FIVE MINUTES WITH BOB ALMOND & THE INKWELL AWARDS

[Andrea Speed]

Andrea Speed: So tell me about the awards. How did this come about?

Bob Almond: It started out as a topic for my ongoing 'Inkblots' column in SKETCH MAGAZINE # 35. My column focuses on inker-centric topics like shoptalk, inking styles, my experiences, visual stuff and more. One of my concerns has been that besides the fact that the craft of inking is the most unclear and misunderstood by the public of all the comic book creative positions, the actual status of ink artists has been muted in recent years from what it formerly was. (In dual contrast, but deservedly so, color artists have received more attention and credit from what they were used to getting in the past due to the advances in the digital tech, and I salute them for this innovation.)

A contemporary company practice is not to always credit ink artists for the work they do/did like they used to. And with the inclusion of digital inking technology and the process often mistaken for this process by the misnomer 'digital inking' which is not actual inking at all but Photoshop manipulation to darken and clean up pencil work to color over and to clearly print from, the contribution of the inking community is more nebulous than ever. This led me to the concept of recognizing and rewarding inkers who often fall below the radar with awards for their hard work and contributions to the art form ... something that would be uplifting and inspiring for the community. It isn't brain surgery but it is an important process in creating quality comics and deserving of respect. I figured that much like my column in general, I could run this fun event while at the same time inform and educate the folks out there about what we do. And these gestures are sincerely made with no intended malice or agenda toward any particular institution.

But my scope was small and I hadn't worked out all the details so after talking to my SKETCH editor Bill Nichols he encouraged me to announce the idea at the Inkwell mailing list consisting of over four hundred inkers, creators and aspiring talents, and ask for input. After a few days of that I gathered a committee of peers and within a few weeks of research, discussion, and debating, we had the site up and running, finalized the award categories and ballots, solicited for advertisers, got Joe Sinnott's blessing to name the hall of fame award after him, and recently commenced the promotion process. The committee is made up of Tim Townsend, Jimmy Tournas, Daniel Best, Bill, and myself, and we also have the gracious support and involvement of DC editor Mike Marts and illustrator supreme Adam Hughes. So it's a cross-community, non-partisan message to give back to our own.


AS: I'm going to sound like an idiot, but I thought there already were inker awards. Why do you think there hasn't been? Why has it taken so long?

BA: There are, indeed, some 'best inker' or 'favorite inker' awards categories featured as a part of other annual award contests (although the most prestigious event combines the inker with a penciler as 'best team') and some are aimed at the public, some at the community, and some both. But this affair is targeted at ink artists (who ink more than they might pencil), prepared by industry professionals, and offered to both the public and the community to vote in. It is founded on the effort of understanding and appreciating the work of many unrecognized inkers for an oft-maligned job. This is not something writers or pencil artists usually experience. In general, fans know what they do and they certainly get attention for it, justifiably so. But inkers are half of a very intimate art team process, not of a greater worth then but certainly deserving of credit and more consideration. Remember, when you see a penciler's inked work you are seeing the inker's reinterpretation of the work....what you see is not always what the penciler rendered. Borrowing from some famous political language, to answer your final questions, 'why?', I say 'why not?'. If not 'now', then 'when'?


AS: Tell me about the voting process - where and when?

BA: We welcome all to visit The Inkwell Awards at http://www.inkwellawards.com and check out the place. Voting begins April 1st (when the ballot will be posted) and ends May 30th with results subsequently posted about a month or so after once the votes (all write-ins except the Sinnott award which has nominees) are tabulated with trophies designated to the award winners. We have a Nominees page where voters can use the database site links to look up creators or their favorite titles and series to see who inked them. There is a definition of inking on the homepage and a link to 'inkers' on Wikipedia. Other helpful features include an Inking Links page with links to various inker-related sites, forums, columns, tutorials, etc. We will be posting spotlight features on inkers and the craft. And my intro letter on the home page expresses what we're trying to do and explains the general voting instructions. All advertising is used to fund the site and award-related expenses with any amount over what is necessary being donated to The Hero Initiative, which further expands on our theme of giving back to our community.


AS: Who are some of your inking inspirations?

BA: Growing up they were Terry Austin, Joe Rubenstein, Klaus Janson, Tom Palmer, Bob Layton, later Mark Farmer, and more ... there are others but often specific inkers work best as a team with certain pencilers and there are too many of those combinations to list or remember.


AS: How much impact has technology had on inking, for better or worse?

BA: It's added more options. For the inker, they can try digital inking with the wand tool but from what I understand it's a time-consuming and difficult process for anything more than the minimalist style of penciling. It seems to be a better tool for the artist who is doing full art chores as in the case of Brian Bolland and Alex Maleev. For the editor, they can try skipping traditional inking and have the penciler render tighter/cleaner and have the color artist clean up and darken the pencil art files in Photoshop (often called 'digital inking' but this is not inking at all and the misnomer is an insult to actual inkers and their craft). Seemingly this saves on the overhead for consideration of budget limitations (though both artists get paid a little more) and it might save time in the schedule depending on the workers ... I dunno ... what I do know is that except in the rarest of cases I've never been happy with the results and feel that quality is sacrificed because, even if the art doesn't look muddy (which it sometimes does) the pencils certainly lack punch without the elegant flair of the ink lines. While the color process can try to enhance aspects like inkers do in regards to textures, light sources, space, definition, contrasts, composition and design, it is further limited without the inker step. We acknowledge the differences at the site and hope to post a feature sometime on the digital inking process.


AS: Are the Inkwell Awards ultimately your attempt to take over the industry, then the world?

BA: Is it that apparent? ;-)

[Terry Verticchio]

Inkers...the unsung heroes of the comic industry. Pencilers somehow always get the glory, good to see the Inkers getting more recognition.

Oh yeah..."digital inking"=Fascism!

And if you need a good henchmen for your plans for world domination, Bob, I'm your man. I live to hench.

[Bob Almond]

Thanks, Terry!

Yikes, I hope Andrea can fix some typos in there ASAP...we're not 'intending malice or agenda' toward anyone, and the cross-community creator committee (say that 5 times fast;-)) is 'non'-partisan. Sheesh, it sounds like all-out war;-P

Ugh.

And to think I did proofread that. Sorry. Maybe I'll hire Terry as my assistant henchman for these kind of things;-)

Best,
Bob Almond

[Andrea Speed]

All fixed, Bob.

I shouldn't post on cold medicine.

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Originally Posted by Andrea Speed

All fixed, Bob.

I shouldn't post on cold medicine.

Two or three bottles of that stuff will mess you up, don'tcha know..... Good interview....I had no idea the Grandmaster herself even did them.

[Andrea Speed]

Good interview....I had no idea the Grandmaster herself even did them.

Do you know how many I do around here? I assumed people were flipping sick of me doing them all ...

[Ben Lehnsherr]

Originally Posted by Andrea Speed

Do you know how many I do around here? I assumed people were flipping sick of me doing them all ...

Heh.....that's what we call a joke. But it HAS been a while since I've seen one. I, personally, wasn't sick of seeing you do them. You view the inter with the best.....