Interview; Chrissie Zullo

I've had the pleasure of getting to know Chrissie Zullo meeting her at Sketch Charlotte. Chrissie lives and works in here in Charlotte. Her work so far to date has mostly been for DC Comics for their Vertigo Imprint (a page from her recent issue of Madame Xanadu on the left) but I wouldn't be surprised if she starts getting more work for other publishers soon enough. I was really interested in interviewing her because her work tends to involve a lot of mixed media, as well as use of digital manipulation.

Her art blog can be found at http://chrissiez.blogspot.com/ and I would also recommend going to this really wonderful interview with her at Comic Book Resources.

Comics Connections: Can you talk a little about yourself and the work you've done up to this point?

Zullo: I got my start at the DC Talent Search at San Diego Comic-Con, and was lucky enough to get asked to be part of the Fables family shortly after, doing the covers for "Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love". I've also done some Star Wars Sketch Cards, a cover for Hack/Slash, and interiors for an issue of Madame Xanadu. I've been very fortunate to work on projects I love!

Comics Connections: What artistic training have you gone through?

Zullo: I've been drawing my whole life, and graduated with a BFA in Illustration from UNC Charlotte's Rowe Arts School.

Comics Connections: What is your process like?

Zullo: I usually start small, figuring out the overall composition from a distance. I then blow-up my idea, and take it to a much larger scale, at least double the printing size. I try to work in different mediums to keep things fresh and interesting for me- anywhere from inking to acrylics to oils to Photoshop. Every project is different though.

Comics Connections: Which tools do you use to craft your covers and interiors? Does what you're working on determine the media that you use?

Zullo: I think so, as different mediums suit different projects... I couldn't have oil painted 22 pages in the time restraint for Madame Xanadu, but ink washes worked great. Since I get more time on the covers, I spend more time with the painting process with oils.

Comics Connections: I know that you work with both physical media (pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.) and digital media. What is the percentage of work done with physical media and percentage done with digital? Can you talk about the pros and cons of using both?

Zullo: I'm not sure about a percentage, maybe 70/30? I try to keep most of the work outside the computer. When it's all in Photoshop, I don't feel like it's mine anymore. I like to do color washes in Photoshop, that way I have more control and can fix mistakes. The definite pro to working in Photoshop is the "undo" command, but working in real mediums can give you elements that you just can't create with a computer.

Comics Connections: Do you keep a sketchbook (or use something else) for experimenting with different physical media? How much experimentation do you do with different media?

Zullo: I do keep a sketchbook, but it is strictly pen and ink. For experimenting, that usually happens on the project! I think it keeps things fresh, and sometimes pays off to some great surprises. I try to work carefully though so that it wont backfire...

Comics Connections: How is designing a cover different from doing the interior of a comic? What similarities are there?

Zullo: It's easier to make one stand-alone image, but panel-to-panel has such a great payoff because you get to really tell a story, and it feels like creating a movie.

Comics Connections: When you draw interiors, do you tend to pencil very loosely or very tightly? How much planning goes into your inks?

Zullo: I try to stay loose with pencils, because focusing on minor details can throw off your composition. There is a lot of pre-planning in the pencil stage of the interiors, but I try to leave some openness so little things can be added in the inks.

Comics Connections: Since you handle the color for your covers and interiors, can you talk a little about your process when it comes to color? What sort of things do you consider as you're putting color on top of an image? How important is it to consider how that color is going to look when you go to print? Do you tend to stick to particular color schemes?

Zullo: I color in Photoshop for the most part, and a color palette is talked about in the thumbnail stages. I try to stick to simple palettes so it keeps the picture tied together, and then use key colors to draw the eye to different spots. I try not to think of it as the hair is blond, the dress is red, so fill in those colors here and here. It's more of how light is hitting and object, and what kind of mood are you trying to convey. I think that's why it helps to work in gray-tones first, so you are not so worried about color but more about the values of the picture.

Comics Connections: What advice can you give to cartoonists and illustrators regarding craft?

Zullo: That's so strange to be asked that, because I still take need advice and watch tutorials and study how other artists work every day. I guess any advice I can give is keep learning and nurturing your craft, watch other artists, but most importantly, draw for yourself and what you love to draw, because that will be your best work.

Cover by Chrissie Zullo from Cinderella; From Fabletown with Love