_________Kev Ferrara___________

[JailHouseRock2]

First off Kev, thanks so much for post above.
"if you shoot for realism you get art, but if you shoot for art you get satire. (or something like that.) I mean, if you shoot for "comic books" you may miss and hit Hagar the Horrible."

And this sort of advice is why I keep coming back here, GOLD.

Anyway, I've been looking though this thread for years, and I always come back to it when in need of inspiration. Your line work, line wight, detail and composition is just amazing. And as just a quick question, How often do you use reference? Your poses and anatomy always look spot on, so do you use reff, or can you pull this off with out it?

And thank you again, I will always look up to artist like you and Whitaker of inspiration and advice.

P.S, and may I ask why you seem worried for people to rate this thread?


And please keep posting art,
matt

[Andy Brase]

hey kick ass work, Kev!... I see the Frazetta & Wrightson influence, though you have defined your own style of linework. I'll look for your

"Dead Rider" comics next time I'm in the comic store great!!
-A

[Mebiusu]

You do a mean Wrightson/Frazetta, beautiful work.

[kev ferrara]

Thanks JailhouseRock2, Andy Brase, and Ed Cherniga...

JHR... I use reference when I think I really don't know what I'm doing on something enough to make it convincing. For instance, Horses. I've learned the general forms of the horse body, but I still have a great deal of trouble understanding how a horse's legs are put together in terms of bone structure, ligament, and muscle. So I'll try to ref that. Most of the rest of it is made up. Once you learn the human body well enough, everything else is pretty much boxes, cyllinders, and ellipses in various configurations. Really, everything is geared toward making the composition believable, and any one part is only made believable enough to get you to believe the composition.

Just off the drawing board..

Edit: Added the colored version...

[Jason Ross]

Your work is awesome Kev. I love the craftsmanship of your pen work. Feels very traditional and very controlled. May I ask is the deadrider script yours too or do you work with a writer?

[Kan Muftić]

Dude.. I really enjoy lurking around this thread. It breaths the good old school of comics, where people could actually draw incredibly well.
Kind regards,
Khan

[kev ferrara]

Jason, thank you very much. Yes, the story is mine as well, and all the lettering, and nearly everything else. Btw, I took a look at your website and I'm loving the work! Keep going man!

Chupacadabra... thanks man. That's very gratifying. The stuffs meant to be enjoyed. I hope you're kicking out something beautiful right now.

So, here's an old painting I took a digital photo of, and brought into photoshop and sketched overtop... I'm probably not going to go back and fix the painting, because I feel the image is sorta stale. Looking for opinions on it if ya got any...

kev

[Chris Bennett]

Kev, that last coloured panel is on the Dead Rider is just so beautiful!

I've emailed you regarding the Underground Lair.....

[ArtZealot]

Awesome work Kev. I especially like that last one you posted, something about it reminds me of Jason and the Argonauts. Thanks for posting all of this up, there's tons of inspiration to be had here.

[Mbyle]

This is all so incredible, everything from your inking to your words. Feeling very inspired!

[Chronberg]

Just wanted to say Thank You for the wealth of inspiration and information in this thread (and others you participated in). Hell... you even got me started doing Bridgman studies! (Already had one of his books.. just needed a kick in the old arse).

Keep up the stellar work!
Chronberg

[arthème]

incrdible work man! I specially love you nude painting. keep going and take care.

[Bruce Pluto]

Hey Kev great work as always!

Really like the last piece. Catacomb demon coming out of the soupy muck to threaten a barbarian hero? It reminds me of the Frazetta painting where the beast is coming from the water intimidating the girl. I think it’s the cover to one of the ERB books if I’m not mistaken.

Anyway, great execution of color and shade and high drama…….

Bruce

[wiggum]

So, here's the thing. Deadlander has become Dead Rider with the second issue. Some of you probably can figure out why. Let's just say, lawyers got involved.

I was looking through and noticed this post. I know its a year old by my curiosity is killing me. Did this have anything to do with the Deadlands role playing game owned by Pinnacle? I had thought those guys went out of business.

Anyways, you have got to be damn near my favorite artist. Your stuff is reminicent of the old Creepy and Eerie magazines.

Keep up the good work!

[wiggum]

Accidental double post, please ignore

[Quigleyer]

This is going to sound kind of creepy:

I usually read through this thread about once a month like I've never read it before. You're the shit Kev.

My artwork is in no way reminiscent of your artwork, but for some reason you're one of those "personal heroes". Keep posting shit, please.

I'll be back.

