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Showing posts with label comic book coloring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comic book coloring. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Into to Comic Book Coloring begins 9/3! Only a couple slots remaining!

In less than one week -- on Monday, September 3, 2012 -- the six-week online course Introduction to Comic Book Coloring begins with instructor Chris "Soto" Sotomayor!

We only have a couple spots left in the class, so sign up now if you'd like to join the course!

Chris Sotomayor (aka Soto) is a professional colorist on countless Marvel titles, including Spider-Man, X-Men, The Avengers, Daredevil, Captain America, Hulk, and many others, as well as working on titles for DC Comics, Image Comics and Humanoids.

In this six-week intensive class for colorists, you'll learn all the necessary tools and tricks for not only coloring with Photoshop, but also how to tell great stories through color. You’ll get access to all the tools of the trade, tips on how to break in, and you’ll be working with Chris on the pages you color for the class.

Below, we're republishing a guest blog by Soto where he discussed the Intro to Coloring class. We hope to see you there!

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Guest Blog by Chris Sotomayor
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Before I start this guest blog about how awesome my coloring class is, and why it's better than any of the other Comics Experience classes (D'oh! I can hear the typing of angry e-mails from Andy, Rob, and Dave), I'd like to quickly explain how it got off the ground.

Andy already had Comics Experience off to a good start by the time he and I first started fantasizing about how to expand it to include a coloring class. Our first brainstorming session found more hurdles than solutions, but Andy and I share two important things (besides our love of good comics, which I guess would make it three things):
1. Sharing knowledge;
2. Innovating.
When Andy made the move from New York to San Diego, it became apparent to us that technology was going to be the missing link to proper expansion. With that, Andy and I came up with Comics Experience's best first online class (the one that started it all) -- Introduction to Comic Book Coloring.

We designed the class with slightly differing, but complementary, goals. Andy wanted a coloring class that he would be excited to take, and would instruct anyone in the steps necessary to coloring a complete piece from the ground up.

I wanted to design a class that was an art class first and foremost (seeing as how my background is in illustration), in order to properly teach how to use the computer as a tool, because I want to see good art and good comics.

What we came up with was one bad-ass class that's an unmatched experience in comparison to anything else available. It's completely interactive and in real time -- meaning that any time you have a question (or want to discuss a particular topic) during any of the 2-hour sessions, you can ask it and get an immediate answer. (Ever try to ask one of those DVD tutorials a question?)

We've had students from all over the U.S. (and the world) enjoy a carefully crafted curriculum that teaches the art of painting and color using Adobe PhotoShop as the tool of choice. Every student comes in with a different skill level--some already professional working artists, and some never having used PhotoShop before. And everyone comes out having learned way more than they thought possible.

Students complete homework assignments using sample artwork from the top comic book publishers, all in an effort to complete a fully realized portfolio at the end of the 6-week course. But one of the best things about the course is the supplement of the private-access forum, where the discussion and learning can continue far past the 2-hour weekly session. Plus, first-time members get one month's free access to the very popular Comics Experience Creator's Workshop, which is a great place to hone your skills and discuss comics, creativity, and art with all the other Workshop members.

Everything that's packed into this class makes it as exciting to teach as it is to take. I've had many students contact me after the course is over, or meet me at conventions, and tell me how fun and informative the class has been. Some have even contacted me to tell me about the paid coloring work they were able to get, based on their completed coloring portfolio.

But be warned: I'm very honest in the class--sometimes to a fault (but not my fault). I don't pull punches, but I do name names. This is a no-nonsense class where your feelings may be hurt, but you will make good art in the process.

Above all else, I enjoy working in comics. It's exciting and rewarding, and I love the idea of sharing my love of comic books, art, and the business side of it all.

-Soto



The next session of the live, online Introduction to Comic Book Coloring class begins September 3, 2012. Enrollment is still open, but seats are limited, so sign up now!



If you want to make comics, write or draw comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

COMMUNITY NEWS: James Babbo Colors for Dynamite Entertainment and others!

Comics Experience alum and Creators Workshop member James Babbo has been doing coloring work for a number of publishers recently.

In fact, on February 15th, his second issue as colorist for Dynamite Entertainment goes on sale! That issue is Warehouse 13 with art by Robert Gill, shown here. This is James' second issue coloring the book, with #3 being his first.

At the same time he's worked on those books, James has been doing "flatting" color work for various pro colorists at Marvel, Image, and Top Cow.

For those unfamiliar with the process, flatting is an essential step where every shape (buildings, bodies, costumes, etc) is filled with color so the colorists can select those sections to change color and provide the finished rendering.

