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Topic: To color the original, or not to color? Post Reply | Post New Topic
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Lee Troxell
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 24 June 2018
Location: United States
Posts: 27
Posted: 17 October 2020 at 9:21am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Exactly JB!  

Whenever I buy an oversized Gallery edition with the original art printed at 100% size, I love seeing either the original pencils, or inks over blue line that shows the original pencils as much as possible!

It's facinating to see the ghostly images of the original expression of a character, or the placement of an arm, lightly visible after erasing or placement of Pro White. 

It reminds me of the time I was lucky enough to see a exhibition of one of Monet's original Water Lillies triptych. They were huge in scale, but I was fascinated by one of the lower corners of one of the panels where the oil paint had been applied very thickly.  Much thicker than in other areas.  It was obvious that he had painted, painted over, and repainted that area several times in a quest to get it "just right."  Seeing that really humanized Monet to me, as I can totally identify with frustratingly working over a part of an illustration again and again until it is "just right."

The artist's process, (to me anyway,) can be as fascinating as the end result.
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132135
Posted: 17 October 2020 at 9:25am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

The artist's process, (to me anyway,) can be as fascinating as the end result.

••

I call it "seeing the work".

I recall a con where a fan approached me with another artist's work, complaining that there were white-out and razor scratches on the piece. He felt cheated to have paid for such garbage.

I pointed out that it was quite clear he really needed to be buying PRINTS.

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Mark Haslett
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 19 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 6059
Posted: 17 October 2020 at 1:43pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply

This whole bullshit idea that coloring original art is okay because it was always meant to be colored burns me up in another way as I think of it--

Even if we go down this road paved with stupid, we must remember there was a colorist hired when the work was created and that colorist did their work.

Are we to grant for some reason that, after that, anyone else who wants to take a crack at coloring it is also entitled to a go?

Say, for example, your 3 year old finger-painter?

If not, why not? They are no more removed from the original project than any other would-be-colorist.

Any reason a 3 year old shouldn't be allowed to should apply to any other would-be-colorist as well.

Edited by Mark Haslett on 17 October 2020 at 1:47pm
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Mark McKay
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2239
Posted: 17 October 2020 at 10:20pm | IP Logged | 4 post reply

A big no for me as well!

At the very, very, very, very, very least though, if someone is to commit this horrible idea, shouldn’t it only be the original colorist themselves, as they would be the other original artist of the printed version. Not some colorist for hire with zero association to the original.
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132135
Posted: 18 October 2020 at 7:06am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

Often what's being colored, Mark, are commission pieces, which were intended to be in black and white. (Most of these are colored copies, but occasionally...)

Curious how times change. When I was hired to revamp Superman, there was much outrage in some corners of fandom. How did this fit with Siegel and Shuster's "intent"?? "Intent" had recently become a big buzzword in fandom.

Now, tho, "intent" it seems is to be swept away if the viewers happen to like the result.

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Marc Baptiste
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 17 June 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 3655
Posted: 18 October 2020 at 7:35am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

<<Now, tho, "intent" it seems is to be swept away if the viewers happen to like the result.>>

Look no further than anything Frank Miller does with BATMAN to prove that!

Marc
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John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132135
Posted: 18 October 2020 at 8:49am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

When I was working on the Superman reboot I was struck by what seemed the great difference between Superman and Batman fans. While every comma I changed was subject to fan outrage, Frank made huge, sweeping changes to Batlore with, so far as I could tell, nary a squeak from the fans. New origin for Catwoman (because he didn't know she had one), different backstories for Alfred and Gordon, radical revisions to the Joker. No complaints!
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