This week we were lucky enough to sit down with comic style artist, Eric White, @GeekyWhiteGuy. Eric is extended TGF Family since he has worked with our very own Next Jen.
First off, Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Tell us a bit about yourself.
Thanks for having me! My name is Eric White. I’m a graphic designer and comic book style artist. I live in Omaha, Nebraska with my wife and 3 kids. My creative work at the moment revolves primarily around commission drawing and digital coloring.
So how did you get started creating art? Do you have any inspirations or role models?
I have a very clear memory of when I fell in love with comic books and art. In fall of 1982 I was 4 years old at the local drugstore with my grandmother. She had given me a couple bucks to buy myself a snack while she got her hair done at the salon next door. On my way though the store I wandered past this spinner rack that had all these crazy cartoon books on it. I distinctly remember buying an issue of Incredible Hulk and an Iron Man. I loved them immediately. The drawings, the color, the way the books smelled. I couldn’t read of course but just by looking at the sequential art I could tell what was going on. I knew there was an action packed adventure story going on. After that on the weekly trips to the drug store I always bought a comic or two instead of getting myself a snack. Coming up I idolized a lot of the old school classical comic book artists like Frank Frazetta, Jack Kirby and John Byrne. I really like that classic style but as I’ve gotten older I’ve really fallen in love with artists like David Peterson, Tom Hodges, Mike Norton and Michael Avon Oeming.
I did some research into comic artist that focus on mythology. Because I LOVE mythology! That was how I found out about Oeming, he has a fascination with Norse characters. How long have you been creating?
I was always the “creative” kid growing up. I can remember knowing really young that I wanted to be a comic book artist. Even though I had fumbled my way into a career as a professional graphic designer I hadn’t done any substantive work in comics even up into my late 20s. I joined some local artists groups back in the day and took a few classes here-and-there but it wasn’t until I was nearly 30, after my first kid was born, in 2005 that I finally realized the only things standing between me and my dreams of actually BEING a comic book artist…was myself. I began drawing and teaching myself as much as possible but in 2008 I got connected with Brian Miller, owner and creative director of Hi-Fi Design Studios. His studio digitally colors loads of the highest profile comic books on the market today and Brian is an awesome dude. I started out as a moderator of his forums, then later worked as a flatter for the studio and have even done a little coloring the studio. Brian is my artistic mentor. I owe him a lot. I still have a day job as a graphic designer but in nights and weekends are dedicated (as much as you can when you have 3 kids ages 8, 5 and 1) to artwork!
I can definitely see how you were the creative kid. Your responses are like stories. Can you tell us a bit about your creative process?
When I’m working on a drawing that I’m being commissioned for I spend a LOT of time just sketching and doodling as I work out what I’m doing. I have loads of sketch books full of little thumbnail sketches. Then when I figure out the right composition and feel for the drawing I’ll make another few sketches that are a little more detailed…and only after I really know what I’m doing will I actually start working on the piece.
When I’m coloring I take a somewhat similar process. Really…I still feel like I am just learning how to color so I have a similar process where I look at the line art, break down the page and try to really analyze where the lights and shadows are. I really enjoy delving into the artwork and figuring out what is going on in there.
That all being said…in comics there is RARELY a time when you can sloooowwwlllyyy study each page and panel because the name of the game is: DEADLINES. When I’m on deadline…it’s like running as fast as possible and hoping I don’t screw up too bad.
Music, or no music (while creating)?
Sometimes music but mostly it’s Netflix. I listen to shows (recently finished season 5 of Breaking Bad. Don’t tell me what happens in season 6!!) while I work. Sometimes I’ll pop in a movie though and listen to that.
I solemnly swear I will not spoil Breaking Bad for you. Ok, so you’ve gotten inspired, you know what you want to create, what’s the first tool you reach for?
