One of the 3rd San Pablo City Comics Festival main events was an art contest with two categories, Children’s and Young Adults. Since I was from San Pablo and was familiar with how art contests are usually held, we decided on a twist that would challenge the contestants. First of all, we did not have a theme for the contest, but rather a challenge.

Since we in the Komikero Artists Group are of the belief that art should be learned by stages, beginning with the basics before moving on to more advanced techniques, we challenged the contestants to depict any scene at the Ultimart Mall, but illustrate it as close to life as possible. We discouraged using whatever styles they had so far developed be it Japanese, American or European, and simply draw from life as faithfully as possible. We believe that this exercise would help hone an artist’s powers of observation, and help the artist develop his own unique interpretation of life. We believe this is a way which an aspiring artist should begin.

And if in the future they decide to stylize their art to their own preference, then their work will be much more fundamentally sound armed with the knowledge of the basics, and hopefully they would have developed their own unique artistry to make their own mark on whatever style they chose to use.

Alexis B. Ravana (OST), winner in the Young Adults Category

The challenge also included a test if contestants would follow instructions. We also believe that any aspiring artist should learn a certain amount of professionalism by following instructions that they were given. Although it’s rather strange to give artists certain restrictions, but we believe it is important to have restrictions for artists who are just starting out. This is to help guide them into the proper process of learning about art, and how to develop themselves as artists properly. Once an artist knows the basics, then they are now free to experiment as they wish as full fledged artists. But before they get to that level, they need to learn a lot of things first.

“Bago ka maging feeling artist, maging artist ka muna.” Or more appropriately, “Before you break the rules, learn the rules by heart first.” This is one of the things I personally wanted to emphasize on.

Judges for the contest include Pol Medina (Pugad Baboy Creator), Kajo Baldisomo (Artist of Trese) and Carlo Pagulayan (Marvel Comics Artist).

Congrats to all the winners, and thanks to all those who joined, and thanks to the judges who helped choose our winners. Merry Christmas!

Related posts:

“Underpass” by A.S. Vel and Nestor Redondo
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/3374

Emil Rodriguez Mini Gallery
http://alanguilan.com/sanpablo/2005/09/emil-d-rodriguez-part-2.html

Valedictory Address illustrated by Emil Rodriguez
http://alanguilan.com/sanpablo/2005/09/emil-d-rodriguez.html

Offsite:

Pinoy Comics USA: Emil Rodriguez: First to America
http://pinoykomiksausa.blogspot.com/2009/02/featured-artist-emil-rodriguez.html

Emilio Rodriguez’ Moses:Elevating the Art of the Comics
http://pilipinokomiks.blogspot.com/2006/03/emilio-rodriguez-moseselevating-art-of.html

Featured creators include Gio Paredes, Paolo Fabregas and Budjette Tan. Mabuhay ang Pinoy Komiks!

Although many in the chain of comic book creation are affected, it is comic book inkers and hand letterers that I think are being hit hardest. With the development of new ways of producing comics, companies are starting to use inkers and hand letterers less and less.

For those not fully aware of the chain that describes the production of comic books, it usually starts off with a writer coming up with a script. It is then handed over to a penciller, who draws the story in pencil. And then an inker comes in who clarifies and solidifies the pencils using a variety of inking tools like pens, brushes, etc. This is to make the artwork more easily reproduced in printing. The page is then handed to a colorist who will add colors, usually by a variety of computer programs, Photoshop being the most common. In the older days, the lettering was applied by hand before the page was inked. Today, comics are computer lettered after a page is colored.

Because computers are now used more and more in production, it’s now easier to work directly from a penciller’s lines. Skipping the inker, the pencils are processed in Photoshop to make it cleaner and darker, and is then colored on directly. To make this process work, pencillers are usually required to pencil more tightly and more cleanly. Although pencillers can charge more for the extra work, the production cost is still reduced when taking the inker out of the equation. It makes perfect business sense, and I really can’t fault any company that would endeavor to cut costs in production. This is perfectly true for any business.

Unfortunately, this means inkers are getting less and less work. This is a reality that all inkers need to face. We can’t stop technology. Once it gets a foothold, for better or for worse, nothing can stop it. All we can do is adapt and ride the waves.

