New pages..

[Ryan Stegman]

Hey guys,

I know it's been a while, and for this I apologize! But I have some new pages to show from Midnight Kiss number five. I'm actually in the process of working on four of these pages and I'll post them all when they're done.

After SDCC my website, ryanstegman.net will be up and I plan on participating a lot more on this message board, so there won't be any gaps in my posting like there is right now. I hope that pleases someone! Anyway, two pages, yeah!

Page 11:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/ryanstegman/MK_05_10small.jpg

Page 12: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/ryanstegman/MK_05_11small.jpg

Page 13:
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/ryanstegman/MK_05_13small.jpg

[DAMON]

very cool bro love the crispness of the lines

ps skullface has a small hand in panel 1


but i still like you

[creativesynergy]

Ryan, your page design and art style define you. Earlier on in your career I saw a lot of other artistic influences in your work, but now you're at the point of being distinctive and individual. I see a very bright and successful future for you in this industry (and no, I'm not psychic, just a strong judge of talent).

Now I wouldn't be me if I didn't have at least one question or comment. This time it's in regards to the action taking place in Page two, panels 3 and 4. Leading up to this action, you have the skeleton faced character running towards the two guys at the fountain. Suddenly, in panel 3, the skeleton faced guy is stopped dead in his tracks as he's grabbed by the throat (the man in glasses thrusts out his hand to stop him). He then throws the guy in the fountain. In trying to role play this action, it seems really unnatural, from his stance pre-grab to the grab and then to the throw. His body movements don't make sense. Now perhaps it's in the transition of action with it missing a panel to make the motions more fluid. Perhaps by using a single long panel with the stages of action being shown in three or four steps would have made it clearer. Maybe the spin itself doesn't make sense given the other options available: 1) Have him trip the guy into the fountain; 2) have him step out of the way and grab the back of the guy's neck to give him that extra lift and momentum; or 3) have him flip the guy over his head (as that's what I thought was going the happen when he stopped the guy in mid-run). These are just suggestions, and I know that this page is already drawn, but it would make the action seem more natural and fluid.

Lastly, the man sitting down at the fountain is in the panel where the skeleton faced guy is stopped (he looks to be in the same spot as in the first panel of this page), but suddenly has moved over. We don't see him lean or shuffle over, so it makes me wonder if this is a consistency issue.

You're a strong storyteller. These are just some things to watch out for. Now you may agree with me once you look over the page again, or you may like to reiterate how the action is fluid. Just get back to me and let me know your thoughts (besides, I miss our debates!).

[Ryan Stegman]

DAMON: You like me? I love you.

creativesynergy: No debate from me man. I know EXACTLY how the motion should play out properly in this page but I couldn't do it. The page in question took me wayyyyyyy longer than I like to take on pages for this reason. I initially had a silhouette shot of him getting thrown into the fountain, but something about that wasn't working for me. So I had to re-tool it, and because the page was so dense as it is I couldn't figure out a proper way to get the point across. So in the end I guess I sort of "settled" for that shot, because it gets the point across even if it's not as fluid as I would have liked. I guess the problem really comes from the fact that I deviated from my layout while I was working on the final, which always causes major problems for me.

If I could do it over the problem wouldn't be there. But...Hey...In the future I hopefully won't make the same mistake!

Oh, and I should also say the reason I took the silhouette shot out is because I have a really dramatic silhouette shot on the next page, and I felt that if I did it on two straight pages it would lessen the drama on the next page. So...My head's about to explode.

[DAR]

Nice work.. :carrot:

[thecarrierone]

these have a very animated fluidity to them that i dont ussually notice in your work
very good stuff.
i hope marikosa is treating you well.
hopefully you can keep midnight kiss going and make it profitable... do you work solely on the book or do you have a day job?

keep in touch keep posting!

[Ryan Stegman]

Thanks guys. For those who don't know, DAR (aka David Rivera) inked a full issue of the Lexian Chronicles that I drew for Markosia. He's a great inker!!!!

Thecarrierone: Thanks man. Markosia treats me very well. I don't have a day job, I just draw comics and various other commissions and what not.

And especially, thanks for commenting on the animated fluidity, it's been my obsession and I think I'm FINALLY getting it. I want to keep going in this direction.

