[Ratings Report: High Ratings for this post] Writing Pictures That Tell A Story, Chapter 1, "The Investigation" pg. 1

Word of advice to OTHER artists who see this. Don't read Blacksad, whatever you do. It will warp your mind into scripting & drawing comics made of PURE AWEOME...Like this!

OK, now about the technical elements of my approach to creating this page. Between the years 2002-2012, until THIS page actually, I had consistently tried (and failed) to draw a comic book page on computer printer paper. Lesson learned. Computer Printer paper SUCKS, in terms of page and line and pencil led or ink textures, and printer paper will FUCK UP your comic book pages. This is partially because printer paper wasn't engineered for drawing on, it was engineered for printing ink patterns on. Printer paper = fail. For this page, I used a mechanical .7 pencil (that's right, it only LOOKS like ink on screen. If you scan a pencil drawing to your computer in black and white mode, it tends to automatically "look inked"), and for my paper I used the sketchbook texture paper I always used when using special paper: Strathmore Drawing Paper, Medium Surface, ring binded. This page was the first page attempt in this particular sketchbook so I suppose I'm off to a pretty good start. Bottom line, non-specialized non-art paper can really ruin a good attempt. Yes, the right paper WILL make you a better artist. The Right Tools are important. I've used the Wrong Tools in my art for long enough to know how frustrating using non-drawing paper to draw with is.