Here’s an article by comics artist Sean Gordon Murphy on his fears that comic book inking is becoming obsolete:
http://seangordonmurphy.deviantart.com/journal/Obsolete-Inking-271985217

Here’s inker Joe Weems about his need for an inking job:
http://joeweems5.deviantart.com/journal/Who-needs-some-Inks-273313029

Other inkers have expressed the same sentiments at mailing lists and direct emails to me.

It’s one of the many reasons I kept pushing to create my own comics like Wasted and Elmer. I feel the need to diversify and become adept at other aspects of comic book creating. I have to think of my future. I’m perfectly happy inking Leinil Yu for all time in whatever he does, but there is always the possibility that it will not always be there. So I will continue creating my own comics, and continue creating my own characters. I do it not really just because of necessity, but because I want to do it. What I had written before about my need to express my creativity in other ways is still true, much more so today.

If I can give some advice to my fellow comic book pros who may find themselves in a dire situation, never forget that you are an artist first and foremost. Forget about that “tracer” crap because we all know it’s not true. Give a non artist some pencilled art and he won’t know what to do with it. As artists ourselves, we completely understand what we need to do. You are artists, and inking is not the only thing you can do. Give pencilling a try, or writing , or coloring. If they don’t hire you, publish your own comic book. Find sponsors or get a Kickstarter going. Next, you can do commissions. Commissions are what some of my friends do when they’re in between jobs. It pays very well too. Since I’m in between jobs myself, I will start on a couple of commissions too. Sell your original art. If you’re US based, it’s so easy to attend a convention and sell your art there. You can spend the day sketching and you’ll get something out of that. Next, you can explore other fields of art. Create logos, design T-shirts, provide designs for tattoos, go into animation, go into painting, accept jobs from advertising companies. Next, you can even start your own business. If you self published your own work, you can merchandise the crap out of it. There are so many things you can do as an artist!

I hope aspiring artists take all this to heart and learn from the lessons we are seeing today. It’s not enough that you manage to break in today. Your future is not secure. As a 16 year veteran of comics my future is not secure. But that is the risk any artist takes. As artists our every decision is a risk. Once you are in comics, always treat it as your last project and work the hell out of it, working the best that you can. More importantly, do it on time. The proving process never ends. You’re only as good as your last job. Never become complacent. It only takes one bad job and one disappointed editor for you to fall off the tracks.

However, it is still disappointing nevertheless that a once great tradition in comics seems to be slowly dying. I’m not convinced that it will die out all together though, as there will always be pencillers who want to be inked, and many comic book readers who still want inked comics. But we are becoming almost an endangered species. But for this endangered species, there is no outcry from the comics community at large, no widespread concern that a form of art unique to comics is gasping for breath.

I really can’t blame the comics readership. For the most part, they read comics to be entertained. They want to follow the lives and adventures of their favorite heroes. What goes on behind the scenes, well, most of them really would rather not know. And I understand that. Indeed, many regular comic book readers don’t even understand what the job of the inker is, and how we contribute to the production of the book. I myself didn’t know what “inking” was until I became an inker myself. It’s a hard job to describe. I would like say that inking is an essential and important part of the process, but I would perhaps only be deluding myself seeing comic books being published (and be successful) without the benefit of inkers. There’s really nothing concrete for me to stand on.

What am I really saying? This is unfortunately, a reality. As I mentioned earlier, there’s no stopping technology. All inkers can do is adapt. But at the same time, I wish more people cared. I wish people cared more that the art of comic book inking is being endangered. I feel people are so eager to embrace technology that they forget to realize that living, breathing people are getting trampled underfoot. I think inkers sorely need appreciation and attention for the things we do. There should be an Inkers category in the Will Eisner Industry Awards. There should be an Inkers category in Comic Book Resources’ Twitter directory. There should be more inkers invited to comic book conventions. There should be more inkers invited to speak at podcasts. There should be more inkers being interviewed and profiled for various comics websites. There should be books and magazines profiling inkers and the work we do. There should be an Inkers Appreciation Day in comics!

If you can, please visit the site below. It’s a website that celebrates and promotes the art of comic book inking. If you can spread the site around, it would be great. A little understanding of what inker truly does would be just great.

