Christine's sketchbook

Best new thing in the world

2012-02-07T23:35:00.000-08:00

I love the people I work with and, in particular, people who share my OTP Gordon/Batman. This lovely drawing is by my friend Katrina (Her Deviant Art page addie below)

http://isitlunchyet.deviantart.com/

This fab picture is of her and I bidding on Jim at a Wayne bachelor auction. I am so gonna win!

Next comic -part 7

2012-02-07T23:33:00.000-08:00

More filling in of other sequences. I'm going to have to tackle the sequence with the Clock King eventually... I'm just putting it off because I haven't really decided how to do it. The close up shots are going to be the dream to awake transition for Bruce.

Next Comic- part6 (New sequence)

2012-02-07T23:25:00.000-08:00

Added this scene between Bruce and Jim on his first morning in the future. A slice of domesticity..(Some was done on paper, some on the Wacom. I struggle so much with that damn thing sometimes. Drawing on paper seems effortless by comparison).

Next comic - part5

2012-02-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

These are for the last sequence where Jim is still staying at Wayne Manor, trying to decide what to do with his enforced retirement. He's using a shway iPad device to catch up on a bit of modern history when he gets bored and goes looking for Bruce. He ends up in the cave and gets caught reading an open case file on the computer...

Next comic - part4

2012-02-02T22:45:00.000-08:00

More shots of the sequence with Jim and Babs. Tomorrow, drawings of Jim in Wayne Manor...

Next comic -part 3

2012-02-01T23:21:00.001-08:00

Just fleshing things out a bit, in no order in particular. The first drawing is potentially a title page.

Next comic -part2

2012-01-29T14:12:00.000-08:00

I think the storyline is pretty self-explanitory here: Jim and Bats, after 10 years fighting crime together, have to stop the ridiculous, yet powerful Clock King. He's created a gun that zaps people hither and thither into time. He's about to zap Batman, when Jim jumps in front and disappears. Never knowing where he ended up, he's declared dead. Bruce wakes up from the re-occuring dream about what happened and goes downstairs. Terry, about to go on patrol, catching Bruce looking at photos of Jim. Later, Jim pops back into existence and has a "I'm not in Kansas anymore" moment. Unfortunately, he's right in the middle of way of a transit train. Terry quickly comes to the rescue before he's mowed over. Jim passes out and wakes up in the Batcave. Bruce explains what happens and we have the big reveal that Bruce was the old Batman. Terry, observing the broken time device that hit Gordon, says, "I guess this means you're staying". They arrange for Jim to stay at the mansion while they get him set up in his new life. Alone now, Bruce and Jim have a brief conversation where Jim says he doesn't regret what he did. Much later, Jim is on a balcony looking out over new Gotham. Ace, Bruce's dog, joins him and he monologs to it about how he feels about being dumped into the future, about how he wasn't really ready to retire and about seeing Barbara in a few minutes. Then Bruce is there with Babs and they have a sweet reunion moment. Again later, Jim is wandering aimlessly in the mansion and ends up in the cave. He spies a case file open on Bruce's computer and has a peek. Bruce catches him and explains they need someone unknown to the company they're investigating to go gather intelligence. He asks how Jim is enjoying retirement. Jim replies that he's bored out of his mind. They grin. Jim follows up, awkwardly, about how seeing his own gravestone really puts things into perspective and how he doesn't want to wait until one of them is dead, again, before admitting that he's in love with Bruce. Bruce simply asks him to stay with him, Jim, of course, says yes. Last panel is Terry, grossed out having caught them sharing a kiss. FIN.

The next comic...

2012-01-27T14:16:00.001-08:00

These are the rough drawings for the first page of my next comic. It'll be a Batman Beyond story that starts with a dream Bruce is having about his 10 year partnership with Jim. I have some other panels as well that flesh out the whole story, but I'll probably post them on sunday. Then I go back to work on monday, so I have zero idea of when I'll get around to completing it. 2013?

Roughs for title page

2012-01-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the other ideas I came up with.

Jim Gordon study

2012-01-17T23:16:00.001-08:00

2012-01-15T23:23:00.000-08:00

Chris Chow painted the title page for my comic! (Now I just need to convince him to do all of the comic pages.... :D

Batman fan comic - part 1

2012-01-13T14:20:00.000-08:00

Batman fan comic - part 2

2012-01-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

Batman fan comic - part 3

2012-01-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

Batman fan comic - part 4 (fin)

2012-01-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

Final page!

2012-01-10T10:23:00.000-08:00

Just started the last comic page this morning. Should have it all squared away by tomorrow. Then I just need to do a title page. I'm thinking about two titles... "No turning back" and "Enduring Nights". Also proposed was a little play on words by spelling it "Knights". If anyone would like to weigh in on the title please do.

