HELLION FOR HIRE 28: A WONDERLAND COVER STORY

[MattBrady]

by Billy Tucci

I’ve been getting lots of emails and IM’s from readers curious about my cover process. So I figure, why not give a little sample of one of my most recent pieces. So here we go, this is pretty much how I do it, or at least for this particular piece of artwork.

At this year’s Wizard World Philadelphia Con, I was approached my good friend Raven Gregory to do a cover for an upcoming edition of his Return To Wonderland comic from Zenescope Entertainment’s wonderful Grimm Fairy Tales line. As I’m a fan of the book -- it’s one amazing concept that has “movie” written all over it – there just was no way on earth I’d turn down the chance. Especially if the subject matter is a beautiful brunette and the fact that I’ll be spending the next 8 months or so writing and drawing a series that doesn’t have any women in it.

I meet with Raven and Zenescope Ent. co-founder Joe Brusha (also one great guy) and we discussed just what the cover should entail. I immediately have one particular idea in mind, and one that I feel would make a nice clean cover. But it’s also one that could get me in big trouble with the wife – oh but what the hell, she doesn’t read this column anyway and it’s for comics right?

For those of you whose heads have been buried in a rabbit whole for the past couple of months, here’s a little background on the book. Alice Liddle is no longer Lewis Carroll’s adventurous little girl you once read about. Years have passed since she took the trip into Wonderland, as she now has a husband and kids of her own. On the surface, she has everything a person could want. But all is not right with our Alice -- she’s slit her wrists in a suicide attempt and suffers from a serious mental condition that leaves her in a dream-like state, with only a very familiar, but disturbing white rabbit serving to link her to reality. Now Alice's teenage daughter Calie, herself a drug abusing, promiscuous party girl must take a journey into the realm of madness and into a place that still haunts her mother to this day… Wonderland.

Now to me, Carroll’s classic first published way back in 1865, has to be one of the most brilliantly disturbing books I have ever read and I hate him for it. He’s given me some crazy ass nightmares and I vowed never to read it to my sons, (unless of course they’re really naughty -- just kidding). Carroll’s book is so far removed from hope or reason that it makes for one striking and dare I say, Freudian simile of life and the human condition. Raven’s really picked up on all this himself, as this comic isn’t for the faint of heart. He’s shrewdly added some of today’s family and social taboos as secret S&M relationships, masturbation and teenage sex all that all abound within one very dysfunctional family But you also feel a great sense of hope as poor Calie’s descent into the madness of Wonderland is her only chance to save her family and herself. Anyway, enough of my blasted wannabe literary professor ballyhoo, lets get on with the drawing. Like I said, Alice in Wonderland freaks me out, but I can’t wait to do a cover based on it!

I first send Raven and Joe two 8 1/2” X 11” roughs of Calie for the cover. I like the first one, but of course, it’s up to them in the end and await their response… hopefully they’ll at least like one of em! I then spend most of the day pining over the box of reference photos I have of ex-fiancée who used to pose for me all the time, most notably to Shi readers as the cover subject to Shi WOTW #5.

Okay, I get an email in return that they like the first one as well and I go to work detailing a larger (though still very rough) under-drawing on 11” X 17” Xerox paper. I then take that and while trying to hide reference from the wife go to work.



But I am struggling, part being that my wife is not a big fan of my subject model and would surely stab me in the back of the head with her high heel shoe if she caught me drawing her. So the fact that I’m sauntering down memory lane while constantly looking over my shoulder I’m having a big battle with Calie’s head/arm/body positioning. I’m also pissed at myself for I was such a terrible photographer back then that I didn’t take better care in lighting her crossed legs. I just can’t get them right, so two hours or so have just been wasted. I even consider calling up Raven to see if I can change the pose to that of the standing rough.



So the frustrated and guilty must take a break. There’s a Call of Duty 2 multiplayer battle involving about 60 dudes from all over the world (did well for me I must say, having died only about 24 times while killing over 60), watching my 16-montly old son, Matthew and then taking five-year-old William to the doctor. I then return to the board after remembering that that I have even more pictures of Angie in a similar pose. Again, I go through a carefully hidden show box, pine some more, hope she’s okay and I find the photo that would work.



Aside from being bummed that I suck as a photographer, and cut the top of her head off, I get down to it. The head positioning isn’t working for me, so I just go in and make one up of her from memory. But even though I can't help but keep thinking of days gone by while drawing I finally finish it up. As always, I scan it in and email it to the wife for her critique (she’s my harshest critic but also my most ardent supporter). Knowing that if she suspects anything concerning the model, she’ll kill me and I deserve it, but has fate would have it, she doesn’t! Whew!