The Inkwell Awards
http://www.inkwellawards.com/

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I also need to address some rumblings from the comics community about how inking jobs are being taken away by artists in 3rd world countries who work for cheap. I live in a 3rd world country. I understand the sentiment, and I will not deny that there may well be artists in 3rd world countries working for slave labor rates. Fortunately, I’m not one of them. I’d like to say that my rate (without being specific about what it is), is competitive with rates inkers make in the US, commensurate to my experience in the business. And as far as I know, none of my friends who also work in US comics accept slave labor pay. As far as we are concerned, they did not hire us because we sweat at shops.

Once again, that is not to say that it does not happen. I have encountered a Hawaii based publisher who wanted to hire me for 10 dollars a page, all the while boasting what a great rate it was, and that he had another artist in Bulacan already working for him for less than that. As if I should be thankful. Needless to say I declined, and I didn’t decline nicely.

I’ve always posted on this blog advice to my fellow comics professionals never to sell themselves short. Many still email me today asking if they should accept this or that job which pays this or that rate. And I do gladly give my advice. I always tell them to be proud of what they do, and as Filipinos, our talent and skill can match toe to toe with any artist in the world. And they should charge accordingly.

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Go, Read: Gerry Alanguilan On The Decline In Comics Inking
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/
go_read_gerry_alanguilan_on_the_decline_in_comics_inking/

The changing nature of comics work
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2011/the-changing-nature-of-comics-work/

An art gallery of Filipino Komiks creator Ruben Yandoc, also known as “Rubeny“, has been uploaded up at the Philippine Comics Online Museum. Click here or on the link below to see a gallery of his Philippine work, which includes collaborations with other writers and stories he wrote himself. Also included are full installments of stories, including a couple of complete stories which depict the origin of the Christmas Tree (above), and a peculiar (and familiar) monster called “Dagul”.

Ruben “Rubeny” Yandoc: Filipino Komiks Writer and Artist
http://alanguilan.com/museum/rubenyandoc.html

Philippine Comics Art Museum Online

When I set about to do "Where Bold Stars Go To Die", I had many objectives in mind. One objective that I haven't talked about until now is the nature of collaboration I had with Arlan Esmeña, and how I wish it would set an example of how "collaboration" in Philippine comics could be accomplished. I wrote the story, and Arlan provided all the designs and illustrations. Please bear in mind that "designs" and "illustrations" are two different things. Those two are often confused, and the confusion and misunderstanding often lead to artists getting taken advantage of.

"Design" is the act of coming up with the look of the characters and settings. This takes a lot of brainpower and patience to achieve. "Illustration" is the act of drawing those designs.

It is because Arlan was responsible for the designs of the characters and all the settings, I consider him a full co-creator of "Where Bold Stars Go to Die", and not simply a peon which I pay a page rate to draw my story.

Because I consider Arlan a co-creator, I have agreed to give him 50% of all profits made by Bold Stars, and today, I handed over 50% of all money I made from Bold Stars to Arlan's wife. (Arlan passed away in February 2010.)

I believe that to be the nature of collaboration in comics. It’s by no means the only kind of collaboration. It really depends on the creators involved, and how each creator contributes to the creation of the work.

I hope CJC and other komiks writers take this as an example of how a *true* collaboration is done in comics today: Writers and artists share in the creation, in credit, as well as compensation. I make it a point to say this because I just feel utterly bad for all their past “collaborators” who did all the designs and illustrations, and only got a page rate in return. They got none of the credit, and none of the further compensation those properties made and still continue to be made today.

Four indie komiks creators will have a signing this Saturday at Sputnik, Cubao X, Cubao, Quezon City this Saturday, December 10 from 8pm to 12 midnight. Creators include Gio Paredes, who just released his first Kalayaan TPB, Macoy Tang of School Run, Mascot and Operasyon, and the Work-in-Progress duo of Teddy Pavon and Hub Pacheco. Since Teddy and Hub have recently entered serious podcasting, expect a podcast with the creators on their WIP site very soon.

SPUTNIK can be found at the Cubao X or the Cubao Expo, formerly Marikina Shoe Expo, in Cubao, Quezon City.

Download this kmz file, then open it in Google Earth to see exactly where it is.

