20 Responses to “Something by Alex Niño, Gilbert Monsanto”

1. Rod Samonte on April 9th, 2008 1:11 am

   Gerry,
   Alex Nino definitely is a master of the flowing lines and drapery. I don’t know exactly when this was drawn, but I can see here, influences of both Coching and Emil Rodriguez, particularly the rocks, probably something he picked up during his development, and away from Redondo. Also, I am not aware in what context he did the illustration of the main character, but by just looking at it, as a stand-alone illustration, I can’t really tell if this is a man or a woman. The long flowing tresses and the quite feminine face suggests it’s a woman, but then the big upper torso and the big head and large neck, plus the rather straight body and the too thin legs seems like it might be a man. Again, I don’t know in what context that he drew this, maybe the character is a hermaphrodite. Then again, it could be a young boy or girl. Whatever, the lines are excellent, and a prime example of a Nino illustration.
   Rod

2. Ed on April 9th, 2008 9:28 am

   Amazing brush strokes when I saw that original piece. I’ve been practicing brush works lately and I think it’s better than just all-quill works.

3. Reno on April 9th, 2008 9:37 am

   I think it’s a young man, maybe in his late teens.

   Any chance we can see the full size so we, too, can appreciate the brush strokes? :)

   Si Gilbert hindi mahilig sa superheroes, ‘no? :P

4. Jose Mari Lee on April 9th, 2008 10:08 am

   Ginoong Samonte:

   When Emil Rodriguez left the Philippines,
   he was doing CLODUALDO DEL MUNDO’S ANAK NI PRINSIPE AMANTE. AlexNino continued the series mid-way. Like your idea of combining Coching and Rodriguez, I had the same notion as well. His drapery and flowing lines are undeniably RODRIGUEZ. Though the rough lines of Rodriguez were raplced by finer lines which was Nino’s.

   In fact, even EMIL RODRIGUEZ’ characters with open mouth and with saliva, Nino did them as well. If you look at some pages of Prinsipe Amante, some male characters were doing the same expression and mouth full of saliva.

   I have always believed that Emil Rodriguez’ style had influenced Nino’s drawings more than that of Coching’s. Though Rodriguez’ figures are more good looking than that of Nino’s.

   Therefore, looking at Rodriguez’ drawing is like looking at the Gods, while Nino… the grotesque.

5. Rod Samonte on April 9th, 2008 12:59 pm

   Ginoong JM,
   Nice historical background here. I never saw Anak ni Prinsipe Amante. Looks like my suspicions are correct. Definitely looks like Rodriguez had an influence in the development of Nino’s style, and further distancing himself from Redondo.

   Ed,
   Looks to me like Nino’s illustration is a combination of quill and brush, basing that opinion largely on the varied thick and thin lines throughout, that bird in the foreground for example. I’m also wondering if he uses white, to remove excess lines, the rocks for example has that quality of a scratchboard drawing.
   Rod

6. auggie on April 9th, 2008 1:11 pm

   Rod/JM,

   I like both Alex & Emil. They belong to different eras though. Mas malikot ang imagination ni Alex, while Emil’s work was close to the idealized aesthetics of the Greeks. Emil’s work on DIMASUPIL and SANDALYAS NI ZAFIRA are I think classic na…

7. jose mari Lee on April 9th, 2008 8:24 pm

   Though Emil used brush on all his drawings, sometimes, like Redondo, it was not unusual to see the borders done in Chinese brush as well. In fact, I saw an old Superyor komiks where Nestor Redondo had a column on how to draw, and one of the lessons there was : make your borders using Chinese brush! He-he.

   Auggie:

   Siguro mga 10 years ang agwat nina Emil at Alex. It was 1964 when Alex replaced Emil in ANAK NI PRINSIPE AMANTE. Though it was the year when Emil quit the Philippines and Alex was just finding his own style. Nino’s figures are not beautiful, more or less like the figures of RUBENY. Very good drawings, but the figures are deliberately done ugly. Kaya nga may mga stories lang na bagay sa drawings nilang dalawa. Unlike Coching and Rodriguez, tama ka, mga Greek Gods ang looks ng mga characters nila. And both of them (Nino and Rubeny) were influenced by Rodriguez (who was influenced by Coching). So when Rodriguez was inspired by Coching, he took the “look” and the brush work, made his drawings with more exaggerated expression and more emphasized drapery.

