With work on the Marquis: Inferno collection done, I'm now working away on the next graphic novel~ "The Marquis and the Midwife" (alongside the next BPRD:King of Fear mini-series)! I'll show some peeks at the pages and designs as it goes along and to start off here is a character drawing to one of the "Children of the Midwife" from 2005 (who also shows up a couple times in the background of "Danse Macabre" Chapter 5 if you have a sharp eye).
Great!
ReplyDeleteMr.Davis now that i found this blog, i have the opportunity to say that i really like your drawings, and consider it an influence in my own art.
Your work (and the work of many others artists,) was the inspiration to study, and now start working in the field of illustration and comics.
=)
-Rodrigo
Since Rodrigo beared his heart and sould, I feel I must now do the same - I love your line work in the Marquis. I remember when I stumbled upon Danse Macabre in some independent comic store in Brooklyn - the hardcover with it's red emblem caught my eye. It was different. It was new. And When I opened the pages of that book, I knew I must have it. Funny thing is, i wasn't familiar with your work before this. I do have to say, though, that while i do like some of your work on BPRD, the way things are colored gets in the way of the beautiful line work. With lines like yours, you don't need everything to be fleshed out and given "depth". That stuff kills your drawings. So, That has kept me from buying any of the BPRD books. But, I love Danse Macabre and it's in my studio where I paint to give me inspiration along with the other things I love. I do have one question, though: was this series/character inspired in any way by scenes in the movie Amadeus? I saw the movie again recently after having read your book several times over, and noticed a few similarities - visual/imagery.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rodrigo and Gravity Boy! I appreciate the kind words and I'm flattered to be considered an influence. Sorry you couldn't get into BPRD, since I know that series is for color I ink it different than I do the Marquis and I think Dave really brings my work to life with his colors!
ReplyDeleteAmadeus is an amazing film (and one of my favorites), aside from both great story and storytelling the film's look has a wonderful texture and mood illustrating the time period! It would be hard to deny it wasn't an inspiration along with Murnau's Faust and the Shadow (the twin pistols were a nod to my favorite crime fighter). But the look of the Marquis himself wasn't inspired by Salieri's comedy/ tragedy costume from the film but from other historical costumes from the time period (and a line from the Lon Chaney Phantom of the Opera)~ in the Inferno sketchbook section I have a couple pages showing the evolution of the costume from the original sketches (which show the Marquis started out as a character for an entirely different book).
Great character sketch. I love the line work and the small details that make it look so real (like the shoe shapes and the buttons on the leggings). I'll have to look through DM #5 to see if I can spot the character :)
ReplyDeleteMr. Davis,
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled upon your site and I'm afraid I wasn't familiar with your illustration work before that. I'm really enjoying this whole Marquis thing now. Your artwork is wonderful! Thanks for sharing.
Suzette
Thanks Suzette,
ReplyDeleteI hope you continue to enjoy the blog and series!