Phonogram: Diamanda Galas Process:

So Kieron Gillen says he has something for me to draw. Well now I'm excited. When he says it's for Phonogram my excitement is doubled and Jenn is jumping up and down. As I've said before Kieron writes the coolest shit for me to draw:

1.1

Single Image.

It's an impressionistic take of Diamanda Galas in concert – we have a stage centre. Towards the right, we have the shape of Kohl, with his back to us watching. There's no-one else visible – it's as if they've been blasted out of existence, or at least, they no longer matter.

Diamanda is a black shape on stage, in front of a piano. Emerging from her – not just mouth, but all over – are warped black shapes – all coils and sharp edges and intrinsic body-horror shudder stuff. Like brambles, with wicked looking thorns growing out of her, forming a towering tree spreading out of her. In the thorns we should have the shape of her face, but larger, or perhaps her eyes in it – bits of her, sprung up and played with. The stage and everything else apart from her and the things that emerge from her are impressionistic, soft edges, not quite there.

A light glows out of them – a blue, violet sort of light, as if black could shine. It spreads out in all directions, and sprays across from Kohl.

It's a little as if this is the climax of a Cthullu story, and something evil and monstrous and majestic has just entered reality. Kohl and everyone else is clearly doomed.

Yeah, I'll tighten up what I want here, but the mood of the thing is most important.

CAPTION: The Night:

CAPTION: Diamanda Galas opens her mouth.

See now how cool is that. I turned around this sketch as soon as I got the script. No it doesn't usually happen that quick but I was very inspired.

From there I was onto refining the drawing of the Thorn demon. Using a small photo of Diamanda Galas as reference I went to work. I composited that little drawing with the piano reference I had and printed up a faint outline of the face and piano. I drew over that with MY FAVORITE pencil in the world: Prismacolor Col-Erase Blue Pencil.

Result:

We'll pick this up again tomorrow with more process. Yay.

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Phonogram v2.2 in Stores

     

The much anticipated second issue of Phonogram v2.2, featuring a two page B-Side story illustrated by me, is available at all fine comic book stores right now.

All of you buy two copies. It has one of the coolest things I've ever drawn in it.

And I'm not the only one who thinks so:

The two-pager, meanwhile, is a Kohl story (although… well, come on, it’s just Kieron, isn’t it?) which showcases an absolutely stunning full-page piece of expressionistic art from Daniel Heard - one which I can’t even begin to conceive the mechanics of scripting - followed by a nice little coda.

You also get gorgeous B-sides with art by Emma Vieceli and Daniel Heard, shout-outs to Kate Bush and Diamanda Galas, respectively, two women who’d eat you alive if you tried to make manic pixie girls out of them.

They also say a lot of really nice things about the main issue, which is amazing. Kieron and Jamie, are annoyingly better with each issue.

I'll update this post with art soon, in the mean time: GO! BUY!

Phonogram 2 B-Side

"Whoah! What is THAT!?"

You'll have to buy issue 2 of the fantastic comic series Phonogram2 (IMAGE COMICS) to find out. It was written for me by the nicest bloke in England, Kieron Gillen.

I've told Kieron before that he writes the best stuff in the world for me to draw. It's his genetic super power. He's a 21st Century Writing Mutant, fear his powers of artistic collaboration.

Also is the cover to the issue, on sale in January. It's drawn by the incredibly talented Jamie McKelvie. His masterful use of economic line drives me crazy. In a gud way. yus.

My gf Jenn got all choked up by seeing my name on a Phonogram Comic. She's a big fan.