Inside the Erotic Cartoonist's Studio (3): A Day with Me - The Cover.

Hello watchers! Today, it's time to tackle something exceptionally significant—the cover of the first chapter of Mademoiselle D'Artagnan.  First times are harder, you know. Let's dive right in! There's a lot of work ahead!

The Blank Page

The blank page—a moment of fear, yet no need to succumb to panic.

Key elements I aim to capture in the cover: The main character, Mademoiselle D'Artagnan, and the Three Musketeers. It's a challenge with too many characters for a cover. The most effective covers are simple and visually striking from a distance. Imagine a bookstore with countless books or a digital store—how can I seize the first glance of my potential reader? A cover is not merely an illustration; it's much more! Is it feasible to feature only one character without revealing the look of the Three Musketeers? I aim to avoid spoilers on the cover, introducing an element of mystery. On the other side, I'm unsure if Mademoiselle alone has enough strength for the series presentation cover. Doubts, doubts, and more doubts.

I took a look at my facsimile of the 1894 edition of The Three Musketeers with illustrations by Maurice Leloir. I don't speak French, although I understand written French quite well. The greatness of this book lies in the illustrations created by Maurice Leloir, and I absolutely love them. It's a pity that the facsimile is smaller than the original, and the image reproduction is not very good; they need more resolution for my preference. However, I found scans of the original two books in the online library Gallica. I'm sharing the links with you. The illustrations there are in high resolution. Yum, yum!

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9661806g/f11.item.zoom

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9737851k?rk=42918;4

After a bit of procrastination, I return to my pencils. As mentioned earlier, a cover is more than just an illustration. Leloir's drawings are wonderful for their time, but they aren't suitable for my cover proposal.

I'm going to review the rules of composition: find your focus, direct the eye with leading lines, consider scale and hierarchy, balance out your elements, use elements that complement each other, leverage contrast, repeat elements, don't forget the importance of white space, align your elements, apply the rule of thirds, and consider the spiral rule. However, a cover is not merely a product of graphic design, even though understanding composition rules is always beneficial.

I think I might be experiencing paralysis by analysis. This happens when I try to adhere strictly to all the theories and forget the most important aspect: intuition. So, let's start sketching, and I'll see…

First, I position the title, subtitle, artist name, issue number, and the warning tag. The title could be floating or inside a frame, perhaps on a parchment. I'll avoid intricate filigree since it might clash with the sword logo. As for the subtitle, I initially considered something simple like 'and the Three Musketeers.' However, suddenly, the slogan 'One for all, and all for me!' pops into my mind. Hehe, that adds a sexy touch.

For the first sketch, a classic composition.  Mademoiselle in front in the middle, Porthos, Aramis and Athos at the back. The lines of the background direct the gaze to Mademoiselle. She is in a safe attitude and each one of the three musketeers is showing a bit their personality.  It could work but let’s think a little different.

For the second sketch, the title is inside a parchment, ensuring it can be read well. However, the title carries a significant visual weight in the composition. So, I'll create a simple figure without a background, allowing it the white space it needs. D'Artagnan is atop her horse Quixote in a confident pose, revealing her nude legs. She's signing, though Quixote's expression suggests she might not be doing it very well.

For the third, I inject some action. It could be a recreation of the scene when she jumps off the bridge, with the skirt flowing. The title is situated at the bottom of the page.

For the fourth and final sketch, something simple yet suggestive. Mademoiselle in the middle, handling a phallic sword with sensuality and a naughty look. In the background, the silhouettes of the Three Musketeers. This focuses the center of attention on her and adds a touch of mystery to the other characters of the story. Simple but effective.

Now comes the difficulty of choosing one and improving it. I put the book away and ask myself, which one is visible at a small size? The first one has too many distracting elements. Discarded. The second is humorous but lacks sensuality. Discarded. I like the action in the third one, but it has an issue—the image doesn't quite match the slogan. The fourth seems good to me. I can add movement with the action lines of the figure and the lines of the silhouette of Paris in the background. It's not very humorous, so the strength of the cover depends a lot on D'Artagnan's expression. Also, it's a great idea that she's playing with the sword. I think I need to use this element more in the next pages.

Drawing and Inking

Let's sketch some lines. Mademoiselle D'Artagnan needs sensual lines in an S form. Shoulders and hips are inclined in opposite lines. Mademoiselle has a pointed chin.

That's the result. Now I'll transfer it to the final paper. I'll position the character higher on the page so the cover could also work as a nice illustration.

I'm excited to try out a new brush today, but battling a cold has left my hand a bit unsteady. No worries, though—most mistakes can be fixed with a little extra ink. For those that need more attention, I might turn to White China watercolor later. While I have the option to correct digitally, I prefer the authenticity of selling pristine, hand-inked originals. Let's hope for a steady hand today! Wish me luck!

Coloring

I work with a personal color palette that I've refined over time. It's a carefully curated selection of toned colors, with lighter and darker variations. I avoid highly saturated hues to ensure good printing. While I could paint without a palette, having one eliminates the need to spend time searching for the right colors. Everything is organized, from skin tones to hair, clothes, sky, indoors, and more.

Time to apply the flat colors to the cover! As I mentioned, a cover is more akin to graphic design than illustration, so I need to carefully consider the dominant color and how to emphasize the main character through coloring. After some testing, I decide on my personal blue for the sky. Mademoiselle D’Artagnan retains her distinctive colors, and I make the shadows on the musketeers darker.

Next, I work on the gradient colors by carefully selecting and seeking contrast in color values. Hmm... the colors are a bit too similar, giving off a cold vibe. Not quite what I want, as the cover doesn't stand out much. I make a change by intensifying the shadows on the musketeers with a vibrant blue, the same color as the musketeer tabard in my comic. For the background, I opt for warmer tones. Yes! Now it looks good!

It's time to work on the shadows and lights. Once again, I follow my personal method based on layer masks. I know it might seem complicated, and some artists might think I'm unnecessarily making things complex. Well, maybe, but this method works for me and gives me the results I want. Don't forget the blush for the skin—it adds more life and sensuality to the female characters. I simultaneously work on the censored and uncensored versions. In French, editors prefer more explicit covers, while marketplaces or editors in other countries may not. So, I adapt to both. I add textures and color the lines of the background to ensure they don't stand out too much. Finally, a special touch with delicate coloring in an overlay layer to give more light in certain points and darken the background contour. Coloring is finished!

Assembly

Ah, but the cover isn't finished yet. It's time for assembly and adding the title and other important texts. I designed the logo weeks ago—three swords touching. Each sword is unique: the intricate one is for Athos, the phallic one is for Porthos, and the hearted one is for Aramis. I debated whether to include the logo on the cover because it takes up much space. Additionally, the name 'Mademoiselle D’Artagnan' is in a handwritten font, and it might be a bit thin. Will it be visible from afar? After some thought, I decide to include the swords logo because it's unique and quickly conveys that the comic is about musketeers. Moreover, more important than the title in this case is the subtitle. Yes: 'One for all and all for me!' This text goes below. I think musketeer blue is good for the title. I add some light behind it to ensure it doesn't blend with the background and some shadow to the subtitle for the same reason.

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Well, it's done! While I can't guarantee the cover's success, I believe it has its strengths and some areas to improve. I hope the positives outweigh the negatives. It's easy to get caught in a loop of doubts, but the show must go on. The mark of a professional artist is pushing through despite uncertainties, driven by deadlines. My motto is to give my best in my artworks and life; that's where my commitment lies.

So, what are your thoughts? Do you like the cover? Share your feedback in the comments. Until next time, bye!