Is all Marvel artwork computer generated now?
OhioGuy
to be the famed bullpen, where geniuses like Lee, Kirby, Ditko, Romita,
Byrne, Claremont, and too many others to mention used to write, draw, and
ink the stories of Marvel's mighty cast. Once filled with pens and drawing
tables, that area is now a cubicled sea of computers ready to render what
fills today's comics."
The above quote came from Tim Beyers at Motley Fool who got a 1 hour tour
of Marvel operations recently by Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.
Is this true? They don't use real pens and ink any more to do the
artwork? All of it is computer generated?
If that is true, it is really a letdown for me. I had noticed when I got
back into comics a couple of years ago that they looked a bit different as
far as detail. A few of the DC Kiddie titles, especially, look completely
fake. (computer generated, as if very little work was actually done on an
issue)
Doesn't anyone still do things the old fashioned way?
Michael
John Byrne does a lot of his backgrounds in computer but still draws the
figures freehand.
Bryan Hitch SHOULD go to a computer if he doesn't already use one! That
might help him get stuff out kinda on time.
Michael
wbe
> Is this true? They don't use real pens and ink any more to do the
> artwork? All of it is computer generated?
I don't know, but given the speed and convenience of digital/computer-based
communication, it wouldn't surprise me if artists who prefer pen and ink
and freehand drawing could/would still work that way, and then, when done,
scan the result and send it in via the 'Net instead of mailing it in on
paper. Such art wouldn't be "computer generated", but it would be
submitted in some standard digital format. Then, as the article you read
said, the computers in Marvel's bullpen area could display the result.
Using a computer system probably helps keep things more organized than a
bunch of individual pieces of paper, too.
Beyond that, how much is still done freehand and how much via CGI would be
up to the artists and Marvel. Certainly artwork like that in X-Men
Infection doesn't look like CGI. Don't confuse printing/publishing
technology with artwork management.
-WBE
Lee K. Seitz
>"But I'll still lament the past. On my way out of Marvel, I passed what used
>to be the famed bullpen, where geniuses like Lee, Kirby, Ditko, Romita,
>Byrne, Claremont, and too many others to mention used to write, draw, and
>ink the stories of Marvel's mighty cast. Once filled with pens and drawing
>tables, that area is now a cubicled sea of computers ready to render what
>fills today's comics."
>
> The above quote came from Tim Beyers at Motley Fool who got a 1 hour tour
>of Marvel operations recently by Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada.
>
> Is this true? They don't use real pens and ink any more to do the
>artwork? All of it is computer generated?
Most of the artwork is still hand pencilled and inked by hand, but
these days it's usually scanned to be lettered and colored by
computer. And most comic book professionals work from home, not at
the Marvel or DC offices. That's been true for a long time.
--
lkseitz (Lee K. Seitz) .at. hiwaay @dot@ net
"Wonder Woman was one of my earliest heroines."
-- Gloria Steinem, _Fifty Who Made DC Great_, DC Comics, 1985
OhioGuy
>offices. That's been true for a >long time.
Why is that? That sounds like that would have something to do with why
the artists and writers are constantly changing, instead of remaining more
constant like it used to. What do they do - farm out the work to the
"lowest bidder"?
james...@hmrcaspire.com
> >And most comic book professionals work from home, >not at the Marvel or DC
> >offices. That's been true for a >long time.
>
> Why is that?
I'd guess because, if what a person's doing is sitting at a desk and
writing/drawing, why do they need to do it in an office in New York?
The Black Guardian
I'd imagine that it's a lot easier for both Marvel and the creators.
Given the choice, I know I'd rather work from home. This could
especially be true for a creative job. And Marvel wouldn't need as
much space for its offices.
Plus, these days, the talent can come from all over the world very
easily, not just New York (or just the US/Canada).
And no, they don't farm out work to the lowest bidder. I'm sure for
some jobs they try to get the most economical talent, but I'm also
sure they try to get who they feel is the best talent. Sometimes,
particular writers will push for particular pencilers/inkers (this
tends to be truer for the big name writers who have the clout).
Jerry B. Ray, Jr.
<james...@hmrcaspire.com> wrote:
>I'd guess because, if what a person's doing is sitting at a desk and
>writing/drawing, why do they need to do it in an office in New York?
And not to burst any bubbles, but the "Marvel Bullpen" was largely
mythical, anyway. I'm not sure there was ever a time when all the
great writers and artists were sitting around the office cranking out
comics, and if there was, it was a long, LONG time ago.
JRjr
--
%%%%% Jerry B. Ray, Jr. %%%%%%%% www.prism.gatech.edu/~jr70 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%
"Some will shake off the sloth of faithlessness
While others simply languish in their sleep
Me, I just fight to stay awake..." -- VOL, "Black Cloud O'er Me"
Billy Bissette
Even before scanning images and sending them over the internet was
possible, scripts and pages were sent by mail.
You can read interviews with people that worked on classic comics
that mention things like describing scripts and fielding artwork
questions over the phone, sometimes with parties that were in a
different state.
Computers and the internet only facilitate what is ultimately some
of the most feasible "work at home" jobs around.
As well, I doubt comics are that profitable a career, unless you
are one of the more prolific workers or managed an extremely favorable
deal. Moving to a rather expensive city for questionable job security
is a risk. And again computers and the internet have mitigated that
risk. And have allowed Marvel (and DC) to hire artists that would
not otherwise make the move.
Martin Phipps
This is particularly true for the artists who need a lot of space to
do their work. Claremont would say in interviews that he liked to
meet editors face to face to discuss ideas but nowadays it would make
more sense to send in scripts by e-mail.
Martin
M.O.R
Well I know Frank Quitely, Dave Gibbons and Brian Bolland all use
computers and a Wacom tablet to do their work, no longer relying on
pencil and paper. Brian Denham and Dan Fraga also use computers
mainly. They usually do a rough sketch or gesture of the page first
and then scan it in, and then begin pencilling it and inking it on pc
or mac. It has helped alot of artists, mainly because it allows them
to adjust drawings, and instead of making a mistake, and erasing it,
they just hit ctrl+z, or undo, and the mistake is gone. Whereas with
pencil, even if it is erased, there is still a trace of it left. And
a mistake prone artist may dirty up a page and have to use a new one
if he is very accident prone and uses a heavy lead. And that is just
pencilling, what about the inker? What happens when she/he makes a
mistake, he paints over it, but what if an accident happens, and she/
he knocks over the inkell and spills it all over the only copy of the
page?
It's these questions that make alot of artists turn to comps instead
of the traditional pencil/ pen and paper.
M.O.R
> "OhioGuy" <n...@none.net> wrote innews:esa4kl$gej$1...@aioe.org:
Comics can be profitable, depending on where ya live, for example, if
you are a comic book artist living in Ireland, or any type of artist
(music, other areas of art, etc) then you don't have to pay tax unless
your earnings are more than E250,000. So if other countries are just
like Ireland or similar in terms of tax exemption, comic book art can
be a very profitable career.