   So looking at Coching, Rodriguez, Ruben Yandoc and Alex Nino’s drawings, there is one thing in common: the EXPRESSION. All their characters’ hands are “TALKING”. Examine all the hands of their characters and you’ll notice how they “speak” to the readers.

   Ginoong Samonte:

   Quill and Chinese brush were the order of their era. This is the way I learned to draw. Now, when I see younger artists using fine markers, I am shocked (secretly) and I don’t fall into argumentum ad hominem by saying: “In my time…”

   Not very many artists are using quill these days. Dell barras is a fantastic quill user. He was the one who showed me how it works. Anyway, the older RP illustrators were mostly quill/Chinese brush artists.

8. Gerry Alanguilan on April 9th, 2008 8:30 pm

   Reno: Dadalhin ko minsan pag lumuwas ako para makita mo. Ibang klase talaga. Or invite kita minsan sa Komikero meeting namin kung free ka. :D

9. Rod Samonte on April 10th, 2008 12:00 am

   Ginoong JM,
   I also learned to illustrate comics using the Chinese brush. I must have bought a lot of different Chinese brushes of all sizes at Ongpin in those days when I was learning. However, the disadvantage of Chinese brush was that they were not made to last long, and usually loose their points after a while. I used the bigger brushes as they hold more ink, less dipping into the India ink. Later I learned that Grumbacher camel hairs, could do the job just as well, and last longer because they were made to last. I still have my Grumbacher brushes that I used 30-40 years ago. Quills I never got used to, I thought they were unwieldy, takes time and a lot of dipping into the inkwell. But it’s a matter of practice, and you get wonderful lines you can’t get with a brush. One thing about India ink is it’s permanent, indelible and lasts forever, especially when used on a good surface. Fine markers, are sometimes water soluble, hard to make corrections with white showcard, and will also fade.
   Rod

10. auggie on April 10th, 2008 9:54 am

    Rod,

    I also used to practice a lot with the Chinese brush bought in Ongpin, Go Soc, and Enriquez during those days when I was fantasizing to be the next Redondo of the Philippines. Mura lang yung brush kaya marami akong binibili. Yung iba, tinatasahan ko ng Gillette blade, as shown to me by Pidong Alcala, ( nirorotate lang ang brush, steady yung blade). Yung India Ink , ina-adulterate ko ng distilled water para huwag masyadong malapot, at mabilis ipahid. Yung mga ni-ririp off kung illustrations eh yung DAYUKDOK, TULISAN, PANGINOON, ZIGZAG, etc… meron namang improvement, but I realized na it will take me a lifetime, and of course , earlier pa ,I know my limitations. I also used to practice a lot with JOE KUBERT’s SGT. ROCK of Easy Company…iba naman ang hagod dito…

    Yung Quill at Crowquill , eh pang plate lang sa ILLUSTRATION Class yun…..

11. Reno on April 10th, 2008 10:09 am

    Gerry… kung madala mo sa Free Comic Book Day sa Comic Odyssey, e di maigi. :)

    Rod… one of the things I was wondering about since I started drawing komiks in the late 80s is why they called white correction paint “showcard.” Was this what it was originally called?

12. Gerry Alanguilan on April 10th, 2008 12:18 pm

    Reno, sige dalhin ko sa FCBD.

    As for showcard, brand sya ng white paint na ang pangalan ay “Shōcard”. :)

13. Rod Samonte on April 10th, 2008 1:13 pm

    Reno,
    Tama si Gerry. Shocard nga yata ang pangalan , and I think it was mainly made by Grumbacher. Wala pang mga Japanese brands noon. Just like acrylic now, and you can buy the full spectrum of colors, and it was water soluble, but unlike acrylic it was not waterproof when it dries. Since it was opaque and water soluble, the white was great for retouching comics, and a good brand will not crack, when you ink over it. It was actually a type of poster color, used by all illustrators at that time in the 60s to 70s, I guess, until, acrylics was invented. It was what we used in school also for our projects, and at the start of school you’re required to buy a set of Shocard colors and brushes. I used to work in an advertising agency and this was the standard coloring material we used for all illustrations, sometimes combining it with Prang water color.
    I guess it disappeared once acrylic became popular.

