http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:ratkins&section=today deviantART RSS for by:ratkins en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:48:11 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/28461492/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/28461492/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:25:57 PST [link]

They have an outstanding guest list this year! Including Larry Hama and Chuck Dixon from GI JOE! As well as many of the Tsunami Studio guys [link] and other amazing artists. Check out the site for a full list of guests, you'll be amazed how this growing show got so many good artists and writers to attend.

Im looking forward to it, hopefully I'll see some of you there!

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/27901519/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/27901519/ Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:10:07 PDT
But as it turns out this week, I will be at the Savannah College of Art and Design for their Comics Art Forum! Any chance I get to come back to Savannah is a complete blast. Its always a nolstagic experience for me. I just got in yesterday and we have a panel discussion tonight with the other visiting artists. Then tomorrow and Sat. I will be doing a presentation for the students and portfolio reviews in the afternoon.

Over all it should be a fun weekend, and hopefully I can still be productive with work in my down time. If you're a student or an alumni and you have the chance, you should swing down and participate!

As for work, I've been busy with the penciling duties on my next run of GI Joe 13-17. And I've had the chance to do covers for each of the books. Thats been an interesting step in my career. Getting to do covers on a regular basis is alot of fun, obviously, but also quite challenging. But all together by the end of this month I'll have penciled and inked 20 covers for GI JOE in a little over a year.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26930021/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26930021/ Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:02:58 PDT
brought up a good point about taking photos or even a video of yourself doing the action Im trying to represent. While if this was strictly referenced or light boxed it could infact stiffen my art, but if used as a loose guide for construction, my figures could look more sound.

This also brought up my concern about time.

"This is a really good suggestion. And while Im sure it would improve my art. I simply never think to take the time to do that kind of thing. Its always quicker to try and work it out on the page. And with the amount of projects Im on right now, I never feel like I can take that kind of time for a single pose.

Its a conundrum. Do I take the time to get better, or do I take the time to crank out the work and over the course of time try to apply new techniques and get better.

You run the risk of just doing job after job and not improving, then when work dries up, you haven't improved and adapted your art to remain viable. Or do you run the risk of blowing a deadline to nail that one pose just right page after page. However, by doing so you would in theory nail that pose or one like it the next time and maybe improve on that. Continually challenging your work.


All of that while considering no one reading this book will spend more than 5 seconds reading that panel anyway."

I dont think there is a definant answer, but I do know there are a lot of exercises I could be doing with my art to improve, but I dont devote time to it for fear of missing my deadline. Or because I took on too much work and am always trying to play catch up.

Pipe in and let me know your thoughts on this? Its been on my mind quite a bit.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26867248/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26867248/ Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:22:58 PDT
Good times.

The rules:

RULES
=====
1. Post these rules.
2. Each tagged person must post 8 things about themselves on their journal.
3. At the end, you have to choose and tag 8 people and post their icons on the same journal.
4. Go to their pages and send a message saying you tagged them.
5. No tag-backs!

8 THINGS ABOUT ME
=================
1. I love soccer/football/futball and have since I was a kid. I played in community leagues, HS, and College.

2. I don't have a toe nail on the big toe on my left foot. Its just not there and it will never grow one (TMI!!!!)

3. I went on a mission for my church to Houston, Texas when I was 19.

4. One of my first inspirations for wanting to be an artist can be attributed to the AHA video "Take on Me" where the guy's drawings come to life. Man, I loved the 80's

5. I'm from a very large family. I have 5 brothers and 3 sisters. I'm right in the middle though, #5 in the line up.

6. I come from a family history of artists, my Dad has a degree in architecture, my grandmother is a painter and sculptor and my grandfather built and restored old ornate frames. Creativity was always incouraged in my house.

7. I met my wife in High School and we started dating when I was a Senior. We dated for 4 years and have been married for 9.

8. When I was 4, I was trying to do cartwheels in the living room and hit my head on the coffee table. It knocked me out and I woke up when they were stitching the gash on my head at the hospital. I still have a scar over my left eye. My son just turned 3 and I can assure you we dont let him play near the coffee table.

The following friends can thank this guy for starting this crap.




]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26763649/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26763649/ Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:28:05 PDT
I know there are a lot of graduates working in the field and probably many still trying to break into the arts and entertainment industries. I have many fond memories of my time in Savannah, and for the most part have only praise for the school and especially the professors. There are other opinions out there, and to each their own. Its an expensive school to say the least, but I for one, do feel that it was worth it.

I went into the program with a general education in the arts, and I think that definantly helped cut the cost of being there. For anyone thinking of attending, I would suggest going that route. Getting your undergrad at a decent, yet affordable school and learning about every aspect of art as you can. Then find a specialty and then consider SCAD or a comparable art school that you feel best suits what you want to accomplish. For me that was SCAD since they had a Sequential art program and I could get a Master's degree. Which would certainly give me an education, but also allow me the possiblity to teach collegiately down the road.

Still, very much a goal of mine.

