December 28, 1998
9 pm ET
Ron Walotsky |
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February 21, 1998
Panelist
The Brave New World of Publishing |
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While art collectors are buying Walotsky's SF/Fantasy Illustrations, SF/Fantasy fans are acquiring his more mainstream pieces -- a sure sign that his work is exciting, innovative and pan-genre.
Walotsky began his professional SF/Fantasy illustrating carreer in 1967, with Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. He has created illustrations for corporate advertisers, books, popular magazines and record albums, and for most popular sci-fi authors.
You'll find that his unique style incorporates realism and surrealism, abstract and visionary forms, and incorporates them into powerfully communicative images.
Web Sites
Convention Appearances
Other Awards
The December 1998 Q&A
JanCyberC Folks feel free to ask Ron questions...just please let him answer one before you ask another.
JanCyberC Ron, it's been awhile since we've had you out here...the last time was the panel on Art. I'm sure you've been pretty busy since then...have things picked up in the illustration market?
RonWalotsky Jan, I've been busy lately. I had the Dec. issue of Fantasy & Science fiction cover and the Analog cover for Jan, this month.
JanCyberC Ah cool....I popped over to the Analog site, and unfortunately they already have the February cover up there... so we'll have to run out and buy this Month's Analog.
RonWalotsky I'm currently working on an interesting piece for Golden Griffin Press. Which is what I was working on when Gail called me up to do this!!!
JanCyberC Golden Griffin press...interesting...can you tell us about the piece or do you talk about works in progress?
RonWalotsky the piece is almost finished, It's an interesting painting of two people on an asteroid. It's a surreal, strange cover.. The kind I like to do best.
JanCyberC Ron...when will the Golden Griffin cover be published...is it for a specific novel?
RonWalotsky I've also been working on a new series of paintings for myself. Golden Griffin will come out in 2000! Believe it or not!
JanCyberC That's quite away. Golden Griffin is the title of the novel?
RonWalotsky It's an early assignment that I had a chance to finish up early. Golden Griffin Press is the name of the company, editor Jim Turner. The name of the story is Perpetuity Blues and Other Stories. By neal Barrett, jr.
JanCyberC Ah...cool...so it's an anthology then.
RonWalotsky yes, as far as I know. It's one of the shorts that I illustrated for thecover- all by the same writer. Oops! Not an anthology! Comunication mix up here...short stories by the same author- as far as I know.
crStarlit where does "collection" end and "anthology" begin?
JanCyberC Do you often get this much lead time?
RonWalotsky Not usually. They normally ask me to do things fast!
Grape I love your erotica. I wanted to put one on my page, but it seems there was some problems?
RonWalotsky Grape, e-mail the web person on that, he'll be glad to help walk you through.
Grape Ok
Awdorn Ron, a general question. When you are given a project, for a book, magazine, or such, what exactly are you given, in order to make your images match the contents? Do you get advanced copies of the book/magazine/etc? Does the publisher just give you a general idea, or do they just let you 'go with it', because of your experience?
RonWalotsky Awdorn, most of the time I'll get the manuscript. I prefer them not to give me a lot of input although sometimes they'll have good ideas. I'll get my images and do thumbnail sketches while I'm reading the manuscript.
Awdorn So you get to visualize it for yourself! Excellent!
RonWalotsky I'll send one to two sketches at a time. Usually, black and white so to fax. LOL! They trust me after all these years!
Awdorn Have you ever run into a project that left you, well, uninspired?
Awdorn Not to name any names, of course :) I wasn't actually trying to be cute. I was wondering about the creative process, about coming up with a visualization of something that, well, was difficult to visualize. Though, after seeing those images on your web page of those, well, crabs? They were amazing!
RonWalotsky Yes, definately. The whole idea though is to make the painting look like its one of the most exciting things you've ever read. sometimes stories will be very 'brainy" and not have any images. Then you really have to pull something up and make it so that it relates to the story, I always try to do that.
Grape Even though it is a boring story?
crStarlit it's what he gets paid for
JanCyberC I'd think that would often be a problem with SF...lots of dialogue and science...no images.
RonWalotsky Aw, The horse shoe crabs- ancient warriors from lost civilizations. they came to me when I was living on the beach in atlantic beach long Island. I always kept things around from the ocean, One day I saw the image of the warrior in the shell of the crab. The next day there were thousands of them on the beach. A sign from God???
Awdorn They are amazing! If I had not read what they were, I would have thought them to be statues, or sculptures!
baryon ron, the illo for GATE OF IVORY, GATE OFHORN that is in Spectrum 5 as the best of the year is interesting, is there a story behind it
RonWalotsky Baryon: that was the third book that I did for Robert Holdstock. To me, it was a gateway to another dimension.... next?