James, a graduate of Soto's coloring classes, had this to say about the courses at Comics Experience:
"Chris Sotomayor's coloring class was an immense help in learning the skills necessary to do digital coloring. While I had learned the technical steps in Photoshop through books and tutorials, Soto provides an understanding of color theory that explains how color is viewed in reality. Temperature, atmosphere, environment - all these need to be observed in the process of coloring anything, be it comics or painting.

I highly recommend Soto's class for those wanting to be a professional colorist as well as the independent creator (in my case) who wants to self-publish."
Thanks for the kind words, James, and CONGRATS on all your coloring gigs! We hope to see more!


If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

Monday, September 26, 2011

Only 2 Seats Left in Comic Book Coloring Class!

Our next Intro to Comic Book Coloring course starts in one week, but it will definitely sell out soon -- we're down to our last two open slots! If you were thinking about joining this session, beginning October 3, 2011, now is the time to sign up!

The course will be taught by Soto (aka Chris Sotomayor), professional colorist on countless Marvel titles (Spider-Man, X-Men, The Avengers, etc.).

You can read Soto's own thoughts on the class right here:

GUEST BLOG: Soto on the Intro to Comic Book Coloring Course

Or, from September 15th, you can read Soto's thoughts on why the Coloring Class is better than marriage!

Our courses are offered LIVE, online, and you can attend from wherever you live. You'll be able to see your instructor and his desktop, interact with your classmates, and discuss your classwork in real time. And you'll be able to communicate with your classmates all week long in a special, dedicated online forum for just you and your class.

Only 2 more people will be able to join this session, and it will likely be months before we can offer another section. If you've been thinking about taking this class, sign up now before we sell out!

Introduction to Comic Book Coloring with Chris Sotomayor
Begins October 3, 2011!


If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Soto on Why Coloring Class is Better than Marriage

Recently, in the "Ask Soto" thread in the Creators Workshop, we had a Workshop member ask about the upcoming Introduction to Comic Book Coloring class.

The Workshop member wrote:
Hello there!

I'm debating on taking the coloring class. It looks great, but as I'm getting married next month (yay!), money is a little tight.

I was wondering if there was any way we could find out how many spots are left open, and when the sign-ups close, to see if I could get it all together?
Soto replied:
Oh, my friend.

Let me explain something about marriage to you. I've been married for 13 years, I've got 3 kids, and I wish I would have taken my coloring class.

My coloring class will make you feel validated and confident for 6 weeks, whereas your wife will stop paying attention to you about 3 weeks after the honeymoon. That's an extra 3 weeks of creative validation! You can't put a price on that!

At some point your wife will refuse to make you breakfast, and you'll be eating unfrosted Pop Tarts and drinking water (like I'm doing now). I really don't want you to make a decision you'll regret. My coloring class is better than marriage.
And, to back him up, another Workshop member and alum of several other courses chimed in:
I've been married for 10 years, I've got 2 kids, and I am taking Soto's coloring class.

I wish I took these classes 10 years ago. It's six weeks of encouragement and support, from complete strangers, you are unlikely to find elsewhere.

All I know is that my husband has ONE thing to do around the house which is put out the recycling twice a month, and I still have to remind him to do that. He has made me breakfast twice and only in the last two years, both times badly.

Is Soto's class better than marriage? It's a no brainer.
Still need more? Soto shared a few final thoughts:
Just like any class, whatever you put in, is what you get out of it.

I don't demand that you do the homework assignments, but if you don't do them, you really only have yourself to blame.

Oh, and I'll tell you if the work you submit sucks. I've done it before. But, I will tell you how to make it better. It's up to you to either take my suggestions or not.

I'll stay as long as possible to get through the necessary information. Also, you can review the recorded sessions if you think you missed anything. If you don't understand something from the previous week's discussion, let me know. I'm happy to review anything and everything again, and I'll try to explain it in a different way so it's more understandable.

All in all, I want you to get the most from your hard-earned money and learn, because chicks dig colorists.
There you have it. If you'd like more information, check out Soto's Guest Blog about the class right here:

GUEST BLOG: Soto on the Intro to Comic Book Coloring Course

Our courses are offered LIVE, online, and you can attend from wherever you live. You'll be able to see your instructor and his desktop, interact with your classmates, and discuss your classwork in real time. And you'll be able to communicate with your classmates all week long in a special, dedicated online forum for just you and your class.

There are only a few seats left open in the class beginning October 3, 2011. It will be months before we can offer another section. If you've been thinking about taking this class, sign up now before we sell out!

Introduction to Comic Book Coloring with Chris Sotomayor
Begins October 3, 2011!


If you want to make comics, write or draw comics, or improve as a comics creator, you'll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Posted by Rob Anderson
rob@ComicsExperience.com
Twitter / Facebook

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