I had the opportunity to return to Savannah last week and while there was able to do a seminar for the summer semester students in the sequential dept. It went well, I presented with my friend and co-creator Quinn Johnson. We talked mostly about our project and how to get a creative property off the ground and in production. But I also got to talk about how I went from a student to being able to work in the profession I studied for and enjoy.

It was a cool experience, and we had a great response from the presentation. Even though I was on vacation I still had work to do, and after the seminar I went up to one of the empty classrooms to get a couple of hours of work in before I had to meet people for dinner. It was quite the nostalgic experience being in those rooms. Just 5 years previous to this I was often there before or after class using the space to get class assignments done. And here I was working on pages of Heroes for NBC. Recently wrapping up an issue of Amazing Spiderman, and just back from SDCC where we were promoting a creator owned property.

Im definantly blessed, but it took alot of hard work and certainly help from friends and other industry professionals that took me under their wing. Mike O'Sullivan over at Devil's Due at the time, Rick Ketcham and Randy Green from Tsunami-Studios, Andy Schmidt, Chris Allo, Steve Wacker and Nanci Quesada have all been gracious enough to put trust in me and/or teach me how to become better.

I know a journal like this is ridiculously self-indulgant, and I apologize for coming across that way. However, its also good to keep in mind where you've been and what it's taking to get you where you are. My recent trip to SCAD had abruptly reminded me of all that and I wanted to share.

Considering all those that have helped me along the way, it's a passion of mine to help when and where I can. There are many other artists who I respect and see in the process of establishing that foothold in the industry. Its exciting to see their hunger and that in turn spurs me on to push myself and my art forward.

Anyone out there who attended SCAD or is currently a student there, give a shout out. Im curious how many are here on Deviant Art. I know of quite a few, but there may be some out there in the woodwork that I dont know.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26664973/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/26664973/ Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:02:43 PDT
While each one was successful, and a ton of fun to be at, it really took its toll there at the end. I still have a 1 day show , the Windy City Con in Chicago Sept 19. and a 2 day show, the VA Comic Con in Richmond Virginia. But for the most part Im done with major conventions that span the whole weekend, or even the whole week.

My sketchbooks did suprisingly well, thanks to all the Joe fans and their avid collector's nature. I do still have a few books left of both the GI JOE sketchbook and My "misc" sketchbook with marvel, DC and creator owned work.

IF you're interested, the books are 48 pages, full color and $20 plus $3 shipping. Just send me a note with your address and we can work out the details.

At both shows I was able to make some outstanding contacts that have already lead to alot more work. Im slated to pencil GI JOE issues 13-17 and the covers until then aswell. At the same time Im working on some more Heroes work for NBC, alongside getting RuneStone done in time for the release in 2010.

Im just trying to play catch up now after all the shows, it can be stressful, but a good problem to have I always say.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/25978728/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/25978728/ Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:53:18 PDT
Im getting ready for SDCC aswell and will have 2 BRAND SPANKIN' NEW sketchbooks to sell at the show. One is exclusively GI Joe related work, and the second is from Elders of the RuneStone ( a co-created book coming out this year) and other various commissions and non-Joe work.

I will be at my artist alley table GG07 throughout the weekend, but will also be at the IDW booth for GI Joe signings, and I will have a signing at the APE Entertainment booth for RuneStone on Thursday 6-7pm.

So thats where you can find me. I hope to see alot of you there!

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/25798842/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/25798842/ Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:48:39 PDT
-----

Sorry I was interrupted when I started writing this. I dont want to be too self-indulgant here. But turning 30 just really seemed landmark and make me evaluate where I was in life. Probably a good thing to do occasionally. I dont feel old, but Im happy with what Ive been able to accomplish through the support of friends, family, and God. I've learned that rarely is anything easy, and anything you want bad enough you will work you're butt off to get it. Typically you'll get out of a situation what you put into it. That was especially true through my Master's degree at SCAD.

I didnt graduate at a skill level that I was able to jump right into comics as a full time artist. But my efforts in taking my education seriously laid the foundation for being able to learn very quickly after graduating what it would take to refine my work enough to start getting work.

Through the help of fellow professionals, and trusting editors Im currently working on Amazing Spiderman #603! A very cool landmark thing to be working on during my 30th birthday. Im grateful for the blessing to have such a project to see where Im at and what it took to get to that place in my career. I have alot ahead of me, and I certainly have a lot to learn. Every project I get, I never think Im good enough for. However I dont let that bog me down, instead I use it as initiative to learn more, to become better and eventually I hope to be an artist confident in the assignments that are given to me.

I wont go on and on, basically Im happy with my life. And bottom line that just makes me more excited to see what I can accomplish by 40!

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/24510582/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/24510582/ Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:52:28 PDT
whew, well I finished my initial run on GI JOE 6 issues and a 6 page #0 issue. So all in all 138 consecutive comic pages. I know that may not sound like a lot to many of you veterans, but it was the longest run I've had the opportunity to work on yet. It was a total blast, especially in hind sight. There were definantly some tight spots there where it came down to the wire. Luckily the inkers and colorist were right there beside me working their butts off to get it done aswell.

