About me
Life, Art and Comics
By Gill Sanchez
Before we begin, I would like to say that I have always been a Comic Book Artist! Yes, that’s right, I said a comic book artist. It has taken me years to be able to say it without feeling that people would look at me with that “oh, but when are you...
Life, Art and Comics
By Gill Sanchez
Before we begin, I would like to say that I have always been a Comic Book Artist! Yes, that’s right, I said a comic book artist. It has taken me years to be able to say it without feeling that people would look at me with that “oh, but when are you going to think about getting a real job and growing up.” For years I would avoid saying it. Instead I would call myself things like “Graphic Artist, “Designer,” “Illustrator,’ anything, but a comic book artist!
There are a few reasons for this title dilemma. The fact is that most people see comics as nothing more than a colorful magazine filled with stupid stories and bad art, about some guys in tights, which were written for an audience of pre-pubescent boys. (That’s about when I started reading them,) Secondly, comic book art was not considered art. That’s what my teacher’s would say when I would be drawing Superman and Batman in art class instead of doing the project at hand and of course the list could go on.
But, that’s not the way I saw it. I saw more. I saw comics as the perfect mix of writing and art to tell a story that just couldn’t be done any other way. Yes, there is film, but it’s not an individual’s medium (its takes more than one person, plus where’s a ten year old going to get financing?) Comics would let me draw what words could say and vice a versa and it only took a pencil, paper and imagination for me to go anywhere, I wanted.
I went through school drawing comics and when it came time to pick a high school, I chose to go to a school that offered a great art program, (Music & Art) so I could continue on my career path as a comic book artist. What I learned there wasn’t comic art, it was “Fine Art” as per others; painting, life drawing, design layouts, art history, etc. I was bummed out. None of my instructors looked at comics the way I did, but what I did learn from them went right into my comics; well planned layouts, good designs, color theory, etc. I came to see that comics were an art form and like any other art form that I studied about; I could experiment and take chances with it.
During that time there were a few comic artists, who were trying new ideals, but they were the exception to the rule. I bought and studied all of those artists. I looked at them as my masters in the field. The years went on and I continued my art courses into college and continued to draw comics, always applying anything that learned to the craft.
Good story layout, for the reader to easily follow.
Setting the pace (creation of time)
A balanced page, designed like any pleasing work of art.
Using color and texture to establish mood and feeling.
Icons to relay ideals quickly.
Detailed illustrations that pull the reader into the story.
A mixtures of other medias into a traditional pen and ink art form, to show the reader the styles of all the other arts that I have come to love.
Comics have become a window into a personal world, leaving just enough out to allow the reader to use their imagination to transform, separate images into a single flowing idea, with the use of only one of the most powerful forces known to us; “Imagination”.
Today, years later, I’m still drawing, reading and studying comics. I enjoy the super hero stories, but then again they are still pretty much still for kids. What I have found myself recently doing is looking for input from the real world around me, documenting the passing of time and the changes in my life and my surroundings. Even painting other subject matter, Flowers, cars, etc. Maybe it’s a sign that I’m finally growing up, or is it that I’ve reached another level in the art of comics and the art of life.
Gill Sanchez
After growing up in New York City in the 60’s and 70’s, raising a family in Doylestown PA and traveling all over the world for his career in the photography industry, Gill now lives with his wife “Patty” and their Dog “Cooper” in Delmont. PA.
Between painting, working on his home, collecting antiques, going for rides with the top down, drinking Wine, eating out, web surfing, traveling and caring for his yard/water garden; Gill is also the Mayor of the Borough Of Delmont.
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