Draw Over! #3 – Sequentials by Scott Sackett

Draw Over! ComixTribe‘s sequential art critique column returns, with an ENHANCED format.  In addition to the side by side comparisons and critique notes, we’ve also supplied a VIDEO of  the critique session, recorded live.

This Week’s Artist

This week, we have four pages of sequentials by artist  Scott Sackett.  Scott submitted a series of sequentials from Brian Bendis’ script for New Avengers #56.  Let’s see how he did!    (Click on the images to see in full size.)

Video

Page 1

As far as overall impressions, I can see a  lot of craftsmanship in Scott’s work.  He takes time with backgrounds and details. The effort is there, and he’s clearly putting a lot of time into pages.  Still, there are a number of issues he’ll need to resolve to take his work to the next level.  Let’s look at the pages, starting with this double page spread.

My first impression is that the page could have been framed better. Scott has a great background, a decent mid-ground, but nothing in the foreground. The characters he does have in foreground aren’t scaled properly. As is, the figures in the foreground are too small, and they get a little lost.

I would have moved a character into the extreme foreground, to create a better framing for the page as the whole. It would have framed the page better, and could have saved some time on the details in the background

There’s an anatomy issue with the character running in the mid-ground. Scott has the wrong arm foreward. The way the body works when running is the left arm would meet the left leg.  It makes it more dynamic pose, and it’s correct.

Nice details on the page, though. I like the damage on the vehicles in the background and the guy puking in the background is a good touch.

Page 2

Panel 1 – The action with the kick is pretty decent. Good kick. I like that he was shooting his gun as he got kicked. It’s a decent figure. The head is the main anatomy issue. Scott needs to take more time to construct the head, a running issue I’m seeing in his work. His nose and mouth should be up a little higher.

Panel 2 – There’s a little bit of a jump in storytelling with panels 1-3. I would have had him on his ass, shooting back after the kick, with her diving toward the shield she’ll have in the next panel.

Panel 3 – Fine.

Panel 4 – The framing is fine on this panel. It looks like the car got blown up from the reflection on the shield, so I would have added the car to panel 3.

Panel 5 – Anatomy issues here. Cap doesn’t look very natural, and the woman’s feet sink into the ground. I would have pulled back the camera a bit, and established that she’s on her knees.

Panel 6 – I would have reversed it, so she’s shooting the gun off page, to lead the reader to the next page.

Page 3

Panel 1 – Some of the facial construction problems are showing up again.  Now,  I can tell Scott’s been drawing for a long time. He’s confident in his style, and it’s clean. He knows what he’s going after, but I think he skips a step to get to the final result. He’d benefit from taking more time in the construction stage.

In this panel, the guy  need’s more of a cranium.  The  nose and eyes are set back into the head, only way to do that is early on, construct that wedge.  I also noticed Scott has the teeth follow the lips, and that’s not always the case.  You need to understand ellipses and how they work. He let’s the outside of the mouth dictate the inside of the mouth.  Also, his  hand is a little big, doesn’t look connected to the body. Basic construction, tubes and cylinders is all it is. You got to draw through, and don’t just stop at panel borders. That’s why I use blue pencils, because it all disappears. Super important- draw through.

As an artist,  you learn to draw, and learn to add more and more details.  But then you get to a point where you find yourself stripping everything back down. This is what Scott needs to do. Boil it back down to basic shapes.

Panel 2 – I like the action, pretty good panel. Anatomy of the shoulder is a bit off. Shoulders are harnessed on chest cavity, and attached to the collar bone. His shoulder looks way to big here. Again, draw through, study the anatomy in motion. Look in a mirror, watch a basketball game or wrestling to see how it works.

I like the tilting of the background.

Panel 3 – Can’t tell what’s going on in this panel. Not sold on the expression or what he’s trying to be doing.

Panel 4 – Fine, good action. Could have made the girl a bit more dynamic by stretching the torso of the girl, draw her back a bit more.

Panel 5 – I like the framing a lot.

Panel 6- Again, construction problems on the face. Need to find the center line of the eyes. When you’re in doubt, draw a skull. You’ll see her teeth are pretty off, but if you draw the skull it’ll fix the problems with the mouth.

Page 4

Panel 1 – I like the  cool perspective in background, but the bodies aren’t titled in same perspective as the background. Give them the same perspective.

Scott needs to study walking, and the body in motion. Need to have the right legs and arms in motion.  Add more gesture. Scott is good at drawing, but needs to spend more time on the form. He’s  skipping some steps.  Of course,  drawing people walking is one of the hardest things to get down.

Awesome background as usual.  On Page 1 some of the cars were a little distorted, but it appears Scott know what you’re doing with perspective. If you see it something is off…erase it. Erase more! If it’s wrong, fix it! There’s nothing wrong with fixing it. Make it right.  At the end of the day, the reader gets the finished product. So , make it right.

Panel 2- Again, take time to construct the head. Learn the planes of the face, anatomy. Face a bit smooshed.

ARTIST  PRO TIP: When drawing characters with mask, glasses, etc. make sure you construct the head first. Don’t count glasses as a part of construction. Don’t let accessories or mask dictate head or figure. Capes, too, all that stuff. Draw figure first, then draw accessories.

 

Panel 3 – All basic shapes, it takes seconds, I do it quickly.  Scott’s pretty good at having his people act. But now that these mistakes are being called out, he’ll not make those mistakes again.

Panel 4- Good expression.

Panel 5 – The borders will trick you. He tried to squeeze a hand in there.

Panel 6 – Mouth, teeth, it doesn’t work like that. So, I’ll draw the skull. Teeth would curve differently. Rarely see back teeth, unless at an angle.  In  critiques of my own work, I often hear I need to push the eye back into head more when drawn at angles. We all have problems. The Corner of the eye gets hidden by bridge of nose.

In Summary…

With quite a bit more construction of anatomy, Scott would jump several levels.  His final detailing is solid. He’s skipping steps because he doesn’t realize he needs to do them. But once he gets this, his stuff will take a major leap.  I bet most of these problems will be fixed soon.  It’s  easily fixable stuff.

Lesson of the day: Don’t skip steps!

Scott is currently working on his first pro gig, a story called  “Caged” forViper Comics online anthology  Cryptophobia.  Keep up with  Scott Sackett’s work at  his website,  and follow him on Twitter  @ScottSackett.

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Tommy Patterson is the artist on the upcoming Game of Thrones comic book adaptation from Dynamite.  View his online portfolio here, and follow him on Twitter @TommyFPatterson.  And of course, tune in for the next Draw Over!

If you’re an artist interested in submitting your sequentials for a future Draw Over! column, send an email to  DrawOver@comixtribe.com.

 

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