This is Pat Broderick's original breakdown for pages 2 and 3 from Issue #2. Notice the double page spread has a central focus in order to draw the eye to the center of the action.

Here, Daniel Mann takes Pat's original breakdown and tweaks it for certain effects while keeping the integrity of the character layouts. First, he opens the space up so it shows the grand scale of the arena. Next, he moves the main characters off center so they become part of the games and not the central focus. Finally, he makes the flag more prominent and flapping in the wind to create a depth of space element.

After the breakdown is finalized Daniel Mann finalizes the pencils. He adds details such as rocks, shadowing and light source. X's are commonly used for the inker to see where large areas of black would be placed.

Here is Pat Broderick's final ink for pages 2 and 3 of Issue #2. Notice how he uses thinner black line the farther back in space it goes. This effect, known as atmospheric perspective, is similar to lightening background trees in a painting to create distance.

Jamie Hood puts the final touches on in the coloring stage. Although there may be one or two adjustments, this scene shows his level of expertise at making wise color decisions. The color is often what defines the look and feel overall of the book.

Step 1.
Shown here is Pat Broderick's breakdown, which he created for Page 4 of Issue 1 of "Forgotten City." His quick sketch demonstrates a great example of how sequential art can be thought about. Notice the staggered, uneven panel boxes that convey energy, as well as a sense of action and intensity.    

Step 2.
For the penciling stage, Daniel Mann utilizes Pat Broderick’s original breakdown scene and refines it for story and pacing. Notice that a secondary boy (the main character's younger brother, Dirt) was added standing atop of the junk pile in Panel 1. Dirt was incorporated into the scene to illustrate his concern for his brother, who is under attack. The change in the bottom half of the page was made to add simplicity and to smooth the transition to the next page.    

Step 3.
Following the penciling stage, the artwork is defined in black ink.  Artist Pat Broderick completed the inking stage for Issue 1, Page 4 as shown to the left. Broderick's gritty line work lends to the feel and mood the team sought in the final art.    

Step 4.
The final step in creating the artwork for Page 4 of Issue 1 is the color stage, shown here as completed by Jamie Hood. The selection of the color orange for the sky sets the apocalyptic mood and despair. A blue sky would have conveyed calm and serenity, rather than the tension and emotion that this scene calls for. What else does this artwork suggest to you?  

After this stage, the artwork is ready for lettering which conveys narration, dialogue, and sound effects. 

Click here, Issue 1, Page 4, to view the finished page in context. 

Step 1.
We want to show our followers and friends the process for creating Page 2 of Issue 1 of “Forgotten City,” from the first rough sketches to the finished piece. Following Bryan J.L. Glass' script, Dan created this preliminary breakdown. Breakdowns are based on a script and typically are rendered quickly. Since this artwork takes up the entire page, there was no sequential art to be thought through.

Step 2.
The second step of the process for creating Page 2 of Issue 1 “Forgotten City,” is penciling the artwork. The image is transferred and enlarged to an 11x17-inch illustration board. At this stage, the details of the breakdown are tweaked. Light source, shadows, and composition are all refined and polished. Background art and storytelling elements are also added. This is the penciler’s final work before handing the illustration over to the inker.

Step 3.
Here is the inked rendering of the art on Page 2, Issue 1 of “Forgotten City” by Pat Broderick. “Inking” is the third step of the process in creating the final comic book artwork. After a piece of art has been penciled, it is passed on to the inker. It is the inker’s job to take the refined pencil sketch and trace it in black ink to produce a well-defined, finished black-and-white piece of art, ready for the colorist.

Step 4.
Coloring is the final step in creating the Page 2 art for Issue 1 of “Forgotten City.” Colorist Jamie Hood does a fantastic job setting the book’s mood and tone. Utilizing Photoshop, Jamie creates several layers as he adds highlights, shading, depth, color, etc., giving the book its final look and feel. When this step is complete, the artwork is ready for the addition of word bubbles ... and the page is finished. Please share this post with your friends and ask them to “Like” us on Facebook. “Forgotten City, Issue 1” is available for download on Comixology.