JanCyberC Ron... when you do sketches while you're reading a manuscript... you send several to the publisher and they get to choose which one you pursue into acrylic?
RonWalotsky that's right, Jan. I prefer sending one more than two because they want to combine them which means that they end up with a third sketch. I usually deal with the art director or the editor.
crStarlit looking back at your work, do you find any common themes in your images?
RonWalotsky Star: That's an amazing question because not too long ago... I saw that the masks related to these sun paintings that I did in the 60's, They were called the Ra Series, thorughout the last 32 years- when I looked at everything together- there are themes that move through the work.
crStarlit interesting
baryon who do you consider as your inspiration as an artist
RonWalotsky Magrette has always been one of my favorite artists, but I can go back to Rembrant, there's quite a few contemporary artist's that I like very much. They range from illustrators or fine artists, I make no destinction, really.
crStarlit have these images told you anything about your art/inspiration that you weren't aware of before?
RonWalotsky I haven't been psychoanalized, I'd probably be afraid to! There's a lot of images of masks, there's images of figues standing alone- against the world. So yea, I let the images speak for themselves, let it come out.
Grape Ron, Have you ever done any of the artwork for Aboriginal SF?
RonWalotsky Grape, No I haven't, but I'd certainly consider it. For no other reason than I've never spoken to them about it. Are you offering me a job???? [G]
Grape I wish. I've always loved their art work
crStarlit have you drawn any conclusions from this proliferation of masks?
RonWalotsky star: No, I just sorta stay behind them.... and watch.
crStarlit most of us do
RonWalotsky (gail say's- he's facinated with faces!!!!)
RonWalotsky Star: too true.
JanCyberC You mentioned that you've been working on some pieces 'for yourself.' Do you have a gallery show scheduled soon?
RonWalotsky Jan, I just finished a gallery show.
JanCyberC In Florida? New YOrk?
RonWalotsky This was locally, Obibbio Gallery in Daytona Beach Florida. The new paintings I've been working on are illusionist abstract paintings. THey have small children moving through them, it's a combination of abstract thought and figurative paintings.
JanCyberC A good...are there any examples of these on your website?
RonWalotsky Jan- not yet, but coming soon- I'm working on a large web site that will have the current work and older paintings for sale also. much more comprehensive than what is available at the moment.
baryon An old novel by Mike Bishop compares masks to the various faces we wear inour lifetime. Do you think that applies to your series of masks?
RonWalotsky Baryon, I did one of Michael Bishops books. Blooded on Arachne...
baryon Got it
RonWalotsky That painting was my son on top of a spider droppping from the sky. hold a sec, folks. getting ahead of gail!
Awdorn With the recent promotion of the book "Mind Fields", with stories by Harlan Ellison, written to the artwork of, aw, I forgot the name, Yerka or something, have you ever been asked to do such a project, getting a chance to create a library of work, and have stories written to contour to those works, rather than the usual visa-versa?
RonWalotsky Awdorn, I did a painting for Amazing Stories about 3 years ago. They wrote a story around the painting, there was an early book, probably in the early 80's where they had a dozen artists each do a painting based on something that was against the law...then they had writer's do the stories around the paintings. I love those ideas!!!!!!
Awdorn Geez, now I have to go in search of it! :)
RonWalotsky Awdorn [G]
Grape Did they do that with "Night Gallery?
RonWalotsky Grape: No, I did a cover for one of the Night Gallery, it had a tiger going out of the doorway, floating in space.
RonWalotsky Awdorn- I have to go buy the book too!
crStarlit do you have any particular "rituals" you use to get into the right frame of mind for a painting?
RonWalotsky Is this an adult site? [G] LOL. Star, yes I do. I have a very set routine. I go to this little german restaurant for breakfast, read the paper for an hour, then I go back home and work. I fool myself into thinking I'm going to work at a job. Then I work on and off all day, into the night. ga.
crStarlit so you have too much fun at it for you to consider your painting work?
RonWalotsky Star: it's my play and my work. I've always thanked the man (or lady) upstairs for letting me do what I love.
baryon Do Gail or other members of the family help, other than posing?
RonWalotsky Bary, absolutely! Gail works on the keyboard right now, she works as my agent, I always try to take her to all the conventions, she's my best friend, she's my partner. she helps a lot with the business, also. Which I really don't want to do half the time, but do spend a couple of days a week, and I can't paint.
Awdorn All right, I'll ask the typical question, not just to ask the question, but because I am curious. How did you get into this line of work? Did you start out towards art, and get pulled into this dicipline of painting? Or was there a specific event that brought you towards SF/Fantasy and such?
