Creating a Graphic Novel : Art – Food – Photography

Australian Madeline Rosca grew up with Samurai Pizza Cats and Robotech. She is showcasing her artwork on Hollow Fields on this site. She does amazing artwork with detail as well as wonderful storytelling through her sequential pieces.

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Sketch :

Step 1 :

Step 2 :

So where were you born?

I was born in Victoria suburb of Gispland which is approximately 2 hours of out of Melbourne.

Have you always been in artwork?

Well my father was actually the head of Arts at Monash and he took me and my sister and her to various exhibitions.

You really got influenced early. So tell me about Hollow Fields?

I’m proud to say that Hollow Fields is my first published work.

How to you go about getting it published?

It was an odd and lucky process. Originally it started out as as webcomic. A fellow artist (Hai) contacted a publisher 7Seas to check it out and an offer was made by late 2005.

That’s awesome! So what are your inspirations for the book?

I wanted to be able to create something fun combining elements of steampunk, Robots & Monsters, Mad Science with cute children. I was also very fortunate to be nominated for an award from International Manga which included a 10 day trip to Japan. It was definitely a tough field which most previous winners for Hong Kong and Korea.

Wow! So how did you go?

I got the 2007 runner up award but it was an amazing experience to visit Japan enjoying the sights and even dropping by different design studios.

So are you working on anything new?

I can’t give too much away but another all ages steampunk fantasy set in Victorian England which I hope to complete by October this year.

I will be doing pencil, inks and toning, using MangaStudio for toning. I am a little worried how the toning will end up but hoping it all goes well. Currently I’m getting through about a page a day. I will be attending the convetions in 2012 to promote it!

Thanks so much for your time!
Any advice for aspiring artists or writers?

Don’t get discouraged as many ideas don’t work out. I created a children’s picture book in 2000 and I can now look back see the flaws with that work. It’s all about learning and improving.

Good luck with your new work and look forward to seeing it when it comes out!

More covers by featured artist Frank Kadar and perfect timing for the latest Marvel release of Captain America – The First Avenger. Both the below covers are on eBay, so bid high and bid often if interested. The background details for each piece is amazing, especially love the Hydra logo on the back of the Red Skull.

Captain America :

Red Skull :

Featured artist Frank Kadar has some amazing Avengers covers currently up on eBay. All are original artwork from the artists and are definitely one of a kind. Click on the respective cover to be taken directly to the auction. I personally like the Spider-Woman one best but have always had a soft spot for Squirrel Girl. Speaking of Avengers, for those yet to see the new Captain America movie, make sure you stay for a little extra post credit surprise!

Ms Marvel :

Spider-Woman :

Squirrel Girl :

I recently received a copy of The Griff from William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins Publisher) for review. The story is by Christopher Moore and Ian Corson with Jennyson Rosero supplying the artwork.

Description : (from Harper Collins)
Outrageously funny New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore and award-winning screenwriter-director Ian Corson team up for a wacky and entertaining graphic tale of alien invasion and a motley crew of Earthlings trying to stay alive and, oh, yeah, save humankind.

The mayhem begins when an ancient alien beacon is unwittingly activated, summoning behemoth spaceships from the far reaches of the galaxy. Hovering in Earth’s atmosphere, they release a biblical stream of pods that transform into minivan-size, people-eating, flying lizardy things that look like mythological griffins. Destroying communications, emergency, and military infrastructure, they systematically kill everyone on the planet. Well, almost everyone.

Review :
Really this reminded of the movie Evolution (starring David Duchovny). Huge threat, end of the work event but still felt a little kooky with loads of video game references. Definitely a fun read but somehow didn’t gel as an apocalyptic event. (I expected a little more sadness when you are the last of your kind and have lost everyone in your life.) I didn’t expect The Walking Dead morbid but it felt too much like it was a merry adventure.

The artwork for the series was a good showcase for Rosero although some pages felt a little rushed and patchy. I was hoping for Rosero to really go crazy on some of splash pages but unfortunately that didn’t eventuate. Still an enjoyable read and without spoiling the ending, finishing on a happy note complete with a sunset.

Copies availabe from Amazon.

Over a year ago I showcased a Spider-Man ACEO by Dion Hamill. He’s got a new Spidey ACEO currently up on eBay. Dion used gouache on stiff quality illustration board for this piece. If you like it, bid high and bid often.

