INDIE COMICS

Learn how Brett Parson paints the ultimate rebel – Tank Girl!

So I must have been either 11 or 12 years old when I first discovered Tank Girl. A comic book museum that I would go to, often several times a month, was having an exhibit of all the artwork from the original series. This was my first introduction to Tank Girl, to the art of Jamie Hewlett (now famous for creating the cartoon band Gorillaz), and to the bizarre slap-stick writing of Alan Martin... it would change my young brain forever. It was the first time I realised that comics can be fun. Twenty years later and I’ve had the honour of working with Alan Martin on a few Tank Girl stories, which are hopefully helping a whole new generation of warped young minds to discover her.

Now if you’re thinking, “Who the #$@! is Tank Girl?”, do yourself a favour and buy as many books as you can. But if you’re already a fan, then you’ll understand how excited I was when ImagineFX contacted me about having her on the cover. This workshop reveals my process of creating an image of Tank Girl from the rough sketch and final line work in SketchBook Pro, to the finished colours in Photoshop. It’ll help to have an understanding of basic drawing methods, and how to treat light and shadow. But all of these techniques can be applied to a wide range of skill sets and styles. So strap on your boots, slap a Band Aid on your head, and let’s have some fun!