Blast from the Past #687: Sketchbook page 32, Donatello in action pose

This drawing on page 32 of the sketchbook was done in photo-blue pencil, and some of the lines were so light I couldn't see them until I tweaked it in Photoshop.

This appears to be an image of Donatello in an action pose, wearing some of his new gear. I kind of wish I'd finished this one... I like the pose. -- PL

Blast from the Past #686: Sketchbook page 31, another drawing of Splinter in new mutation form

On page 31 of the sketchbook, I did another loose drawing of Splinter in his were-rat new mutation mode, this time from a slightly different angle to try to work out how he would look from the side and back. Again, this photo-blue pencil drawing had to be tweaked in Photoshop to show up better.

Some of you might be wondering why I used this hard-to-reproduce photo-blue pencil on so many of these sketches. Well, my main reason was that unlike traditional black or grey pencil leads (really, graphite), the photo-blue pencils tend to smudge a lot less easily. Also, because -- by their very nature -- the lines drawn with a photo-blue pencil typically don't show up when a drawing is photographed for reproduction, you can be a lot looser and messier with your sketching and not have to worry so much about the stray lines being reproduced after you've inked a piece. -- PL

Blast from the Past #685: Sketchbook page 30, Splinter in new mutation form

Here on page 30 of the sketchbook, I drew Splinter in a pose showing off some of the aspects of his new "were-rat" mutation. I kind of like this pose.

As with some of the sketches on previous pages, this one was drawn in photo-blue pencil and needed some Photoshop tweaking to show up more clearly, so please excuse the occasional odd artifact of that process. -- PL

Blast from the Past #684: Sketchbook page 29, female Nobody

Likely pursuant to the note I wrote on page 14 of this sketchbook, here on page 29 is this loose, unfinished sketch of a female version of "Nobody", the costumed crime fighter first introduced in the pages of the first volume of the "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" comics way back when.

I had started inking this one, again with a brush, but apparently got bored with it or got called away with other, more urgent duties. -- PL

Blast from the Past #683: Sketchbook pages 27 (Leonardo back view) and 28 (Donatello back view)

These two sketches on two consecutive pages of the sketchbook, pages 27 and 28, were clearly done with the intent of trying to work out how the "new look" for Leonardo and Donatello would appear from the back. I drew them lightly in photo-blue pencil, which is always tricky to photograph. So to make the lines stand out more, I tweaked them in Photoshop, which is why there is some shadowy speckling in place -- it's an artifact of my inexpert Photoshop manipulation.

Worthy of note in the Leonardo drawing (sketched on May 4, 1994) is the tapered redesign of his shell, as well as the slightly different arrangement for holding the scabbards in place. -- PL

Blast from the Past #682: Sketchbook page 26, close-up of Raphael in new mutation mode

Here on page 26 of the sketchbook is a study of Raphael in his new mutation mode, with claws extended. This one was inked with a brush. -- PL

Blast from the Past #681: Sketchbook page 25, new-look Foot ninja

Here on page 25 of the sketchbook is another drawing of the "new look" Foot ninja in various actions poses, displaying traditional and non-traditional weapons. 

This piece was not inked with a brush, but with some kind of markers. -- PL

Blast from the Past #680: Sketchbook page 24, Raphael fighting Foot ninja

From page 24 of the sketchbook, here's a more elaborate drawing, fully inked with a brush, depicting Raphael -- in new mutation mode -- engaging some new-look Foot ninja in a bloody battle. 

I like this one. -- PL

P.S. I just noticed an interesting detail -- the skull-like sculpting of Raph's plastron.

Blast from the Past #679: Sketchbook page 23, ideas for Foot ninja

On page 23 of the sketchbook, I was playing around with another look at the Foot ninja -- this drawing incorporates elements of the "scary face" masks shown in previous sketches, as well as some new weapons. The notes I made on this page read:

"Ice bullet guns

The assassin's choice:

No ballistic evidence!

Need to wear heavy gloves - cold protection"

I think I was inspired by some crime show I saw in years past which posited the possibility of making a bullet out of frozen water -- ice -- so that when someone is shot by it, the bullet eventually melts, thus preventing any ballistics evidence from being collected. I'm not sure if it would work, technically -- could a bullet made of ice survive the stresses of being fired out of a gun? -- but it's an intriguing idea, nonetheless, and I thought it might be appropriately stealthy for ninja assassins like the Foot. -- PL

Blast from the Past #678: Sketchbook page 22, penciled sketch of new costume ideas for Nobody

On page 22 of the sketchbook, I did a little penciling on an idea for some new gear for the character of Nobody, adding some utility belt-type stuff and weapons, as well as what looks like some flexible body armor in key spots. -- PL

Blast from the Past #677: Sketchbook page 21, inked drawing of new ideas for Raphael

On page 21 of the sketchbook, I did this more finished piece showing some ideas for Raphael's new look, including a chain belt and thigh-strap holders for his sai, as well as some physical manifestations of his new mutation.