RonWalotsky AW, I started doing the day glow posters in the 60's, and psychedelic posters as well. I wanted to be a painter, make my living painting. The only way I saw that I could do that was to do illustration work. The Fantasy & Science Fiction Field was close to what I enjoyed painting with the most freedom to use my imagination, so I went into that direction. I've always have done abstract paintings for the gallery shows because I need to make my own statement instead of intrepeting other peoples ideas.
crStarlit do you know how you come up with the images you use? Is it a conscious association or do you have an "aha" moment?
RonWalotsky Sometimes it happens very quickly. Other times I'll read the book, there's nothing there. so I put it aside, for a few days, Idea's slowly seem to bubble up. I don't know why, but it always seems to work.
JanCyberC You're very lucky...have you ever experienced what writers call BLOCK? Or should we all be knocking furiously on wood right now?
RonWalotsky Jan, hmmm. Yea, yea. That's happened periodically through the years. It's very frustrating when that happens!
Tech Just with certain projects or overall, Ron?
RonWalotsky Tech, It's with projects that I would find very boring- or sometimes you take projects for the money and you know that it's not something that your putting your heart into. I try to make all my paintings count!
Tech Right so you can walk away and come back later?
RonWalotsky Tech, Yes.
JanCyberC I'm assuming you've developed ways to push through it though...?
RonWalotsky Jan, when your doing it professionally, you'd better make sure that when you send in the painting- you look like love doing it, and it was one of the best things you ever did- because... no matter how your feeling, you have to maintain very high quality.
JanCyberC I hear ya. Speaking of making it count, just thought I'd mention that you're on the Anlab and Reader's Awards ballots for Analog and Asimov's respectively this year.... and that folks can vote for your work electronically this year at their sites.
Tech :::ears perk up::: vote for Ron! Cool!
Grape Yeah!
RonWalotsky Huh? We had no idea...! Interesting, that's great! where'd you run across that? Send gail the info!
RonWalotsky Yea, Techy- you tell them!
JanCyberC I sure will!
RonWalotsky A chicken in every pot...!
Awdorn LOL
RonWalotsky LOL! [G]
JanCyberC Ron...what's your convention schedule like for '99?
RonWalotsky That's pretty cool, we really had no idea. Thanks Jan, I owe you.
JanCyberC Have you decided on any conventions yet?
RonWalotsky Jan, Megacon in Orlando in March.
RonWalotsky Dragon Con, as usual. In June, I think.
crStarlit doesn't sound like convention-al artist to me
RonWalotsky World Fantasy in baltimore.
RonWalotsky Star, your right!
baryon Dragon is 4th of July
JanCyberC Do you think you'll be doing Nasfic in '99?
RonWalotsky A guest of honor slot- but Gail can't remember right now!
RonWalotsky Where is it, jan?
RonWalotsky I can't remember who got the bid.
JanCyberC LA or thereabouts, I believe. I'll send you the URL.
JanCyberC Worldcon is in Australia.
RonWalotsky Okay, will have to think about that one.
RonWalotsky Right, that I remember.
Grape !
crStarlit hmm. NASFIC in LA might be doable. When is it?
JanCyberC Go for it Grape...if you have a question...just shout it out.
RonWalotsky go for it, grape.
Grape Oops! Just thought "."s were boring.
JanCyberC Oh. LOLOLOL...sorry.
Tech ROFL
RonWalotsky LOL!
JanCyberC You're right, they are Grape.
RonWalotsky next?
crStarlit coulda used this one: #
Grape You know I'm not shy!
crStarlit or maybe this *
RonWalotsky You've never been acused of that, grape!:)
Tech LOL
Grape :)
JanCyberC Ron... the forest fire that took place in your neck of the woods this summer... was any of your work in danger and did it set you behind schedule?
RonWalotsky well, we had to evacuate. That was a pain in the *ss.
Tech Scared me it did.
Grape Oh, me too.
RonWalotsky We took 100 paintings, wife, grandbaby, daughters,2 cats, 1 poodle to friends in Orlando. Then just stayed there for 3 days, drove ourselves mad, told gail we were going home! started to sneak back in, then they lifted the evacuation. Looked like a war zone. You guys have no idea. WE've had absolutely No damage- wild to see the ashes fall as we were packing paintings.
crStarlit oh, yes I do. Our area had a terrible fire in '93
JanCyberC You didn't have any smoke damage on your work did you?
RonWalotsky Left more paintings than we took. We just weren't thinking in a momment like that. No, Jan. The house is very secure. Sorry to hear that, star. next...
JanCyberC That's great to hear....because I was just thinking of all of those preliminary sketches you do before starting a big job...what *do* you do with them?
crStarlit We were okay, though. But it surely did look like a war had been going on
RonWalotsky They are all stuffed in my filing cabinet!
