with an Xacto knife. I prefer the sheets. In my case, I use tracing paper and rubber cement. I posted a couple of tutorial on this on FB. I'll do it again when I do another cover.


Working on Usagi. I made him lit from the bottom to add drama to the moment



Working on both figures.



Still working on the figures and the roof.



It seemed too cold, so added some warmer colors on the figures.



Almost there.



Stripped off the borders, and done.

TMNT/UY Other Realm's cover variant step by step pt 2 (Tom Luth)

I got my copies of a couple variants of the TMNT-Usagi Yojimbo books today. Seems to have turned out well. I'm guessing that means I can post this breakdown of the coloring of one of the variant covers. Drawing by Stan Sakai, color by myself.