Usually there is this euphoric sense of calm and accomplishment after you finish a deadline. After each issue is done on time, but especially when you are done with a long project. I got to savor that for about 4 hours when I slept heh. Mon. I finished 2 1/2 pages of Joe to get it done. I got 3-4 hours of sleep and then did another 2 pages of Fantastic Four on Tuesday. Yesterday I did another page of FF, some quick revisions and I penciled and inked a cover to Joe #6. Today Im hoping to get atleast a page done of FF and maybe more.

I found when you have a new project to start on immediately when you've just finished another, you can use that "high" and be productive creatively with it. I should be completely exhausted and creatively drained, but its quite the opposite. Im excited about the new project, and am still buzzing off of getting Joe done. All that combined and Ive been crazy productive this week.

Now hopefully I can get a page of 45 done and some RuneStone work finished in all that aswell. not to mention my commission list. take a breath...here it comes...

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/24386684/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/24386684/ Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:03:29 PDT
[link]

I could just gush and gush about how awesome I think the new resolute series is. So I wont bore you all with my fanboyishness. (if that was a word)

Okay, I love seeing a new take on the art style. I was given the style guides for all the characters of the new series and even some of the production art on this before I even started my own character designs for the book Im doing now. THere are some aspects of the design that I love and even influence what I did. i.e. Scarlet's vest and pants. and Duke's look in the begining of issue #3.

However I think we'll see alot of liberties taken to redesign and modernize characters. I think SS's uniform is fine, but Ive never been a huge fan of the hood. I love CC's design which is so close to his original but takes it in a new direction. The same could be said for most of the characters.

I think the writing (by Warren Ellis) is done pretty well considering there is only 6 min or less to tell a story and leave you wanting more. Its hard enough to do that in a full episode or a single issue of a comic. I ve talked to quite a few people about the episodes so far, and its actually gotten 3 of my friends so excited about Joe that they are going to start picking up the comics and want to see the movie now just based on how cool they thought Resolute was.

Its probably geared towards introducing a new age of consumers to the Joe franchise as a precursor to the movie and new toy lines. Or those fans that remember GI JOE but arent currently spending money on comics, or toys. This new series I have found is blowing them away and making them want to learn more about what GI JOE is now as a property.

For those of us who read and love the original Marvel series. I think we have to appreciate that for what it was and that it laid the foundation for the characters and stories that we enjoy. We wont ever, ever get another "marvel" series again.

There were too many elements that came together that made that series work so well. Now I think we can have very compelling and just as enjoyable approaches to the property now, but we cant ever go back. There were certain, political and social elements that influenced the original run. Larry of course and where he was as an author and artist has changed, and Hasbro has obviously changed in what they want out of the property.
So for those who want to see that again, it simply wont happen.

I think we just need to take the new incarnations of GI JOE at face value. Enjoy them or not, and we can nit pick whether we like this take on a particular character or story device. But in the long run we arent Hasbro's target audience. So we wont get an adult , modern (but not fantasy based) military story using Joe characters. It will be geared towards a younger audience that is ignorant (not in a bad way) of the GI JOE mythology that has taken 25 years to build.

Thats not to say that long time fans wont get a kick out of the new comics or cartoons or movie. There are plenty of nods to the long time fan, and we can love seeing Hardmaster and noticing that its infact Zartan that pulls the trigger and appreciate the history there. I think Im not as devoted to the Marvel series, though I love it. So that makes it easier to take these new incarnations at face value and not compare them to such a great run of comics.

Sorry long post, but I have been thinking about this subject alot and the new cartoon really exemplifies my point even better than the new comic launch.

One thing I like about the new cartoon is that they dont disregard the old cartoon or history of Joe completely. ITs a weird pick and choose.We get lines from CC that he used to be cowardly and weak, but that was a front and now he isnt (paraphrase) which I liked because they arent ignoring the way he was depicted in old cartoons and comics.

It had shown me that that type of dialogue devise can pay homage to the history of the character and allow you to believe why he is depicted differenly now. It made me question the neccessity of rebooting the GI JOE series through IDW. I still like that IDW did it the way they did, but I can now see that possibly they could have gotten around it.

Anyway, I love the cartoon completely. There isnt anything about it that is so jarring it would make me not want to buy the dvd or promote the new cartoon in any way I can. Totally love it.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/24032635/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/24032635/ Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:37:55 PDT The Darkhan City Times Awesome Things Podcast! I know crazy long name... Or just DCTP.

Its an extension of the co-created series called Elders of the Runestone that is set to release through APE Entertainment soon! The world of RuneStone takes place in Darkhan City...hense the name of the podcast. We talk about general entertainment news and reviews ranging from comics, to movies, to tv and books. Basically anything we deem as awesome. We also talk about the ins and outs of the comic industry as we've seen it through our experience. How to break in, how to propose indy projects, do's and dont's of basic freelance issues. So its me, Quinn Johnson, and his brother Troy Johnson and we are having a blast doing it.

