World Premiere of First Guardians of the Galaxy Trailer

Here is the incredible first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy. If you're yet to see it, HALT... hit the play button, expand this spectacle into full screen mode and bask in all it's glory...

I'll admit, the pricey movie tickets demanding my hard earned cash in this day an age is a little discouraging... Although it is highly likely that in this exceptional case a PLEASE TAKE MY MONEY type scenario will take place...

The Sekuro Comic Book Series

Comics are entering a new age. The future is certainly bright.

The 80’s were great, the 90’s rocked the industry to it’s core… and with the vast amount of indies coming out today we have never seen such a vast variety of lush art, story telling and creativity. It’s something that crowd funding, and the tight knit comic communities across the cyber world have all made possible.

I recently came across this little gem, SEKURO. Be sure to check out their Facebook Page and show your support. We need more creators like Kevan out there, bringing their creations to life.
https://www.facebook.com/SekuroComic

"Sekuro is an independent comic book series. Set in the fictional Bay City the story unfolds for Deven Dalton, a down on his luck security guard, when he gains extraordinary powers after failing to stop a break in at the mysterious research facility, Flexor Labs."

-Clayton

Why New Comic Companies and Creators Need to be Born

In this article, the guys over at Titanium comics reveal the very thing that the world of comics needs right now.

In a time where money and time are king, a fresh reminder of how important it is to hold onto our own unique imagination and creativity can go along way.

Titanium Comics Presents - Pages and Panels (The Official Blog): Why New Comic Companies and Creators Need to be Born...:  Why do new comic companies and creators need to be born?  There are a few reasons that Titanium Comics has to offer...

This One's a Beauty

Hi,

it’s Clayton here, bearing a gift for you in the form of a brand new drawing tutorial. How to Draw Female Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits, is fresh, hot and just published. It’s there for the taking, so hit the link below and check it out!

http://www.howtodrawcomics.net/#!how-to-draw-heads-chapter-3-0/c8ty

 

This one kinda had me biting off a little more than I could chew.

It’s becoming a problem too. Not just because of my high caffeine levels and off the chart sleeping patterns either. You see fellow artisans; I seem to have a problem one upping every new tutorial that’s published!

If they get any longer this site is going to end up more like the How to Draw Comic’s Encyclopaedia… Wait a second… That would be awesome!

In any case, one can never do with too much information so I’ve done my best to pack as much into this tutorial as possible.

I’ve received a load of feedback from you guys on how I can make these walk-throughs the best they can be. Thank you! Since the main benefactor of these tutorials is YOU, your feedback is highly valuable.

A majority of the suggestions focused on two things; a more in depth look at drawing hair and the process behind detailing (rendering and lighting).

You will be pleased to know, I’ve heard your cries for help.

Although these topics will ultimately be expanded into individual tutorials, I’ve made a point of explaining them on an even deeper level in the new How to Draw Female Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits tutorial… And I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

So what is this exciting new addition to How to Draw Comics .NET all bout anyway?  Well as you’ve probably already guessed this time around you’ll learn how to draw the head of a female comic book character.

Funnily enough, the basic construction is all very similar to the How to Draw Male Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits so at least that part will be easy peasy for you guys.

BUT, the purpose of this tutorial is not to teach you what you already know…

You see as an artist, you very quickly realize that drawing women is kind of A LOT MORE DIFFICULT then drawing men.
Here’s why…

Men have bone structures and facial muscles that are more pronounced then women. This allows us to use distinctive lines with stronger shadows to describe the prominent, sharper features of the male head in order to achieve that masculine resemblance. In short we’ve got more building blocks to play with.

When it comes to women though, it’s not so easy! There are less bread crumbs laid to help us out along the way. Their faces are smoother, softer, and subtler.  This gives us fewer lines to use, less obvious forms to draw, and ultimately results in a considerably constrained approach to drawing. 

Lucky for you guys, ‘How to Draw Female Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits’ has been specifically designed not only to address these issues and how to deal with them, but it will also explain ‘why’ the physical differences between men and women exist.

If you let me take you by the hand and follow my lead, I’ll have you drawing your own super, sexy, powerful heroines in no time!