JanCyberC Have you ever considered offering them for sale?
RonWalotsky One day, I'm going to have to start getting rid of them- 100's and 100's of sketches from the early days.
RonWalotsky Absolutely. most of them are pencil sketches, a few are color.
crStarlit betcha collectors would love to get hold thereof
baryon I'll take a box full
JanCyberC It's just that I'm sure there are a lot of folks who would like a small original Walotsky.
RonWalotsky I'd be happy to sell them. Send a check, Baryon! [G] Do you want it sent by weight???
JanCyberC LOLOL!
Tech ROFL
Tech You guys are too cool!
crStarlit hey, if you want to dump 'em, I can accommodate you
JanCyberC Well you know...some of the Zine's publishers would probably pay well.
RonWalotsky They can go from$20. to $100....
JanCyberC HOpe you can get some of them up on your new site....same URL as the current one?
RonWalotsky That's a thought, Jan. I'll have to consider it.
Awdorn Have you ever done one of those sketches that, well, that the 'buyer' didn't go for, and just follow it through yourself?
RonWalotsky Awdorn: Not right away. But I've gone back, and found old sketches that fit new stories. I keep the ideas.
RonWalotsky Magazines are usually interested in reprints, they prefer original paintings, I keep my sketches kinda loose.
crStarlit rather than in a binder, I take it
RonWalotsky Star, lol!
RonWalotsky next....ACTION looking around to see if anyone is asleep.
baryon getting Baryon ready to mail to Rn & Gail
JanCyberC Okay...coffee table books... I love 'em but haven't seen any lately. Are you considering doing any collections?
RonWalotsky Jan, I'm working on a book right as we talk.
JanCyberC Excellent!!!! Do you have a publisher?
RonWalotsky I should know something (hopefully) in the next 2 months that we'll have something in the future to let everyone to know about. The publisher is Paper Tiger/ collins & Brown- that we've been talking with...
JanCyberC I'm very excited by this.
RonWalotsky ME TOO!
Awdorn As we approach the end of the millenium, have you considered trying to get involved in the next-generation of artwork, that is, computer-generated art?
RonWalotsky Awdorn: I've been asked ton's of times to do computer images But- I'm having trouble working on the learning curve and can't seem to get myself into the computer.
crStarlit there are a few SF writers who won't use a computer, too.
RonWalotsky I still think painting will always have a soul. I'm the older generation, I grew up with pinball machines, I was never very good with pac man- I dropped all that stuff early on~!
baryon And the soul flows through the hands of the artist, not the computer
Awdorn Well, I do agree. It's just that, well, a question was desired at the time. And, I do agree that most of the graphics programs out there are written for programmers, not artists such as yourself.
RonWalotsky Baryon, yes- I think that's a very nice way to put it.
crStarlit it could be argued that the soul can flow through a computer artist's fingers
Awdorn I, personally, think that this is why so much computer art looks sterile -- it's being done by programmers and not artists!
RonWalotsky Awdorn- Thank you!
JanCyberC I think the problem may be that the *tools* for computer graphic arts just aren't very maleable right now....
RonWalotsky Awdorn, there's so much stock art and so much you can do with a computer but it's still only a photographic image.
JanCyberC until you can get the feel of a brush with a computer brush it will be cold.
Grape Computer art just doesn't move me.
Tech <=== wonders exactly how to do a brush with a computer. Then again I wrote a touch pad program for that once.
RonWalotsky And they wonder why book sales have dropped...
baryon comics especially
RonWalotsky They are trying graphic images and I've heard that they aren't working. Which puts a smile on MY face!
JanCyberC Ron...so you feel that art can sell a book *and* assist in the enjoyment of the story?
RonWalotsky Absolutely! I think a good painting will draw the person in. I try to make the paintings stand up by themselves, even without the story.
baryon It's like Virgil Finlay toiling for hours with dots to do a stipple effect, now they use zippy strips
RonWalotsky The quality of light that's hitting paint, even when it's reproduced is still better than some of the computer images that look like movie stills.
Grape So many times, Ron, I've bought a book in which the cover had absolutely nothing to do with the story.
RonWalotsky Grape, sometimes the publishers will buy reprints and then you can never be sure on what books they are going to be used on.
crStarlit a hopelss romantic
RonWalotsky Sometimes they just want "a stock image" and I've had that happen.
Tech I'm hoping paintings and books always stay with us.
RonWalotsky Tech, I hope your right. I'm having a feeling that books might end up going the way of vinyl records.
Grape I love "Cosmic Tourist" Have that one on art page. Gail said I could!
