By Steve Morris
After reading Bon Alimagno’s excellent interview/evaluation with colorist Erick Arciniega on iFanboy, I decided that it was time for more of us to start jumping on the coloring bandwagon. Getting the right colorist on a comic can be crucial to the success of the book, and yet there’s really very little coverage of this side of the industry available. With that in mind I contacted colorist-whizz (and nicest man alive) Val Staples, whose recent credits include books like Swamp Thing, New Mutants, Deadpool and Hulk, to get a basic insight into his life as a colorist.
Val’s answers bring up some interesting points about coloring as a day-to-day job, and you can see a lot of correlation between his responses and the points made previously in Alimagno’s article.
Steve: How did you make your start in comics? Were you first looking to come in as a colourist, or did you start as an inker, writer, penciller?
Val Staples: My friend Matt Tyree and I had been comic book fans since we were kids, and we both wanted to make a comic together. Both of us are artists but he is a MUCH better artist than me. As I had done creative writing all my life, eventually I focused on writing and he on pencilling. Then, for whatever reason, we split the remaining chores of making a comic and decided to learn them. Matt took inking and I took coloring and lettering.
I then became a self-taught colorist. After honing my craft for a couple years I started attending conventions. Jonboy Meyers and I use to tag team together hunting out work. Plus, Jonboy had already gotten to know a few people in toys and comics, so it wasn’t long before I had some opportunities come my way. Then it was onwards and upwards!
Steve: Is it a difficult business to stay in? You see some pencillers unable to continue in the industry because there can be such quick turnaround in demand. How do you keep yourself working?
Staples: I’d say most businesses, especially any freelance work, is one part talent, one part punctuality and one part professionalism. A lot of people who work in this industry say you can often get two of those things, but rarely all three, so hold onto the people who do all three.
I’ve been coloring now for over 10 years, and I still fear what next month is going to be like. I’d love to be Exclusive to a publisher JUST for the dependability so I can relax at night knowing I have work for a while.
I think of myself as a B-List colorist. I’m not the first person people think of when they think of a colorist, but they often eventually recall my name. I’ve been able to stay employed because I do believe I’m fairly talented. I also think a lot of people find me enjoyable to work with. I know the only thing my editors sweat on a bit is I’m very much a “by the deadline” kind of guy. I map out a schedule and work very linearly. I have a hard time jumping from project to project. I find that it disrupts my creative flow and focus on mood, story telling and harmony. So I tend to work week-to-week on my projects.
Some editors get a bit edgy
“For a while there I was actively contacting reviewers and thanking them for their feedback on colors”
That is a gross misrepresentation, sir. You once sent me a big honkin’ chocolate-chip cookie all across the Atlantic Ocean, and it was the chewiest thing I’ve ever had.
To this day, I still DREAM of the awesome tremendous cookie that Val Staples sent me when I’d recommended CRIMINAL on my blog.
Very interesting interview.
I am always happy when I read “Staples” on a comic book cover and I’m loving Val’s work on the current (Red) Hulk book.
This is the passage, however, that stuck in my head: “And a “week off” is all I can afford [...] the more time you take, the more time you aren’t working. If you’re not working, you don’t get paid. You don’t get paid, bills don’t get paid. It’s pretty stressful.”
Does it actually mean that Val can’t financially afford more than one week off?
It would bleak if such an accomplished and dependable colorist can’t make a good living out of his craft. Is that the case?
Very interesting interview.
I am always happy when I read “Staples” on a comic book cover and I’m loving Val’s work on the current (Red) Hulk book.
This is the passage, however, that stuck in my head: “And a “week off” is all I can afford [...] the more time you take, the more time you aren’t working. If you’re not working, you don’t get paid. You don’t get paid, bills don’t get paid. It’s pretty stressful.”
Does it actually mean that Val can’t financially afford more than one week off?
It would bleak if such an accomplished and dependable colorist can’t make a good living out of his craft. Is that the case?
(woops, sorry for the double posting…)
It’s more of a personal than something reflective on the industry as a whole. It’s one part me still having old debts that I’m repaying so I currently have no savings for vacations, and another part fearing that taking time off for a vacation will result in my being replaced on my projects and not having that work to return to. :-)
The 2nd part if my own irrational fear. The 1st part is something that I hope to soon be free of (13 more months if everything goes well). Being freelance requires a lot more discipline about your own finances.
The notion of a paid vacation is a heavenly idea, though. :-D
[...] is that it’s not an easy life, kids. Here’s colorist Val Staples, talking about the realities of life as a freelance comic book colorist: ” I have not had a REAL vacation since 1994. Even when I “take a week off”, I am still [...]
[...] Creators | Colorist Val Staples discusses the freelance life — deadlines, editors, and seldom taking a vacation. [The Beat] [...]