Freddie E. Williams on Gaining Incredible Artistic Superpowers with The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics

     
In November 2006, I made the long trek from Missouri to New York City. I was on a mission. A mission I unknowingly started the moment I opened my very first Superman comic book.

I had never been to the “Big Apple” before, so when I arrived I was immediately overwhelmed by how busy the city was. Every day I was there, and no matter where I went, there were scores of people. I had only ever experienced crowds of people like that during my visits to the great San Diego Comic Book Convention.

After fighting those endless New York City crowds, of people and cars, at the airport, and on the streets, I finally arrived at my mission objective: 1700 Broadway. Home to DC Comics.

After taking the longest, and most exciting, elevator ride in my life I stepped out into the offices of DC Comics; the home of my favorite superhero since childhood, Superman!

There I met my editors on the Robin comic book I was drawing at that time. It was great meeting them face to face. They gave me an incredible tour of the DC offices. I walked around, wearing my Alex Ross Superman shirt and could not help from gawking like the wide-eyed fan boy I am. I even got my picture taken in front of a near life-sized, painted mural of DC’s Super Heroes (heh, I was taller than they were).

Jump ahead a few hours, still at the DC Offices, and it was showtime!

With a ball of nervous energy tingling deep in my stomach, I cracked open my laptop, started Adobe Photoshop, and began a two-hour “demonstration pitch” for a new How-To book on digitally drawing comics to its future editor (and my future friend), John Morgan. I was so nervous and excited during the demonstration that I couldn’t keep the smile off my face! It was the start of The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics.

Flash forward to the San Diego Convention 2009. Fighting my way through a writhing mass of people that reminded me of the New York City crowds I encountered in 2006, I slowly made my way to the impressive Random House booths. There on one of the tables was an early copy of my book, The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics. It sat atop an angled platform, and I took a moment to admire the work that had taken me over two and a half years to complete.

When I arrived, I was told that my book had been a high point of interest at the show. Many people had opened the advance copy to see what was inside, and I was even told that a few people had actually stood there during the show and read the book cover to cover!

Writing The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics has been a labor of love for me over these past few years. Although, I must admit that there were many times during the process of working on this book that I questioned my own sanity for writing a book during the absolute busiest time in my entire life. Over these past two and a half years I got married, drew thirty-three comic books issues, moved studios, switched from a PC to a MAC, and even endured the passing of my mother.

Leap forward again, this time to today, August 19, 2009. I’m back in Missouri. I crack open the same laptop I used for the “demonstration pitch” in 2006 so I can write this blog entry, feels like a long journey that has come full circle.

The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics has become a benchmark in my life in a way that no other project ever has, and I suspect ever will. Much in my life has changed over those past two and a half years, but the one thing that has not changed is my passion for comic books and how they are created.

I am very proud of this book. It melds my love of comic books with my love for technology.

I hope each of you enjoy and can gleam some helpful tips from it.

     
Wishing you each success,

     
Freddie E. Williams II

     
_{Freddie E. Williams II burst onto the comic book scene in 2004 with a series of independent one-shots, and work on Image Comics’ Noble Causes. In 2005, he began work with DC Comics, on the Eisner Award winning series Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle. Since then, he has become a fan favorite while illustrating the monthly titles of Robin and the Flash as well as contributing to such series as Countdown, 52, Blue Beetle, Aquaman, JSA Classified, and the Outsiders. Freddie is an all-digital artist whose innovative approach to art can be seen in his new how-to book DC Comics Guide to Digitally DRAWING Comics.}

     
Synopsis:

Artists! Gain incredible superpowers…with the help of your computer! The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics shows how to give up pencil, pen, and paper and start drawing dynamic, exciting comics art entirely on the computer. Author Freddie E Williams II is one of DC Comics’ hottest artists and a leader in digital penciling and inking—and here, in clear, step-by-step directions, he guides readers through every part of the digital process, from turning on the computer to finishing a digital file of fully inked comic art, ready for print. Creating a template, sketching on the computer, pencilling, and finally inking digitally are all covered in depth, along with bold, timesaving shortcuts created by Williams, tested by years of trial and error. Step into the digital age, streamline the drawing process, and leap over the limitations of mere physical drawing materials with The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics.

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