Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Long Live the Legion! Official Legion "outing"

Hi everyone: my name is Ronda Pattison and I am the Legion colorist (since Legion #25). I've lurked around these boards as Mechana for quite awhile now. I've been reluctant to reveal my self because it seems that no one comments on color except when they think I've done something wrong! But I also see how nice everyone is here, and how much you enjoy interacting with the Legion creative team past and present, and I'd like to be a part of that. And honestly, I'm tired of not getting credit for my work. The credits may say Snocone (Snocone Studios, my employers), but for better or worse, it's all ME baby! Colorists need love too!

Coloring may be your occupation, but you also know how to write a thread title that will garner many, many hits. Brava!

One of our posters, Quinn, is into color commentary, and I'm sure she'll be thrilled to pieces that you're here (and a redhead, apparently).

My Senior Prom chose Color my World as it's theme.

Ken

Well I look forward to talking to anyone who's interested, though I should say up front: If it hasn't been published yet, I can't talk about it!
No spoilers!

Good to have you here, Ronda!

Ronda its great to finally put a name to Snocone! A while back Chip had been trying to get a hold of you and it was something trying to find anything out about Snocone. I, for one, am glad you are here and glad to know it isn't some nameless Studio doing the coloring.

We may have to get a thread started, if you don't mind, about the process. I've been trying to teach myself how and actually bought a set of Brian Haberlin's CDs on Digital Art Training. Just haven't found the time yet to get into it.

So is colouring done totally on computer hese days? I have a romantic image of a colourist sat in a corn field with a set of watercolours and a selection of brushes.

I suppose if that were the case there would be a lot more colourists in the business.

And Ronda, the colours in the last couple of issues have been delicious, a lot of details are enhanced, the moods have been set and maybe we haven't said too much as it's been done so well! And of course because we're jealous we're not sat in a corn field

Good to get to know you, Ronda! It's nice to meet another Legion creator. And please be assured that whenever we say the art is yummy, your work is definitly being included there.

Hello, Ronda! It's nice to put a face - or a personality at least! - to the work!

P.S. How did you choose the name Snocone?

Very Nice! I've been loving the colors lately. Ever since #25, as a matter of fact!

I'm adding you to Visionaries right now! That means mod privileges over there. You've been here since August and never told us?!?

Do you have a website? Can you give us a checklist of your work? This is so cool!

Quote

Originally posted by DrakeB...Sno Cone" handle Ferro.[/b]

Awesome! Our very own Color Kid reveals herself!

Thanks for your kind words everyone!

Some comics are still handpainted and photographed, though I'd say the majority are computer rendered. There are some colorists who don't know how to use the computer, so I guess they could be doing their color guides in a cornfield some where, though usually they use markers! Then their guides are passed on to a "seperator" who renders them up in Photoshop for print. I did seps for other people for years before I became a colorist myself.

The name "Snocone" was the brainchild of the company owner's five year old son. Though anything with the word "snow" in it seems appropriate when you're Canadian.

Hey there.

Coloring does seem to be one of those things that generally nobody notices unless something goes wrong.

You are doing a great job.

ooh! ooh! Ronda! You're just the person I wanted to talk to.

Forgive my ignorance of the process, but I was just wondering how much artistic discretion a colorist has. I mean, were you given color-templates for each Legionnaire, for their skin and hair colors, and their costumes? Foundations must have been an especially challenging project with all those characters and backdrops, and you did a **wonderful** job. The scenes on Apokolips, in particular, have great depth thanks in no small part to your contributions.

Now, at the risk of sounding like a nit-picky continuity geek, I was also wondering about the decision to make the color of Tromium silver-blue rather than green. I'm not complaining, mind you, nor do I necessarily consider it a "mistake" since silver-blue is unquestionably more aesthetic, and who's to say it can't come in more than one color anyway. I'm just curious to know if the color change was dictated by others, or your own artistic choice.

Finally, will you be staying on to work with the next creative teams? I hope so.

I am not given any templates for colors normally. Before I took over as colorist I did the seps for Jason Wright, so I essentially continued with the colors he established, with some tweaking. I like a lot of contrast, and in each issue I find myself pushing things just a little bit more, hence the ever darkening Cosmic Boy, though I think he's pretty stable now!

As for "Jarth" and the crystal: honestly, I never knew Tromium was green until I read it here! The script just said Garth was made of crystal, and I thought glass. I was asked to match the Feister& Harris colors, since they had already done the pinup of Jan/Garth for the Secret Files. My style is obviously quite different than theirs; I just try and make him look shiny and sparkly--crystal-like. When Jarth coated everyone for the time travelling I just interpreted it as an extension of himself, and made it the same. Hope that answer is not too disappointing!

Unfortunately, I do not have the long history with the Legion that most of you do. I'm working on my collection of back issues slowly, but sometimes I just don't have reference for things, so I do what I like. Luckily I have a wonderful editor who thinks I should be allowed these little freedoms, as long as it looks good in the end.

And yes, I will be working with the next creative teams. Whew!

Thanks, Ronda, for taking the time to satisfy my curiosity. I'm very glad to hear you're staying with us.

Hi mechana!

Well as you know by now, lots of creative types here! Hope you don't feel obligated (MUCH ) to give us a few treats from time to time.

Me? I LOVE color. True, I do have an old black and white tv at the foot of my bed, but it is only for occasional flirtations.

Hmmm, wonder if I can get a job as a de-colorist?

Actually BB, you can! It's called reconsruction inking! When DC puts out those nice hard cover archive projects, they usually don't have the originals any more. So the old comics are scanned, the color is removed ( a long and painstaking process actually) by computer to produce a new "ink", then it's recolored by computer to match the original. I've actually done a ton of that stuff.

I have a question.

Months ago, we saw a colored version of page 7 of LEGION #25 which depicted a blue Comet Queen among other differences to the final product. Who ultimately decided the colors for the cadets that were depicted in that issue?

That page is the pre-corrected version. I do whatever I want, then my files go the editor who marks up any changes he wants, and then I make those changes. Thankfully, they're usually pretty minor. I didn't realize at the time of the first draft that the cadets where actually referencing old characters ie. Comet Queen and Blok. The script actually called for Amp Girl to be Asian-ish, and I think it may have even specified that Retro should be very pale. I can't remember for sure now. In retrospect, not my finest page.

Well, the finished product rocked!

Ronda,

Welcome out

I suppose it is only natural for readers to only notice color mistakes. It seems like it is the nature of the job to be ignored when everything is right, because when it is right it is how it always was. Am I making sense here?

Plus I think most of the time coloring miostakes are not the fault of the colorist, but comes from the printing process.

Anyway, I have not had any problems with the color of the Legion, so keep up the good work.

Hi Ronda! It's great that you came "out" here on LegionWorld! We appreciate any of the members of the creative team taking the time to join us here for a bit and provide answers to questions.

Oh, BTW, feel free to ask if you ever have a question about something. I guarantee you'll get an answer in no time at all. There are lots of longtime Legion fans here with information crammed into their brains just waiting to offer help or advice to someone on the "team"!