FERGUSON’S 7 QUESTIONS WITH… CORMAC HUGHES

Time for another edition of 7 questions. Up this time is a Lightning Strike regular… artist Cormac Hughes.

What was the first comic work you did that was published?

I had a short story in an American anthology book called Shrunken Wool, which I had to buy myself and have shipped over.

What is the biggest thing you have learned since that book?

Try and get a comp copy? I’m not sure since that book, I’d use a lot more reference like photos and 3D models. Oh and how to draw in perspective.

What’s your process for drawing a comic book?

Nothing special, I read the script a couple of times, thumbnail/get reference, those stages can overlap I might thumbnail a panel and then find a much better reference shot. Then in a very old school fashion I pencil on a board.

What is the biggest influence on your work?

I got in to comics in the ninetys so artists such as Joe Mad, Ed McGuinness, Jim Lee and J. Scott Campbell are part of my artistic dna I couldn’t change that even if I wanted to. Kilian Plunkett was a big deal for me too not only his artwork, but finding out he was Irish was my “oh Irish people can do this” moment, and in an Aliens comic no less. More recently people like Zach Howard, Ryan Ottley, Tradd Moore, Stuart Immonen, Ross Campbell… and many more have been big influences.

What are you working on right now?

I have a number of projects in the works most of which are in the very early stages. I am working with Darrin O’Toole on expanding the Red Lotus story we did in Lightning Strike issue five. That’s something I’m very excited about.

What do you have out now or coming out next?

It’s early days for the stuff I’m working on, but you can always pick up a copy of Lightning Strike.

What is your favourite Irish comic?

Bob Byrnes Shiznit. I still quote lines from that to this day.

EXTERNAL LINKS
Cormac Hughes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fhiacha
Cormac Hughes’ Blog: http://cormachughes.blogspot.ie