For some reason, when I look at this drawing I feel a deja vu, like I've already posted it, a couple of years ago. But I can't remember for sure. -- PL

Blast from the Past #676: Sketchbook page 20, pencil sketch of new costume ideas for Leonardo

On page 20 of the sketchbook, I drew this sketch of Leonardo with his possible new gear, the same stuff he had on in the drawing from the previous page. -- PL

Blast from the Past #675: Sketchbook page 19, Leonardo leaping, new costume ideas

I like this drawing from page 19 of the sketchbook. I like the pose, the way I inked it, and the little bits of detail reflecting some thoughts on new costuming for Leo -- the different scabbard strap arrangement, the belt pouches (including one with the yin/yang symbol), and the "rising sun" graphic on his kneepads and over-the-head bandana. -- PL

Blast from the Past #674: Sketchbook page 18, Raphael leaping

This loose drawing from page 18 of the sketchbook gives me pause. I'm pretty sure I drew it, but it also has the flavor of a Kevin Eastman sketch, especially in the pose. Perhaps that day I was inspired by something Kevin drew in his sketchbook...?

In any event, this is another attempt at a new look for Raphael, focusing on his gear. Notice the said strapped to his leg, the hooded cloak, and the curious look to the kneepads. -- PL

Blast from the Past #673: Sketchbook pages 16 and 17, ideas for Donatello

On pages 16 and 17 of the sketchbook, I was working out some ideas for a new look for Donatello, including some more pockets and pouches for his various bits of tech gear, as well as headgear which presumably  would incorporate some vision-enhancing gizmos.

Sorry about the quality of the page with the blue pencil sketches -- I tried to tweak them in Photoshop as I'd done with other pages previously, but for some reason I couldn't get a clean selection of the blue pencil areas, possibly because the photo was a bit blurry. And I don't know what that yellow-brown arc is in the middle of the page -- it certainly isn't part of the drawing. It almost has the look of the residue that  might be left if part of a rubber band had been squished between the pages and left there for a long time. Who knows? -- PL

Blast from the Past #672: Sketchbook page 15, Leonardo displaying mutations

Here on page 15 of the sketchbook is another unfinished pencil drawing, this time depicting Leonardo with his "new mutation" claws out -- at least on one hand.

As I look further at this sketch, I notice there is some texturing on his face, seemingly to indicate rough, scaly skin. Was this a consideration, to give Leo -- maybe even all the Turtles -- a slightly different basic look, with rougher, more reptilian skin? I can't remember... but it sure would have made them more time-consuming to draw!

There is also a slightly different arrangement for the straps which hold Leo's scabbards, as well as a belt which looks like it may have incorporated pouches or pockets of some kind. -- PL

Blast from the Past #671: Sketchbook page 14, ideas for further mutations

Not much on this page -- just a few quick doodles, trying to work out ideas for further mutations for the Turtles (apparently in this case specifically going in a sort of monstrous direction with Leonardo), along with some other potential story notes. Here's what I wrote on this fourteenth page of the sketchbook:

     "4/26/94

       Physical mutations:

       Leo

       Play with more radical mutations/morphing


       -- Karai variations?

       -- Nobody as a woman?

       -- Foor Elite similar to Shredder Elite in "City at War" -- traditional garb, gear, and semi-mystical "Bushido" approach"

      
         It's interesting to me that roughly a decade before I had April O'Neil don the mantle of Nobody in the TMNT Volume 4 comic books, I was thinking about introducing a female Nobody. -- PL

Blast from the Past #670: Sketchbook page 13, Foot ninja design

Here on page 13 of the sketchbook, I was playing around with yet another variation of the basic Foot soldier design. This one has some more body armor and tech bits, though I don't recall what, specifically, these pieces were intended to do.

 Like the previous page, this one was drawn in photoblue pencil, making it difficult to see the lines. So I worked with it a bit in Photoshop to darken it up. What looks like spatter in the lower left hand corner is actually just an artifact of the photography and the Photoshop manipulation -- I think it was originally a slight shadow on the page. -- PL

Blast from the Past #669: Sketchbook page 12, Foot stealth corps

 This unfinished drawing on page twelve of the sketchbook is labeled at the top "Foot Stealth Corps"... which, upon reflection, seems a bit redundant -- I mean, as ninja, aren't the Foot supposed to be stealthy?

In any event, this appears to be an attempt on my part to think up a new look for some of the Foot clan's soldiers. I only partially inked this one, the remainder being in photo-blue pencil... which I had to mess with in Photoshop to get it to show up a little better, hence the rough look of some of those penciled lines. -- PL

Blast from the Past #668: Sketchbook page 11, Raphael posing on gargoyle

     Here's another partly-finished drawing from page 11 of the sketchbook, this time of Raphael standing atop a sculpted gargoyle on the corner of a tall building.

     I'm not sure why I drew this one, as there is nothing abut it which speaks of new mutations. Perhaps it was just something fun. I do like the pose and gesture. -- PL