Carbon

Carbon #1

by Mark Schultz

The element carbon, common yet versatile, is the binder at the base of life on Earth as well as the source of the rich blacks that run through Mark Schultz's drawings. Similarly, the book Carbon binds an astonishing array of illustrative art rendered in brush and ink, graphite and carbon pencil, and it also introduces more color than ever before through the artist's increased experimentation with watercolor as an atmospheric element.

This compilation showcases many new depictions of Schultz's lovely Pulpette heroines and scenes of grand adventure in otherworldly settings as well as an assortment of the preliminary drawings that develop into his finished works. The large format features four epic gatefold images, including a look at how Mark applies color over his black-line ink work. The vast majority of the art was completed over the last two years, with most of the fifty-plus pieces being published here for the first time.

Schultz has produced art and stories for comics and speculative fiction for over twenty-five years. This volume represents his unique vision more than any other to date. As a special bonus, the artist's fascination with science is explored in his introductory text examining the process of working with a paleontologist to accurately depict Xenoceratops, a newly discovered dinosaur, accompanied by the preliminary drawings that evolved into the finished work.

Genres: Art

56 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2013

About the author

Mark Schultz is an American writer and illustrator of books and comics. His most widely recognized work is the creator-owned comic book series Xenozoic Tales, which describes a post-apocalyptic world where dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures coexist with humans. In 1993, Xenozoic Tales was adapted into an animated series titled Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and a video game of the same name. Schultz's other notable works include various Aliens comic book mini-series published by Dark Horse and a four-year run on the DC Comics series Superman: The Man of Steel. In 2004, Schultz took over the scripting duties of the Prince Valiant comic strip.

Reviews

[Carl V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been collecting the Flesk Publications editions of Mark Schultz’s Various Drawings books for several years and was excited to see this new project come to fruition. Mark Schultz is a contemporary illustrator who channels the spirits of past pulp masters like no one else. Each work exudes a sense of adventure, a sense of story, and this gorgeous volume of recently completed art is a perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with his work and a must-have collectible for anyone who considers themselves a fan.

For the full review, please visit here (and see some of the gorgeous images present in this book):

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014...

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Schultz is a modern master of his craft. His brush & ink drawings are so breathtakingly constructed through rendering, composition, and execution that its hard for me to believe this is all done by hand. I’m not sure there is another artist working today that has more control over brush & ink techniques than Mark Schultz. Flesk Publications has done it again! They’ve created yet another high quality art book. Carbon 2 puts some of Mark’s recent, and wonderful, pencil and brush & ink drawings on display with top notch printing. I especially love that the publisher placed certain pencil drawings on the left page with the brush & ink version on the right page so readers can compare the final to the preliminary drawing. The book even has a few pull-out spreads so you can view all the intricate detail of Mark’s work. There’s absolutely nothing not to like about this book. The quality is of the highest standard. The art is stunning. If you’re a fan of Mark Schultz, this is a must have. If you admire well-crafted pencil drawings and insanely awesome brush & ink drawings, then this is a must have. Basically, you must get this book now!!

My review is of the deluxe hardcover edition that I got through supporting the Kickstarter project for this book. I believe both the hardcover and paperback versions have the same content. It's just that my copy was hardcover with a dust jacket and also signed by the artist.