Interview with: Dave Macneil
Task: Artist
Comic book: Female Force: Stephenie Meyer
Published by: Bluewater Publications
Interviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets www.jazmaonline.com
Allen: It would be great to start interview with little bit of history about yourself. How old are you? How did you get
your start as artist?
Dave: Well, I'm turning 30 on Aug 29. I have always loved comic books and cartoons. The first cartoon character I
started drawing, once I could hold a pencil, was Popeye. Then in high-school when Wizard came out they had
brutes and babes, the drawing tutorials, and that inspired me to start drawing sequential art. I started a little
company with my buddies and we put together three books, that are hard to look at now but served as a great
learning experience. In my early 20's I sent out samples of my work and never got and good responses, and really
looking back at what I had done, I really wasn't there yet. At the time I kind of got discouraged, but still had the
desire to draw. I just focused on my week points and began to draw as much a I could, I would take novels and
adapt them to comic book script do 5 to 10 page story. The greatest thing about drawing comic books is that you
will be learning new things until the day you die.
Allen: What was your first break into comic book industry?
Dave: Just this last May I had just put together a new sample package of my work, I sent it over to Bluewater, and
the publisher Darren responded immediately, and said he had a place for me. The first book I drew for Bluewater
was Female Force: Condoleezza Rice. * It will be out sometime in August.
Allen K. note: I recently interviewed Chris Ward- writer of Female Force Condolezza Rice. Here is link.
https://www.jazmaonline.com/interviews/interviews2009.asp?intID=396
Allen: Who were some of your comic book artist influences?
Dave: There are so many great artists, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I really like David Finch, he does amazing
artwork. Mark Silvestri, Cary Nord, Brian Bolland, Burne Hogarth, Jim Lee, Greg Land, the Kuberts, these are some
of the ones that have influenced my work.
Allen: What kind of comic books did you read in your youth/ what sort do you like to read now?
Dave: I use to read the Warlord, Jonah Hex, Spider-man, Batman, X-men, X-force, and then got into Spawn,
Cyberforce, savage Dragon, and the list goes on.
Allen: How did you get job to be artist for Female Force: Stephenie Meyer comic?
Dave: The publisher, Darren offered me the opportunity to draw the book, and I was all over it.
Allen: What do you like most about working on this story?
Dave: I love drawing all kinds of scenarios, from Dracula’s castle to Chaparral High-school. It’s also a fun challenge
to draw real live people and make them look authentic.
Allen: Take me through an average day working on pages for Stephenie Meyer story. Also, what are your favorite
art tools?
Dave: I start by reading the script for the page really carefully and start to accumulate ideas and camera angles.
Then I refer to the Internet and search for real life reference photos to help with backgrounds and expressions etc.
Once I have all my references I start to sketch tiny thumbnail pic's of my layout and lighting directions, sometimes I'll
do four or five till I find the one I like. Then I draw it on my 11x17 inch art board. Once I have a pencil drawing I'm
happy with I scan it into the computer and clean it up and ink it digitally in Corel painter. I have a Wacom Cintex 12
that you can draw directly on screen and it allows me to speed up my workflow and produce professional looking
inks.
Allen: How much of art is going to be devoted to her early years compared to present time?
Dave: I couldn't answer that yet because I only have half the script, its a fresh project and still in development.
Allen: Did you find it difficult to draw images of living person?
Dave: Some are more difficult than others, but I really like drawing people from life.
Allen: What were some of things that impressed you most about Stephenie Meyer?
Dave: I have a lot to learn about her yet and still undecided.
Allen: Do you read Twilight books?
Dave: I have seen the movie, and now I'm listening to the audio book as I work.
Allen: What can we expect to see in your art for story?
Dave: I like to pour everything I got into my art. I add a lot of detail and dramatic lighting.
Allen: Did Stephenie Meyer give you permission to use characters or settings of Twilight series in Female Force:
Stephenie Meyer comic?
Dave: You would have to ask the publisher
Allen: Did you have any contact with Stephenie Meyer while creating art for biography comic?
Dave: No, I have never spoken or contacted her.
Allen: Why do you feel there is demand for present Twilight vampire stories?
Dave: People connect to the characters and want to learn more about what’s going to happen to them.