I like it. The drawing has some nice smooth lines and after seeing that I forgot some wicker ties in the chair feel it’s complete and send it off to Raven, who replies that I forgot the blasted rabbit! Holy crap I did, so I draw him, add some ink to the little cards in her hand in and send it off to the colorist Nei Ruffino.



I imagined Calie’s stockings to be white, but after seeing Nei’s progress, agree with her and Raven to keep them dark.



Wow! This is this looking great.



So I guess you should all know a little about Nei. She entered the world of comic book coloring after several years as a tattoo artist. On her days off, she’d work all day and night doing digital paintings which eventually paid off as Nei had some very successful runs coloring Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms for Devils Due. She presently colors several books for Zenescope, including Return To Wonderland and Grimm Fairy Tales. Her designs can also be found on the packaging for Hasbro's My Little Pony toys. To say I’m impressed with the color progress is an understatement as I was literally blown a way by her final rendition!



Man Alive, do I love what she’s done! The background is all Nei, so well, “fairytale-esque! Just wonderful she made the whole cover. I’m so excited that I decide to write an article on it. I scan in all the reference photos and like the idiot that I am, forget to put them away. Deb comes up to the studio and walks right past them –I have dodged yet another bullet and upon realizing my stupidity, push them to the floor. Once again, my eternally beautiful better half does not notice and I have survived my own little crazy adventure in Wonderland -- at least for the time being!

Zenescope Entertainment publishers a great line of books that accompany Grimm Fairy Tales that includes: The Living Corpse, Final Destination, Se7en, Jindai and Sins of the Fallen: The Nightstalker. Check out their site for all their cool products and new books at www.zenescope.com.

Until Next week, and some maddening manly news from The Baltimore Comic Con, stay cool and Go For Broke!

Billy Tucci

[80Pork]

Haha! That was pretty cool...I like the evolution of the cover. Honestly, I really like Billy's finished penciled sketch. I have yet to read any of the Grimm or Wonderland comics, but I have been interested. Maybe I should pick some up...

[Mr_Punch]

That was a really fun article. The cover looks great. While the colors really added a lot in the final version, I wish Bill's lines weren't completely removed. I feel like some of the character was lost, particularly in the face. That initial drawing is absolutely beatuful.

Hopefully no one forwards this article to Bill's wife. I suspect he'll be in double trouble after posting his ex's pics online, and sharing his scheming and pining with the world. Haha.

Good luck Bill. Keep these kinds of articles coming. I love seeing pros at work within the process.

[jimmybott]

I really like this cover. Awesome pencils and digital coloring. But I actually thought due to the sexually provocative character and the wicker chair that Mr Tucci was paying homage to a series of movies from the 70s. I'm sure a lot of guys of a certain age will know the movies I'm talking about I don't mean that it's a swipe at all, I do mean HOMAGE. If Billy has done what I think he has it's a clever move, sex sells and this image in itself and association to the original subject matter, screams sexiness.

It could all be a coincedence, But if not.....

[Ravengregory]

Thanks again, Billy. It was a real honor jamming with you on this piece.

[Ravengregory]

Originally Posted by jimmybott

I really like this cover. Awesome pencils and digital coloring. But I actually thought due to the sexually provocative character and the wicker chair that Mr Tucci was paying homage to a series of movies from the 70s. I'm sure a lot of guys of a certain age will know the movies I'm talking about I don't mean that it's a swipe at all, I do mean HOMAGE. If Billy has done what I think he has it's a clever move, sex sells and this image in itself and association to the original subject matter, screams sexiness.

It could all be a coincedence, But if not.....

I used to watch those flick on Cinamax when I was a whee lad.

[CBeranek]

Such a great cover. Thanks for the inside peek at the process, Billy!

[Premitive1]

Those were pretty good photo references he uses. I just wonder what he used to design those double E breasts he put on her.

[Billy Tucci]

Originally Posted by jimmybott

I really like this cover. Awesome pencils and digital coloring. But I actually thought due to the sexually provocative character and the wicker chair that Mr Tucci was paying homage to a series of movies from the 70s. I'm sure a lot of guys of a certain age will know the movies I'm talking about I don't mean that it's a swipe at all, I do mean HOMAGE. If Billy has done what I think he has it's a clever move, sex sells and this image in itself and association to the original subject matter, screams sexiness.

It could all be a coincedence, But if not.....

Holy Crap! I've never seen that poster before Jimmy -- that's wild. The wicker chair was in one of the art rooms we used in college. Everyone used it. I think Angie's hotter that that porno chick too!

