From the Inbox: The Best Technique for…
Published by Matt Glover May 30th, 2007 in From the Inbox
This arrived from Matt a while ago:
What’s the best technique for coloring?
Let me answer that by asking another question - what’s the best flavour of ice-cream?
For me, nothing comes close to chocolate. And if you can give me one of those triple choc flavours that is so rich it leaves your head spinning and your stomach churning, all the better!
However, my wife doesn’t like any ice-cream that has ‘bits’ in it. Choc bits, honeycomb, nuts whatever. If something crunches, then it’s not real ice-cream.
My sister thinks strawberry is the best. My eldest son, well he doesn’t care. As long as it is ice-cream, he’ll eat it.
My point? Well, there is no such thing as the best coloring technique. Some people prefer the traditional media, other use 100% digital media while many use a mix of both. It really doesn’t matter!!
My advice is always to experiment with as many techniques as your budget will allow for and then settle with one or two that you really like. Ask how others do it and learn from their experience. And always be willing to give something else a go if you’re getting a bit bored.
At the moment, I’m using a Wacom tablet and Corel Painter to paint digital watercolor. It’s giving me a look I’ve not used before and it’s fun! Ask me again this time next year and it might be different again.
How’s that for an unsatisfying answer?!
I am wandering a little off topic here, but it is all connected:
I wonder how many colour blind cartoonists there are out there? I am one. Having had a go at colouring using several software programmes, I have given up.
My eyes are not seeing the finished product the way others see them. So now I have deleted all colour work off my website. I had gags, stuff to show I can work for commerce and sales organisations, being an ex salesman of many years, and other works.
Being 70, I also decided that I don’t have the years ahead and time to keep blitzing the media in the forlorn hope of selling work. So, I have brought back my own characters in their own series in black & white only.
I figure it could be wiser to be known for good B&W work than poor colour work. I know story strips are not doing well these days outside of syndication. They are out of fashion apparantly. But so am I, and I survive!
The thing is, I am doing my own thing the way I want. If it gets picked up, great. If it doesn’t… well, hard luck on me and so what!
I would always be interested to hear from other colour blind cartoonists and their experiences.