Meet the Colorist!
You guys hear from Scott and I all the time in interviews, reviews, and our blogs. But that’s only half of what makes Atomic Robo possible. Scott and I get the lion’s share of credit for these issues, but it’s our colorist, Ronda Pattison, and our letterer, Jeff Powell, who are the glue that keeps Robo together. Like eggs when you’re baking a cake. Or whatever sad substitute vegans use. Their own tears? I don’t know.
So, I wanted to give everyone out there an opportunity to learn a little more about the unsung heroes of Team Robo.
Ronda Pattison – Staying in the Lines
I don’t know how Ronda does what she does at the pace she does it. Her work is beautiful. The attention to light alone astounds me on every single page. I mean, seriously, go and look at Robo, really look at him, on any panel and watch what Ronda does with the light and the contours of his body. We could publish this comic with just Scott’s inks and it’d look great, but then Ronda goes in and adds this whole extra dimension to his work. She gives definition to what his lines imply but she does it without crowding the eye. I’m just glad we roped her into a contract before the rest of the world discovered how talented she is, because there’s no way our little indie book could afford to pay Ronda what she deserves!
ME: Why comics?
RONDA: Serendipity.
I live in a city that used to be the home of a large comic coloring studio. I saw an ad in the paper looking for people with traditional art and Photoshop skills. I figured I have one of those skill sets, and i can learn the other, so I applied. Everything I knew about Photoshop I learned the night before my interview, but they hired me anyway. I spent years doing the Photoshop separations from paper color guides. It really amounted to little more than an artistic assembly line, but eventually I got the opportunity to do my own color design, and then I was hooked.
What were you doing before comics?
I graduated university with a Fine Arts degree, and promptly went to work at the mall. I endured that special hell for about nine months before finding a job at an art gallery. It was satisfying in many ways, but an evil boss and a desire to do something more “hands on” creative encouraged me to move on.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Just the ability to create and play. Every book is a new opportunity and learning experience. And occasionally I pull off something I’m really proud to put my name on.
Also, this past year I had the chance to attend a couple of conventions and meet a lot of comic fans. It’s incredibly gratifying to meet people who enjoy your work.
What do you goddamn hate about it?
Deadline crunches. Sometimes you have to take on a lot of work to make ends meet, and it can mean crazy long hours and serious sleep deprivation.
Clients who micro manage too closely. As a client you have the right to get whatever you want, but at some point I have to assume you chose to hire me for a reason. Trust that I know what I’m doing and give me some room to play. Luckily, Atomic Robo is the best gig in the world and “the boys” give me a tremendous amount of creative freedom.
What should someone know if he or she is looking to get into your field?
You need some basic art skills: color theory, anatomy, understanding of light and shadow. Make Photoshop your bitch so you can execute whatever you can conceive. And know some people.
Take us through how you tackle a typical page.
I start with flats. That is, laying down big areas of flat color to separate shapes and planes, etc. Once I have a rough color design worked out I start to model/render all the shapes, add in textures, etc. Special effects come last. A little tweaking, then the file is set up to printing specifications, then passed on to the letterer, or turned in to the editor, depending on the project.
Let’s face it, we make comics, we’re nerdy. What’s your biggest nerd vice?
Cartoon and toys. I keep the cartoon channel on in the background all day while I work, and I love animated movies as well. I still buy toys: action figures, collectibles, stuffed animals, what ever amuses me. My office is jammed with Tim Burton stuff.
Atomic Robo: best comic or greatest comic?
Totally awesomest comic! Seriously, it’s a joy to be involved with this book. Everyone on the project is an amazing talent and a pretty terrific human being. I love you guys!
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