Tech On the computer screen, Ron, seems to depend a lot on the art. Escher's 2 color stuff gains debth on a computer screen.
JanCyberC Ron...you mentioned during the artist's panel that the market in game cards still seemed good for artists...a few months later...is that still so?
Awdorn thank God for hopeless romantics!
RonWalotsky Good Grape! Yes, you can!
Tech While, say, his color stuff doesn't. ::shruggs:::
crStarlit absolutely, AW
RonWalotsky that was a cover for Amazing Stories where they just asked me to do an SF painting of anything I wanted!
RonWalotsky Tech- Well the computer screen is like a transparency or slide, you have the light coming through it. It will have that quality of light. A flat computer art- done on paper, will not have the same light.
RonWalotsky Jan, what market?[G] It's died. I think I went to the funeral.
JanCyberC It Has? What happened to the game cards market?
Tech OIC
baryon except for Magic, its about dead
HauntedPen Still, even Magic seems to have slowed
JanCyberC Well this is very curious...what happened. The cost of paper? Disappearing distributors? what?
baryon ST and SW are using movie stills on their cards
JanCyberC No. Same with the other publishers?
RonWalotsky Jan, was flooded with too many games, it seemed to have just turned into one of those fads, goes down as fast as it came up. Like Pet Rocks!
crStarlit The Magic Goes Away
Tam yes, Star
baryon Comic Images and Freilander did a good job, but they seem to have disappeared
RonWalotsky Magic changed the rules, people lost interest.
HauntedPen Collectors have a hard time keeping up with all the new sets coming out, too
RonWalotsky It's still the main game out of all of them. True Pen.
JanCyberC Oh that's sad. And the album cover market? It's still in a slump?
RonWalotsky LOL, Jan! I'm waiting!!! I heard it might come back! I loved doing album covers, square format- not much type. I don't do any CD covers.
Grape Book Plates......ever do those, Ron?
JanCyberC They are *awfully* small.
baryon cd cover too small for good detailed work
Tech It's still pretty big here in Austin.
Tech At least at the hobby place I go to.
RonWalotsky too True.
crStarlit your art isn't seedy
RonWalotsky They use photo's of the artists... Comic Images is now into something out of the relm. They are now doing images of Pop Art, they are in the fine art market now. Out of SF/F cards.
HauntedPen Ron in your opinion, what markets offer the most creative freedom?
RonWalotsky Pen- the book market gave me a lot of freedom, doing s&Sf covers. Other markets, your pinned down, put into a narrow area to do the work. The best market Is to sell paintings that I'm painting for myself.
JanCyberC BTW folks...if you've not had a chance to see some of Ron's recent work, pop over to his link page after the chat at http://www.cybling.com/artists/ron.html
baryon That's what Carl Lundgren is doing now, doing what he likes and not selling much
Sensen i'm always fascinated by people who can write what they want
RonWalotsky It's not like Keith Haring. His are all symbolic images.
Sensen or paint what they want i write for a living but write what other people want more's the pity better the pay LOL
HauntedPen It sometimes seems like a trade off: doing what you enjoy vs. doing what pays the bills.
RonWalotsky That sums it up... I've always considered myself an artist, not just an illustrator. Who mentioned Carl Lundgren? I haven't spoken to him in a while- tell me what he's doing, if you know.
baryon He's mostly doing what he likes, selling some on the market, but not taking commissioned work
RonWalotsky Yea, he's gone out of the illustration field a few years ago just to concentrate on the painting, I heard he opened a gallery in South florida, but haven't heard from him. Do you know if he's doing anything?
baryon not for sure
RonWalotsky I saw a cover of Carls on MZB's Fantasy magazine, pretty sure it was an older painting. Oh well, say hello for us... Anyone need a break?
RonWalotsky ACTION gail raising her hand!
JanCyberC Yeah...why don't we give Ron a break here....
JanCyberC Ron let us know when we can barrage you with questions again.
JanCyberC I have to admit to being shocked to hear that the bottom fell out of the trading/gaming card market. That looked like a good thing for a lot of artists.
RonWalotsky bck.
RonWalotsky It was for a while, Jan.
Techyo Might be a factor of who buys game/trading cards.
RonWalotsky There's still some stuff being done, but selectively. Most of the companies have gone out of business as far as I know.
JanCyberC Welcome back! Well...just goes to show you that I don't attempt to sell my doodles.
Techyo And I'd expect it to follow a cycle.
RonWalotsky Yes, Tech. The kids have moved on.....
JanCyberC Are there any new markets opening up that you can see Ron?
AraIsHere Hello
JanCyberC Hi Megwan, Hi Arai.
Grape Hi Ara;
RonWalotsky I'm going to try selling on the Internet. Trying out this market, see what happens...
