I love my shirt

What ho gang.

A quickie for you today.  The following be a table centre piece that I got asked to do AGES ago for a (similarly obsessed with comics) chum.  The table theme was 'Marvel loves Disney', and I got asked to draw a Gene Colan-ish Iron Man trying to woo Tiana from 'The Princess and the Frog'.  I figure that as the wedding has now passed, and the happy couple are safely off on their honeymoon, I should be safe to post this.

I'll also sneak in a quick piccie that I've done as part of a children's book pitch for another chum.  It's a couple of kids from the book sentenced to a hard dinnertime litter picking.  I was quite chuffed with how this one turned out.

AND the Grinning Mask #3 is safely inked.  The excitement reaches fever pitch.

RT

World keep on turning

Not a lot to post this month folks - still steadily working away at the Grinning Mask #3.  I'm making good progress with the inking and this WILL be ready in time for the Bristol Expo.  I've now made a promise to the interweb.....

More stuff to follow closer to the date......

RT

Solomon bites the worm

What ho there my gentle reader. 

Once again I make my merry way to my oh-so neglected blog to try to make up for the lack of stuff on here.  I must blame that pesky twitter thing for this.  In this day and age, it often seems easier to hastily post stuff on there leaving this once-mighty blog to quietly weep bitter digital tears to itself.

Still, I return here to happily report that myself and Mr. Bolton have booked an exhibitor table at the (I'm told) splendid Thought Bubble convention in Leeds.  This on top of our previously reported table at Bristol Expo in May.  Blimey.  I may get some tour t-shirts printed up with these two gargantuan dates.

I'm also happy to report that I've now finished pencilling issue 3 of the Grinning Mask.  I may well be dooming myself to failure but I should get it ready for Bristol.  Form an orderly queue now.....

Your chum

RT 

'Quick! Let's get out of here before he witters on some more!'

On the road again...

PHEW.

Can you Adam and believe that I have neglected to update this blog for nigh on two months?  Shame on me.

So in an unexpected twist from my usual hastily-scanned sketches, I shall update this blog with some exciting news - I shall be making a rare appearance outside this flat at the Bristol Comics Expo on 11th-12th May 2013.  Hurrah indeed for me.

I shall be sharing a table for the entire weekend at Brunel's Old Station with the very pleasant Mr. Adam Bolton.  I'm reliably informed that we've booked a 6ft table and so here's hoping that we don't get on each others nerves too much eh chums? 

We're both promising to bring some tip-top comics along with us, as well as any old tat we can fill our table space with.  I am of course joking and can assure you, my two gentle readers, that only goods of the finest quality will be on sale from us during this hopefully spectacular weekend.

Now then, with a good wind behind me and nearly four months, I am planning amongst other things to get another issue of the Grinning Mask ready for the show.  Expect this blog to be full of curses as my artistic temperament grows ever larger as deadlines loom over the next few months.

AND....while you're at it, why don't you go follow me on Tweeeeeeeter here?  For some reason, the 'gadget' I pasted to the top of this blog appears to have fallen out with me and so has been banished from these pages.

Happy new year one and all.

Your chum,
RT

Tea for Two

I'm so glad

Phew.  Can you Adam and believe that it's been over a month since I've rambled on here about what I've been up to in the world of comics.  Time to put that right.....

I'm happy to say that the Empyre pitch is now winging it's way to some (hopefully) interested parties.  I'll attach a quick zip through of some of the process here.....

My pencilled layout (which the more eagle eyed reader may recognise).....

....and chum Adam Bolton's finished page, which I suppose slightly improves my scribbling.

My pencilled layout.....

....and chum Adam Bolton's finished page.

All good stuff and a great little project betwixt me, Stephen Aryan (writer) and Adam.

Also, if you're in any way interested Nostalgia and Comics in Birmingham now handily stock 'The Grinning Mask'.  Go buy if you're in the area and if you're like me, feel your wallet wince as you make your way to the till with the mini-pile of comics you happen to have grabbed whilst there.
 
What else?  Oh yes.  I had a tip-top time at the Birmingham Zine Fair the other weekend and do hope that it will be returning to the city next year.  I heartily recommend / endorse this event / product.  A great way to come across some new comics - hats off to Liz and the other people for organising a top do.

AND....I hear whispers and rumours that Too Much Sex and Violence number 4 is on it's way to the printers, featuring art by me (and several other talented folk).  Just keep an ear out for when the gentlemanly Rol Hirst announces it for sale.

Until next time folks,
RT

To the gangsters with pens...

What ho chums,

In all the excitement of Autumn approaching, I very nearly forgot to mention that the Empyre pitch is rapidly nearing completion.  Hurrah.  This will be winging it's way to semi-interested people very soon.

Empyre chum Adam Bolton is also excited for he is heading to the New York Comics Con where he will be revelling in the launch of his 'Where's My Shoggoth' book (wrote by Ian Thomas).  Do go and buy a copy of this super kiddies / Lovecraftian book.  I said that you would, and you wouldn't want to make me a big fibber now would you?

In other news, I've recently discovered the mightily splendid Procreate for the iPad.  If you are in any way interested in creating comics and own one of these infernal devices, then I strongly suggest that you make haste to grab an 'app' (I believe that's what the kids say?) of Procreate and a stylus pen - although it is surprisingly easy to use with your bare digits.  This is about as close as you'd want to get to a version of Photoshop on the iPad and is super-duper to use.
I've been tinkering with it for about a week, and really believe that I could put together a snappy comic with it - without having to trouble my drawing board.  From a screen resolution point of view, I think that I may struggle to get more than 3 or 4 panels to a page, but this may be down to my chunky scribbles.  It will be interesting to see the paper print quality of some of the stuff I'm putting together, but for a web comic it's truly great.  I only need someone to put together an IOS version of Illustrator and I might never turn my PC on again (only joking my trusty machine)....

I'm toying with the idea of a BIG digital project at the moment, and will attach a couple of quick jpegs from my initial scribblings.  This page and a half took me about an hour to put together - all without having to leave the comfort of the settee.

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye.
RT