Long before Nestor Redondo embarked on his tabloid sized adaptation of the Bible for DC comics in 1975, he worked on a much more massive Bible adaptation, published through his own publishing company, Redondo Komiks in 1968. The adaptation was serialized on a one every two week basis, 4-5 pages each installment, on the pages of Superyor Komiks. The run I have in my possession was handed down to me by my father in law, Korak and Tarzan artist Rudy Florese, who was able to photocopy and compile the adaptation. I don’t know how long exactly the series ran, but the last installment in this collection is from April 1971, depicting a scene in Exodus where Moses’ staff turns into a snake. That’s 4 years worth of bi-weekly strips so it’s quite a lot.

Click for Larger Image

For a gallery of art from this collection, click on this public Facebook album.

I apologize for the image quality. As I had mentioned, these were scanned from photocopies, photocopied during a time when photocopying was just coming into use. This is a piece of work, I believe, that needs to be collected and republished into one volume. Komikero Publishing will be willing to scan and restore the pages in this adaptation if we would be able to find (perhaps borrow) the original komiks run so we can scan it. We would certainly devote as much care and attention to it as we did the restoration of Francisco V. Coching’s El Indio. We would also endeavor to get in touch with Nestor Redondo’s family to acquire permission to do so.

Since this is a Bible adaptation, I believe we won’t have a problem finding a suitable publisher for it. If you can help, please do get in touch. You can email us at gerryalanguilan at yahoo dot com.

Waking up Saturday morning and seeing the sun shine all my worries about the day disappeared. Normally, I’m a worrier, but I just let it go. Whatever happens will happen. If it rains, whatever, I’ll just sing. lalala. It did drizzle a bit, but thankfully it was short and in the end, I think we all had a really nice time!

Organizers Jonas Diego and Johnny Danganan organize the chairs.

Komiks Illustrator Jun Lofamia and his illustration.

The Great Manix Abrera’s fans arrived first!

Comic Odyssey

Alexis Ravana, winner of the art contest, Young Adults category.

My mom at the art exhibit.

Ner Pedrina, Rommel Estanislao, Freely Abrigo

Mel Casipit, Jon Zamar, Sherry Zamar, Ariel Atienza

Gio Paredes and the just released Kalayaan TPB!

Komiks Veterans Jun Lofamia and Danny Acuña were mobbed!

Jun Lofamia

Danny Acuña sketches.

Arhitect and Komiks Illustrator Marivi Hilos-Nepomuceno and special guest Pol Medina

My parents.

Marvel superstar artist Carlo Pagulayan and Marivi

With Pol Medina, Kajo Baldisimo and Carlo judging the art contest.

Acoustic music from local San Pablo talents Walk Me Home.

With much thanks to the Ultimart Shopping Plaza and the San Pablo Chapter of the United Architects of the Philippines for their generous support of the event!

Thanks also to Comic Odyssey, Fun House (Ultimart), Expressions (Ultimart), and Electro Magnetic Tentacle for their generous donations!

Link coverage as they come.

At the fifth floor of Fully Booked. The place was, well… FULLY BOOKED!

Marvel and DC artist Harvey Tolibao working on a monster Psylocke drawing using only a ballpoint pen! His piece raised 30,000 pesos!

Comics retail chain store Comic Odyssey owner Sandy Sansolis and Marvel superstar Leinil Francis Yu.

The ELMER illustration I drew at the event. It raised 13,000 pesos at auction!

IDW artist Mark Torres draws up some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Marvel artist Edgar Tadeo draws up a Thor!

Marvel artist Stephen Segovia!

Dynamite artist Heubert Khan Michael!

Marvel artist Mico Suayan!

Legendary artist Tony De Zuniga!

With host RJ Ledesma!

Signing copies of Superior.

Harvey and his completed illustration. WOW!

I went to the event thinking it’s going to be a little fun event where I’ll get to meet and hang out with friends… it turns out to be much more fun than I expected, and surprisingly, also kind of a big deal as there was an incredibly huge turnout, and our collective artworks raised as much as 125 thousand pesos for the UN World Food Program. I thought that was incredible.

Check out these articles for more coverage of the event:

Red Dot Diva Coverage
Yo! MC: The NextJam! Coverage
The Web Journal of John Ray Coverage
Toysrevil Coverage
Flipgeeks Picture Coverage

Here’s a particularly nice video made by Marvene Rom Munda.

vinyl+SPLASH Event (AVP) from Marvene Rom Munda on Vimeo.

With my wife Ilyn enjoying some quiet time outside the venue before we went home.