SUPER SUPPLIES

For as long as I can remember, my art materials have consisted of Dixon Ticonderoga No. 2 and No. 3 pencils and Sharpies in multiple sizes. Basically, anything my brother could get for free that I could use not only in school but for my personal art. For years this was fine, I continued to produce art I was (relatively) happy with. As I started to go to various comic conventions, though, I was exposed to the different tools artists use. Sharpies generally seem to be used for signing or a quick sketch, but, when they were stationed at Artist Alley, a whole new tool box appeared.

It was Artist Alley where I first discovered Micron markers. I saw Mahmud Asrar using them and quickly struck up a conversation. He raved about them and told me all about the different weights. I quickly ordered some from Amazon when I got home. I believe the first piece I ever used them on was a portrait of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan. My world had changed. I was instantly obsessed with how thin and accurate the lines are. Microns have been a staple of my artwork ever since that day.

Even though I had successfully incorporated the Microns, I was still happily using Sharpies to fill in my big fields of black. As anyone who has worked with Sharpies knows, their blacks can be uneven and inconsistent. While watching Mauricet sketch Harley Quinn at the DC booth, I noticed him using Pentel brush pens. The large fields of black were consistent and fluid. I was completely blown away. Mauricet was more than happy to tell me about them. Another Amazon purchase led to Pentel brushes being added into the mix of my art supplies. I also bought a series of gray pentels but have yet to break into them... hopefully soon.

All of which leads to my current pieces of art. I think the linework on my new pieces is so much better than those in the past. The better supplies have filled me with a confidence I never had before. I’m happy to say I think the pieces I put together over the past two years are some of my favorites. To come full circle, even though the inks may have changed, I have a slavish devotion to my trusty Dixon Ticonderogas. They are the one constant in my art I don’t ever see myself moving away from. —LV

A detail of Heisenberg to show the increased amount of shading and inked details that didn’t happen when ADW was in its infancy.

Luis Vega

Luis Vega