About

What is the Grand Blue Door?
The Grand Blue Door is a comic, a hotel, and a superstition. The comic I’m sure you’ve already seen.

What is the Grand Blue Door Hotel?
The Hotel itself is located in New Jersey, and is owned by one Mr. Edgar Truitt, Fiona’s Cousin. It’s called that because of, quite obviously, the blue front door. It’s been painted blue because of the old belief that blue doors keep demons away.

Who is drawing this?
R.S. Veverka. R.S. stands for Rebecca Sue, aka Becky, aka Bex.

How is Grand Blue Door done?
Grand Blue Door, or GBD for short, is drawn commpletely in the computer, using the programs Photoshop and Illustrator. The pages are first sketched using a tablet in Photoshop, then inked in Illustrator, colored in Photoshop, then back to Illustrator to add the text.

In what year does GBD take place?
If I were to state a specific year during the Victorian or Edwardian era, I know someone would rant at me about historical inaccuracies. So let’s just say it takes place somewhere after the Civil War and before the First World War.

How can the Archduke be at the hotel if blue doors keep demons away?
The Archduke is a vampire, not necessarily a demon. A demon is a whole other animal all together, and you will be seeing demons. Blue doors keep them out, but vampires can get into any house, so long as they are invited, and there are no crucifixes on the door.

Can you teach me how to draw?
Nope. Drawing can’t be taught. I can teach you my techniques, basic anatomy, layout, design, and a whole lot of other things, but the only way to draw and draw well is to practice.

What books to you recommend for aspiring artists?

  1. Cartooning the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm – This is the single best cartooning book in the universe. It’s never far from my side!
  2. Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm – What can I say? Hamm’s a genius. This book really breaks anatomy down into it’s simplest shapes. Another must have.
  3. The Figure by Walt Reed – My favorite anatomy book that really gets into the details of the human body. There are a lot of anatomy books out there to pick from, and this one is my personal fave.
  4. Color Index by Jim Krause – It’s intended to be a color book for design, but it’s an endless resource for artists, as well! It’s a great book to grab and flip through for inspiration.