RonWalotsky Awdorn, you'rer an editor, what are you seeing?
Awdorn Well, I'm an editor of a magazine that's just starting. So far, I'm not seeing much. An Internet magazine, of course.
RonWalotsky Good luck to you. It takes time.
RonWalotsky ahhh! Wana buy reprints?[G]
HauntedPen I've heard that some of the card markets weren't treating their artists very well, either
Awdorn :)
JanCyberC Ron...do you think that might the next hot area? Covers for internet magazines?
RonWalotsky Pen, rumor's fly. There may be a lot of truth to it. Some of them have not been that easy to deal with.
Techyo Maybe internet gallerys?
RonWalotsky Internet galleries are happening right now. I'm on Victor Drek's (something like that) sf gallery.
Megwan I have stories in NET mags, pictures in Net Galleries, but all, of course, for no payment.
RonWalotsky They sell paintings through the net.
JanCyberC Ron, you don't consider it risky putting your work on the web?
RonWalotsky the idea is to figure out a way to make money off this new fangled contraption!
HauntedPen Do they usually do it on consignment when done through the net?
JanCyberC LOLOLOL...well that's something we're *all* working on.
Techyo Money????
RonWalotsky Jan, No. If they want to use it as a screen saver, that's fine. It doesn't bother me.
RonWalotsky They can't get the quality that one of my prints or original will have off of my web.
Techyo Would a screen saver be considered an add?
Awdorn I can see a danger of putting original images on the net. With all of those computer artists, who steal bits and pieces here and there and slap them together, one could see their artwork as part of something, well, weird by someone you've never heard of!
RonWalotsky Not really, because the only person to see it is the one that put it on and the family, possibly.
Grape advertisement?
RonWalotsky That's possible, Awdorn. They say you can change something a few times, then it's no longer yours. That is a danger. Though we've never crossed that issue. Also, they can buy a print, scan it, change it, steal it. But are we going to hide at home?
JanCyberC Folks..we've had Ron and Gail on the hotseat now for over an hour and a half. Let's stop a moment and give them a round of applause and thank them for joining us this evening. Before we pummel them with any more questions.
JanCyberC applauds RonWalotsky ::pok pok pok:::
Techyo Yeah Gail and Ron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MrN apple sauce apple sauce
Awdorn Thanks for coming! It's been wonderful!
Techyo Don't ever stop!!!!
AraIsHere ::clapping::
HauntedPen (HP clapping until his hands hurt)
Techyo I asked once before if artist put in hiden bits like computer coders do. I think the answer was it depends if I remember right. Or even just look at it and use an idea.
RonWalotsky Yes, Tech. I've put things into some paintings that you have to look at for a while. That cover I did of Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn... that was in Spectrum is full of hiddne images...
Techyo ::looks fondly at my print::: [G]
AraIsHere <---- bought the book GATE OF IVORY, GATE OF HORN.
Techyo Cool Ron seems a good idea.
JanCyberC And, of course, images on the web can be watermarked.
RonWalotsky ah, really Jan????
Techyo Is that what it's called? Watermarking?
RonWalotsky Thanks ya'll. For the applause!
RonWalotsky or apple sauce!
JanCyberC Sure can...it's possible with PSP and Photoshop I think. You make layers. I'll send you a sample Ron.
RonWalotsky Jan, I'm going to have to pay you to come show me all these things!
JanCyberC Yeah, Techyo, you overlay the image with another layer that says copyright such and such so and so...
RonWalotsky Okay all, we're going to say good night...Gail has to go to work tomorrow.
Techyo Makes sense.
JanCyberC and then fade it down so it's not really noticeable....but THERE.
JanCyberC Ron, Gail Thanks so much.
Techyo Good seeing you two again! Thanks Gail and Ron!
JanCyberC ACTION applauds some more.
Awdorn It's been very enjoyable! (Applause!)
AraIsHere Thanks Gail and Ron. Nice seeing you again.
RonWalotsky hmmm, Jan. We never knew.
HauntedPen Thanks Ron & Gail!
RonWalotsky Thanks Jan for having me, I enjoyed this very much.
Awdorn Good Evening!
RonWalotsky Was Nice to see you guys again...
Techyo We enjoy your work and talking to you.
JanCyberC As soon as the collection is published we'll have to have you back out again!
RonWalotsky Good night! Thanks Jan, would love to.
RonWalotsky Keep your fingers crossed.....
RonWalotsky Nite all!
The March 1997 Q&A
DWO Janice
Grab a seat and join us!
Araiused
Okidoki.
RWalotsky
ditto.
Araiused
New spelling, new thoughts.
RWalotsky
::G:: Hey this is good company.
