Okay, what I set to do for this challenge was to discover more about those artists that I think are really cool and try to replicate their style. the first phase of my multi-day challenge is to replicate the art style of Joe Madureira. I needed to put myself into his space and come out of my own. My point was to learn how the artist sees and thinks. So with a lot of images, Youtube videos, and fan web sites visited, I accepted this challenge!!!
What I admire about the art of Joe Madureira:
- I am just awestruck that Joe Madureira’s pencils are so tight and clear to read that they are comic ready without inking. This is seen in his Marvel works after his Battle Chasers comics run. In those later issues, they were just coloring over the pencils. This style would usually make the art look muddy- but appears to work for his style. A style that he seems to have perfected during his concept and poster work during the early 2000s. He would use this style in panel work while working with Udon and Capcom for the Streetfighter Comic series. This style is liberating for an artist, since your true lines are being depicted in the final art
- I also admire the simplistic form. His loose but well-defined layouts make the coloring of the piece more creative for the colorist. It reminds me of creating a boxy shape- the more you know how to draw a box in space, the more dynamic your characters and layouts can be. I am reminded that he deals with contour a much as drawing through an image
- Joe Madureira is a master of face and hand construction. One may argue he is weak here. I would disagree. I believe it is easier to draw a face or hand from reference if it is a copy of the reference, but it takes a strong knowledge of construction to stylized the feature and make it seem solid rather than flat. His hand gestures with this cartoony style are some of the most expressive and powerful posing in modern comics.
Okay, what I don’t like:
- There is not much I don’t like or can be critical of his style. But like many artists in comics the belief of darkness is better will always be my Achilles’ heel. The term “when in doubt black it out” is used often, even in his work. Sometimes this is used perfectly to increase mystery and aid in storytelling- sometimes it just gets confusing. I will note that perfection in comics is fallacy. And one who pursues it relentlessly- never completes adequately, or can keep working for long. So Joe Madureira’s art-style works for me. Even though it’s not appropriate for all stories.
- As stated his artwork won’t work for all stories because there is a power and dynamics in his work that does not say “subtle”. So stories that require a flexible or patient mood-building story-telling will be a challenge. Nevertheless, his storytelling is clear and readable. So If he ever decides to tackle a more introspective or character-building tale rather than an action-packed event. He may just be able to handle it.
Visual Breakdown of Style
Influences:
Wikipedia suggests Joe Madureira’s style was greatly influenced by Art Adams, but I don’t see that as clearly as I would suggest that he has influences bases on Anime art styles from Japan and manga from Chinese comics. His clean shadow and plane shapes remind me of cel-shading on an animation cel. That may be the attraction to his art- it is immediately akin to animation which has to show action quickly and subconsciously.
He uses simple shapes to construct his characters and similar to animation used forced perspective and foreshortening used in anime to make his characters pop. I don’t see this much in Art Adams work- but I will give him the good looking pin-up girl character look that Art Adams trademarks in most of his images.
Finding Patterns:
I see a recurring 5 point box shape in many of the images Joe Madureira generates in his characters for concepts and panel work. I see that his images sometimes work as contours rather than sold drawings or drawing through elements. This I believe is a short cut method for getting the image complete and because he has so much visual memory get right most often.
At first, all I saw were a lot of straight lines that make up his compositions. A linear motif as it were- but he has so many curves in looking at hair and hands. It a radical edgy mix of curves and straight lines that makes his style unique. I can see the Art Adams touch here where curves play more of a part. It appears as if he is carving out his form from the inside of a box which is opposite on how many people see comic art. It’s very appealing.
Can this be replicated:
My naive mind would say, “this is a piece of cake”, and “I can do that”. Hahaha- How wrong I was to boast such a claim- There is a reason that Joe Madureira can work in both the Comics and the RPG video game arena. It’s a slimmed-down style that is efficient and clear to read. That is generally not an easy task. Making a cool image is one thing. Comic artists get caught up in the detail and minutia. But creating designs that are comic ready and inspire other projects is about communication- that is more universal than making a cool image.
I tried it and my verdict is that I failed- I believe I Failed- Forward- See what I mean…
Okay on to the next Art Style Challenge- J. Scott Campbell- another head beating experience
