Making of TRIBUTE TO MORRIS

Travel notes from a western remake!

Sometimes, we put the saddle back on simply "for pleasure." This is how HOMAGE TO MORRIS - Mr Luke was born: a respectful and personal reinterpretation of the cowboy who marked my childhood. In this article, I'll take you through the creative process, step by step – from the first sketch to coloring – like a logbook kept during a journey into the wild West...

1. Choosing the subject: heading for a legend!

The starting point is always an intention. For this project, the idea was to pay homage to Morris and Lucky Luke, not through imitation, but through reinterpretation (a musical cover) – preserving the spirit of the icon while placing it in a contemporary sensibility. The choice of subject guides the tone, palette, and composition: a solitary cowboy, a slope, the search for a bivouac, between two arduous adventures... all narrative elements that direct the rest of the work.

2. Research and inspiration: on the trail of references...

For this creation, there was an embarrassment of riches: Morris's comic strips are full of emblematic moments and inspiring scenes. But one image in particular stood out: that of Lucky Luke walking up a hill, looking for a well-deserved bivouac between two adventures.
This simple, silent scene alone sums up the entire spirit of the character: the traveler's solitude, the gentle fatigue after the journey, and that almost poetic relationship between the man, his mount, and the immensity of the landscape.

It immediately served as a foundational reference for this redesign – a starting point full of symbols, to be revisited in a different way, in a more personal visual language but faithful to the soul of the solitary cowboy.

From this reference, to go a little further than a simple redesign.
Adding a nod to "Apache Canyon": an arrow from behind, planted in his hat, while he simultaneously draws backward faster than his shadow, eyes closed, continuing to climb the hill with a nonchalant stride.
A suspended moment, both full of tension and humor, faithful to Morris's spirit – that unique blend of phlegm, bravery, and lightness that makes the solitary cowboy so charming.

3. Quick sketch: laying the groundwork for the redesign

Since this is a reinterpretation of an existing scene, only one quick sketch was made. It allowed the original composition to be translated into a unique and personal language: accentuating the lines of force, balancing the masses, and asserting the rhythm of the movement.
This short but essential step sets the tone for the redesign and defines the dynamic of the upcoming lines through the language of forms.

The timelapse above illustrates this moment: from the spontaneous sketch to the creation of a more precise pencil drawing.

4. Pencil drawing: refining the design

The pencil drawing allowed for refining the volumes, reworking the attitude of the character and his mount, and adjusting the narrative details: the pierced hat, the arrow, the firing motion, the intentional deformation that drawing allows (anything is possible), especially for Mr. Luke. A few smoke clouds "-... / .-.. / ." meaning "BLE" in the distance in "Indian Morse Code"... Each line seeks to maintain his typical nonchalance, that always unshakeable phlegm even in the thick of the action.

5. Inking: giving voice to the line

Next comes the inking, a true graphic signature. Expressive line art was favored, inspired by comic book codes while maintaining an original modern treatment.
The thickness of the line, its rectilinear variation, and its breaks create a visual vibration that serves the hero's character: precise, composed, but always ready to draw.

6. Colorization: fidelity and relief

For the colorization, the goal was to remain faithful to Morris's original and typical palette – those bold, luminous hues that give full breath to the world of Lucky Luke.
Even if the variations are multiple depending on the albums, I made sure to maintain this harmony while adding my personal touch: a few extra shadows and lights to accentuate the volume and offer a subtle sensation of 2D/3D relief.
A balance between respect and interpretation, tradition and modernity.

7. Finishing touches and Signature Edition

The final touches involve adjusting colors, light, and the fidelity of the rendering for printing (BAT). Each print is calibrated, within the "Icons & Legends – Remixed Tributes (Special Issue)" theme, where mythical figures and cultural heritage meet contemporary sensibility.

This project is above all a graphic thank you addressed to Morris and the Franco-Belgian comic strip tradition. A way of hitting the road again with Lucky Luke, saluting his phlegm and his freedom, while affirming my own mark.
Because above all, comic strip is an art – a territory of dreams, memory and freedom.

Discover the Fine Art poster