JDipale
Only the best here!
DWO Janice
Of course. We all have a common interest in the fantastic.
Araiused
Raining over at you, light snow over at me, JD.
DWO Janice
It's going to be a pleasure to hear about it from your point
of view Ron...
JDipale
Couple of degrees, and it would be snow
DWO Janice
I think most of us think of SF and Fantasy from the written
word side.
RWalotsky
Thanks, I enjoy this.
JDipale
So do we
RWalotsky
That's how I got into it, by the written word. I used to read
sf all the time.
DWO Janice
Tell you what. Why don't we go into protocol now...not that
we need it....
JDipale
are we in protocol yet?
DWO Janice
because we're all so civilized.
RWalotsky
::G::
Araiused
I enjoy the illustrations at Omni when they were still printed
on paper.
DWO Janice
But it won't be so jarring when stragglers start coming into
the room.
DWO Janice
Hi everyone. Want to welcome you to the Q&A chat with
SF/Illustrator Ron Walotsky. We're running protocol today. If you
have a question type a ? into the chat sceen and I'll add you to
the queue.
Ron....let me start off with something kind of basic.
DWO Janice
What tools do you use in your artwork. Are you mostly oils?
watercolors? or do you ever use computers? /ga
RWalotsky
Well, I mainly paint in acryllics. When I first started
professionally 30 years ago, you couldn't use oils for illustration
work because they didn't dry especially if you had a dead line.
with acryllic's you can paint right up to the dead line. even the
abstracts are painted with acryllics. I will do water colors once
in a while. if the illustration calls for it./ ga
JDipale
?
DWO Janice
JD, thanks, go ahead with your question. Remember to type /ga
when you're through.
JDipale
How long did you paint before going professional /ga
RWalotsky
I graduated the School of Visual arts in 1966, very crazy
time! Got my first job from Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine in
1967. but I started doing psychadelic dayglow poster's for a
company called DREAM MERCHANTS and another one called The Third
Eye. That lead me right into the Science Fiction field. I was
lucky! /ga
JDipale
?
DWO Janice
LOL. I'm glad to hear that. JD...go ahead.
JDipale
Do your fans, as a group, seem to have a favorite piece of
work, and what is yoy favorite /ga. er, your/ga
RWalotsky
I find the fan's all have different opinions of what they
like. My work seems to take on the style of what I feel, the
manuscript is about. I do have favorites. I try and keep it to the
one I'm working on right now...but through the years, there are
some pieces that have held up very wel.l As a series, I like the
Zelazny covers for the Amber books. They were simple, but you could
spot them immediately. they went through 15 printings before they
changed the covers. ?ga oops! /ga
Araiused
?
DWO Janice
Ron...in most cases do the publishers/editors usually send you
the manuscript to read before you begin an illustration? /ga
RWalotsky
Yes. I prefer it that way. sometimes you gotta read a report,
then you need to use your own imagination. /ga
JDipale
?
Araiused
Janice mentioned computers, have you ever used a computer for
your illustrations? /ga
RWalotsky
no. I'm just an old fashioned guy! LOL!/ga
JDipale
Do you have a favorite author that you like to work with?
RWalotsky
You can do some amazing things with computer art, but they
don't have the soul of a painting. Author's: Zelazny was one of my favorite author's. When I did
the cover for Lord of Light
JATAR44
?
RWalotsky
It hit me so strong in the early 70's that I sent the original
to Roger Zelazny because I Liked it so much. /ga
JATAR44
How long does it take you to do a painting-
RWalotsky
Hey Simon!
Simon023
Hi there Ron So glad you are here for us to talk to.
RWalotsky
Thanks, nice to see you here.
Simon023
::smile::
RWalotsky
I can do a painting if I'm really rushed- in one day.
JDipale
?
RWalotsky
But I prefer taking 1 to 2 weeks. And usually a week of
research, if it's needed. /ga
JATAR44
?
JDipale
Has anyone ever tried to censor (Spelling?) your work? /ga
RWalotsky
Yes! It was a time in the middle 70's when I worked for the
mens magazines, I had a page called Ron Walotsky's Blue Paradise
in Swank magazine every month. I did bizaar, humorous, erotic water
colors. Until the post master General of the U.S. said that if they
printed any more of my bizaar work- he wouldn't let them send the
magazine through the mail! That was my last job with Swank!/ga (you
guys are going to get the dirt today!)
DWO Janice
Thanks Ron! Good Lord. It's hard to remember that far
back...but things have certainly...changed in the past few years.