[Quike Garcia]

Sir, your work is really incredible. Not only that, I really appreciate the insights about art that you've shared here.

Apart from that, two thoughts.

.On the last painting you posted, in my opinion, the human character lacks a defined emotion. He doesn't look aggressive nor defensive nor scared nor suprised... apart from that, I really like the counter effect between the exit light and the green ominous bulk, giving an idea of last-moment attack.

.The second thought: I think I remember that you were preparing a book about composition. How is it going?

Thanks again for sharing

[pauscorpi]

i really can't get enough of looking at those inks; they are simply beautiful , i absolutely second Chupacabra 's comment and quite appreciate the thoughts on art i managed to skim through

great work

[Ramon Hurtado]

Damn Kev, I know I've said this to you before but your work is like....5 kinds of badass. Love the tonal arrangements and beautifully designed silhouettes. Lots of character too and the drawing is rock solid.

hope to see more soon,

-Ramon

[TheGnoll]

thanks for sharing all this with us, you make me feel..."humble"

this is one helluva thread, one of those to come back for some insipiration every single update.

5* indeed

[kev ferrara]

ChrisB, ArtZealot, Mbyle, Chronberg, Artheme, Bruce, Wiggum, Quigleyer, Quickenobi, Pauscropi, PanchoSimpson, TheGnoll... You say nice things! Thanks much and I'm glad if my work makes you inspired in your own.

Quickenobi, you are absolutely right that that figure doesn't have an expression on its face. I had it in mind to make his mouth more tense, pulled back to bear a bit of teeth below the 'stache, but to keep him sort of stoic in the face of the threat. Maybe I'll fix that.

Anyhow, here's a pencilled panel I've scanned in because I'm probably about to ruin it with ink... and if that happens I can always just use the pencils in the graphic novel.

[waffleKoan]

Awesome - can't wait to see the inks!!!

[Quike Garcia]

I think that the teeth would do it

Love those last pencils

[Daniel Andrews]

Love that Pencil work and the action is great also.

[kev ferrara]

Here's the panel inked but not erased. Also, I'll probably go back in and add a few dabs and line in opaque white to fix some stuff. I have to remind myself that this is only the cartoon of the image. The real image will only show up once the values are in when I color it. So I always have that in the back of my mind.... As well as the fact that the image size, when printed will be about 3 inches high... This means that whatever "looseness" I've achieved in the inking will become tight, and the thin lines will disappear. Which is all to say, what ends up mattering the most is simply the graphic design of the panel. And all the lines I'm making matter only to me and those who appreciate illustration, and not at all to those who just want to appreciate the story I'm telling. That's the reason why most comic book artists work in a very simplified style.

kev

[RokasButkys]

You sir are incredible artist.

I can look at your artworks for hours.

[waffleKoan]

Kev, you're like a badass ink genie! One day I wish for some sweet inked panels, and the next - here they are! I like your little insight about working for an audience of one - sometimes those disappearing elements are the best part. It's like keeping a little part of your drawing for yourself to enjoy - thanks for sharing it with us!

[Ramon Hurtado]

Love the pyramidal composition, I've been dissecting my Cornwell book lately and see that arrangement everywhere. So when's that composition book coming out sir?

[kev ferrara]

Thanks guys.

On the book on composition, its something that I began a long time ago just as a personal way to record my thoughts on art as I set about learning, discovering, theorizing, and teaching myself to make the art I wanted to make. I'm still not the artist I want to be, and I've just begun to "make my name", as the saying goes, so even though what I have to say might be interesting or valuable to others interested in applied aesthetics, the treatise will probably remain a work-in-progress as long as I am a work-in-progress as an artist.

Maybe twenty years down the road, if a great deal of luck is on my side, I can be in a position where people actually care about what I have to say on the topic. Maybe if I end up teaching, I can use whatever institution I'm attached to, to put out the book "legitimately".

But, right now, I'd just be putting out another "drop in the bucket" art book by some unknown. I don't want to do that. The information is too valuable to me on a personal level. Plus Jim Gurney, and Stapleton Kearns and other top names are doing their books now and there is no doubt that these books will be fantastic. And given that you can download Greg Manchess's video from this website right now (!) you'd be crazy to waste time wondering what I have to say about art!

Best to you all,
kev

[diane555]

Awesome thread, beautiful inks. In my opinion there can never be enough ink in the world. Doesn't matter if you mix it on a palette, in a jar or with your wacom, I love it all. Especially love the horse work here. Years ago I drew nothing but horses for a few years and I never tire of seeing dynamic well drawn horses in action. I hope you'll post this piece above when you're finished. I love to see it again.