Here’s a list of gems you can expect to glean from How to Draw Female Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits

• Learn the illusive elements that define womanly beautyDiscover what to draw, and WHAT NOT TO DRAW to create a youthful, feminine appearance for your comic book heroines. 
• How to draw, style, and render hair using the ‘BANG’ method.
• Find out ‘why’ less is MORE when it comes to detailing women. 
• Learn to draw alluring eyes, lips and other facial features that exude femininity.   
• Take an in depth look into the process behind lighting and rendering.

Lastly, I’d like to personally thank everyone who entered the How to Draw Male Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits competition. You all did brilliantly, and being able to physically see the results you ended up with by following these tutorials is incredibly rewarding, not just for you but for me aswell.
The winners have been announced and you can check out their entries over at the new Winners gallery. http://www.howtodrawcomics.net/#!how-to-draw-contest-winners/c1d0o

If you missed the comp last time around you’ll be pleased to know that another one has just been launched for the new How to Draw Female Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits tutorial. For more information be sure to hit the link below.

http://www.howtodrawcomics.net/#!how-to-draw-comics-competition/c3tw

As always, it’s your feedback and suggestions that help make How to Draw Comics .NET the best possible drawing resource out there. So if you’ve got any suggestions, constructive crit, or input for the site, you’re more than welcome to e-mail me at claytonbarton@howtodrawcomics.net . Of course, if you’d just like some good old fashioned one on one help with your drawing, I’d also love to hear from you.

Until next time Comic Artisans,

Keep learning, keep drawing, and keep the dream ALIVE,
-Clayton

How to Draw Male Heads - Picture Perfect Profiles

Hey everybody. 

How are you? I hope you’ve had a pleasant week thus far.

And if not… Here’s a treat that’ll make it better regardless.

http://www.howtodrawcomics.net/#!how-to-draw-heads-chapter-2-0/c14yy

That is the link to the newest addition in the How to Draw Heads series over at http://www.howtodrawcomics.net/. I’m not quite sure, but I think I’ve managed to pack even more into this one then the first. 

This time you’ll learn a step by step process that can be used to draw the classical Male Head from the side. 

If you managed to fly through the first tutorial without a problem, you’ll absolutely ace this one. In fact, it turns out that the Side of the Head uses the same proportions as the Front. 

Which means you can take what you learned in the first tutorial and apply it here too! 

It’s not always sunshine and roses though. Because although the proportions of the head remain the same… The way the features are drawn is completely different. Not just from the side either, but from every angle! It’s a bit of an obstacle for us artisans to overcome, but this tutorial has been especially design to give you the tools needed to tackle it head on.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s covered in the tutorial: 

-          Creating a base blueprint that’ll make drawing head profiles a piece of cake.  

-          Laying out proportional guidelines to ensure your heads looks correct each and every time.

-          Drawing facial features from the side. You’ll be surprised how easy this one is!

-          An in depth look at layering hair using ‘the bang technique’.  

-          An overview on how to use shadow and rendering to refine form and create 3D depth.

If you liked the first tutorial, I’m confident you are going to get just as much out of this one. Please enjoy, and good luck!

-Clayton

P.S.

Got some feedback or suggestions on how these tutorials could be made even better? Maybe you’ve got some questions about the site or upcoming content? Whatever it is, I’d be more than happy to hear from you!! So send your e-mails to claytonbarton@howtodrawcomics.net, and I’ll personally reply to all of your questions and suggestions.

P.S.S

And one more thing! Turns out a lot of people missed out on the competition I ran on howtodrawcomics.net last week for the Picture Perfect Portraits tutorial. And it’s my fault for hiding it on the very last page… 

So I’ll be leaving it open until next week. Here is the more… exposed link for more information on the comp and what you can win.  http://www.howtodrawcomics.net/#!how-to-draw-comics-competition/c3tw

How to Draw Male Heads - Picture Perfect Portraits

Hello everyone.

Well, it has been a long time coming.

