A painter, also known as an embellisher or finisher, is an important part of creating comics and graphic novels. They work in teams with a draftsman, responsible for the finished outlines of a graphic image. In the digital age, some inks are made on computers, but many comic book artists suggest that acquiring artistic skills is vital.
A painter, also known as an embellisher or finisher, is a vital part of creating comics and graphic novels. Many artists work in teams with a draftsman, who draws the initial outlines of each image. Responsible for the finished outlines of a graphic image, a painter must possess considerable skill and speed as an artist and may also be involved in creating the story that is represented visually on the page.
In a traditional team of comic book artists, the penciller draws initial outlines of each image using the artist’s pencil. While this gives you considerable control over the basic design, an inkwell has the power to subtly enhance and define areas of ink that your starter ink pencil cannot accomplish. In hand-drawn comics, an inkwell is extremely important because most printers cannot capture the clearest pencil outlines. Without an inkwell, much of the shading and contouring would be lost in the reproduction process.
Artists typically have an art background and may even earn degrees in an artistic milieu. Although occasionally considered unartistic, many comic book experts believe that a painter’s job requires as much artistic skill and speed as a draftsman. The inkwell’s stigma as an unskilled job probably comes from the fact that it is sometimes a job given to an apprentice or assistant who is not yet ready to create their own designs. However, even apprentices are usually qualified professionals with several years of training and artistic experience.
As the digital age overtakes the world, some inks are made on computers. Using comic book-specific programs, digital markers do the same job as hand-drawn markers, but can do it with considerably more speed and consistency. Furthermore, a computer ink cartridge has the advantage of being able to easily and quickly eliminate errors, a problem that hand-drawn finishers often face.
Since many well-known comic book artists started out as embellishers, some choose to continue painting their own work rather than handing it over to a second artist to complete. This can slow down the process considerably, but it allows the initial artist to maintain much greater control over the final image. Being able to draw and paint pictures is usually reserved for top performers in the field; it can be seen as a sign of superior status and skill.
Many comic book artists suggest that in order to start a career in inking, acquiring artistic skills is vital. Many fine arts schools offer courses that can be beneficial to a comic book artist, including figure drawing and computer courses that train artists in the latest art software. Some comic book artists have no formal training, but have learned themselves through reading and hands-on experience.
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