As long as Elfquest has been around, readers have been fascinated with the artwork. There is literally no other comic book series in which the art manages perfectly to blend the airy and cartoony sensibility of a manga sensei like Osamu Tezuka, with the mass and power of a master like Jack Kirby. That’s what series artist Wendy Pini brings to Elfquest every issue.
Often, people ask “How do you put together a page?” In the coming days and weeks, we’ll showcase examples of the many answers to that simple-seeming question. To start – because this issue is fresh on the stands – here is page 2 from “Final Quest” #8. Wendy always sketches layout ideas, sometimes digitally, sometimes on paper, as this one. It doesn’t have to be complicated but it’s an essential step in visualizing the entire page as a single, cohesive entity – do the individual panels break up the whole in a pleasing way? Does the page end on little cliffhanger of its own? Does the eye travel easily from upper left to lower right? These are all important considerations in the construction of each and every issue.
Are you an aspiring comics artist? How do you approach your daily task?
