Tag Archives: comic artist

How to Draw Smoke + Clouds + Explosions for Comics

October 18, 2019 RAM

In my latest Youtube video I explain how to draw some of the basic dynamics for smoke, clouds, and explosions. These effects are widely used for comics and other forms of storytelling.

Drawing Smoke Clouds and Explosions for Comics

Check out the video below to see these two effects created!

Hopefully this post + video will help you get a bit better at drawing these elements within your own work. Remember if you don’t get it right the first time there is nothing to worry about. I didn’t either! Let’s jump in and start practicing.

Drawing Smoke

Let’s first start by drawing some basic smoke coming off a smoke stack. This is used in countless scenes in comics and is pretty much my favorite one to draw.

You can have this effect swirling in the background and make any city scene immediately look 10 times cooler. ( In my opinion of course! 😉

Step 1 – Start by drawing the area of influence or the basic flow of the smoke. Don’t be afraid to swirl it around a bit. I like to think about ribbons and scrolls when drawing smoke.

Drawing Smoke - Step 1 — Drawing Smoke – Step 1

Step 2 – Erase back your construction lines or turn the opacity down on your layer. Then draw the smoke again with a bit more clarity. I like to go back and forth from thick to thin forms as the smoke rolls around. This way it looks more organic and dynamic. Use S and C curves for energy.

Drawing Smoke - Step 2 — Drawing Smoke – Step 2

Step 3 – Draw in some of the interior lines. These can swirl around any which way you want. I like to start envisioning how the smoke might look with color at this stage. It helps me to think more dimensionally about the work as I go. You can also add in some line weight at this stage as well.

Drawing Smoke - Step 3 — Drawing Smoke – Step 3

Next just ink and color it and voila! Comic book smoke! Just play with lots of variations and see what you can come up with. There is no right or wrong way with comic book smoke and art in general for that matter. If you’re having fun then your on the right track! 🙂

Watch my this Youtube video on the subject and get more tips and tricks on creating more effects.

I hope you enjoy the tutorials and more on the way soon!

Check out my Gumroad Store here for Video Course Content and Custom Brushes – http://www.gumroad.com/robertmarzullo

Let me know what other topics you would like to see covered on this blog and I will do my best to answer them with a new tutorial. I love doing break downs like this and your ideas help me to focus on what to do next.

Keep Drawing and Keep Having Fun!!

-ROB

Blog

For Aspiring Comic Artists

September 22, 2019 RAM

Hello Fellow Comic Artists!

My name is Robert Marzullo and I have been drawing comics since I was about 14 years old. ( Getting ready to turn 44 ) I was first published when I was 18 in an independent series called Aerial and Assault by Tyme Press. I have since published my own comic Blackstone Eternal and I am the author of the book “Learn to Draw Action Heroes”. I have done many other things as an artist but this is about creating comics so I won’t list everything. I don’t want to bore you to death!

The main thing I want to impart on anyone reading this is that if you want to be a comic artist you have to just start creating comics. I wish I would have focused more of my time creating comics rather than trying to figure out how to get into comics. The act of doing is the most important part. Nothing will grow your skill set quicker than actually drawing page after page of sequential storytelling. I only have a total of 5 comics under my belt but I have noticed great improvements from completing each of them.

Blackstone Eternal Comic Book Art by Robert A. Marzullo

You might say, “I draw every day already. I draw pin ups and splash pages!” So that is enough, right? Wrong! That actually can hurt you as much as help you unless you are specifically going to be a cover artist and the odds are you won’t start there. Pin ups are great but they don’t tell much story. You won’t learn how to direct the viewers eye through the page, you won’t get as good at drawing the same character with a variety of emotions, you won’t develop your ability to move the camera in and out of the scene more confidently, and the list goes on. You learn these things by drawing a comic book. You also need to practice working from a script not just drawing whatever pops into your melon while your watching Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube! ( Make sure to visit my channel by the way! 🙂

You may look at my work and say, “Rob, you draw Fan Art all the time!” You’re right, and that is why I can honestly speak from experience. I have drawn comic books and I have drawn countless pieces of fan art. Guess which ones will get me more offers to work on a title. Yep, sequential art. I don’t currently get calls from the big guys like Marvel, Dc comics, or Image but when I draw and post sequential pages I get more offers from other independent comic book creators.

Blackstone Eternal Comic Book Artwork by Robert A. Marzullo

I am speaking from my own experiences but also reconfirming what I need to implement in my own strategy. If I want to work in comics I need to draw amazing stories that show the viewer what I can do. Besides, working through a series of pages from a script will expose my flaws and that is exactly what I need to fix within my work so why fight it.

So I challenge you to get out there and create some comics! Throw a script together or find one online and put yourself to the test. If you can’t muster up a 22 page book then go for a short story. Show it off to everyone you know and accept the criticism so that you can make the next one even better. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. There is no such thing as a perfect comic or a perfect piece of art. Remember, done is better than perfect!

Good luck to you and thank you for reading my blog! Check out my YouTube channel for more content on drawing comics – http://www.youtube.com/c/robertmarzullo

Get my Video Course content and custom brushes here on my Gumroad – http://www.gumroad.com/robertmarzullo

-Robert

Blog

Update on How to Draw Dynamic Superheroes – Start to Finish!

July 30, 2018 RAM

How to Draw Dynamic Superheroes – Start to Finish!

Hello Fellow Comic Artists!

I have been working on some new content to add to my existing Udemy course, How to Draw Dynamic Superheroes – Start to Finish!”

I have just included over 5 Hours of new content in this course. Putting it at over 9 Hours long with 28 NEW lessons. In this section, I show you how to draw, ink, and color a fully detailed comic book scene or cover piece. This helps to implement all of the previous lessons taught throughout the course. Which should help to commit the important parts to your memory!

Here is a breakdown of what the current curriculum looks like :

Section 1 – Basic Proportions of the Superhero Male

Section 2 – The Superhero Female

Section 3 – Drawing the Muscle Bound Brutes

Section 4 – Drawing Dynamic Superhero Poses

Section 5 – Drawing Characters with Perspective and Foreshortening

Section 6 – Creating a Comic Book Scene – Superhero Flying Towards Camera

In this course you will learn how to sketch poses, refine the sketch, measure and adjust proportions, create suit designs, render various materials, create shapes of shadows, draw bodies in perspective, use thumbnails to save time, create dynamic poses, draw a cityscape in perspective, ink the work, apply colors and add final touches!

By the end of this course, I have no doubt you will have a lot better understanding of what it takes to create comic book artwork like the pros! You also get all the art files to study along with.

If you have any questions about this content you are welcome to leave your questions in the Q+A Section. I will answer you back as soon as I can. I am also open to any feedback you have for me to improve the quality of this course for everyone! I will continue to add lessons as needed and you will get all additional updates for free.

Here is my Udemy Discount Code to get the Lowest Price on this course – https://www.udemy.com/how-to-draw-dynamic-comic-book-superheroes-start-to-finish/?couponCode=RAMSTUDIOSCOMICS

Here is the Promo Video for this course –