Spider-Man :

Death of Spider-Man
On another note, I have just completed the Death of Spider-Man story arc from Ultimate Comics : Spider-Man. After this arc, it sets the stage for a reboot of the Ultimate universe franchise.

Spoiler Alert :
Will contain plot points. Do not read further if you do not want to know the ending.

I still find it hard to believe that they pulled the trigger (but metaphorically and literally). Whilst it’s good to send Peter on a heroic finish defeating the Green Goblin and ensuring the safety of Aunt May, it still felt very sudden. I believe there was still a lot of stories to be told and the direction that Peter was going to receive Ultimates (Avenger) training was still an interesting point to develop.

I do enjoy that this Ultimate universe can push the boundaries but I’m worried that the reboot will lose the essence of a character that the readers have grown to love. The story was valiant and it showed Peter standing up with his foes while slowly bleeding out from an earlier injury. The ending and anguish for Aunt May and Mary Jane brought emotion into an otherwise bleak story.

Previous featured artist Di Amorim has some amazing artwork from various artists currently on auction. Check out this link for all that’s available. I’m showcasing two particular pieces, an amazing Abbey Chase (Alex Lei) and Talia Al Ghul (Ron Adrian). Click on the picture to be taken to the respective auction and if you like ’em, bid high and bid often!

Abbey Chase :

Talia Al Ghul:

With the third installment of the Transformers Movie out soon, it would be great to showcase a sculpture by Ever Villacruz (Everlito L. Villacruz) which was inspired by one of the Decepticons in the second movie. Ever is an architect born in Philippines but currently working in Kuwait. This is a “junk sculpture” titled Scorpion Night created from “junk” including combs, wires, pliers, scissors etc. measuring 22″ long with an 18″ tail.

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Side :

Front :

Back :

When did you start creating artwork?

I just love doing artwork way back on my college days in architecture course; they call me PASAWAY in design (“stubborn” A person who likes to deviate from others most of the time in arts and design). I myself did not consider as an artist or a talented person in this field, It always reminds me that art is the expression of the artist, central figure and audience that makes art…art..having their own meaning and styles.

A simple line and color gives the art a very spectacular approach, that’s why I am very interested. Arts give the fulfillment of my own, and my application of my dream through painting. Junk sculpture and other mixed medium.

Do you do any other work?

I’ve been working here in Kuwait as an Interior Designer. After office hours I busy myself doing paintings, and junk sculpture, busy balancing the things I need to do., the things I want to do and so I made my own blog called “PAMATAY HOMESICK” means to kill homesickness. This is my first BLOG, posting stories of what I have encountered on my daily routine. I put and consider myself to work here in abroad just like having a case and sentenced to Imprisonment regarding on how many years I’ll spend working based on my contract I have signed with, just like a Kulungang Walang Rehas (Prison without Prison Bars).

That’s an incredible way to describe your blog. While in Kuwait did you find any way to share your works?

As time comes by, I invited, to come in a group called ADHIKA Group-(mission) and finally come with a small art exhibit. And this is the start and not just the beginning of a modern art style broad genre that includes an extensive list of subgenres and categories that help make up what is typically through of as modern art. Some of these subgenres include Impressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, Mixed Media, Abstract and Pop Art. Having this own unique style and definition, this include the new approach to art that omitted the need to represent images realistically, and instead represented different themes, emotions and various abstractions that emphasized vibrant overall effects rather than exact, realistic details.

Thanks so much for your time and letting me showcase your works! Hope you get a chance to watch the next Transformers movie when it’s released!

For more of Ever check out :

• http:/www.everlitoevervillacruz.blogspot.com
• http://www.eversculpture.blogspot.com
• http://www.adhikagroup.blogspot.com
• http://www.pamatayhomesick.blogspot.com

The third piece in the Swish series by Dion Hamill which is currently on eBay. The use of the light in this piece is amazing with brightness almost blinding. The shadows are also well blended in. Dion has painted in gouache on stiff quality illustration board.

Swish 03 :

More Artists Proofs from Frank Kadar. Frank has a selection of awesome one of a kind artwork currently on eBay. I especially like the Red Skull one, it’s very menancing and perfect timing for the upcoming Captain America movie.

Red Skull :

From a previous post, featured artist Dion Hamill described two new series that he was currently working on, namely Swish and Tinman. The second Tinman piece is currently on eBay. This piece is painted with gouache on stiff quality illustration board. I think this piece is incredible as the tinman discovers a patch of green in a concrete jungle.

Tinman 2 :