Monday, November 9, 2009

1984-2009 TMNT commemorative print

A few months before the likely date for the sale of the TMNT to Nickelodeon, Gary had the idea that it would be nice for Mirage to produce a special, limited edition print commemorating Mirage's twenty-five year run with the Turtles, a print that would be sent to various business associates and friends. I agreed, and we bounced around a few ideas. I think Gary was originally considering using the image of the Turtles from their first two-page spread in the first issue of the comic book, where they are all leaping out toward the reader. I suggested that we use that (actually my redrawn version of those figures), but also suggested that I would do four new drawings representing each of those four figures as seen from behind. Thus, we would have the Turtles symbolically arriving in 1984 and leaving in 2009.

I set to work, thinking that it would be relatively easy to produce the reverse view by simply flipping the images over on a light table and tracing their outlines. While this was somewhat useful to get some basic body positions, I soon realized that it wouldn't totally do. What I had not thought through is that when perspective is factored in, various body parts -- like Leo's out-thrust right foot, for example -- would be larger in the view from the front, but smaller in the view from the back. This added significantly more time to the drawing, but eventually I ended up with something I was satisfied with.

I handed off the scans of the artwork to my friend Rob, who is also a graphic designer, and he put the final print together, after a few discussions about layout and type... and here it is. -- PL

21 comments:

  1. Well I suppose the first logical question is how may I go about obtaining a copy?

    I'm assuming as a part of the terms of the sale you aren't allowed to create new TMNT items to sell outside of the comics, otherwise this would already be for sale right? If that is the case maybe you could provide a high res scan of just the art at some point? I'd be really interested in seeing it without the low opacity of the numbers showing through the TMNT.

    Anyways as far as the art goes, really cool and pretty much spot on for how I would have imagined the back of that shot looking. I've encountered that issue of flipping art before and the perspective changing form the reverse, it can be a real pain depending on the intricacy of the original image. It appears you were quite successful with the reversal process.

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  2. Really nicely done. As a complete non-artist, it's hard to fully appreciate just how much work goes into something like that... but to me it looks pretty flawless. What a nice idea as well, to send to all your partners. Cheers!

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  3. I'm with Adam, will there be a way to obtain a copy of this?

    It's such a beautiful piece.

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  4. I definitely echo these sentiments. I would love to get a copy I can frame and hang up in my study where my TMNT items reside.

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  5. I agree with all above. Is there any way we can go about obtaining a copy?
    Its a nice print that will go perfectly with my TMNT memorbilia!

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  6. Very cool idea for the print, and I think it turned out really well. I'll also join in with the rest and ask if there will be a way to get a hold of one. I've got two TMNT sketches - one by you and the other by Jim Lawson - hanging above my drawing table, and this print would be perfect hanging just beneath them. But I'm sure I can begrudgingly accept it if they're just limited to friends and business associates. ;)

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  7. If we can´t get a copy, can you at least scan it so we can print it?
    CheerS!

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  8. that is tremendous!! i want a copy!

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  9. good job
    damn,25 years later and you were able to do it.

    the only screw-up i could find was leos sword wasnt there,across don,visible between raph/don and going past raph.

    awesome concept by the way

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  10. @ Tyrgermanic

    Leo's sword actually is there, you can see the handle part of it between Don's legs, and presumably the rest of is going in front of Don and Raph's knees. The vantage point is just slightly different in the rear view so they overlap a little in places they don't in the front view.

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  11. Ohh. Nice. Ditto on the comment about high res scan so fans can print it out their own. A t-shirt with front/back images would be cool, fan made or official.

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  12. I would totally agree to everything above! Great Job Pete! I love the symbolism and nostalgia of it. And would join the others in requesting a copy or t-shirt if at all possible. Keep up the great work!

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  13. i dont see it but it looks impossible to do perfect.
    i was sayin im surprised theres only 1 flaw.i expected more.

    its a top notch pin-up.
    (ya i know its not a pin up,but itd be cool as one.)

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  14. Oh, very nice indeed. Only 100? Yeah, the queue to inquire about how on Earth us mere mortals can get one continues ;)

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  15. It would be awesome if there was a way for us to obtain a copy. Nice work Pete.

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  16. "Adam Riches said...

    Well I suppose the first logical question is how may I go about obtaining a copy?"

    A good question, but I'm afraid it will probably not be made available to the general public, as it was meant to be a special "thank you" to our friends and associates.

    "I'm assuming as a part of the terms of the sale you aren't allowed to create new TMNT items to sell outside of the comics, otherwise this would already be for sale right?"

    As I pointed out above, this piece was never intended to be for sale.

    "If that is the case maybe you could provide a high res scan of just the art at some point?"

    I may at some point do just that. -- PL

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  17. Peter said:

    "I may at some point do just that"

    That´ll be cool!!
    Cheers!!!

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  18. "If that is the case maybe you could provide a high res scan of just the art at some point?"

    I may at some point do just that. -- PL"


    Pete, that would be wonderful if you did that.

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  19. This image makes me sad. It seems like an epitaph.

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  20. -->> ..ahh so this was the fate ' TOP SECRET ' illustrations - combined from late last year .. early '09 you posted !! !!

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