Apart from looking RIDICULOUSLY like Christopher Reeve, Brad Walker is a super talented artists and an all round top bloke. He’s worked on Superman and as far as I’m concerned simply used his own face as reference. Look at that face. Amazing.
With Take 5 I ask fellow creators the same five questions each week to give you an insight into their work ethic and routine. See what Brad has to say after the jump…
What work hours do you keep?
I’m the worst example of how to structure a day. It’s all over the place. I take way too long to get started, so I end up working way too late. When deadlines get tight, I end up working round the clock. I sleep way less than any sane person should. I’m caught in a constant exercise of trying to make my day work more like a 9 to 5.
What are the first three things you do when you start work?
First, I get any little layout down, as ugly as it comes, and I can fix it from there. Just sketches on sketch paper. Next, I get it really loose on the boards. Then, I take whatever reference photos I need with my computer. I take reference pictures of myself for just about every figure on a page. It takes about ten minutes, but it eliminates all guess work for the rest of the day. It keeps me from so much erasing and frustration, it’s pretty invaluable. And after years of working this way, I’m an infinitely better figure artist, naturally, than when I started out.
When confronted with that first, blank page staring up at you, what process have you used or do you use to take the next step?
I start as small and simple as possible. Get SOMETHING, ANYTHING on the page. Even if it’s just shapes, of where different elements are gonna go. Then, you can build it from there. In fact, it’s better because you can see the placement and compositions better without getting hung up on details. Then, you break that down to more shapes, then more, then more. Sounds slow, but it’s actually faster.
What piece of creative advice would you give to a younger you if you could?
I’d tell myself to not get hung up in indecision or insecurity about specific elements of the job. You can make any thing work, if you just start doing it. But you waste so much time wondering how to, or IF you can pull something off, and it’s not productive. Just start drawing, and keep drawing.
What are you working on right now?
I’m just starting Green Lantern: New Guardians. I just finished co-drawing the end of Morrison and Rags Morales’ Action Comics run. So, yeah! Fun stuff, all around! I’m excited for GL!