---So, why is there an entire section devoted to Batman on my illustration website? There are several reasons. I've been a "Bat-nut" for as long as I can remember. Batman is one of the most enduring and fantastic comic book characters ever created. His longevity in popular culture is only surpassed by Superman...by one year. Batman has been defined and redefined so many times since his inception that each generation seems to have their "own" Batman to enjoy and appreciate. This constant evolution has kept him relevant for over six decades, since 1939. Batman and his world seem to exist just on the edge of our own reality. We know that Gotham City doesn't exist, yet it's not too far removed from our own big cities that it feels like pure fantasy. Likewise, the idea of a man dressing up as a bat and fighting crime may seem a bit preposterous but, at the same time, it still can fit within our understanding of reality. Since there is nothing supernatural about Batman's abilities, we can almost believe that with enough training and resources that, we too, could be Batman. The many aspects of Batman that have kept the legend growing and the new incarnations forthcoming have created millions and millions of Batman fans all over the globe. I count myself as one of them. I find myself to be a fan of almost all incarnations of Batman...campy TV, films, comics, animation, etc. So, when the opportunity arose for me to illustrate an entire Batman graphic novel, I was more than elated and jumped at the chance.
---The following is my experience as a Batman fan and illustrator in producing the artwork for DC Comics' 96-page graphic novel, Batman: Absolution.

---I think the question most frequently asked when I speak to groups or classrooms is, "How did you get to paint this book?" People seem to be very interested in how one goes about landing a high-profile character project like Batman...especially if one lives in a place like Montana away from most large metropolitan areas. My work in comics began with many years of attending comic book conventions and getting my work in front of the editors and art directors that, ultimately, hire artists for the projects they need completed. I spent many days waiting in long lines with other artistic hopefuls, sometimes for many hours, waiting for a chance to show my work to an editor. Some editors will like your work. Some editors will not like your work. It is the artist's job to discern which opinions to give credence to. It is also the artist's job to internalize the worthwhile criticism and continue to progress based on what they've learned. I've learned quite a bit just from listening to editors' comments on my work and did my best, year to year, to improve my work before showing it again.
---Eventually, after several years, showing my work led to securing an art representative, Mike Friedrich, to help sell my work to comic book companies. This, in turn, led to DC Comics attaching my name to a potential Batman project. Three months later, a nervous lunch with Batman editor Denny O'Neil led to my signing with DC Comics to illustrate Absolution. That day turned out to be one of my best days ever, I was ACTUALLY going to illustrate a Batman book.

---My method of working is a more traditional illustration approach than most artists working in comics. I guess I consider myself an illustrator who has had the opportunity to illustrate comics more than I consider myself a "comic book artist." I have scads and scads of respect for "true" comic book artists who have the ability to create entire characters and worlds out of their own imagination without having to refer to much reference. I wasn't blessed with that level of improvisation in my art methods so I tend to work from photographic reference for just about everything I draw and paint. I do deviate from the reference photos when actually drawing but I work best with something in front of me to refer to for lighting, muscle structure, facial features, etc. My methods and abilities just kind of evolved over time into the way they are today. Each painted page begins as a page of a script. In Absolution's case, that script was written by noted author, JM Dematteis.
---As each portion of the script would arrive from DC, I would sit down with the script and give it an initial read-through. After understanding the story, I would reread the script with the intent of taking notes about the different things that I would need reference for...locales, buildings, vehicles, characters, etc. Thumbnail sketches for each page were produced while reading the script a third time. Small thumbnail sketches are a good way for the artist to work out the panel composition, camera angles, and character placements within a page. Working small and quickly allows the artist to get the "essence" of each panel down without worrying too much about such things as accurate rendering, perspective, and what-not. Thumbnail sketches also tend to be what the publisher sees before giving the "yay" or "nay" on producing the finished page.

---With thumbnail sketches and script in hand, I would begin the process of preparing reference for the pages. " Do I have model photo sessions scheduled for each of the characters in the pages? Do I have the costumes the models need to wear? If not, do I borrow something...make something? Do I have small models for each of the vehicles in the scenes? Do I need to build them? What buildings and backgrounds are in the scenes? Can I photograph these? Do I have the necessary props for the characters to hold and manipulate?" As you can see, there was a lot to do and consider before my pencil or paint could even begin to hit the page.

---After photographing character models and having reference in hand, I begin the drawing portion of the page. I start by using a t-square to lay-out all the panels that will be on the page. I do this and all subsequent drawing on layers of translucent vellum. This allows me to use the panel layout on the bottom of my "drawing stack" and draw on an additional piece of vellum or tracing paper to begin to flesh out the figures and backgrounds that will be on the page.
---This stage allows me the opportunity to make sure that things like perspective, composition, and figure/facial proportions are correct (which to my dismay sometimes later do not seem to hold up as well as when I've just penciled them in...you other artists know what I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure I have gremlins in the studio that alter my drawings while I sleep). After I've loosely sketched in the figures and what-not that will be in the panels, I add yet another piece of vellum to my stack to produce my more finished drawings.

---One final note: I'll be forever grateful to the folks at DC that gave an unproven artist a shot at producing a book featuring their flagship character. Everyone at DC was gracious and encouraging and were just fantastic to work with on Absolution.