Allen: What are your thoughts about Twilight comic book series? Would you like to be artist if series became
possibility?
Dave: I think that could be a cool idea, we will have to let the fans decide and go from there... and sure why not, I
would definitely draw the series.
Allen: What are some of your hobbies?
Dave: I play hockey, and swim for some fitness away from the drawing board. I also like to play guitar now and then.
Allen: Who are some of your favorite novel writers?
Dave:J.R.R. Tolkein, Robert Jordan, R.A Salvatore, David Eddings. I love fantasy books.
Allen: Do you watch many movies or television shows about vampires?
Dave: Ya I have seen quite a few movies, Bram Stokers Dracula, Interview with a vampire, Vampires, and so on.
Allen: What kind of media publicity will you do to promote Female Force: Stephenie Meyer comic?
Dave: I don't do much personally, I am too busy drawing, that stuff is being done by the staff at bluewater.
Allen: Do you sell any of your artwork? Do you do commissions?
Dave: Not at the moment, but something I will be interested in the future.
Allen: What is best way for someone to contact you?
Dave: you can email me at dm220879@hotmail.com if you are interested in original art. Soon my website will be
revamped and you can buy stuff from there.
Allen: What projects are you working on next?
Dave: That I don’t know, we shall see I guess.
Allen: Do you have any idea if Stephenie Meyer comics will be sold at movie theaters? It would be fun to get copy
when seeing The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Dave: Ya, that would be a great idea I'll mention it to my boss.
Allen: What do you feel fuels your imagination? Is your family a big part of your support group?
Dave: My family are the biggest supporters, they fuel my inspiration and help build my confidence. I think my mom
has already got a couple hundred sold just from telling all her friends and costumers from her hair dressing shop.
Allen: I think this would be great place to end interview. Would you like to leave our readers with any closing
thoughts?
Dave: The art team working on the story project are all top notch talent, and I expect it to be a really good book. I
hope you enjoy the story, as much as I have enjoyed drawing it.
Task: Artist
Comic book: Female Force: Stephenie Meyer
Published by: Bluewater Publications
Interviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets www.jazmaonline.com
Allen: It would be great to start interview with little bit of history about yourself. How old are you? How did you get
your start as artist?
Dave: Well, I'm turning 30 on Aug 29. I have always loved comic books and cartoons. The first cartoon character I
started drawing, once I could hold a pencil, was Popeye. Then in high-school when Wizard came out they had
brutes and babes, the drawing tutorials, and that inspired me to start drawing sequential art. I started a little
company with my buddies and we put together three books, that are hard to look at now but served as a great
learning experience. In my early 20's I sent out samples of my work and never got and good responses, and really
looking back at what I had done, I really wasn't there yet. At the time I kind of got discouraged, but still had the
desire to draw. I just focused on my week points and began to draw as much a I could, I would take novels and
adapt them to comic book script do 5 to 10 page story. The greatest thing about drawing comic books is that you
will be learning new things until the day you die.
Allen: What was your first break into comic book industry?
Dave: Just this last May I had just put together a new sample package of my work, I sent it over to Bluewater, and
the publisher Darren responded immediately, and said he had a place for me. The first book I drew for Bluewater
was Female Force: Condoleezza Rice. * It will be out sometime in August.
Allen K. note: I recently interviewed Chris Ward- writer of Female Force Condolezza Rice. Here is link.
https://www.jazmaonline.com/interviews/interviews2009.asp?intID=396
Allen: Who were some of your comic book artist influences?
Dave: There are so many great artists, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I really like David Finch, he does amazing
artwork. Mark Silvestri, Cary Nord, Brian Bolland, Burne Hogarth, Jim Lee, Greg Land, the Kuberts, these are some
of the ones that have influenced my work.
Allen: What kind of comic books did you read in your youth/ what sort do you like to read now?
Dave: I use to read the Warlord, Jonah Hex, Spider-man, Batman, X-men, X-force, and then got into Spawn,
Cyberforce, savage Dragon, and the list goes on.
Allen: How did you get job to be artist for Female Force: Stephenie Meyer comic?
Dave: The publisher, Darren offered me the opportunity to draw the book, and I was all over it.
Allen: What do you like most about working on this story?
