Re: Welcome to our board here...
FRI, 1/31/03, 4:57 p.m. - In Response To: Re: Welcome to our board here... (Donald)

Thanks for your response- I am glad you remembered me, I was a little overwhelmed at thc Natl. Con in NY since I admire your work so much and there are a lot of parallels between our lives- Anyway, yeah, watercolor needs a relaxed mindset to let it flow out beautifully. I find when I am doing my art to find work with comic book companies ( doing a Marvel submittal now of Moon Knight ) I get tensed up since I am trying to get employment ! I would really rather do very loose , gestural drawing - I do have a technique of combining this loose pencil work with more precise inking- you can see what I mean at the drawing section of http://www.donaldjackson.com/. Don't you think editors would balk at that style?

You are one of the few people in this field that gets away with really loose , painterly images!!! There is such a rigid standard of illustration in comics that I feel constrained - I could do awesome AWESOME work but I am affraid editors wouldn't hire. I am just trying to get the standard elements now for my Marvel submission. Any insights on what they are looking for?? Hope I am not troubling you with all these questions.
Namu Amida Butsu- Donald

So, I can understand your concern about more gesturely and painterly images. I go for contrast in my work. SOme panels that are very clear, maybe drawn in pencil or pen, (but they are clear enought to immediatly know what is happening) and then I contrast that with images that are more about the feel of the character and emotional clarity of the book. Contrast is a great part fo the fun that I use in comics. It is all about the sequence. Not just one image, but how it plays off the image next to it.

I hope that is something helpful to consider.

I usually write my own stories that I paint, so I'm able to accomodate my writen storytelling with the way I do art, and able to accomodate my visual story telling with my own script.

If David's going to be there, it's a lock I will too! [;P]

I can always bother Oeming if DM doesn't attend...he's ALMOST as cute as David...

My boyfriend is very much looking forward to another chance to laugh at me fawning over Mr. Mack, as well!

I do intend to be there. Though I have not yet heard back from them with a confirmation. Chances are I will be there, unless I need that weekend to finish up some work.
But I will definitely let you know ahead of time on this message board.

Thanks

i want to start a series of Kabuki plush dolls (complete with squeakers!) and was hoping you would allow me to go through with the project. if i get an okay, i'll start right away and of course, send the first finished series to you. [:)]

That sounds very cool. My sister-in-law Hiromi made some handmade Kabuki dolls too.

It is fine with me if you make them(for yourself, friends, etc).

The only thing is that I can't give permission for you to make them and then sell them on the open market because it would conflict with other licencing agreements that I have.

Good to hear from you, and I look forward to seeing them if you make them!

Best,

David

Good to hear from you. I had a great time in NY. I remember you.
Glad to hear that your doing your thing.

As far as time on watercolors, my advice would be not to overwork them too much. Sometimes it can be tempting to try to model or render too much with it, but Watercolor needs to have a certain spontanaity to retain the natural life and effect that it can have. Try doing a less is more approach with it.

I am new to this board - greeting all and hello agian to David - we met at the Natl. ComiCon in NYC last year. ( Sept?) I lived in Taiwan and paint Chinese landscapes- I first want to thank you for your encouragement to go with my strengths- to be "myself" - that editors are looking for something different like what I do. Well, I just penciled,inked and watercolored a ten page gig for NewNocturneFiction.com - ( new online comics site I work at )- and was overwhelmed at how time consuming it was !! I felt a huge conflict between the deadline and the desire to put a lot of care into each frame. David ! Are there any suggestions you can give about time saving, doing watercolored comics under a deadline? I am switching to focusing on my pencils and maybe some watercolors for posters or covers..!!!

So you 're not going to be at angouleme that's right? You re on the list of the guests in any case .. and there's no informations here... Well ..ok ! I really thought you 'd be there!!!!! Too bad .. hope to see you someday anyway..
Bye !
Claire
PS: aaarrrggghh !!!

First it is good to hear from you. This post that you were there, really made me miss going to it. I love going there and to Paris after. And it was nice to see you in France last year!

They had me listed as a guest? That is interesting. After last year, Marvel France spoke about bringing me back this year. But when it approached time to make plans for the show it didn't look like it was in their plans to bring me back, because I didn't hear from them about going back. I just figured they probably want to have different people sign at their booth each year. But hopefully they will have me back as a guest next year.

Did you go there? If so, how was it? I hope you had a good time.
They should have had a new French language collection of Kabuki at the show this time. Did you happen to see it there? I haven't seen it yet, so I can't confirm that it was published yet. But they said it was to debut at the show.

Last year in Paris, did you ask me if I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch? I had not seen the film at that time, but I since have, and I LOVE IT. It very much reminded me of some of my Kabuki work.

Best,

David

Hi Lee! It is good to see you here on the board.
Believe it or not, I actually happen to be wearing the LEE's Comics shirt you gave me right now as I type this. This is completely true.

I also gave one to my friend (and fellow artist) ANDY LEE. He wears it a lot on stage when his band play's live.

I talked on the phone to Steranko a while back. He mentioned you and had nice things to say. He said you told him about how I was swinging and jumping all over the jungle jim at the park with the twins! That was fun!

Give my regards to your wonderful family and to the great crew at the store!

David

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know if the Scarab figure will be sold in Australia, or is it just an American releace?
Also, How was DareDevil? I only saw about a few frames but I think it will rock when it comes Down Under.
It sucks that we had to wait so long for all these kick-arse movies.
-A.C.

Haven't seen DD yet but I will as soon as it comes out. It has my name in it, so as far as I'm concerned I already like it [:)] , and I have to see it just to listen for my name! I know that is silly but it is the first film that someone put my name in.
Just like with every comic book film, I am going in with no preconcieved expectations, and hoping I will be pleasantly surprised. I was with the other recent marvel films.

So far I really really like the SIamese busts.

I was wondering what Moore Creations Kabuki line of busts everyone was looking foward to (Kabuki Reflections#4 shows designs of all eight).

I have the Kabuki and Snapdragon ones already, but the main two I can not wait for are Tigerlily (she looks awesome with the tiger stripes) and Butoh (she has the best pose out of all the busts and she has a fan in her hand, how cool is that).

My order of best to worst (less good anyways) busts goes:
1. Tigerlily
2. Butoh
3. Snapdragon
4. Scarab
5&6. Siamese set
7. Kabuki
8. Ice

Hey David,
Been a while since I seen you post anything, hope everything's well over there!
Any word about the on-going series or movie?
Marty

The truth is that I have been way immersed in my work on the new Kabuki series. I've had a very prolific year so far, and I've just been on such a good roll of doing Kabuki work all day and all night that I haven't been returning too many calls, or e-mails or logging on as much. Didn't want to slow down the great work momentum that I was in.

I'm LOVING this new Kabuki series! I'm really having a ball with it.
There are a lot of surprises. Lots of new directions, new characters, and twists for the character as she begins her new life. Also some familiar characters returning as well. Akemi is one of them. I won't spoil the surprise of the others.

But I really think my readers are going to enjoy this one. It really raises the artistic stakes. Goes in uncharted areas for the character.

As far as the movie: Yes, it is still shaping up. I can't give away much more info than that.

Thanks for the kind regards. I had a great Chrismas with friends and am having a wonderful new year so far (working, working), and hope you are too.

Best,

David

Just a reminder to let you know I will be at the Mega Con in Orlando. Anh and Andy Lee will also be there. We'll have art, prints, books and the rest, and will be happy to sign as many books as you want to bring or pick up at our table.

Hope to see you there.