Exclusive: Check Out Tyler Crook’s Art Process for ‘Harrow County’

This week sees the release of the first issue of the new Dark Horse horror series Harrow County, from B.P.R.D. artist Tyler Crook and Sixth Gun writer Cullen Bunn. A southern gothic story about a teen girl who discovers her unexpected connection to the things that lurk in the woods, it promises to be fantastically spooky in the way we've come to expect from Dark Horse's industry-leading line of horror comics.

To mark the book's release, Dark Horse has given ComicsAlliance an exclusive glimpse at Crook's artistic process. A series of time-lapse videos show Crook penciling, inking, and hand-watercoloring pages from the fourth issue --- which we don't think gives away any spoilers! The videos also features suitably haunting music composed by Crook himself.

In the video above, you can see Crook working on a single sequential page. The videos below show the penciling, inking, and coloring stages of a gorgeous two-page splash.

Penciling

Inking

Coloring

There's something magical about watching a comic artist at work, taking a blank page and finding the story hidden inside it. Of particular interest to anyone relatively unfamiliar with the artistic process is the way Crook builds up his blacks, creating a visual path for the eye to follow. It's also wonderful to say how the addition of color really cements the mood and atmosphere of each page. If you're a fan of Dark Horse's horror comics, or if you're at all curious about Bunn's or Crook's work, these videos should convince you that the series is well worth checking out.

The fifth video in the series shows the full process for another two-page splash:

The first issue of Harrow County goes on sale tomorrow, May 12. Final orders for the second issue are due Monday, May 18. Here's the first issue solicitation:

HARROW COUNTY #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Tyler Crook
Cover Artist: Tyler Crook
This town will make your skin crawl!
Emmy always knew that the deep, dark woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts, goblins, and zombies. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures—and to the land itself—in a way she never imagined.
Don’t miss the first issue of this southern gothic fairy tale from the creator of smash hit The Sixth Gun, beautifully and hauntingly realized by B.P.R.D.’s Tyler Crook!