Super Skoda - Sketchbook

[MonkeYoakum]

What kind of paper is in that magic sketchbook of yours? is it watercolor paper or just a heavy weight paper, but not specificly for watercolor. Also I see that your using a slanted desk. I read somthing about using gravity to help with making the color / water move. Do you find this true or not worry about it. Sorry to keep picking your brain, but your style is really clean and somthing to work towards. Cheers!

[entdroid]

Your pissed-off girl looks awesome! I like it a lot. I love how you handle the inks, sometimes reminds me a bit of Paul Pope.
And your cat is really cool too btw!

[grundybug]

this stuff is inspirational....i think i might start water colour painting, need to buy some
amazing keep posting

[chrisc]

I love your sketchbook! Lots of yummy goodness here. I like your comic book pages. I hope you're getting some work out of it. I agree with entdroid, I'm getting a Paul Pope vibe from your inks too. The color on the mud story is a little heavy handed tho, since it obscures the gorgeous ink work.

If you haven't already, you should send your stuff to Vertigo.

[super skoda]

humanNature6115: Thanks!
MonkeYoakum: I just use a regular sketch book. The paper is not particularly heavy. The pages get all crinkly and stuff but I kind of like that. I don't really worry about the slant of my desk. I like to let the paint drip and flow and do what ever it wants. I often spin the picture around to get different lines and angles and stuff so the paint doesn't always run toward the bottom of the page. And keep asking me questions; I have taken a real intuitive approach to learning how to use water color and your questions make me actually think about what I'm doing.
entdroid: Thanks! I really like Paul Pope. He's really inspired me to try to keep my inking loose and energetic.
grundybug: Thanks!
chrisc: Thanks! I think you have a point about my colors. I was trying to create a contrast between the open sky and the dark mud but I agree that some thing was kind of lost. I'm working hard to get my shit together for the San Diego Comic Con. Hopefully I'll be able to show my stuff to some one at Vertigo.

I don't have a lot to show today but here is a sheet I did yesterday and today. These are warm-ups before I start inking the real deal. Both of these are inspired from drawings in a Manga book I've been looking at.

[Clochette]

This cat looks like your "current supervisor". : )
I really like your line quality, I can't wait colors for those sketches!
Cheers!

[UCT]

Ive already decided to try water colours on the weekend because you make it look soo easy. Do you ever cut loose like gerald scarfe because you always maintain good structure to your forms.

EDIT: just looked on scarfe's website and it seems as if he did the concepts for Disneys - Hercules. V weird, I thought he was a saterical and political cat.

[John Mahoney]

Awesome drawings! Nice variety of work!

[super skoda]

Clochette: Thanks! I finally went out and bought a nice brush for inking ($25 or about 2 Euros). I always thought expensive sable brushes were a rip off but I was completely wrong! The Windsor Newton Series 7 brush I bought is about a million time better than any other brush I have ever used for inking. I think it has actually improved my inking.

UCT: Gerald Scarfe is awesome. I had seen his stuff before but I never knew his name. He's good but When I "cut loose" it's usually more of a Harvey Kurtzman kind of cutting loose.

John Mahoney: Thanks!

Here are some pages from the project I am currently working on. I haven't cleaned these up yet (still have to erase the pencil lines and stuff). But I really like seeing comic pages like this from other artists so I thought I would share mine like that this time.

When these are done, I'll scan them in to the computer, clean them up, add tone and do the lettering.

[krossj]

great stuff! really like the ink work

cheers

[remmy]

More sweet as comics, inks and water colours dude. I have been meaning to have a crack at inking but for some reason its incredibly hard to find any fountain pens. I noticed that allot of professional comic artists use the "Kuretake Brush Pen", because its awesome. I have no idea were to buy one. Anyway you have gone into detail about your water colouring (awesome btw) but it would be sweet as if you could show us what tools and inking methods you use, so I know what to look for on my next shopping spree to the art shop. Keep posting your comics their a hit in my book.

[Ash888]

Love your line work, your ink style is beautiful.
These are impressive, I cant wait to see them cleaned up.

[Liam Harvey]

wonderful fluid work, i like it very much! id love to be able to do the same!

