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http://www.pauljholden.com/blog/2009/12/21/happy-christmas/ (Image on the blog, embed not working for me!)

Happy Christmas, on the 25th.
Happy Valley on the 23rd (in the US - day after in the UK, I think)  http://www.comixology.com/sku/OCT090835/Garth-Ennis-Battlefields-Happy-Valley-1-of-9-MR-
Happy Birthday on the 28th. (I'm 40!)

That's my lot!

-pj

http://www.contentparadise.com/productDetails.aspx?id=12372

$69 rather than the normal $249 - until Dec 25 - Version 7 isn't the latest, but is cheap.

(via Mike Collins, cheers Mike!)

-pj

Hey, watched this out of desperation on the BBC iPlayer (it's still there). Here's what they said:

In a world not unlike our own, genetic experiments have created an advanced species of human. These vampires and humans lived in harmony for centuries, until one was born who would threaten the peace and change the world.

Here's what IMDB has to say on it:

The vampire myth is given a stylish 1960s treatment, where a human cop partners with a vampire cop to stop a vamp bent on creating a war between the two "separate but equal" races.

All of the above is pish. It's a period steampunky/feel to it. Yes, it's about Vampires (though nobody refers to them as that) it's much more like a steampunk version of Equilibrium (with vampires).

Anyhue, I'm sure some of you may enjoy it - but have been put off by the Beebs awful description of it. Worth a watch if only for set design/background details.

-pj

I have blogged some of my findings. I am slowly moving towards all mangastudio all the time ... (well, except for when I want something other than a comic drawn)

Here's part 1: http://www.pauljholden.com/blog/2009/12/10/manga-studio-vs-photoshop-part-1/

I'll likely fill in part 2 tonight/tomorrow, but if anyone wants me to cover something specifically then let me know and I'll do that!

-pj

Hey Chums, for those that might find this useful, here's the sizes I draw my 2000AD comics at:

Page Size: 30.2cm x 39.43cm (this is bigger than A3 so you'll either need to use bigger paper trimmed, or, do as I do, draw to the edge, scan it in and then draw a little extra on the page in photoshop)


Panel Size (or the Safe Area, in other words - that area of the page that lettering will go into) 26.44cm x 35.79 cm

TRIM Size - if you want to full bleed the art the art needs to be drawn to the page size, but, between the page size and the trim size the art may get chopped for trim.

29.37cm x 38.59cm

(Hope that makes sense, for the most part, you should just draw in the panel size - if you want full bleed draw all the way to the page size)

-pj

Hey! I've been playing with my new Cintiq. This isn't as high a res as I uploaded - not sure why (bloody flickr) but it's a giggle..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauljholden/4057118452/sizes/l/

Hey, Adam Law got in touch with me a while ago wondering how to break into comics, have a look at what he's been doing "outside" of comics.

http://www.99reasonstowin.com

And then realise that he's 21.

I, have been struggling for some time with how best to put him off a comics career, but he's obviously determined (and, worse, talented.)

Anyhue, you might like it - even if it makes me seethe with jealousy...

-pj
ps also: he's from Belfast, and will be on the podcast this week... http://www.sunnysidecomics.com

Let's pretend that you're in charge of 2000ad and you've decided that the Meg reprint magazine would be a clever way of launching an ALL reprint kid friendly comic. What would you include?

(I'm thinking an anthology title that includes a variety of reprints in each issue - and something you could hand over to your kids or to a dentist without fear of a swear word of anything too offensive!)

Let's start with Banzai Battalion...

-pj

Hey - as mentioned I'll be at BICS - I'll have a table - ECLECTIC MICKS (along with Will Sliney, Declan Shalvey and Stephen Mooney) - and I'll have a bunch of artwork with me (three big old portfolios worth). Including:

Happy Valley ep 1 & 2 - pretty much every single page (bar a couple of the buggers I can't find)
Horror (four page story by Keiron Gillan) you can read it on my website here http://www.pauljholden.com/blog/2009/08/04/horror/
A Whole bunch of random(ish) pages from various things, bits of DeadSignal, Interagents (an american thing I did recently) some big stompy robots from the 86ers and wotnot.
A Whole bunch of 2000AD material drawn in a variety of styles, with some nice big set piece pages that would look great on a wall
Also a few prints (the Doc Who painting I did and some others)

Prices start from £15 (price depends, really, on how much I like the page as much as anything... and I'm happy if you want to haggle)

And, finally, the eclectic micks sketchbook - 120 pages for around £15

-pj
ps In common with pretty much everyone these days, I'll likely be charging for sketches - sorry -

Hey! This is now solicited - for December

GARTH ENNIS' BATTLEFIELDS #1: HAPPY VALLEY PART 1

Written by Garth Ennis, art by Paul Jason Holden, cover by Garry Leach, incentive cover by Leach.