You can find the podcast through the RuneStone website here [link]

Or this direct link [link]

Also you can search the itunes store for Darkhan City Times Podcast and it will come up available to subscribe to the weekly show.

So come check it out when you have time and are drawing away. I promise it's not crap, and will atleast keep your mind busy when you're cranking away at those deadlines.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/23547636/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/23547636/ Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:05:55 PST
I love going to cons, absolutely love it. It may not be for everyone, 1 or 2 a year might be all you can handle, but I cant get enough. I really enjoy how each show is different. And of course what really makes the show enjoyable is the company that you keep throughout.

In New York I was set up in the small press section, and that is its own long story, but I got to set up with 3 other guys from the studio group Im a part of. Tsunami Studios [link]

I also got to catch up with Jeff Wamester, mega cool guy. And once again saw the Copeland brothers who easily do as many if not twice as many cons as I do. Very cool bro's

NY wasnt a money making con for me, I wont lie, but definantly a great place to network and talk to editors. I talked to easily a dozen editors, some I knew before hand and some I didnt. Though I can easily call the show a success, I was able to pick up some She Hulk work with Marvel and Im slated to do the Ult. FF Requiem one-shot that ends the series.

As of right now, Im doing that on top of my Joe work, and obviously that makes me an incredibly busy man.

I also just attended Mega Con which was just plain fun. Lots of friends from the studio made it down. Lots of cosplayers, heheh oh man. Good times. I got to meet up with Chuck Dixon, my fellow GI JOE man and had fun talking with him and got to do an interview with Newsarama while we chatted. Sold some art and prints and had a great weekend. I will post some of the sketches Ive done over the past few shows.

But I will also be going to FX International in April. I will have a signing day in ST Louis for FCBD, then Heroes Con in Charlotte, SanDiego, and wrapping up the summer with Ol' Wizard World Chicago.

Keeping busy, but loving it. Trying not to stress out over deadlines, but its a good problem to have and I dont take it for granted.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22769596/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22769596/ Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:42:07 PST
The first one I did, strangely enough, was on the Uncanny X-Cast. They are doing retro reviews starting with Uncanny X-Men #1 from Marvel. They also review current titles, and Ive been a fan of the show for quite awhile. One of the hosts, Rob Briscoe, is a big GI JOE fan and they were willing to break their regular schtick for me to come on for an interview.

Im not gonna lie, we talk forever. Like a full hour, so be prepared if you start it. Its episode 52, and the interview doesnt begin until 1hr:25min into the show.

[link]

The next one I was on was the GI JOE Review. Where, similar to the X-Cast, they are reviewing the old Marvel series of GI JOE starting with Issue #1. They do related interviews and have had Larry Hamma and Editor Andy Schmidt on aswell.
Episodes 21(me) and 22 (Andy), so if you want to know all kinds of back ground info on the new series you can check these out.

[link]

I've really gotten into the podcast scene in the last year because it gives me something to listen to while I work, but I feel like I can get info and news on the comic industry. Also, there are alot of titles I dont buy but want to know whats happening. So some shows are doing some great reviews aswell.

As I do more, check em out if you'd like.
Other shows I listen to:

Half Hour Wasted
The Comic Addiction
Raging Bullets (dc podcast)
Legion Of Dudes
Quiet Panelologists at Work (QPaw) This one is simply hilarious
11 O'Clock Comics


Beware some of these get explicit with the language, so keep that in mind if you find it offensive.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22553706/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22553706/ Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:12:21 PST
Over at Newsarama, I was happy to see they are running a preview of the first few pages of Issue #1. Its been a blast working on, and I've really enjoyed working with Chuck Dixon. Great scripts that move the characters along, and plenty of stuff blowing up. You cant beat it.

[link]

Also I just finished up a whirlwind week of doing a 5 page preview for Free Comic Book Day for my co-created series Elders of the RuneStone that will be published by APE Entertainment. Ape is putting out an anthology book for FCBD and our deadline to get a RuneStone story in was this last week. I had a couple of fellow deviant art guys busting their butts to help get it done in time.

Jonas Trindade(inks) and Bob Pedroza (colors)

These guys rock my socks, and I cant say thanks enough for that crazy weekend. We penciled inked and colored that 5 page story last week. It took alot of coordination, but was well worth it.

GI JOE #1 comes out this Wed. Im excited to show art from it, and to let everyone know they can preorder the books on [link] where the issue is less than $3.00

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22462390/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22462390/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:20:43 PST
Most editors, and creative teams in comics get as much done as possible leading up to the week of Christmas and New Years. Then you wait to assess the fall out. Due to my scheduling I wanted to stay on track and was going to keep working as much as I could through the holidays. Heck, even get a few days ahead when Jan. rolled around.

My wife, myself and my two kids left town Christmas Eve, and everything was great. Food, Fun, Family. A great Christmas.

