Red Harvest
on February 3, 2009 at 12:00 am
At the suggestion of a ghostly assassin dubbed “Dead Grant”, Ninja Dan has trekked across Eastern Europe to arrive at a gypsy camp where he hopes to revive a mysteriously incapacitated Eben07.
Declassification Notes
Here are my study sketches for this strip’s chinchillas, done on the back of an already printed upon piece of paper. Oh yeah, I’m all class. I was more afraid of drawing them than any other part of the strip for some reason.
Remember awhile ago when I demonstrated my previous method for creating the strip? I’d like to kind of expand upon that now that I’m doing more by hand nowadays. Consider this an introduction, however, as I don’t have a step-by-step process documented yet. Instead, I’m going to show you the main manual tools of my trade; the nuts and bolts, if you will. First, we have the instruments for production:
From left to right: A Sakura Micron 08 pen; the mystical Uniball Vision Fine; an ancient 0.5mm mechanical pencil, a Pentel I believe though the logo has rubbed off after all these years; a Sharpie permanent marker; and a trusty kneaded eraser. These aren’t the plans for my final tools. I’d like to pick up a nice set of real artistic-quality pens, perhaps some brush pens, but I’m still new in the inking by hand scene. I also need to pick up a non-repro blue pencil to help ease the time it takes to erase.
Next, we have my trust straight edges:
Not much to explain. They help draw straight lines. The metered ruler on the bottom is used for the pencilling stages. The triangle has ink edges that allow me to draw lines with a pen without touching the paper directly next to the ink, preventing smudges. Very nice.
Lastly, here’s my workspace:
The weapon is a replica of an 1860 Colt Army, a beautiful black powder pistol that I love despite being the most non-violent person on the planet. You can clearly see my downloaded chinchilla images I studied from. Also pinned to the wall above my desk is the script. I’m drawing the strip on bristol board in a 10″ x 15″ area. I doodle in the margins, too.
-D.Bethel
Illustrator, Eben07.com
I'm not sure why, but that line "This is not my doing" seemed to fit Abel so well I could hear him say it.
These comics are getting better.
What does Abel voice sound like to you, Wolf? Any celeb or film character?
ohhhh and shes not DEAD! I thought having your head cut off was a sure bet for dead.
I dont' really know. No celebrity that I can think of.
It's hard to describe when it's in my head, haha. I'll think about it, maybe get back to you when I hear someone who sounds like Abel.
My bet is he'd sound like a mixture of Fred Willard and Sean Connery
Sweet chinchillas by the way, and those rulers rock I just picked one up myself!
I just assumed he sounded like Tom Baker….
Ha! Agree with you there, Lauren! I always am reminded of Daniel Day Lewis' character in There Will Be Blood when I think of Abel's voice.
Oh, I'm sure you could put my chinchillas to shame, Lauren.
That would be great indeed! He and Abel already share the same personality.
For some reason, Andy's comment isn't showing – but he said he thought Abel sounded like Tom Baker (of Dr. Who and Little Britain fame) — which I'd also say who be a damn good Abel voice.
And the same scarf.
Yes! I agree with the Tom Baker choice! Definitely! hahahahaha
and hogwash! Those are damn fine chinchillas! I got to pet one once, they're as soft as one might expect!
Scarf, voice, and condescending behavior. All he needs now is a tin dog.
I wish I had the freedom to post comments and have them show up. *sigh*
Well, let's open up the range a little bit. Who do you hear for any of the other characters in the strip?
Tom Baker has a little bit of niceness underneath his self that makes him not-quite-the-perfect-choice for Abel.
Anyways. I have a clear voice in my head for Janester.
I am just horrible with names and faces when it comes to movie stars. Let me think a moment.
…
Slightly geeky woman's voice I recall. Very somewhat Canadian, perhaps.
I'm not sure. Like I said, I'm horrible with remembering stuff like celebrities and song lyrics and stuff.
I guess I just remember the important stuff, heh.
I'll try to think of it.
And I have no one in my head for 07 or N.D's voice.