Otherwise, I figure it'll be posted by the end of the week. I mean, I could endlessly revise it, but I'm keen to start something new before going back to work at the end of the month.

Anyway, here's a sample from the page I just finished:

Last post for the year

2011-12-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

Very best holiday and New Years wishes to one and all!

I have greatly enjoyed visiting with my folks out east and since it has been regularly around -10 degrees C, I have stayed indoors; diligently working on my comic and eating sweets. I am nearing the finish line with only two and a half pages to go. (My hand hurts). I am really ready to get this project out the door. Its been seven months since I began it and I'm keen to start on something new. (Probably another Batman comic. He's just so much fun to draw!)

Storyboard is over!

2011-12-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

And now, back to the Bat comic! Will definitely be finished by mid-January. :D

And this is the last of my Walking Dead stress-related doodles.

Crazy will be over soon...

2011-12-14T23:14:00.000-08:00

I have five or six more days of boarding full time before hols. Then I'll be getting straight back into the Batman fan comic. Until then: Walking Dead doodles! (Because in my world, and until February, Sofia is still alive and was found by Daryl. :P

Back into storyboarding full time...

2011-12-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

...but first! Walking Dead!

Two weeks...

2011-12-05T21:51:00.001-08:00

...in storyboarding hell are over! Finally, some time to draw my favourite characters.

Work on the Batman/Jim comic (as yet untitled) has been put on hold. I'll do a bit tonight, but the rest might have to wait until the hols. I'll definitely have it finished and posted by the end of January - I'll have 3-4 weeks off until the new show starts.

Daryl Dixon is my favourite character on TWD.

2011-11-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

Just some post-it drawings...

2011-11-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

More photo reference...

2011-11-07T23:06:00.000-08:00

I get lazy in the evenings and this photo was perfect. The crappy dramatic lighting is all me, though.

Thank you stock photos...

2011-11-06T21:17:00.001-08:00

...this was fun, but I think it also makes it painfully obvious why I won't be colouring my comic.

post-it...

2011-11-06T00:00:00.001-07:00

Another slow morning...

2011-11-02T22:11:00.000-07:00

...followed by reading the dullest script ever. But, Mr. Freeze!

I spent at least two hours...

2011-11-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

...messing around with this one and I'm STILL not happy with it. I should've worked on the comic instead. But who cares - Florence and the Machine's new album is awesome!

I love when work is slow...

2011-11-01T00:25:00.000-07:00

...gives me time to really get into a new Batman drawing. I also did a wee bit of work on the comic.

Sample of page 6.

2011-10-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

Just needs to be painted! Well. And I still have six more pages to ink...

An oldie, but a goodie...

2011-10-30T11:55:00.001-07:00

more work doodles...

2011-10-27T00:03:00.001-07:00

It's so difficult to work on my comic when there are so many zombies to kill in the evenings...

2011-10-14T00:06:00.000-07:00

working on a new idea for another comic...

2011-10-14T00:03:00.000-07:00

I like the idea of exploring what happens in Gotham when Batman is off with the JL saving the universe. And I really want to do the drawing of the two of them in space, looking down at planet Earth.

Robin was a total after thought...

2011-10-11T22:05:00.002-07:00

..and he didn't turn out as well as I was hoping. But the rest looks good. I totally get work done during the day. Swear.

Post-its sketches...

2011-10-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

I love drawing!

2011-10-04T23:38:00.000-07:00

It's so rare for me to look at one of my drawings and say, "Hey, that turned out pretty ok! I draw good!" But I'm quite happy with this one. I'm sure I'll find something wrong with it tomorrow, but this evening - I love it.

First week back at work....

2011-10-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't get very much done on the comic this week. It's hard to motivate myself to do anything other than go to work, the gym, shower, supper and watch Daily Show and Colbert Report. Then its pretty much time to go to bed and wake up and do it all over again. I'm hoping to finish the dialogue bubbles/text this weekend. Even though I have to go into work on sunday. Boo!

But I had to quickly colour this little post-it sketch. It turned out pretty ok.

Page 1.

2011-09-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm not going to post each page as I get them done... at least, I don't think I will. Even this one isn't finished-finished. There's a spelling error in there I just notice and some of the lines will have to be drawn to the edges of the panels... plus, you know, coloured. But clean up is taking a lot more time than I'd anticipated, so I don't think I'll get it all done until, like, Christmas. (I'll be getting very little done on it once I go back to work).

So, yah, here is mostly-finished page one.

... Plus I'll need to do a title page. *bangs head on desk*

But it is still fun.

doodling,..not doing what I'm supposed to be doing...

2011-09-07T10:40:00.001-07:00

Back from vacation...

2011-09-06T09:27:00.001-07:00

Now I have to get to work doing my cleaned up page layouts. It's a pain in the ass, but it has to be done...