[super skoda]

krossj: Thanks!

remmy: In the last few months I feel like my inking has really gotten better. Mostly just because I started working on it almost every night. The tools that I use are a brush and some ink. That's it. The brush that I'm into right now is the Windsor & Newton Series 7 size 3 (Maybe size 2). The ink that I'm digging is the Speed Ball Super Black India Ink (you can buy it by the quart!!!). My favorite ink in the world is brand called Pro Black. It's almost gooey it's so thick and black. But It doesn't scan to well because it's also shiny. Like all art - the big secret is to relax and have fun with it. I know that if I worry about how good a picture is going to turn out, it's going to turn out like shit. But if I just go with it and enjoy the process, it'll probably be ok. I think this is particularly true for the way I ink.

Ash888: Thanks!

Gerbil Fetus: Thanks!

[crazy3dman]

Wonderful sketchbook. One of my new favorites. The watercolors are beautiful.

[DoubleThink]

The things you do with aquarel, it's amazing!

makes me want to used it again

Keep posting!

[MonkeYoakum]

Nice! Thats a great piece, really solid. The motion lines of the brushstrokes on that last one, really convincingly portray the emotion and I kind of like that there is no dialog, leaves more open to interpretation! Since I'm back I can pester you for information again woo Hoo! Sho here goes...

1. When your coloring, do you wet your paper before you laydown color or just go at it straight with the wash?
2. Also, my paper is getting real peely and my wash looks all shitty and grainy, any suggestions?
I switched to some waercolor paper, and that fixed it, but I like the idea of being able to add color / tone in my normal sb
3. I am having a problem where when I put down the wash I get a ring at the extents of where it dries. Kind of like when you drip a drop of coffee and let it evaporate, you get a ring where the coffee particals migrate to the edges. This is most undesireable ]

mmmm coffee. Thanks again for the help, I promiss the Questions will end some day.

[Jephyr X]

Schweet sketchbook pics through-out!

[super skoda]

crazy3dman: Thanks!

DoubleThink: Ha! I had to look up the word "aquarel" to find out what you were talking about.

MonkeYoakum:
1. No I don't wet my paper beforehand. A lot of people do though. I think they wet the back too that way the paper is evenly saturated and doesn't warp as much.
2. I looked at some of the pictures from your sketch book and it kinda looks like the paper is getting all peely from being over worked. If you need to put down more than a two or three passes on an area it might be best to let it dry.
3. Oh man. That's a tough one because I think that this will always happen. Looking at my current sketchbook, it looks like it happens on every singe stroke I make (some more pronounced than others). And to be honest, I find it really appealing.
Keep up the good work!

Jephyr X: Thanks!

Here's the first three pages of a new sketch book. I went out and got one of those watercolor Moleskines and it's awesome. The paper is really nice. It even holds Sharpie marker pretty good - it only soaks through a little.

I had to get a new one because my old one got stolen this weekend from my friends tattoo shop. So if you see someone with a sketch book that looks like mine, then you should give them a stern frowning!

[a la bapsi]

/generic COMMAND to keep posting.

You're the reason why I unearthed my watercolor set. ;^;

[Chiko]

ditto with aifolx. Your watercolors kick ass and make me want to put down my tablet for a little while.

[super skoda]

aifolx: Command accepted.

Chiko: Thanks! Today I decided to pick up my tablet and colored this:

[InvertedChalupa]

cool stuff in here dude!

[oishiiniku]

Awww hell yeah. Great style, lovely mark making and a real sense of enjoyment to what you are doing. I look forward to more.

Ta, Nick.

[DANKA]

Nice sketchbook! Amazing watercolor...thanx for share...!

[Alfaframe]

Really love your work, i'm really lazy but looking at your stuff makes me wanna draw more.
I expecially love your inking, it reminds me in some way Paul Pope works, but with a personal touch.
So keep it up and thanks for sharing!

[Hybrid_75]

love your stuff, funny seeing your cat over seeing your work. my cat isn't as helpful excellent stuff again, 5 stars from me.

[BRINKMAN!]

So Mr. Skoda, I've been away from here for a long time and when I returned to check out your SB, I was pleasantly surprised, as I was expecting! The pages with the woman are super nice. Thanks for your continued support in my SB, means a lot.

[DaStreets]

Hey, I luv ur work, itz so skilled, well put together, and u have a real sense for color. Real eye candy. What are some tips to ur magic?

[pOiNtPuShEr]

Man, you've got oodles and oodles of skill! Wonderful work. Thanks for the inspiration