Title Page Done!

So the first bit of original art I've done for a comic in 13 years is complete. Because I'm breaking in the new Wacom tablet and Photoshop Elements, I'm doing this a bit out of order, taking some of the easier stuff on the second story first to get used to this new way of working. Working from home takes some adjustments. The screen's smaller and I'm trying to figure out the best work space for my lap top.

 

I'm still getting used to the Wacom. I was pretty comfortable using it for coloring and erasing. I think that's because I'm used to editing existing images on a computer. It's one of the things I do for a living. Creating something whole cloth on a computer is something I haven't done since college so I'm not as comfortable with digital inking (which is essentially redrawing the comic, if you think about it). I think I'll get there, though.

 

Originally I was just going to do a couple face shots with the title in big letters like on issue one for the title page. But then I was looking at some of the romance comic covers posted by a friend on Google+ and the idea popped in my head to turn it into a parody of romance comics.

 

So at first it was just going to be Dino crying with some text. But when I researched it, I found those covers tended to have the guy that the girl was crying over on the cover too. Fine, I'll throw in a portrait of Stickboy. But I couldn't have it just floating, so I had to do a background, so that became a gag in itself with the Kleenex. After drawing it, I realized I needed space at the bottom for the copyright information, so I came up with the idea that this would be a faux comic laying on a table or desk. I combined the image with a shot of a blank comic cover I laid on my desk to give the illusion of depth in the final page below.    

 

The cover itself is inspired by a variety of covers I saw of romance comics from the 40s-70s. The heart logo is taken from what DC did on their romance comics in the 70s. Believe or not, they had a pink heart with the letters "DC" in it as the logo on those issues. What some comic companies won't do for love!

 

So next up will be finishing the actual cover and back cover of the issue!