When we got back that Saturday, we walked in our front door and noticed immediately our house had been broken into. Our desk drawers pulled out, paperwork and bills scattered everywhere. My son had just awakened from a nap and was crying. I handed him to my wife and ran to the back of the house. I passed through the kitchen with broken dishes and draweres pulled out everywhere. As I got to the back room, the back door had obviously been kicked in. The deadbolt still in the locked position but with scraps of wood and framework scattered all around.

My computer was gone. Xbox, games, movies, DVD players...you name the electronic we owned and it was gone.

man...what a downer.

We've been working through it as best as we can, and as quickly as possible. We're all safe, and ultimately thats what mattered most. Do we feel safe...unfortunantly thats harder to answer. Ive been working as best as I can under what is now a very, very tight deadline. But without a scanner, and just now being able to get back on the internet.

Most everything was covered by insurance. that could have been a worse headache and it wasnt. So we appreciate the blessings where we can find them.

Bottom line, everything can get back to normal in time. It became quickly apparent that we have family, and the kind of friends that have helped in so many ways. The whole experience was a punch in the face kind of lesson that our physical possessions aren't the most important things to us. It's the people we love, and those that love us in return that should be the most treasured.

Sorry about the self indulgent rant, but I had to say it somewhere.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22042792/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/22042792/ Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:04:54 PST
Its just part and parcel of working with a licensed property. there are always hang ups and delays. But atleast now the scheduling machine is working out pretty regular and its been pretty exciting seeing it all come together.

The first issue will be out Jan14th. I will be doing a signing up in Chicago at Graham Cracker Comics. They've been great to work with so far, and Im pretty excited to get up there and see the fan reaction first hand.

I would say the toughest part of the gig is getting a handle on the characters and getting them the way I want them to look. I think that happens with most artists starting a new project. I didnt have alot of time to really work out model sheets and tons of character studies. Which means I am figuring alot of this out on the actual page.

Im curious how some of you other guys have dealt with that kind of issue in your projects?

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/21155090/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/21155090/ Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:19:18 PDT

"I definantly use photo reference for backgrounds, and very specific props. I usually first read through the script making small notes as I go and underlining everything that I may need reference for. And I try to be as thorough as possible. For this page I printed out probably a dozen pages of reference. Between shipping yards, cargo ships, shipping containers, container cranes, zodiac rafts, and the various weapons mentioned in the script.

I rarely, if ever really, take a photo and just draw from it to the page. Instead I do a small layout (or thumbnail drawing) then look through the reference material I have and examine the details. i.e how the hinges and locks on a shipping container work.

Initially I had to send in these thumbnails to the editors and I chose to send them to Chuck (Dixon)as well. I would get the quick okay and move right along to "breakdowns". At this stage Im drawing on the full size 11x17 inch comic board, but with a very light pencil. Im just loosely sketching in manequin figures and basic background shapes. Then I go in on top of that and create the strict perspective grids to layout the backgrounds and nail down the figure proportions to make sure they look like they are a part of the environment.

After that I go in and do "finishing pencils". with a softer/darker lead I really flesh out the hard lines of the background, figure out the lightsources and shading. I draw the details of the figures and their gear, the textures of the various background elements, and usually fill in the black areas with a solid pencil grey.

When it comes to inking, I typically do all the straight line stuff first. I use rapidiograph technical pens and rulers to do all the buildings and straightline props and backgrounds. This helps me warm up and get a softer touch when working with ink. After that I use a brush and dip it in ink, and ink the figures, clothes, hair, and anything else that would have a softer or more organic feel to it.

Even that subtle change of tools to ink with helps seperate the line quality between mechanical or structured objects and the figures and their softer edges. Also in the inking stage its here you really clarify the texture of objects. Making metal look different than folds of cloth, or rocks. Some times a change of tool (like the tech pen/brush) will do the trick, but more often than not it has to do with the type of mark you're making.

For example, on this page I used a brush very loosely for the water, but used very hard edges and crisp shadowed shapes to define the raft. Thus seperating the two from each other.

On top of all this and throughout the process I am thinking of composition and the feel or mood Im trying to convey through the story. On this page, like most splash pages, you have one panel to give as much info to the reader as possible through the art. My main focus was to try and make it look like you have group of guys that are infiltrating a place they shouldnt be in, or I guess werent invited to. So an easy solution to that was to make this hard lined, mechanical space (the ships and cranes), and literally divide it with a more fluid, more organic part of the composition (the joes). I was hoping this could also stand a subtle metaphor. The complex and larger than life scope of the organized crime , vs a smaller and unnoticed strategic force.

So I doubt anyone else put that much thought into it. And I wouldnt expect anyone too. But those kinds of layers and metaphors help tell a story. They help push the momentum and lead the reader through the pages. If an artist is successful you dont even notice. You just read your book from left to right, top to bottom and dont think twice. Unless you stop to think, "man, that looks cool".

Alot of times, that is a challenge. As the artist, you are like the director of a movie. You're handed the script and you have to tell the visual story. But instead of hiring actors and putting them in lighted sets, you have to create everything from scratch. Its up to you to make your drawings "act" and feel like they are in the correct set and reacting to what is being said in the script. Rarely is any artist successful in this every book 100% of the time. But there are some basic rules you can follow, and with experience you start to see how to establish all those elements to tell the story well.

