"And around 1961, Jack Kirby didn’t do his own inking, and he asked me if I could fill in and do a Jack Kirby. He couldn’t find anyone to ink it, and so I inked it, and Stan liked it quite a bit. He liked the combination. So it progressed from there, and Stan just kept sending me more Jack Kirby stuff, and I felt I could make as much inking as I could penciling, so I proceeded to ink primarily for Stan."
Back when I was an art student (School of Visual Arts in NYC) circa 1986-1987, I had a friend/classmate who was a friend/acolyte of Walt Simonson and he took me to Simonson's NYC studio (which he shared with one or two other artists - although, I can't recall who now).
This was obviously during Walt's famed THOR run, and on his drawing board and lightbox (actually, it was freestanding and looked more like a video game console, that's how big it was) were various sketches and roughs of his THOR work.
Even in the trash! I could easily have picked genuine pieces of awesomeness from his wastepaper basket - but I couldn't help but feel that was wrong (especially since Walt wasn't there at the time, as he must have stepped out before we arrived).
But I remember he had tons of conceptual sketches (AND a framed illustration, by some classic artist or other, of a Norse scene - going to say it was Thor or maybe something from Ring of the Nebelung or something - I can only recall it hung on a brick pillar next to his drafting table).
Anyway, the point is... even his roughest doodles were beautiful!
ps: years later, I was able to retell this tale to Walt himself (who was at a signing in the comic shoppe for which I was house-artist - in 1989). SUCH a nice guy!
Wonder why Sinnott never drew anything himself? It's obvious he was a solid illustrator.
ReplyDeleteHey Pj, you're absolutely correct. That's a good question I'll have to follow up on... :)
ReplyDelete"And around 1961, Jack Kirby didn’t do his own inking, and he asked me if I could fill in and do a Jack Kirby. He couldn’t find anyone to ink it, and so I inked it, and Stan liked it quite a bit. He liked the combination. So it progressed from there, and Stan just kept sending me more Jack Kirby stuff, and I felt I could make as much inking as I could penciling, so I proceeded to ink primarily for Stan."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mrmedia.com/?p=159
Back when I was an art student (School of Visual Arts in NYC) circa 1986-1987, I had a friend/classmate who was a friend/acolyte of Walt Simonson and he took me to Simonson's NYC studio (which he shared with one or two other artists - although, I can't recall who now).
ReplyDeleteThis was obviously during Walt's famed THOR run, and on his drawing board and lightbox (actually, it was freestanding and looked more like a video game console, that's how big it was) were various sketches and roughs of his THOR work.
Even in the trash! I could easily have picked genuine pieces of awesomeness from his wastepaper basket - but I couldn't help but feel that was wrong (especially since Walt wasn't there at the time, as he must have stepped out before we arrived).
But I remember he had tons of conceptual sketches (AND a framed illustration, by some classic artist or other, of a Norse scene - going to say it was Thor or maybe something from Ring of the Nebelung or something - I can only recall it hung on a brick pillar next to his drafting table).
Anyway, the point is... even his roughest doodles were beautiful!
ps: years later, I was able to retell this tale to Walt himself (who was at a signing in the comic shoppe for which I was house-artist - in 1989).
SUCH a nice guy!
Hey ~P~, thanks for sharing such a cool story.
ReplyDelete