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I thought I'd take some time to spell out some of my influences for IRON. I'm not sure how interesting it is, but I'm doing it anyway!
My influences for this are pretty varied, and include Frank Bellamy, Francis Prior, Eric Rohmer, Claude Chabrol, Dale Mettam, Dave Elliot, Marc Laming and Valia Kapadai amongst many others.
Frank Bellamy really influences all my work, and I suspect all the work I shall ever do. A brilliant draughtsman and a wonderful storyteller, he's also the reason I draw.
Francis Prior is an archaeologist, specialising in the Bronze Age, who is I suppose best known for his appearances on Time Team. I find his approach to looking at the ordinary people of history inspiring, and despite the shift in time period to the Dark Ages, IRON is heavily influenced by that desire to examine the ordinary wonders of the everyday in history. http://pryorfrancis.wordpress.com/
Eric Rohmer and Claude Chabrol were two of the leading lights in European New Wave cinema. Their revolutionary framing, pacing and storytelling transformed film making, and their influences are still felt today, in everything from blockbusters to art-house. I think it's interesting to look at their work through a sequential narrative lens, and try to take their lessons on board. That's certainly what I'm trying to do, but as to whether or not I have anything approaching the skill to so so, that's a different question.
Dale Mettam writes great stuff, and after briefly working with him on Jael he's transformed how I look at comics' writing. He's a nice chap too. http://dalemettam.com/
As is Dave Elliot, co-founder of Atomeka Press, head honcho, writer and editor on A1, and a ton of other stuff. When I was falling out of love with the medium his work rekindled it. He has been very kind about my doodling and knows who The Steel Claw was. http://deevelliott.deviantart.com/
Marc Laming draws wonderfully, and the inspired looseness in his inking and his terrific control of line are things I can only dream of getting close to. http://marclaming.deviantart.com/
Valia Kapadai is perhaps the nicest person I know who draws comics. Annoyingly she's also perhaps the most talented. http://neurotic-elf.deviantart.com/
More crackin' drawing, Jonathan. What are the plans for this?
ReplyDeleteCheers! I don't have any plans for it really. It's just a short piece that'll run for about 10 pages. I had it knocking about in my sketchbook for a while, then had a few free days so thought I'd play with it. I did have an idea for a much longer story based in this time period, but I think this style is about as commercial as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, so I can't imagine that I'll ever do anything with it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a bloody shame, the art really is crackin'.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think if it's looking OK when all 10 pages are done I might think again. It's fun to do even with no commercial goal for it.
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