Im not saying im there. Im not that close even, and Im sure I'll get picked apart by reviews or fans on boards. But you know what....Cool! I can take that and hopefully be better for my next page, book, series or whatever.

Im just stoked I get to become a better artist working on something I love as much as Joe."

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/21132881/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/21132881/ Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:35:21 PDT
If you havent picked up a copy, its only $1 and it is packed with 3 previews of the upcoming Joe titles coming from IDW.

Im working on the regular series title GI JOE written by the astounding Chuck Dixon. It's been a total blast so far, and the scripts coming in just get more and more exciting. As a Joe fan, its been fun to read through them. Then I sit back and wonder how Im going to be able to do the story justice with the art.

Ive been doing my best, and I hope that's good enough for the fans and new comers to the title.

Also, an even bigger announcement, I became a father for the second time last week! my wife gave birth to our new baby girl Emma. She is beautiful, and doing her best to give me a new reason to never sleep.

Life rocks my socks!

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/20584769/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/20584769/ Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:20:44 PDT
Im in that publishing paradox where you can never show your best work, because it hasnt come out yet. I am having a total blast with GI JOE! However I got that official call asking me to wait to show anything else until after #0 is out, and then when we gear up for Issue #1 in Jan.

I am also working on a side project called Elders of the RuneStone, that is a co-created project with a buddy of mine. But that just got picked up by a publisher and I shouldnt be showing pages from that either.

So my dilemma is what do I have time to draw that I can post up here and have anyone care about. I've decided to go back to the classroom as it were. Ive been out of school for 4 years now, and Ive been really itching to learn in a more structured manner. Sure Ive learned as I went along working in comics. Quite a bit since school actually. By putting in to practice those skills and gleaning from other artists Ive worked with.

But a lot of times I still feel incredibly inadequate when it comes to posing figures. Not just those cliched superhero poses, or action scenes. but the more relaxed everyday poses and hand gestures that you can really tell what a character is like.

The best way to learn that stuff is figure drawing, especially in Life drawing classes where it forces you to do the gestures and move on.

So right now Im looking into some community art groups and classes where I can take a figure drawing class. I just miss it. I miss that interraction with other artists. I'll keep you all updated on how that goes, but until then I'll be doing studies and posting those sketches here.

If any of you have returned to school after a long absence, pipe in and let me know how that went or what experiences you had. I'd be curious to know.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/20479645/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/20479645/ Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:37:56 PDT
I have always loved the Storm Shadow/SnakeEyes connection. I mean really who hasn't.

The idea that the good guy was in black and the bad guy was in white, you can never go wrong with that. Then as things are revealed that they bear a similar tatoo. Then the reveal in 26 and 27. Its just great story telling. SS rarely got the credit he was due. I enjoyed Devil's Due's take on SS.
I know Mike O' (senior editor at DDP) has alot of love for this character as well and it was great to see him behind the scenes guiding their interpretation for Storm Shadow.

With his current design, it was all back to basics. We've seen SS, I think more than others, go through a TON of character design changes all to make him new and exciting. To make him look more ominous or dangerous. But for me, it was that first design that left no question he was a ninja (1) and he was about to kick the crap out of you (2). Im glad he's continuing to be taken seriously in this current run. He's not the guy that gets walked all over, and you can plan on him losing everytime. There is a reason that only one other dude in this universe could go toe to toe with him. He should be feared. And of course you can only properly fear him after you know about him, but by then its too late...your dead.

The biggest change I will make to this design will be his bow. Im going to design a compound bow that will compact and attach to the back of his quiver above the swords. Something he can grab quickly, already strung but wont stick out on the sides keeping him from tight spaces. that never made sense to me

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/19631765/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/19631765/ Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:02:51 PDT
This cover preview is going to be 1 of 2 covers I drew for Issue #1. Here is the inked line art.

[link]

This last week Ive been in San Diego for the Comic Convention here. IDW publishing is based out of SD, so I’ve had a good time getting to know the editors and staff there. As art for GI JOE has come out or is previewed I will start uploading up to my website, so check back for updates and news on GI JOE.

At the convention I was asked to participate on a panel that previewed material for GI Joe. There have been a few articles that reported on how all that went. It was a lot of fun meeting Larry and getting the chance to work with him.

[link]

[link]

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/19565457/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/19565457/ Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:23:33 PDT
I will be available to do sketches during the show, though I wont have a specific table for it there at the IDW booth. I will be at the booth in and out throughout the day, set up at their signing tables. So you can request a sketch then and pick it up the next day or later in the weekend. I have quite a few to finish up already, so be sure to swing by early each day.

Again I will get to be on the GI JOE/Transformers panel on Friday with Larry Hama and the rest of the Transformers crew! So be sure to catch us there aswell. But importantly they will be showing a sneak peek into the GI Joe art, so depending on what is released I can post some of what Ive been working on.

