Okay, so today I dove into creating some “Crossed” comic cover art. You know, that super messed up series with the infected people and the crosses on their faces? Yeah, that one. I’ve always been kinda fascinated by the raw, brutal style of the covers, so I figured I’d give it a shot myself.
First, I spent a good chunk of time just looking at a ton of existing “Crossed” covers. I mean, really looking. I wanted to get a feel for the common themes, the color palettes, the overall vibe. It’s all about that intense, shocking imagery, right?
Then I started sketching. Nothing fancy, just rough outlines to get the composition down. I knew I wanted something dynamic, something that screamed “violence” and “chaos.” I went through a few different ideas: a close-up of an infected face, a wider shot of a horde attacking, that sort of thing. Finally I sketched a good image and decided to use it.
- Started with a really rough pencil sketch.
- Blocked in the basic shapes and figures.
- Tried to capture that sense of frantic energy.
Next up was the inking. This is where things started to get interesting. I used a combination of thick and thin lines to create depth and contrast. I really wanted to emphasize the gruesome details, like the blood and the… well, you know. The nasty stuff.
Once the inking was done, I started to apply coloring. I kept the palette pretty limited, mostly reds, blacks, and grays. “Crossed” covers often use that desaturated look, with just splashes of bright red to really make the blood pop. And trust me, I used plenty of red.
The last part that took my time was revising the artwork. I used many different color palates and styles. I think I finally made it.
It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s got that raw, visceral energy that “Crossed” is known for.