deviant ART

[x]
[x]

Enemy Ace

Journal Entry: Fri May 2, 2008, 7:17 PM
  • Mood: Joy
  • Reading: See Subject Title
  • Watching: you. I have my ways
  • Playing: around
  • Eating: Mozza Pizza
  • Drinking: Ice Tea
Every now and then I skim my hands over my trade paper backs and hardcovers for some inspiration. Over the years Marvel, DC and Dark Horse have done a fine job of supplying me with great comps. But lots of times, the books just sit there.

One book in particular was Enemy Ace by George Pratt [link]

Years ago I was told by a friend of mine at the time told me that his work wasn't worth the examination. I didn't think to look into it myself. Even if I did, I doubt I would of been able to appreciate what I was looking at. I had a very narrow scope of what comic book art was supposed to look like. I certainly didn't like painted comic book work. To be honest, it's still not my favorite approach to the comic book medium. But as my tastes begin to change and I continue trying to improve my work with color - I find myself looking more and more at painters that, well, paint. There's something to putting paint to board or canvas as opposed to a Cintiq. That's some serious courage and trust in your abilities.

Enemy Ace isn't the first painted graphic novel. But it really opened my eyes to what can be done with paint in the comic book arena. Now I'll have to pick through all my Muth, Hampton and Kent Williams books again. Pratt made some magic. He really transports the reader to a different time and the mood/tone is incredibly haunting. Great pacing too.

I love that bookshelf of mine...

Devious Comments

love 0 0 joy 0 0 wow 0 0 mad 0 0 sad 0 0 fear 0 0 neutral 0 0

~mothbot:iconmothbot: May 2, 2008, 8:46:06 PM
Enemy Ace is Awesome! I like the painted books, and I love Stuff by George Pratt, Kent Williams, Baron Storey and John J. Muth. I think Dave McKean's work on Arkham Asylum is what got me started with painted comics.
~danitoons:icondanitoons: May 2, 2008, 9:06:29 PM
Pratt is a HELL of a painter! I had the opportunity several years ago to attend to a 3 days workshop here in my country, where he toght his painting tecniques in aquarelle, oils and even serigraphy. Quite a valuable lesson and quite an incredible human being! Worth studying indeed!

--
After the BLUES, there always comes a ROCK 'n' ROLL
*Dan-Van-Cool:iconDan-Van-Cool: May 3, 2008, 7:57:15 AM
I have a few books Ive had for years that I never looked through. I'm glad Ive been able to enjoy and realize what Ive missed out on as well.

Its interesting how perceptions grow :D

--
~Always Hardcore
"There is no time for blocks, stop making excuses and draw"

Daniel Andrews
[link]@gmail.com
Blog Site [link]
Deviant Art [link]
*capprotti:iconcapprotti: May 3, 2008, 2:56:21 PM
That is a BEAUTIFUL book! Ironically enough, I pulled it out for a friend of mine the other day, and my roommate stumbled upon it yesterday and mentioned how he needs to read it. I can't get enough of guys like Pratt, Williams, Hampton, Muth and now Jason Shawn Alexander (who was kind of Williams' Protoge). Damn good stuff! Have you seen Gerriod Van Dyke's work on Spawn 175 yet? If not, you owe it to yourself to take a look.

[link]

--
!!!Blog!!!- [link] - !!!Blog!!!
~urban-barbarian:iconurban-barbarian: May 3, 2008, 3:51:17 PM
I'll have to take a look at that. Is it new or is that an older issue?

--
I fancy nice art and pop tarts
[link]
*capprotti:iconcapprotti: May 4, 2008, 6:10:54 PM
Fairly new, came out in February. Gerriod and Brian Haberlin are working on a graphic novel over a hundred pages long that will have work just like what's in this book. Won't be for a while, but definitely something worth waiting for.

The credits are wrong, but here's the link to the book.
[link]

Some Sample Pages
[link]

--
!!!Blog!!!- [link] - !!!Blog!!!
~urban-barbarian:iconurban-barbarian: May 5, 2008, 1:05:28 AM
Cool! Love that new Capullo cover too.

--
I fancy nice art and pop tarts
[link]
*agrivaine:iconagrivaine: May 5, 2008, 6:26:06 AM
Long ago I met George Pratt at the Motor City Comic-con...nice guy, and hugely talented. He was there with John van Fleet and I wanted to stand there for hours just going through both their stacks of artwork; so impressive.

Thanks to this post I now know that Pratt has a blog--excellent. :) Thanks, Dan!
~urban-barbarian:iconurban-barbarian: May 5, 2008, 12:40:26 PM
That's why I love the internet!

--
I fancy nice art and pop tarts
[link]