For now: photo of me at the Royal Ontario Museum!

2011-08-15T23:54:00.001-07:00

2011-08-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

Whoo! Page layout roughs complete!

2011-08-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't think I'd get them done before going on vacation, but it all came together. I'm glad I'll have a couple of weeks away from the comic. Hopefully, be able to see it with new eyes when I get back. Fix any last minute problems before using Photoshop to nail down the final pages. Get all the images sizes uniform, etc, etc... Will have to get my boyfriend to help with that. I don't speak computer very well. Then I'll have three whole weeks to get started on the drawing clean up. Still haven't picked a brush to use.

Anyway, here's a couple of pages, if anyone comes to my blog and wants a look see....Also, this includes the new page...

2011-08-11T23:18:00.000-07:00

More messing around. Waiting for revisions...

2011-08-11T22:08:00.001-07:00

more Ivy

2011-08-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

Tried inking. Thinking of buying new Wacom tablet...

2011-08-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Second half of comic thumbs...

2011-08-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

This will be embarrassing, but needs must.

2011-08-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

I don't like putting thumbnails up here, but it'll be the best way to get some story advice before going to layout roughs. So...advice away.

More fun with new sketchbook..

2011-08-05T19:48:00.001-07:00

New sketchbook!

2011-07-24T22:25:00.001-07:00

It only took me six years to finish the old sketchbook. Which really, really sad. It should be one every year. And this new moleskin doesn't have the nice thick paper that my old one had. Cheap bastards. What artist would want paper this thin? I mean, I like to *engrave* my drawing on page. Anyway. More Batman!!

Still obsessed...

2011-07-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

I think my Gordon's hair is too flat. I'm going to try to make it more fluffy from now on. My thumbnails for my Batman slash comic are coming along nicely. Can't wait to be able to spend more than a few minutes here and there on it. The story still needs to be fleshed out...

2011-07-10T00:37:00.001-07:00

I really need to get some actual work done tomorrow.

2011-07-08T00:30:00.001-07:00

2011-07-07T01:13:00.000-07:00

2011-07-07T01:12:00.000-07:00

More stuff.

2011-07-07T01:09:00.000-07:00

2011-07-02T02:34:00.000-07:00

I'm now taking requests from the very-good-for-my-ego people on LJ. This was my first one. It was pretty darn fun to do. Though, it has kept me awake until now. (2:35am)

Poison Ivy

2011-06-30T00:45:00.001-07:00

'Nuff said.

Batman!

2011-06-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

So, I watched Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and went from there. I am Batman fandom crazy at the moment. I am having such a hard time drawing work, when all I want to do is draw this. Love Bruce Timm's designs so much, but I re-worked Commissioner Gordon to look more like Gary Oldman.

Anyway, fanfic OTP is Bruce/Gordon. Obviously.

2011-06-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

More Sherlock. Busy doing clean up on a board right now and the weekend is supposed to be hot and sunny, so there probably won't be any more doodles coming up. Cumberbatch is so much fun to draw!

2011-05-31T23:21:00.000-07:00

I'm such a nerd. I think the dysfunctional duo needs a feminine influence. Besides Mrs. Hudson. Someone who can keep up with them. What about a Doctor Who-esque time agent that gets stuck in the past? (Hey, the writers for the BBC started it! Sherlock Holmes in the 21 century. Why not a time agent?)

Maybe I should just switch to drawing Doctor Who.

2011-05-31T23:17:00.000-07:00

Its an older sketch, but I still like it. I still love drawing Snape. So much fun. Can't wait to see the conclusion of the movies!

2011-05-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

More Sherlock.

2011-05-26T21:57:00.000-07:00

New Sherlock doodles I did while I was supposed to be working.

2011-05-18T23:12:00.000-07:00

Just some old random pics from my 'sketchbook'. Which is just taped in post-it notes now.

The guy with the beer is my supervisor. He's got a band called "Gold Stars are for Suckers". You can buy their album on iTunes.

Go buy it.

2011-05-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

Rachel's show is one of my favourite podcasts.

2011-05-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

Lots of Sherlock. I tried all kinds of ways to come up with a good shorthand for Cumberpatch's mouth shape, but in the end decided a simple line worked best.

2011-05-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ah! The artist at work. Work, work, work. Even at home! Still, it's the best job in the world. I even have a 'storyboard director' credit with my studio. That sounds fancy.

As soon as I can get in to hook up my macbook to the scanner, I will post some more doodles.

Wow, I never update this thing!

2011-05-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

I am a very boring person. I just work (draw) and watch telly. And go to the gym. I occasionally go on vacation (August!!). I don't even use my sketchbook anymore. Just doodle at work on post-it notes.