    Auggie,
    I remember that technique of cutting the very tip of the Chinese brush with a sharp blade, para hindi matulis na matulis and dulo. Can’t remember who taught me now. Also add water to your Higgins India Ink para madulas ang hagod sa cartolina. That’s why many of the originals from that period, the black areas weren’t black-black. But they said it didn’t matter when it was photograph for reproduction, as they will do it in high-contrast.
    Rod

14. Rod Samonte on April 10th, 2008 2:14 pm

    More on Shocard or Poster colors. Actually, it skip my mind, they’re TEMPERA colors. Grumbacher and other brands made tempera colors. However, even when when we were using Grumbacher or other brands of tempera, the name Shocard was used. I suppose that’s similar to shaving blade being called Gilette, or toothpaste, Colgate.
    Rod

15. auggie on April 10th, 2008 3:21 pm

    Reno/Rod,

    Yung Showcard is actually, TEMPERA COLORS, yun ang standard noon. Yung pang retoke, eh yung puti. Ang showcard/tempera eh opaque ang effect as against watercolor na manipis at transparent. Pwede silang paghaluin as in mixed media. GRUMBACHER at PRANG ang sikat noon, altho merong mas cheaper na showcard, parang Corona yata, nakalimutan ko na. extremely affordable ang mga ito noong araw.

    Ngayon, ano na ba ang ginagamit na pang retouch ?

16. Gerry Alanguilan on April 10th, 2008 4:37 pm

    “Ngayon, ano na ba ang ginagamit na pang retouch ?”

    Photoshop? he.he.

    Actually sa totoo lang. Pag nagkakamali ako, minsan pinababayaan ko na lang, sa photoshop ko na lang aayusin. Pero if it bothers me at gusto ko sa papel ayusin, ginagamitan ko ng water based typing correction fluid.

17. auggie on April 10th, 2008 6:46 pm

    Gerry,
    Meron pa namang puting showcard na binebenta di ba ?, pero pwede rin nga yung typewriter writing fluid.

    Rod,

    naalala ko na yung cheaper showcard noon, SANFORDS, at ang technical pen naman noon eh ROMUS, which was very crude…..

18. jose mari Lee on April 10th, 2008 8:57 pm

    ROMUS di ko na naabutan iyon. ROTRING, Ko-hi-noor, staedtler ang mga naabutan kogn technical pens.

    Sa Advertising noon ang gamit namin daily ay tempera at transparent water color.

    With Photoshop, I bet the sales of tempera must have gone down to the dogs.

    Noon, sa final artwork, puro pa compass at tech pen ang gamit. Letra, kinakamay namin iyon. Ayaw kasi ng hindi orig yung mga clients. Nahasa ako nang husto sa paggawa ng orig text na mano-mano.

    Parusa ito kung sa point of view ng mga artists ngayon.

19. Rod Samonte on April 11th, 2008 2:13 am

    Auggie,
    Buhay pa yata yung Romus ko. Magaling pang-letra.

    JM,
    Parusa nga yung handlettering. Lahat noon handlettering, at pag-final artwork na you use rubber cement to paste down types. Sarap ng mga computer ngayon.

    Gerry,
    Oo nga, Photoshop na. Tutal ipapadala mo rin lang as a digital file.
    Rod

20. auggie on April 11th, 2008 7:38 am

    Oo, mi subject nga kami noon, LETTERING, talagang Castigo !mano-mano talaga. Nahasa din kami noon sa SPEEDBALL dahil sa exercises sa OLD ENGLISH. Buti na lang naimbento ang LETRASET. Pero nabitima rin ito ng Computer technology.