A Tribute to the 
of
The cover created for Green Lantern #8 caused quite a stir and prompted many to inquire how it was created. Typical of those inquires is the folllowing, taken from the Green Lantern's Mail Chute in issue #10:
Dear Editor: I just saw the latest issue of GREEN LANTERN featuring "The Challenge from 5700 A.D." The story was one of the BEST I have ever read. But the thing that fascinates me the most is the way the cover is drawn; it was drawn so perfectly that when I bought it I actually thought it was a photograph! You did such a fine job on that cover that you deserve all the praise you get and even more. Can you give me some information on how you got such a realistic cover?
Click HERE for larger image. The reply: "Ordinarlly, Gil Kane draws a pencil sketch of a GL cover idea dreamed up by the editor (Julius Schwartz). This is drawn over in black (India) ink by another artist, either Joe Giella or Murphy Anderson. This cover drawing, after the the original pencil lines are erased, appears as a black and white outline drawing with no in-between shades of gray for modelling. All of the subtle shading appears only in the color which is is added in later processing of the cover. The cover on this particular issue of Green Lantern represents a new concept in comic book art. In our new concept, we replace the pencil sketch with a drawing using black and white and all of the subtle in-between shades of gray in on our finished artwork. All of the 'modelling' or effects of light and shade appear on our original drawing before the color is added. This type of drawing represents a closer approach to reality in our artwork. The finished artwork is called a WASH DRAWING and is prepared by using India ink or lamp black diluted with water in varying degrees to make our 'washes' of gray. Any material or device can be used that will help create subtle shadings: pencil, crayon, charcoal, tempera, airbrush shading, ect."
©1961 National Periodical Publications Inc.
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