Just watched the new Sherlock BBC series. Can't wait for new episodes! Benedict Cumberpatch is my new favourite person. I love his Holmes. I can perfectly picture him creepily staring at John while he's sleeping.

2010-05-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I've had the past three and a half weeks off and I haven't drawn a thing. Nada. Zip. Nothin'. I know, I know, very lame. Some artist I am. So, I offer up some more oldish stuff I had kicking around. I did this in Sketchbook pro on the tiniest Wacom ever.

Wow, I can't believe I still have this blog!

2010-04-15T23:23:00.000-07:00

Its been almost two years since I updated this thing. I guess I figured 'no one ever sees it, so why bother?'. Also, I'm very lazy. Or very busy. One of the two. All my other hobbies are taking up my time! Baking! Gardening! ... Sudoku! Anyway, I don't draw anything in my sketchbook anymore. All I do is work. Or not work. But I *do* still do drawings for my family, so here's the newest. I swear I won't wait another two years before I post again.

Nothing to post - no scanner!!!

2008-04-08T23:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, I guess I could draw something in Sketchbook Pro, using my Wacom, but I've been drawing boards non-stop for 5 months, and I'm gonna draw anything anytime soon, so here's a photo of my great hair-do. *shrug*

Ooo, two posts in one day!

2007-09-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

I was on a roll there with the scanning, so here are two old sketches from May.

The sketchbook pages of the last month and half..

2007-09-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

I know, there's depressingly little here and most of its crap. Well, except for the coloured stuff, but what can I say - the plane flight was heinously boring. Enjoy!

Been watching too much Samurai Champloo..

2007-09-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

Gomar helped me get Ikue Asazaki's song Obokuri-Eemui (Obtain Bearing) off a file on YouTube. Someone had kindly posted the whole song. This drawing wasn't really motivated by the song in particular, just a doodle I did with Sketchbook Pro.

Back from England...

2007-09-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

I seriously need to spend some time this week and get my sketchbook pages scanned in, but, to tide things over, I've done a little doodle of me post-UK. Don't I look happy to be home?

Finally..

2007-07-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to scanning in some sketchbook stuff. Its all really recent too.

Late night doodle...

2007-07-13T22:39:00.001-07:00

Title says it all. I might rework this one and do a good copy. I think Frankenbear is a little off-model.

Finishing old, old, old projects...

2007-07-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

These are the roughs for another "Bronwyn is Snape's PA" comic I had intended to do ages ago, while she was still at the University. Now that I have the time, I'm finally going to finish it up. After this, I suppose I should update my demo reel and CV and try to get another job. Finding the enthusiasm to do so, however, is proving difficult.

Back in Montreal...

2007-06-12T20:18:00.000-07:00

Ah, its fun being back here again. My flatmates are the best, the weather is sunny and warm. Everyone here smokes, so I don't feel like a complete heel when I smoke on the café patio. I'm going to see DayWatch with some people tomorrow night. Life is good. - This doodle is the first draft of a tattoo for one of my roomies. She's getting the constellation Orion done on her back and has invited all her close friends to design a star.

Too lazy to hook up a scanner..

2007-05-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

I actually *did* do some drawing in my sketchbook the other day. However, you won't get to see it because I can't be bothered to dig out and hook up a scanner. Instead, I did this in Flash today - got tired of looking at my animation.

Boy, do I don't have anything I really want to put up here..

2007-05-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

I don't have any new drawings. I don't have anything of deep and abiding interest to contribute. Nevertheless, I said I would update this thing every now and again and its been nearly two weeks. Here's another old drawing.

Finally something new..

2007-05-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

Didn't get much drawing done over the weekend. But I did take the time between work tonight to do this doodle. Tess is fun to draw, but I don't usually draw her sad.

Something more recent...

2007-05-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a drawing I did for my parents last Xmas. I never know what to do for them until the last minute, which is why it's not inked. I think its a good representation of the Cunningham family. The quality of the image is utter crap, unfortunately, but I didn't have a scanner on hand and now the thing is framed at the house, so chances of getting a better are slim to none.

I promised I would update...

2007-04-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

Ah, I has such high hopes for my second post here, but, alas, I just haven't had the time to draw. I worked two 12 hour days in a row, then worked some more today... saturday afternoon, of all things and I'm just dead tired. Too tired to draw. But I promised myself I would update no matter what, so today's offering is off some old stuff - a little something I drew for my friend Bronwyn - to congratulate her on a TA job at the university. We're both huge Snape fans.

Everyone's doing it...

2007-04-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

I tried setting up a blog several months ago, but it just didn't take. I was too busy, too lazy... I had lots of good excuses for never updating it. But no more! This is the new and improved, non-lazy Christine. For my first post on my shiny new blog: a sweet kiss.