Thanks for stopping by to all the people that I talked to today from deviant art! Its cool how big this community is.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/19478316/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/19478316/ Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:37:07 PDT
So anyone that could swing by, I would love to catch up and talk.

Also the co-creator/writer of RUNESTONE will be there with me and we will have preview books available. So get a sneak peek into the book Ive been working on, the books are available for purchase through me or Quinn Johnson. THey will be available on the RuneStone site soon. Until then just send me a note through deviant or my own website.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/18972962/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/18972962/ Sat, 21 Jun 2008 20:14:11 PDT
Swing by and say hey!

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/18560326/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/18560326/ Thu, 29 May 2008 13:20:40 PDT
Also I will be at San Diego for the SDCC set up at the IDW booth promoting the new project I will be doing with them this coming year! So you can find me there aswell.

IDW will be announcing the project tomorrow, so once thats all public I can talk about what it is.

Currently Im finishing the 3 and last issue of Forgotten Realms: Legacy, and it should be out soon. I assume the trade will be available next fall.

Also in June Legion of Superheroes #15 will be available, I did the fill in pencils for that issue, which was a blast! Its the book based on the Kids WB cartoon, so it was fun to work in a different style for a little while.

Ive got alot of work stuff coming up this summer, so I will have more regular updates. Both for art and news.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/16533914/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/16533914/ Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:08:55 PST
In the past I've used 2H, but ended up drawing harder to get a nice dark line and was pressing grooves into the page. This just makes it hard to ink. Anything darker than 2H will be likely to start smearing as you rub your hand over the drawing, resulting in a general gray "haze" over the whole drawing. TO AVOID SMEARING AS I DRAW, I place a piece of typing paper under my hand to cover portions of the underdrawing while working on it. Sometimes for pages I will even mask off, or tape pages together, leaving a window of just the panel Im working on open to draw. Then as I move to the next panel I re-tape my "mask" pages to leave the next panel open.

This light underdrawing is the equivelant to using a blue line pencil or lightboxing a sketch from another page. After working with Randy Green he had shown me that going directly to the board with a light pencil, it saves alot of time and helps keep the energy from your sketch directly on the page.

So after I have used a darker lead and finished the pencil drawing, I scan in the drawing into photoshop.

I do not adjust the levels in the actual scanning program. I just set the mode to gray, and typically scan everything in at 400 DPI. I scan everything so high, because even sketches might end up in a printed sketchbook later, and you can always downsize something. You cannot improve the quality of the scan though with out rescanning. So every file I have is usually a high-res and a "interenet-ready" size that is more manageable.

So I have the scanned image open in Photoshop. I enlarge the image to 12.5% or 25% to get a clear view of the line work. I then duplicate the background layer, so that I have two layers of the line art. I change the mode of the top layer to MULTIPLY. This will automatically make your drawing darker. And not just darker but you've doubled the range of grays in your drawing.

Here is the theory behind it, when you change the contrast or levels of your drawing, you are taking away the number of grays and making the line art darker and the white of the page lighter. When you start from your original scan you only have a certain number of gray levels throughout the file. When you mulitply that file, you are doubling that number of gray levels in your drawing. Basically creating twice as much information to start from.

So after the top layer is set to MULITPLY, you flatten the image, and your drawing should look alot darker and the gray "haze" will increase. Now when you adjust the gray levels you are starting from a darker image and you loose less quality when you make the page lighter to eliminate the haze.

Generally I open the Level control under Image/adjustments/levels. or Cntrl L. I move the black arrow to the right and set to around 50. and move the white arrow to the left to around 225. These numbers are very approximate, while I slide the arrows of contrast I am looking at the image to see the change that is happening. When moving the black arrow I look for the point when the line art is getting to a nice "readable" dark and when you go too far, making the smaller details too muddy. I move the white arrow looking at the white of the page and adjusting to the point where the gray "haze" is dissappearing and when I go too far and start to lose rendering details. So the numbers I mentioned above are subject to the these conditions of each drawing.

After I set the levels I have a more clear pencil drawing, sometimes nearly black line art.

I hope that helps some people out with their line art

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/16513343/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/16513343/ Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:20:36 PST
thanks again for stopping by, I know I dont update or interract nearly enough.

Just keeping busy with work. Ive finished the first issue of Forgotten Realms: Legacy, and that will be on sale in Feb. 2008 published through Devil's Due. So Check it out!

Also Im getting my first work through DC comics later this month aswell! it will be a fill in issue of Legion, but I will be doing it at the same time as Forgotten Realms, so I know Im gonna be swamped. whew.

Also, Ive just got my new website up and running.

[link]

It should be completed very soon!

I will be sure to check back in and put up alot more work, once its cleared to go online!

Thanks again,
Robert

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/15604572/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/15604572/ Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:03:15 PST
[link]


Also I finished up the cover to GI Joe: America's Elite #33. IT was an awesome project, that took alot of time. A triple gatefold cover...I will post it as soon as Im able.

