That first big gig

Just like anyone else, when you start a new career you have goals.   You want to move up the ladder become one of the big shots and really have a name for yourself.  Well just like you and everyone else, I was the exact same way.  I knew what I wanted to do, but didn't know how to get there.  So you figure it out by trial and error.  And boy, there were errors.

I had no clue what I was doing when I first started working in the industry.  Yeah I knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go, but no idea how to get there.  I was literally starting from scratch.  Now for those of you who are looking to break into the industry or maybe in and have no clue where to go or do.  Maybe this will give you a little bit of light at the end of that tunnel.

After working on Foxwood Falcons (from After Hours Press), I had no idea where to go.  But what I did know is that editors and "higher ups" would always go to the comic conventions and recruit every now and then.  I was hoping to be in that mix they recruited.  It's not as simple as you may think.  Even though I had a comic in my hand I worked on, yes, it was easier to talk to the editors and whomever, but, now you have to have the "style" they are looking for.  I didn't have it yet.  I was still fresh and new and learning how to use a tablet.  But I was willing to learn and kept at it.

For about 5 years, I would chat with a writer/editor Raven Gregory who's one of the funnest guys I've met.  Very down to earth and tells it like it is.  He can be a little off the wall, but that's what I think drew me to him.  Show after show I'd go to him and show him some of my latest coloring I've done and just talk to him.  And hey, I'm a fan of Raven, so I got some books signed too while I was there.

It was in 2010 I believe at C2E2 where he walked up to me, gave me his card and said "give me a call Monday.  I may have some work for you".  I can just tell you inside I was giddy like a kid in a candy store.  That night I celebrated with a big McDonald's dinner (hey, I was just starting out).  That made my weekend (not McDonalds, but Raven giving me his card).

Monday I called him, and he sent me a couple of pages to test out.  No matter how good you may think you are, you always have to do "testers" to make sure your style will go with that the editors are looking for.  I got them finished up, sent them back and then heard back from the EIC (Editor in Chief).  Right then and there, I was offered a job with Zenescope.  This was my biggest break I've had in years.  Yes, I did in fact get my foot in the door with Foxwood Falcons in 2007, and during that time I was chatting with Raven about working with him on something.
As I'm just about finished with the comic, my computer had a meltdown.  My hard drive, external and backup ALL CRASHED at the same time.  Now this is my big break.  My first book, and THIS happens.  I cried..and had to let the EIC and Raven both know what had happened.
To my surprise, they weren't upset at all (at least they didn't seem like it).  They said "these things happen".  Do what you can and we'll get someone else to help you out with the colors".  I was awwed!  But I got the book done and it came out great!

So to everyone out there who has a dream of whatever it may be.  The one thing you CAN'T do, is give up.  That's the only "fail" you'll have.  It took me about 7 years to have my "overnight success".  I'm very grateful, and wouldn't change a thing.
Because of my constant working on comics, I was nominated for 2 Eagle Awards and won the Shel Dorf Award in 2011 for Colorist of the Year (beating out the Marvel and DC colorists).  And the person who presented that award to me was none other than...Raven Gregory.  Who game me a chance in the bigger leagues.

My first book with Zenescope:

 

"Be Like This Guy"

Lets be honest.  When you first start out drawing, coloring, inking or writing, you have to admit that you look at your favorite artists and try to mimic them.  Which is ok.  That's been going on since the beginning of time.  That's how we evolve.  That's also how you evolve as an artist.  Just as long as you don't "COPY" them exactly.

I don't have any schooling of art whatsoever.  Just what I may have learned in high school and maybe the one semester in community college.  So the only way I thought would be best to learn is picking up my favorite comic books and teaching myself how to color.  I did try to contact a few other colorists on MySpace when I first started out, but, like I had mentioned before in another blog, not one of them got back to me about any kind of advice.  So comics were the way to teach myself.

I picked up every comic I could, that Michael Turner, Todd McFarlane, Stephen Platt and a few others worked on and taught myself.  I wasn't looking too much at the illustration, but the coloring styles.  I told myself "I can do that".  Which, of course I couldn't do it exactly what those colorist who worked with them could do, but found my own style while teaching myself.  While I was posting my own pictures on my MySpace profile, I had a couple of artists contact me to do some coloring for them.  I was shocked  I had just started teaching myself and all of a sudden I had a couple of people contacting me to work with them on prints and to build my portfolio.  Naturally I agreed and everything started from that point.

Many years go by which brings us to just a few years ago (maybe 2012).  I've never said this before, but I think it's pretty important.
I had an opportunity to color some samples with Marvel.  Just like any kid in a candy AND toy store, I was stoked and bouncing off the walls.  The person (who I'll keep nameless) who I was working with there had sent me a few comic pages to color up as samples to he can see my work.  After a day I got all 6 pages in (yes, 6 pages).  He liked the pages, but sent me a couple of updates to work on for the pages.  No problem, I worked on them and returned them that same day.  He complimented me in getting the pages back to him in a very quickly.  After these "fixes", he sent me 10 other pages of an X-Men book.  I got them done in about a day and a half.  He emails me back and has me work on more fixes.  I worked on them, sent them in, but then didn't hear from him right away until about a week later.  When he did get back to me, he sends me more pages of other books to work on as samples.  Now I'm thinking this is a little odd. I've already colored 16 pages as samples and now he sends me (a total of) another 20 pages w/ references of the same pages that are already colored up and published.  We emailed back and forth for about a week (called him a couple of times and talked over the phone) and asked him why so many sample pages?  He said, "you want to work for Marvel,  you have to put in the time".  That didn't sit well with me.  But I started working on the next batch of pages (ALL FREE MIND YOU like the first 16 pages) and I get an email from him.
He says to me, and I quote "color like this".  As I open the pages, I see the pages I'm coloring are already colored by another colorist who I know.  I said ok, I'll do what I can.  He said, "NO, color how she colored these then you'll be good to go".

Right there, I stopped and asked him "do you want me to color exactly, mimic exactly like this other colorist?"  He said yes.  We went back and forth over the phone and emails for a couple of days.  In the back of my mind I was pretty upset.  I had my own style I've worked on in comics already at that point, and now I have a Marvel person telling me to "COPY" another colorist to look exactly like her coloring?

After about a week, I turned him down and gave him an earful.  I knew this colorist and I'm not going to take her style.  That's NOT what an artist does.  So, I turned down Marvel.

That took a lot for me to do that, but, as an artist.  I just couldn't do that.  I'm my own artist.  I'm not going to copy or mimic anyone else to get ahead.  You're going to like me for MY work.  Not copying someone elses work.

Standing up for yourself has it's own rewards.  I mentioned this incident to another artist and their bf.  She stood up and clapped while we were having dinner and gave me a hug.  Her bf said "are you stupid?  Why wouldn't you just copy the work?  It's Marvel". 
Not long after that, they broke up..lol!

So be yourself.  Looking at how others create is one thing.  Copying and mimicking them and their art is another.  Do what's right.  Do YOUR own artwork.

Wolverine Colors: Jeff Balke (me)