So, 69, ongoing graphic novel series made up of 69 chapters, each re-interprated by a different artist. Written by a close friend, Karthik Ramachandra and exhibited once a month at False Ceiling gallery in Mumbai.

Karthik has been wanting to tell his story for some time, Chapter 1 was exhibited and he was looking for someone to take up the task of Chapter 2. It was interesting to collaborate with a fellow designer on a none commercial project, drawing on our love for art & design. We soon found ourselves having late nights sketching out the plot and drinking rocket fuel.

What interested me was seeing how the various styles and approaches of the different artists would develop over time and the challenge of drawing 25 spreads with an exhibition deadline looming just a few weeks away.

After receiving the script i roughly sketched different scenes in the margin to work out the various panels. Whilst also hanging and chatting with Karthik discussing the best way we could translate his script.

Then it was important to start some sketching, as it was 2 weeks to exhibition day. I started with the main charater, Karthik, his charater had to have the right overall look, simple to reproduce across different scenes and also extended into other characters in the story.

It was clear quite early that i wanted to simplify and lighten the overall feel. As this 2nd chapter is a sweet, light flirt before…

It made sense to start from where Fiza and Yogesh (previous artists) had left off. Having a slice of the previous chapter but at the same time an evolution.

Chapter 1 – Illustrated by Fiza Husain Khan & Yogesh / Chapter 2 – initial cover sketch by Cabein

The cover developed from this small b/w sketch, we begin where we left off…

Final cover

Text from the script was cut out and pasted on the various sketches to find the best positioning.
Below: Wall of notes per spread on colour, printing and text edits

Sketch and final colour.

Due to time i had to digitally colour the final images.
Ideally it would haven nice to paint the final panels.

Work Staff – Character sketches, adapted to “Match the following relationship game.

Rickshaw spread

Cell Framed and Opening Zenzi Spread.

<< READ 2/69 ONLINE >>

<< View photos from the exhibition >>

Click on the image above to view the full gallery.
Photography by Iza Viola

Special Thanks to Amar, Sejal, Riaz & Yogesh, Karthik Amrit, Shivraj and Alex for all they help.

Opening: 9th March 2012
Venue: False Ceiling Gallery
Address ambedkar rd, bandra, Mumbai, India 40050

Illustration, layouts and typography by Kunal Anand
Written by Karthikeyan Ramachandra

Here is a sneak peak at of Chapter 2/69, an ongoing graphic novel series based in Bombay written by friend and fellow designer Karthikeyan Ramachandran from Xtrathin.

“69 is the pattern that today’s youth finds themselves tangled in, as they navigate through a changing social environment. set in Bandra, the conflict between traditionally inculcated values and a global perspective is explored over two twisted relationships in one man’s life. A true story of fictional love, told over 69 chapters through a series of exhbitions over the course of 2012; you will be taken on a chemical journey of love, hate, betrayal and sex…”

Each chapter will be illustrated by a different artists in varying styles.

Chapter 1: 69, put your self in my pants & see
Illustrated by Fiza Husain Khan and Yogesh
Moods & Layout by Yogesh Walunj
Written and Directed by Karthikeyan Ramachandra

View the first Chapter and Subscribe here for updates.

Talented brother Randolph Correia from Pentagram and  Shaa’ir + Func, takes up the mantel next in Chapter 3.

Squidface & The Meddler is an online arts magazine based in Toronto and the love illustrators and comic books. The site seems fairly new but wow, their recent featured artists have amazing work. All the images are copyrighted but pop over and check them out.

I came accross the stunning work of Rajni Perera a Toronto based illustrator and artist. Click the image above to see more of her work.

Some sweet new stuff from Ashley Wood. Been a fan for years and saw his new work on another blog Booooooom.

I love the way he incorporates robots and sci-fi/comic book elements with an Expressionist painting style in these.

Seriously how awesome is that^. WANT!

More >
Ashley Wood – Blog
Wikipedia – Ashley Wood
ThreeA

Also be sure to check out Booooooom Blog, always mindblowing and inspiring full of visual loveliness 

Probably my favorite graphic novel to date.

Perfectly illustrated and written by Charles Burn, the story is set in the 70’s and deals with the aftermath of a sexually transmitted disease called “The Bug” which causes grotesque mutations in teenagers.

… Burns explains to journalist Steve Appleford that he “thinks of adolescence as a disease one has to live through,” but to regard Black Hole merely as an allegory of the difficulty of teenage identity mutes how the narrative resonates with two crises of public culture: the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the rash of school shootings that became a mainstream media concern in the United States with the events at Columbine High School in 1999…

Highly recommed you check it out if you into graphic novels. I never get tierd of lookign at the beautifully crafted panels and meticulous illustration and ink work.

BUY

I’ve started going back to basics and doing some figure drawing via Frank J. Reilly’s method . I feel it works well for me in getting the right proportion and technique.

While searching for more resources i came across ProcessJunkie and the sexy/busty work of Lucio Alberto. Samples below.

His put up a fine posts with some figure drawing downloadable books. 
> The Best Figure Drawing Books Eve
Check each book to form your own opinions on which technique works for you.

His blog has got a selection of his own work, wide selection of other illustrators by and a ton of books. All in a wide variety of styles.

2 artists that blew me away with their character work were:

JOSE LOPEZ

Image from BrandStudio

> More from this book

Award winning character design for clients such as Google, DC comics, Activision, TMNT, Warner Bros. (The Batman), Cartoon Network…

> Buy Mariachi Samurai Book
> Buy 4:00 AM Book

BRANDON RAGNAR JOHNSON

These images are from Big City

> Buy Big City Book

After the fall of Virgin Comics and India’s Gotham Entertainment ,
Vimanika Comics is set to do a much better job with strong stories and stunning artwork. Can’t wait to check more of they stuff out.

Times interview with Karan Vir Arora, editor-in-chief of Vimanika Comics
Also check out Selling Books vs Promoting Indian Culture

Karna Statue crafted for the winner of the  Sketch Karna contest winner

Born in Afghanistan, Sooraya is attacked by a slave trader attempting to remove her traditional niqab; almost instinctively, she lashes out with her powers and flays him alive with her sand-like dust. The X-Men, having heard the situation, traveled to Afghanistan and rescue her, where she is brought to America and becomes a student of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. After the antics of the Scarlet Witch (in which millions of mutants lost their powers), Sooraya remains one of the few mutants to keep their powers after the event. She is currently a member of the Young X-Men team. She is a rare example of a positive Muslim comic book character.