OH and thanks everyone for the nice comments!
Billy

[Daxamite]

Love this cover! My admiration for Billy's work is well known around here! Great work Buddy! Looking forward to that news you talked about.

Dax

[boomboom]

Hey Billy!!

What an awesome cover you did here!!!

Buying this comic for the cover alone would most likely do the trick also!!

You know I love the ref's you use, man! So you did me a huge favour here!!

PS Silvia Kristel is also a Dutchie you know?! And that movie is almost retro-art by now

[President Kang]

This article really needed naked pictures of the photo-reference model. For, uh, reference.

[olly-mac]

Hold on! That poster of Emmanuelle, there seems to be a large rectangle of the art missing. What could have been taken out?

Great cover by the way.

[EMeadow]

Originally Posted by Ravengregory

I used to watch those flick on Cinamax when I was a whee lad.

EVERYBODY on this message board has probably seen it on Cinemax.

[TheCorpse]

Sweet cover bro!
Can't wait to see how Nei colors up our stuff!

[NormanB258]

Billy-

Your art easily ranks as some of my favorite past and present.

It's just clean and precise and crisp. Never overbearing; grounded in reality.

I can't say enough.

[Billy Tucci]

Originally Posted by President Kang

This article really needed naked pictures of the photo-reference model. For, uh, reference.

Dude -- she could've been the mother of my children!!!!!
How dare you!

[MarkSparacio]

Hey Billy and Raven!
Great article Billy. It's cool to show the work process. I liked seeing the steps that both you and Nei took in getting to the finished illustration. Being that I've worked with you before, I was really interested in the way Nei did her magic. For me it was very cool to see the steps that are taken to computer color a piece of artwork. I really like what she has done and I think the finished illustration looks great.
Raven, congatulations on Return to Wonderland! Although I have not had a chance to read it yet, It sounds like a very cool concept and I will check it out...

[MarkSparacio]

Oh and I am really glad that Billy posted before me. That Spider Bulge is tingling thing kinda creeps me out...

[Ravengregory]

Originally Posted by MarkSparacio

Hey Billy and Raven!
Great article Billy. It's cool to show the work process. I liked seeing the steps that both you and Nei took in getting to the finished illustration. Being that I've worked with you before, I was really interested in the way Nei did her magic. For me it was very cool to see the steps that are taken to computer color a piece of artwork. I really like what she has done and I think the finished illustration looks great.
Raven, congatulations on Return to Wonderland! Although I have not had a chance to read it yet, It sounds like a very cool concept and I will check it out...

Still gotta get a cover from you, Mark. Drop me a line and we'll chat.

[fantasticrealm]

Mark - Get in touch with me please re: cover or have Billy get in touch. Important.
Thanks.

[RayRieck]

Originally Posted by Billy Tucci

Holy Crap! I've never seen that poster before Jimmy -- that's wild. The wicker chair was in one of the art rooms we used in college. Everyone used it. I think Angie's hotter that that porno chick too!

OH and thanks everyone for the nice comments!
Billy

Ah, the ubiquitous wicker arm chair. Apparently, they're standard issue for all college drawing studios. I remember we having a similar one, as well. That and the graphite (and who knows what else) stained couch.

Nice work, by the way. It's always interesting to see the progress and process of an artist.

[SMARTASS8]

Originally Posted by Ravengregory

I used to watch those flick on Cinamax when I was a whee lad.

That's back in the good old days when the softcore was practically all foreign. For some reason as a youngster, a badly dubbed adult movie made it seem even dirtier. Now the poor kids of today have to endure poorly acted American softcore that is about as exciting as an episode of Sex and the City. Nothing will ever beat(no pun intended)Emmanuelle, Black Emmanuelle, and all those Swedish Private Screening releases.

[BlackCatGuy]

Billy,
Another great column! I love learning the processes that go into the creation of my favorite medium! And this whole "photo reference" thing intrigues me.......................

Oh, that standing pose of Calie holding the rabbit behind her back would STILL make for a great cover! Maybe Zenescope will have you do another one for them!

[Marc Patten]

Originally Posted by Billy Tucci

Dude -- she could've been the mother of my children!!!!!
How dare you!

Let me just click SEND, Aaaaaand there goes the entire article off to Deb for ya Bill!! You did want her to see this right? She's alway telling me how fascinated she is with how you work, and you never show her anything anymore. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see this.

No no, you don't have to thank me, that's what old friends are for. See ya in Baltimore and tell Deb I said "hey!"

Marc
Destination Entertainment