As I type this, I’m running on about 4 hours sleep. Yes. I’m fully aware that’s probably not good for my health. But the reason why I’ve been up so long is so I could get this to you.

http://www.howtodrawcomics.net/#!how-to-draw-heads-male-front/c108u

I’m pleased to tell you that How to Draw Comics . NET is now live. And when you click that link you’ll be taken to the first, new and completely free tutorial available on the site.


This first tutorial focuses on drawing the front of the male head and it’ll lead you step by step through the technique I personally use for all my characters.

Bear in mind, this is the very first tutorial in a series of many. So be sure to keep a close eye on your inbox; that way you’ll be sure not to miss out on any new releases.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s covered in the tutorial.
- A simple, easy to remember method for drawing the human head.
- Nailing down the classical proportions of the head and face once and for all.
- Correct placement of the facial features, the jaw and cheek bones.
- Helpful tips on creating stylish hair do’s and how to lay them on the heads of all your characters.
- An overview of various shadow and rendering techniques and how to use them.
- How to create an endless variety of unique and memorable heads using a single method.

Enjoy the tutorial guys,
-Clayton

P.S.

I’ve never written a how to draw book before. In fact this is really the first time I’ve documented a step by step written guide for my drawing techniques. So if you get something out of the tutorial (or if you don’t), your feedback and suggestions are more than welcome.

How to Draw Comics . NET Nears Early Publication

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

2014 will be an extra exciting year for all of us I'm sure. Personally, I cannot wait to jump into it and start making things happen! 

I wanted to give you all a quick update and let you in on what’s been happening. I'll also explain a little more in detail what the site is all about.

How to draw comics . NET is the ultimate resource for the aspiring comic book artist, harboring a learning library full of FREE video tutorials, articles and content to get you creating your very own legendary super heroes, sexy heroines, and vicious villains! 

It’s not just up and coming comic book artists who will reap the benefits, but also concept artists, illustrators, designers, basically anyone who wants to learn to dynamically draw purely from their imagination.

Here’s what the site with teach you – 

• Heroic male and female anatomy, anatomical proportions and action poses
• The step by step construction of the classic head, facial features and hair  
• Planes of the head, facial muscle structure, eyes, ears mouth and nose.
• Anatomy of the hands and an easy to remember method for drawing them      
• The power of 1 point, 2 point, 3 point, 4 point and 5 point perspective!    
• Extreme foreshortening, how to create volume and depth with perspective
• Outfit and costume design, folds and clothing
• Character design that shows you how to Invent strong but sexy heroines and fantastic foes
• Discovering your personal style
• Composing scenes, comic book panels and page layout design.
• Creating a comic book stories and scripts

The good news is that the site is well underway and will be up along with brand new tutorials in the next week or two. New content will be released on a regular basis there on after. 

The official launch for the site will happen later this year, but an early announcement will be broadcasted EXCLUSIVELY on this page and to all subscribers long beforehand to inform you when the site actually goes live. The only reason for the wait on the publically announced official launch is because I want to hold off until the library of free content is completed.

Lastly, I need to say that I’m certainly not the best artist out there, and for sure there are others who far surpass me. But I’ve been on this journey too long not to have picked up a decent volume of knowledge and skill. And it would be selfish of me to keep it all to myself when so many others could benefit from what I have learnt. 

I know how hard drawing can be, how much frustration and hopelessness comes with it, especially when there is nothing really out there to take you by the hand and show you exactly what to do; to have so many unanswered questions.

I recall that feeling of just wanting to give up vividly. And that is a heart wrenching feeling that pulls at the very core because  

THIS IS WHO WE ARE. 

We are artists who’s purpose is to bring our creativity and imagination to life. Without our ability to draw, that can’t happen. 

So I hope that the moment How to Draw Comics .NET is published, it will not only benefit anyone out there who wants to cultivate their drawing abilities to ever greater heights, but that it will also give them the hope and encouragement needed to keep on making their dreams come true.

Cheers everybody, I wish you the very best for 2014. 

Be sure to head on over to the Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/howtodrawcomics?fref=ts and hit the like button if you haven’t already. That way you’ll be the first informed on what’s to come!

-Clayton