Finally for Devils Due I have just begun as the regular series artist for Forgotten Realms! I will start my mini series with Legacy the 6th installment of the series. The books Im slated to do at this point will be Legacy #1-3. Each issue is a double sized 40 pages. The first issue comes out in Feb 08 I believe, and will be out every two months after.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/14624708/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/14624708/ Thu, 13 Sep 2007 23:35:47 PDT [link] and will have the first download ready by the end of the month. We are uploading the first 40 pg issue in 5 pg installments, FREE to download and preview.

There is already a 11 page preview to the series up to view already. Be sure to register on the site to access the web forum and wallpapers to download aswell!!

We are tremendously excited that Inker Rick Ketcham (Runaways, X-Men, New Excaliber) has signed on and will be inking the series!!

Other work going on, Im currently penciling a cover for GI JOE and have finished pages for another Forgotten Realms Issue with Devil's Due.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/13852994/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/13852994/ Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:16:33 PDT
Well Chicago con is coming up in a few weeks. Im excited to be there again and see those who swing by the table. I will be set up in Artist Alley again this year. I should be easier to find than last year, I will have some banners to catch your eye. Also I will be set up with Runestone Creator Quinn Johnson, and you will be able to pick up a preview of my new co-created series!

be sure to check out the official Runestone site which will be up soon.
[link]

and go to Quinns site at

[link]

where there are preview pages available to see!

I have a new sketchbook for the season this year, and they will be available at the convention.

Also recently I finished a story for Marvel Comics that had Spiderman, the entire Fantastic Four, and Iron Man all fighting the Hulk!! needless to say it was a blast to do, and I will post up some of the pages as I can.

Thanks for swinging by.

Robert

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/13258800/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/13258800/ Thu, 07 Jun 2007 22:39:41 PDT
Well Im going to North Carolina next week for the Heroes Con in Charlotte! Im really excited, I wasn't able to make it last year. My son was born that weekend so I had a good excuse. It's always a show I like going to, they are very artist friendly there, and there's always a great group of talent that shows every year.

I will also set up at the Wizard world Chicago show in August. I will set up with Quinn Johnson premiering a preview book for our title Runestone.

Also with the convention season this year I put together a new sketchbook that I will be selling for $10. It's 40 pages with a color poster inside, I will preview it here and it will be available to purchase. Just email me at:

robertqatkins@yahoo.com and I will setup payment and delivery.

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/12785348/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/12785348/ Mon, 30 Apr 2007 01:45:31 PDT
Just keeping as busy as possible. Im working up a new co-creator owned project that I will preview through my site here soon! So Im keeping incredibly busy with that.

We are getting closer to the end of the school year, which Im excited about because my wife is an elem. school teacher. Which also means through the summer I should have the full day to draw while my wife watches our son instead of me. I might still be drawing into the middle of the night, but atleast it will be by choice instead of neccessity. whew.

Right now I watch our son, then get to work around 7-8pm and work till around 3-4 am. Ugh. get up when my wife goes to work and do it all over again. YIPEE.

Though Im not complaining...seriously... I love being able to be home and watch my son grow up. Its really a blessing.

Anyway, I will keep y'all posted on the new series Im working on as well as any other side projects I might be working on.

out.

Robert

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/12396655/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/12396655/ Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:47:41 PDT
But 2 month later and Im done. The issue should be out next month, and once a preview is uploaded at DDP I will post the line art for the pages.

as of right now the next bit of work I have lined up is a propossal for a new book Im doing with a fellow named Quinn Johnson. The book, Runestone, is a great story that Ive just started the art for. Im penciling and inking the preview, that we will be shopping around this summer especially. As I get more news concerning the new project I will post it in the Journal here. Also I will have art to show very soon. Character designs and pages.

So thanks for hanging in there, and I should have more to post very soon!

]]> ~ratkins http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/12265733/ http://ratkins.deviantart.com/journal/12265733/ Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:34:00 PDT
Usually I would just do this through my site, but it is under construction and this can be a way to show some of what I've been working on.

Recently I've done a lot of inking for Devil's Due Publishing on GI JOE. And for the last two months IVe been penciling the 40 page #3 of Dreadnoks Declassified. THat should be out next month at the latest, since there isnt an inker for this particular issue. Going straight to colors always increases the time in the penciling process for me. I try to keep my pencils ultra tight and clean for the colorist. So once that issue comes out I can start showing some of the lineart from that issue.

Ive also just moved back to Illinois, which is where my family is from. so that has kept me busy moving across country aswell. BUT Im finally settling in, and getting a schedule I can rely on.

I became a father this last summer with the birth of my son Connor. He is precious, and I get to spend my days with him as a stay-at-home dad. then after my "suger momma" gets home from work I usually get to drawing after dinner. my nights usually end around 2-3 am. then I wake up with my son as My wife leaves and I do it all again!

So I hope to keep this up better and share some art with those who frequent this page. Thanks for all the comments and support. feel free to ask questions, as Im always happy to talk about what I do, and how I do it!

Thanks,
Robert Q. Atkins

]]> ~ratkins