Dave: I love drawing all kinds of scenarios, from Dracula’s castle to Chaparral High-school. It’s also a fun challenge
to draw real live people and make them look authentic.
Allen: Take me through an average day working on pages for Stephenie Meyer story. Also, what are your favorite
art tools?
Dave: I start by reading the script for the page really carefully and start to accumulate ideas and camera angles.
Then I refer to the Internet and search for real life reference photos to help with backgrounds and expressions etc.
Once I have all my references I start to sketch tiny thumbnail pic's of my layout and lighting directions, sometimes I'll
do four or five till I find the one I like. Then I draw it on my 11x17 inch art board. Once I have a pencil drawing I'm
happy with I scan it into the computer and clean it up and ink it digitally in Corel painter. I have a Wacom Cintex 12
that you can draw directly on screen and it allows me to speed up my workflow and produce professional looking
inks.
Allen: How much of art is going to be devoted to her early years compared to present time?
Dave: I couldn't answer that yet because I only have half the script, its a fresh project and still in development.
Allen: Did you find it difficult to draw images of living person?
Dave: Some are more difficult than others, but I really like drawing people from life.
Allen: What were some of things that impressed you most about Stephenie Meyer?
Dave: I have a lot to learn about her yet and still undecided.
Allen: Do you read Twilight books?
Dave: I have seen the movie, and now I'm listening to the audio book as I work.
Allen: What can we expect to see in your art for story?
Dave: I like to pour everything I got into my art. I add a lot of detail and dramatic lighting.
Allen: Did Stephenie Meyer give you permission to use characters or settings of Twilight series in Female Force:
Stephenie Meyer comic?
Dave: You would have to ask the publisher
Allen: Did you have any contact with Stephenie Meyer while creating art for biography comic?
Dave: No, I have never spoken or contacted her.
Allen: Why do you feel there is demand for present Twilight vampire stories?
Dave: People connect to the characters and want to learn more about what’s going to happen to them.
Allen: What are your thoughts about Twilight comic book series? Would you like to be artist if series became
possibility?
Dave: I think that could be a cool idea, we will have to let the fans decide and go from there... and sure why not, I
would definitely draw the series.
Allen: What are some of your hobbies?
Dave: I play hockey, and swim for some fitness away from the drawing board. I also like to play guitar now and then.
Allen: Who are some of your favorite novel writers?
Dave:J.R.R. Tolkein, Robert Jordan, R.A Salvatore, David Eddings. I love fantasy books.
Allen: Do you watch many movies or television shows about vampires?
Dave: Ya I have seen quite a few movies, Bram Stokers Dracula, Interview with a vampire, Vampires, and so on.
Allen: What kind of media publicity will you do to promote Female Force: Stephenie Meyer comic?
Dave: I don't do much personally, I am too busy drawing, that stuff is being done by the staff at bluewater.
Allen: Do you sell any of your artwork? Do you do commissions?
Dave: Not at the moment, but something I will be interested in the future.
Allen: What is best way for someone to contact you?
Dave: you can email me at dm220879@hotmail.com if you are interested in original art. Soon my website will be
revamped and you can buy stuff from there.
Allen: What projects are you working on next?
Dave: That I don’t know, we shall see I guess.
Allen: Do you have any idea if Stephenie Meyer comics will be sold at movie theaters? It would be fun to get copy
when seeing The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Dave: Ya, that would be a great idea I'll mention it to my boss.
Allen: What do you feel fuels your imagination? Is your family a big part of your support group?
Dave: My family are the biggest supporters, they fuel my inspiration and help build my confidence. I think my mom
has already got a couple hundred sold just from telling all her friends and costumers from her hair dressing shop.
Allen: I think this would be great place to end interview. Would you like to leave our readers with any closing
thoughts?
Dave: The art team working on the story project are all top notch talent, and I expect it to be a really good book. I
hope you enjoy the story, as much as I have enjoyed drawing it.
| Female Force Comics |
| We will be giving away an autographed copy at the 2009 Vampire Ball in Sacramento! |
| Follow me to the 2009 Vampire Ball... |
"Supermassive Black Hole"
Muse, Twilight Soundtrack
Muse, Twilight Soundtrack
Turn up your sound to hear:
"Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse
Twilight Soundtrack
"Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse
Twilight Soundtrack