Fire to the Scroll - pen and ink
“I think no one has it,” said the Professor as he set fire to the scroll.
pen and ink on bristol, 03/21/08
Click for the full illustration
This illustration is from a scene in the “Horror on the Orient Express” audio game from Yog-Sothoth.com, a podcast of a “Call of Cthulhu” RPG campaign set in Europe in 1925. This scene is from episode #11, I believe.
I’ll be working in pen and ink like this for a new project, and I couldn’t be happier. I love this stuff; the works of Joseph Clement Coll, Gary Gianni, Michael Kaluta and Berni Wrightson have been an inspiration to me lately. If you feel like feedbacking me, if you’ve got the notion …
(… I second that emotion.)
Great stuff!
Please do get in touch.
Paul
Mmm mmm mmmmm, just a bunch of black and white goodness. You have channeled the pen and ink gods well my friend.
Seriously though, this is not only a unique and great exercise for you…you pulled it off! Love the angle of the shot, love the action, love everything about it! After studying it further the only small pieces of advice I can give are these:
Perhaps the old man’s left shoulder has a bit of a weird tangent when it meets the window pane in the background? It think you could pull it back toward his torso just a bit, avoid the tangent, and actually add to your skewed perspective. The items on the table could use a bit of work as well maybe, a bit lighter touch and a review of the symmetry? But that could just be a stylistic thing. If that’s the case, forget what I said!
It’s a really, really nice piece and I think you’ve captured that look. If you haven’t looked into it or don’t have it, get a hold of “The Pencil” by Paul Calle. His style and technique would add to your knowledge base on these ink techniques in a big way I think.
Great job kemosabe, great job!
Great recommendation, bud. I’m going to look for that book immediately.
You’re right to call me out on the table stuff - I got lazy on that and didn’t put a lot of time into drawing it out. Those types of drawing issues can be distracting.
Thanks a ton for the critique. Your comments are always insightful.
Your depiction of the much-missed Mediterranean maestro, Professor Moretti, is brilliant. You have captured his awesomeness perfectly.
He IS much-missed! Maybe we’ll see/hear from him again in the future, undead though he may be.
He was the impetus for the drawing, so I’m glad you liked him. A classic, memorable character.
Splendid stuff, I found your blog via Paul-of-Cthulhu at Yog-Sothoth.com, and shall be trawling through your archives to view more of your excellent work.
I too miss Professor M. and this is a very fitting tribute.
Oops. I’m not anonymous!
That Paul-o-C is good people. Thanks a lot for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Maybe we need to start some sort of “Save Professor M” campaign, though I fear our efforts would be in vain.