I grab my sketch book and my cheap No2 clicky pencils that I do ALL my sketching with. Then, once I’ve figured out what I’m doing I switch out for the Bristol paper and my fancy clicky pencil with the ultra soft, blue lead. I’ve done all my final drawings with that Japanese blue lead for years now. I love it.
Let’s say for some, totally hypothetical reason Earth is about to blow up. Don’t panic, there is a savior aka a space ship getting ready to save you! But you can only save two pieces, what will those two be?
Probably the first would be this drawing I did YEARS ago of Cerebus as the Death Dealer. It’s such a goofy drawing. It started out as a doodle…which I just kept working on until it was done. I drew it with my crummy No2 clicky pencil on a plain sheet of printer paper then inked it with a Micron pen and a sharpie. It’s probably my favorite drawing I’ve ever done. (I attached a jpg of the image). And secondly….I think I’d grab my copy of Star Trek Next Generation Hive #4 because it contains the first Star Trek page I ever colored and I’m a huge TNG fan.
Ok let’s dive into video games. What are you playing right now?
I used to be and AVID gamer but about the time we started having kids coincided with me really starting to focus on my artwork…which means I don’t have much time for gaming anymore. I will say, though, that I have an ongoing love affair with CivilizationV. In fact, I played last night for about an hour or two on a game that I’ve been playing off and on for a month or so. I love that game so much.
You are in great company because Civilization is my guilty pleasure game. What is your guilty pleasure video game, that one game you can play for hours on end and tune everything out?
In my teens, the house I lived at had a bunch of pinball machines and I absolutely fell in love with them. The budget doesn’t allow for me to own any stand up machines (boo) but last year I discovered The Pinball Arcade on iOS by Farsight Studios. http://www.pinballarcade.com/ They take classic pinball machines and recreate them VERY faithfully digitally with a new release of 1 or 2 tables a month. They’re feel real…it’s really amazing. I’ve purchased loads but of the many tables available my favorites are Star Trek TNG (best pin ever!), Bride of PinBot, Terminator 2, and Medieval Madness. Much to the chagrin of my kids I could play this on my iPad all day if given the chance.
Let’s dig into your pile of shame for a minute. Tell us one game you haven’t played, that you’re ashamed you haven’t played yet.
I’m embarrassed to say that I have never played one second of Skyrim. Minus 10 nerd points for this failure to act. I hate that I haven’t played it. It seems like the kind of game that I would completely fall in love with…but the last new console that I purchased was the Wii. I’m hoping to get it some day soon (you reading this Santa??)
Do you remember the 1st video game you ever played?
Back in the early 80s I had an uncle who brought home an Atari 2600. My brother and I developed out first cases of joystick induced carpel tunnel mastering games like Air Sea Battle, Pitfall and Berzerk. Those adventure games came at a time when I was also being introduced to the Star Wars films and first picking up comic books. Those really shaped the foundation of who I am today.
Your dream job, what is it?
Without question…a full time, at home comic book artist. Both drawing and coloring. That’s the ultimate goal…and while I know the chances of that ever REALLY happening are extraordinarily slim I’m pushing forward, improving my abilities, trying to build a network of friends in the business and getting my work out there.
Are you currently working on anything cool?
Right now I have a lot of commissions and individual pieces I’m working on so keep your eyes out for that stuff as I post them. I’ve also been working on writing my own story which, if everything works out like i have planned, should see the light of day early 2014. The trick there is making time for it. (sleep when you’re dead…that’s my motto)
Now for my favorite question: It is Friday and you are about to get off work, what song are you listening to?
I’m a HUGE fan of the band Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. The best rock and roll band of all time (IMHO), they’ve been out there kill’n it since forever. You may remember them from back in the mid 90s when they were called the Refreshments. I saw them on that first US tour and have been an addict ever since. www.azpeacemakers.com
Thanks again for your time, where can we find more of your work?
Thank you! This was fun. You can check out my artwork at www.geekywhiteguy.com and follow along with my daily twitter ramblings @GeekyWhiteGuy