England, January 1942: young Australian Ken Harding arrives at his first operational squadron, keen to play his part in the aerial attack on Germany as the commander of a bomber crew. Losses have been high and life expectancy is low, but Ken remains undaunted- until he meets his crew, a foulmouthed, battle-hardened bunch with no time for new boys who can't stand the pace. Together, they must take the war to the enemy over the most heavily-defended region of the Third Reich- the industrial heartland of the Ruhr, known to the men who face the flak and nightfighters as Happy Valley.

(See an UNCENSORED cover here: http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0909/22/battlefields1.htm  - CENSORED by the MAN! Yeah, that's right! Previews didn't want a swatiska in their previews catalogue... which is fair enough, I suppose)

The art is in a style I've never used before, but seems to be receiving a lot of good feed back, and, say what you like about Garth - he writes damn good. And this is damn good writing.

So, run! to your local comic shops and order up a copy! (or two, help me look good!)

-pj

Hey, new blog post, talking about various methods of applying white onto artwork. Stuff some may know already...

http://www.pauljholden.com/blog/2009/08/12/tools-of-the-trade-whiteout/

-pj

If you're in Belfast (and be warned - traffic may be heavy - not for me and John, but, rather, for the Tall Ships) pop in and say hello, I'll show you a bunch of art that I have to swear you to secrecy about ...

-pj

Hey, I've started another thing with some friends, it's a podcast, it'll be weekly, and you can find it at http://www.sunnysidecomics.com

Quick, reply to this before the threadrift begins!

-pj

*head explodes*

I've a new post on my blog, a review, of sorts, of my quiet neat new scanner:

http://www.pauljholden.com/blog/2009/08/09/tools-of-the-trade-the-scanner/

Given that scanners, are, as important (possibly more so) than many tools an artist may need to use, feel free to add reviews/comments/etc either in this thread or on my blog...

-pj

http://bit.ly/4lmdBx

Pop along to my blog, where you can download a hi-res cover and six pages of strip from IT Came From Bea Arthur Block story. I think Emperor was looking to set up some sort of comp re: colouring so please feel free to use that if you need it...

-pj

I've finally done what I've been threatening to do for some time; nuke the old and replace it with a new one. The new one is up and running at http://www.pauljholden.com/blog

So far, there's comic strips, a studio tour and some thoughts on digital piracy and digital comics.

For those that can't stand twitter, the blog still stands!

-pj
(Also: I'm on twitter http://www.twitter.com/pauljholden )

Hello gang, I'm selling this lovely, lovely Dr Who pic I did (for pleasure)

I really like it, but needs must when the devil drives.



Ebay auction here: http://tinyurl.com/mllp5s

-pj

A friend of mine is colouring the first part of Bea Arthur block as a submission to the house of Tharg, which has afforded me with the chance to annotate the art (well, page 1 at any rate) and present a decent size version of panel 1 as a background, for those that might want it.

Hope you like it...
//http://www.pauljholden.com/wordpress/?p=2516

-pj

Cometh the hour, cometh the wig!

To tie in to the three part "It Came From Bea Arthur Block" I'm running a silly little competition, at the eclectic micks website (http://tinyurl.com/pymy52) you can see some art and download a hi-res picture of a wig. Take it, use it in a comedy manner and post the results here - the one that makes me laugh the most wins a sketch, of your choice (or maybe mine). Competition closes in THREE weeks from today (bit of a long deadline, for a very slight competition, but I figure I may as well string it out for as long as the actual strip runs...)

(I'd attach the wig here, but blogger doesn't really like cross posting...)

Have fun!
-pj

Hello, those of you following my twitter feed (seriously, there must be someone?) will know that I've been painting - not a big deal for many artists, but it's a first for me. Anyhue, here's the latest: http://www.pauljholden.com/wordpress/?p=2496 Let me know what you think...

(At some point I may turn my attention to painting the Mighty Dredd... but not just yet...)

-pj