Dreams DO Come True...A few weeks back I crypticly tweete...

Dreams DO Come True...
A few weeks back I crypticly tweeted I was working on a cover that would make 11 year old me ecstatic and was a professional dream coming true. I can now reveal that IDW asked me to do a cover for their recently announced Ninja Turtles relaunch! My cover will be on the Raphael one-shot. My love of comics started with the Turtles, I started roleplaying because of the TMNT RPG, and I broke the ice when meeting now-lifelong friend Jesse Glenn (Kenzie) over TMNT at a Boy Scout camp before the cartoon had even hit the airwaves.

TMNT process:I started with a sketch in my sketchbook (this was attempt #2, I'm keeping #1 under wraps as it was too dull a pose & mood for Raph, but could be reworked in the future if I'm asked to do another TMNT cover). I scanned the sketch, made some adjustments to proportions in photoshop and changed the building and background. I felt the composition were better served of Raph "keeping watch" if I allowed more head room and implied more of a gaze over the whole city. I sent in the digital composition for approval and then printed it out full scale when I got the go ahead to start inking. I layed a sheet of bristol board over the printout and used my sketch as a guide for inking on a lightbox. I scanned the finished inks and started coloring the piece in photoshop by "flatting" in the colors. (Scroll back up to see the finished color artwork)
Color
In that Ustream coloring session from a few weeks back I was able to put some color into this Yoda piece. Not to start a Prequel complaint list, but I had imagined Yoda as a Jedi using a lightsaber quite differently than what was ultimately portrayed. Since control, calmness, focus, etc are the virtues of a Jedi, and Yoda is a master among them, he would wield a lightsaber of traditional length, but without touching it. He would close his eyes, raise his arm, and using the force, guide that blade through an amazing spectacle of dueling never letting the opponent get close. Which is why Yoda is not touching his ignited lightsaber in this piece.
Fan Art:This Fan Art comes from Jono Kys in South Africa (!!!) He writes: I've been reading comics for many years but this is my first ever fanart and hopefully not the last. Really looking forward to the Winter War series.

Upcoming Appearances:
Baltimore Comic Con: Aug. 20-21
Detroit Fan Fare: Sept. 24-25
New York Comic Con: Oct. 13-16