posted
ooh! ooh! Ronda! You're just the person I wanted to talk to.
Forgive my ignorance of the process, but I was just wondering how much artistic discretion a colorist has. I mean, were you given color-templates for each Legionnaire, for their skin and hair colors, and their costumes? Foundations must have been an especially challenging project with all those characters and backdrops, and you did a **wonderful** job. The scenes on Apokolips, in particular, have great depth thanks in no small part to your contributions.
Now, at the risk of sounding like a nit-picky continuity geek, I was also wondering about the decision to make the color of Tromium silver-blue rather than green. I'm not complaining, mind you, nor do I necessarily consider it a "mistake" since silver-blue is unquestionably more aesthetic, and who's to say it can't come in more than one color anyway. I'm just curious to know if the color change was dictated by others, or your own artistic choice.
Finally, will you be staying on to work with the next creative teams? I hope so.
From: Reimagined Trom | Registered: Jul 2003
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I am not given any templates for colors normally. Before I took over as colorist I did the seps for Jason Wright, so I essentially continued with the colors he established, with some tweaking. I like a lot of contrast, and in each issue I find myself pushing things just a little bit more, hence the ever darkening Cosmic Boy, though I think he's pretty stable now!
As for "Jarth" and the crystal: honestly, I never knew Tromium was green until I read it here! The script just said Garth was made of crystal, and I thought glass. I was asked to match the Feister& Harris colors, since they had already done the pinup of Jan/Garth for the Secret Files. My style is obviously quite different than theirs; I just try and make him look shiny and sparkly--crystal-like. When Jarth coated everyone for the time travelling I just interpreted it as an extension of himself, and made it the same. Hope that answer is not too disappointing!
Unfortunately, I do not have the long history with the Legion that most of you do. I'm working on my collection of back issues slowly, but sometimes I just don't have reference for things, so I do what I like. Luckily I have a wonderful editor who thinks I should be allowed these little freedoms, as long as it looks good in the end.
And yes, I will be working with the next creative teams. Whew!
From: Canada | Registered: Aug 2003
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Thanks, Ronda, for taking the time to satisfy my curiosity. I'm very glad to hear you're staying with us.
From: Reimagined Trom | Registered: Jul 2003
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Actually BB, you can! It's called reconsruction inking! When DC puts out those nice hard cover archive projects, they usually don't have the originals any more. So the old comics are scanned, the color is removed ( a long and painstaking process actually) by computer to produce a new "ink", then it's recolored by computer to match the original. I've actually done a ton of that stuff.
From: Canada | Registered: Aug 2003
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Months ago, we saw a colored version of page 7 of LEGION #25 which depicted a blue Comet Queen among other differences to the final product. Who ultimately decided the colors for the cadets that were depicted in that issue?
[ March 27, 2004, 02:44 PM: Message edited by: Nightcrawler ]
From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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That page is the pre-corrected version. I do whatever I want, then my files go the editor who marks up any changes he wants, and then I make those changes. Thankfully, they're usually pretty minor. I didn't realize at the time of the first draft that the cadets where actually referencing old characters ie. Comet Queen and Blok. The script actually called for Amp Girl to be Asian-ish, and I think it may have even specified that Retro should be very pale. I can't remember for sure now. In retrospect, not my finest page.
From: Canada | Registered: Aug 2003
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I suppose it is only natural for readers to only notice color mistakes. It seems like it is the nature of the job to be ignored when everything is right, because when it is right it is how it always was. Am I making sense here?
Plus I think most of the time coloring miostakes are not the fault of the colorist, but comes from the printing process.
Anyway, I have not had any problems with the color of the Legion, so keep up the good work.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
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Hi Ronda! It's great that you came "out" here on LegionWorld! We appreciate any of the members of the creative team taking the time to join us here for a bit and provide answers to questions.
Oh, BTW, feel free to ask if you ever have a question about something. I guarantee you'll get an answer in no time at all. There are lots of longtime Legion fans here with information crammed into their brains just waiting to offer help or advice to someone on the "team"!
-------------------- "Hey Jim! Get Mon out of the Zone!! And...when do we get Condo back?"
From: Paragon City on patrol | Registered: Jul 2003
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Bonjour Owl Lad! I was going to try and write the rest of this in French, but I'm too rusty and I'd just embarass myself! Actually, I'm in Winnipeg, so I guess that puts me pretty much right in the middle of the country. But I do live on the edge of our French quarter, just off la rue des meurons!
posted
To chime in with the chorus, welcome and thanks for de-cloaking.
I really enjoyed the two-page spread from Legion 26, and thought that your colours leapt out. That finished image made a wonderful desktop image!
Since you have mentioned it, I am curious about the change in Rokk's costume from lavender (purple? My friend who's a colour freak would no doubt kill me for not more accurately describing the colour, but...) to more of a blue? Was it your discretion, or a team move? I'm always curious about those types of changes... not bothered by them, but curious.
Also, in that Academy spread pictured above, is that supposed to be Blok? Here I was thinking it was good ol' Dag 'Stone Boy' Wentim, except with the ability to move while rockhard.
From: Vancouver, BC | Registered: Nov 2003
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Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
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