As work on "Stick It To 'Em!" is heading ever closer to the finish line I thought it would be good to show some sketches and character designs from my sketchbooks from way back in 2004-2005.
Let's start with Taylor, the anti hero protagonist of the story.
This first sketch is where it all started. At this point the style I was using was more comic book, still very stylised but less cartoony than what it evolved into. A clear influence of "Danger: Diabolik", the Mario Bava classic is obvious in this pose and depiction of Taylor.
Within a few weeks of manic late night doodling I jumped from that to a more cartoon style that seemed to reflect the zany, campy and anarchic journey that is "Stick It To 'Em!" The spread below illustrates this change in artistic direction.
Here is Taylor as he appears in the book with his uncompromising side kick, Gretchen!
What a lovely couple they make!
AH, Gretchen! She has to be one of my favourite characters. She is a joy to draw and her sass and volatility in the story kept me on my toes.She is a curvy, gun toting rebel in bell bottoms, who has been wronged and out for revenge... What's not to like?!
As I was writing and drawing up the pages I couldn't wait for her to make her entrance. As I patiently waited for her time to shine, I filled many a page in my sketchbook with Gretchen in as many poses as I could. If I saw a good pose on a google search I would quickly render her in it.
Here is how she evolved...
I wanted Gretchen to be a total force of nature. A ridiculously over the top vamp but with a softer, childlike quality that comes through as her journey progresses. In the story she is banished from her gang and seeks deadly vengeance.
Her design is purposely provocative but she is no pin-up girl!
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