The Fade Out- Process

As the Fade Out finished a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd share the process for one of the pages...

First, I get the script from Ed and make a thumbnail sketch in my sketchbook. I'm only interested in storytelling here, not in doing a nice drawing. There's enough information here for me to shoot any photo ref and search out any other ref I'll need.

Then I switch to working on my Cintiq using Manga Studio, and start pencilling. I usually have my ref photos on another monitor and sketch from them freehand, but for the final panel here I dropped my photo ref into the page, along with a background in the first panel, to make sure I get a more accurate finished drawing later.

Then, on another layer I ink the pencils with a couple of Ray Frenden's Manga Studio brushes...

...And then I draw in some grey tones on another layer to finish up the page.

The flattened page is then sent to Bettie to colour up in Photoshop.

I add the colour file to the lettering and panel borders I've made previously in Illustrator and then the page is finished...