J.K.Woodward Gallery: A Process Look at Fallen Angel's Liandra!

Fallen Angel was created by Peter David for DC comics and lived there for almost 2 years. It was later published by IDW as a regular series, where I took over the art duties for 3 years (with the exception of issues 15, 16, 17, which had guest artists take over while I worked on Marvel's X-Men Origins:Beast) and I still illustrate the mini series today!

Fallen Angel always has been and I expect always will be a special book for me. As long as I'm wanted on the title, there will never be a time where I won't work on it!

I highly recommend this series to everyone and if you're at all interested in checking it out, I would suggest starting with the origin story, #'s 1-5, from IDW. You can get them digitally at Comixology for only 99 cents each.

And now, a process look at a

Fallen Angel commission painting:

As always it starts with a sketch on cheap printer paper. Its low detail and there just to establish the proportions and composition.

Though in this case, the inspiration came from a sketch I did for a signing at Friendly Neighborhood Comics. Immediately after completing the drawing, I wanted to do a proper 12 x 18 painting., so I took a pic with my phone, printed it out when I got home and projected it to a larger size.

Then I use an opaque projector

to project the rough sketch on to watercolour paper.

I use Arches 140lb Watercolor Paper Block, Cold Press. Its over $60 for 20 sheets.

there's cheaper paper to be sure, but this paper holds paint and water without warping better than anything I've ever used.

When that's done I'm left with much cleaner pencil lines on paper suitable for ink and gouache.

It's important to lighten the pencil lines as some of the colour will be semi-transparent when used with water and the lines can show through.

I use PrismaColor Kneaded Rubber

I snap off a piece and roll it into a cylinder. It molds just like silly puddy--its fun!

Then I roll the cylinder lightly over the pencils with the palm of my hand. This lightens without erasing all together.Now I mask with this.

Just scotch masking tape.

The cheap stuff works just fine and it never tears the Arches paper. (it has been known to tear some of the cheaper bristol board I've used, however. So be careful).

Now the piece is ready for ink and paint.

I paint with gouache, generally and though I use many brands, I usually prefer either Winsor & Newton or the Royal Talens Art Creation line.

The colours I'll be using will be:

Azure Blue (Royal Talens)
Prussian Blue (Royal Talens)
Yellow Ochre (Winsor & Newton)
Lemon Yellow (Royal Talens)
Chinese Orange (Winsor & Newton)
Spectrum Red (Winsor & Newton)
Cadmium Red Deep (Winsor & Newton)
Burnt Sienna (Royal Talens)
Zinc White (Holbein)
Jet Black (Holbein)

I will also be using ink and water for the background to give me the shadowy film noir atmosphere that I'd like for the location.
I prefer Speedball Super Black India Ink.

I start with the background.

I then switch to gouache, laying down all the darkest shadows with Jet Black.

I come in with my Spectrum Red (Winsor & Newton) & Cadmium Red Deep (Winsor & Newton) for the cape and use Zinc White (Holbein) and Azure Blue (Royal Talens) for highlights (reflecting the blue telekinetic lightning eminating from the characters eyes and hands). I use Yellow Ochre (Winsor & Newton) and Lemon Yellow (Royal Talens) mixed in with reds and blacks for the parts of the cape blocked from the blue light to show a contrast of lighting.

Now I use Azure Blue (Royal Talens), Prussian Blue (Royal Talens) & Zinc White (Holbein) to create a blue base on the ares closest to the source of the blue lightning glow. I focus mostly on her top since it is a leather, reflective surface and would contain more blue than any other surface.

I use a combination of Chinese Orange (Winsor & Newton), Burnt Sienna (Royal Talens) and Zinc White (Holbein) to create the flesh tones. Areas of blue are left revealed and blue highlights are added in places. The reds are added over the base. heavier in some ares so as to cover most of the blue and lightly in other areas so the reflective blues show through. I also leave some white for the rim lighting on the left from an "off-camera" street lamp.

The same process for the cape is continued with the rest of the outfit.

The "ribbons" are a reflective surface and made from the same material as the top, so I use much the same process when painting that part of the legs.