[jimmybott]

Hey Ryan, you know I'm a fan of your work. I liked the page, I know what you mean about "settling" for a page, I hate it, It's the curse of reaching that point where you have to work to deadlines. There comes a point on a difficult page and you just have to do your best and move on. Okay, so the motion could have been better, but it did the job. But I would have liked to see the guy looked more dreched in water in the last panel, dripping from his hood and stuff like that. Maybe keiran will add it after?

Anyway Ryan, great stuff. Hope to catch you on aim sometime soon.

POST MORE :whistlin:

[Ryan Stegman]

Jimmy,

I had planned on Kieran adding the water after, yes. And thanks!

Oh, and I've edited the original post. Now there're THREE pages. Fourth one to come soon!

Ryan

[MrGranger]

Nice! I absolutely love these pages. Show more, please.

[j giar]

Ryan,
I can't believe how much your work has changed since the first issue. Glad to see you've moved away from the Turner look you had and have found your own. Nice work!

[Paul Sanderson]

Ryan,
I can't believe how much your work has changed since the first issue. Glad to see you've moved away from the Turner look you had and have found your own. Nice work!

Yeah, of that I wholeheartedly concur. Nice to see you moving away from that overtly cartoony, Turner-ish look and toward a more realistic type of look with your art. I think that's where your real strength lies, and I for one am excited to see you head in that direction. Keep up the great work, I'm looking forward to seeing you improve and improve, as you have already thus far :D

[Ryan Stegman]

I wanted to just add this by editing the original post, but I guess I can't. :cry:

Anyway, here's another page in the series. I was told by an editor at San Diego that she wanted to see me pencil as though I'm gonna get inked because I always leave my stuff open for colors, but they don't like that! So this is my first attempt at being a little less open.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/ryanstegman/MK_05_13small2.jpg

[Lovecraft13]

I really dig the pencils. Nice work.

[eltonpruitt]

These are some very nice pencils. I'd definitely like to see more of your work.

[Paul Sanderson]

Looks great, Ryan, really nice stuff :)

[newbold]

yeah, your work is very sweet. I like the evolution you have done with your style as well. keep it up man!!

[Ryan Stegman]

Elton, Paul, Lovecraft, and newbold...Thanks to all of you. I'm glad you are digging the stuff.

Here's a new one for you guys! It's the start of a new scene.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f279/ryanstegman/Stegman_08-03-06_Page2of2.jpg

[pandayboss]

Ryan,
These are cool pages. Really exciting to see all these pencils! Keep up the great work! :D

[Sequential76]

I just checked out Dar's websit link showing him work over your Lexian work.
That is pretty cool. Great work as always!

~David

[DAR]

thanks i will be posting up more this week.you have some great line work your self. :thumbs:

[true_illusion]

How many cartoons can you rip off? Skeletor, Gigantor. You should put the Thundercats in there.

Wow now you do show true ignorance since Ryan Stegman is a professional artist. and not a wanna be...

[eltonpruitt]

Keep it coming, Ryan. The new page looks great!

[sgotr]

Those are some really clean penicl works :thumbs:

[Wheeljack]

Funny funny! Looks like Thomas Bone is making Eduke work! Shoot, I wish I could actually read what that guy was saying but Fidel here won't let me! lol Anyhow, great stuff, pretty pictures. That's all that matters, right? My only crit is picky but still if your a proffessional you make NO mistakes considering how difficult it is to get into the market. 1st page panel one the fountain in the backdrop should actually be more elliptical. Is that nitpicky, sure. But editors at the top companies do that stuff for lots of money. Other than that, pretty pictures.

[Ryan Stegman]

Hey folks,

Here's the next page in the sequence. A color hold has to be put on the dragons, so I did them on a separate sheet. It looks a little messy, but the colors should fix it. So I put both versions up here for your eyes. Hope you enjoy!


http://www.ryanstegman.net/MK_05_17%20small.jpg

http://www.ryanstegman.net/MK_05_17%20small%20minus%20color%20hold.jpg

[thecarrierone]

ive been working with overlays and color holds as well. this doesnt look messy at all.
i think ill be making an order for som markosia books soon!

[JonHParrish]

I think it looks kickass. Keep it up man.