JATAR44
Do you prefer acyrilics or oils, or something that I do not
know, or never heard of
RWalotsky
Acryllics, I've gotten used to working with them the last 25
years. I use an airbrush also in combination with regular brushes. I don't like just
the look of airbrush by it'self. /ga
JDipale
Do you still have those SWANKY pictures? /ga
RWalotsky
LOL!! some old yellow copies!/ga. I've got an old file in the
cabinet of that work in the "back
of the cabinet"!/ga
DWO Janice
May I ask the obvious follow-up question here? Any plans to
sell them in the future? Or do they stay in the back of the
cabinet?
RWalotsky
::G:: I'll sell pretty much anything that I've done. Only a few
paintings that I hold onto. I prefer people having them on their
walls instead of having them in the closet.There's just a few of those erotic pieces left. I also did
work at that time with Viva./ga
Simon023
Comment first) I've seen a few of those Swanky items and they
are wonderful Question is, what are you working on now, where will
we see your work next?
RWalotsky
Right now, I've just finished a book for Robert Holdstock
called "Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn" for Penguin Roc. And Just
turned in Catherine Asario's Called Hawks two days ago for Tor. And
working on one of the Tolkein cards and 5 Dune Cards.
Finishing up my second Children's book. YOu can see, I'm all over
the board. I do a little of everything! I'll be at Oasis in May in
Orlando as Artist Guest of Honor./ga
RWalotsky
Simon, I'm taking you with me to Orlando!/ga
Simon023
smile, sounds great to me! woo woo
RWalotsky
(this was from his wife!!!!, better clarify that!)
JATAR44
Which publisher do you like to work with the most-Del Rey,
Tor, Ace, Daw, and if I may why
RWalotsky
I've worked with Tor for about 15 years, I've always enjoyed
working with them. One of my main working reationships is with the
Science Fiction Book Club.
RWalotsky
Fantasy and Science Ficiton magazine, I still do at least one
cover a year. since 1967, and I'm now working with Penguin Roc
also. /ga
Araiused
Do you keep in touch with other SF artists across the world?
/ga
RWalotsky
Yea, it's a great group of artists! We usually just see each
other at the conventions, but we will talk on the phone quite a bit
and we'll help each other and tell each other what we'sorry...we're doing. It's like Family. One of the reason's I
do the conventions is to see the other artists since we all work
alone in the dark in our little rooms!/ga
FanofACC
What sort of formal education would you reccommend for a
career in art??from a 12 yr old,ga
RWalotsky
Paint all the time, and draw. Keep a sketch book with you and
draw people. Go to a good art school. LEarn all you can, then
forget it and PAINT! /ga
DWO Janice
LOL. I can see I'll have to be a little quicker on the
keyboard here. Thanks Ron. QUEUE: JDipale, Simon023, Araiused. Go
ahead JD!
RWalotsky
Are we too quick for ya Janice?::G::
JDipale
Can I go to Orlando with you and Simon? I don't eat much! Do
you do alot of signings? /ga
RWalotsky
LOLOLOL!!! As long as we don't have to pick you up! /ga I do
a lot of signings at the conventions, people will come in with a
lot of books that I've done. I had one person who came with a BIG
box of books, I couldn't believe it. There were over 40 covers in
it! /ga
Simon023
You mentioned research earlier . . . could you tell us how you
go about your research for a project?/ga
RWalotsky
I have a lot of reference books that I'll use. If it's
historical I'll go to the library for anything from clothing to
places. Depends on the manuscript. /ga
Araiused
In asking my question I was thinking of Grzegorz Rosinski
(born in Poland, apparently living in Brussels, I like his drawings
of Thorgal, Child of the Stars that appeared in Tintin magazine.
Is he still there?/ga
RWalotsky
I have no idea, my name is actually russian if that's why your
asking.....I'm not familiar with his work off hand. I might know
it if I saw it..../ga
JDipale
Any plans to put all your work on CD-ROM? /ga
RWalotsky
Yea, we've been toying with the idea. I've been working on
some idea's with Jack haldemen The Science Ficiton author of High
Steel. but nothing has come a conclusion with it yet. /ga
Araiused
Where can folks buy your art? /ga
RWalotsky
YOu can purchase art through World's of Wonder Gallery in
Washington D.C, or go right through me. Or at a convention that I'm
attending or sending work to. /ga
RWalotsky
janice set up a nice web site with other links that you can
view the work. /ga
DWO Janice
Thank you very much Ron. Your webmaster should get a lot of
credit though..excellent home..site. QUEUE: Araiused. Arai? Go
Ahead.
Araiused
Do you do posters as well?/ga
RWalotsky
He does!::G:: I have a few posters that I sell. I sell a lot of
c prints, I have quite a few different
RWalotsky
images that are signed and numbered copies of the Science
Fiction and Fantasy art.?ga /ga sorry.
Winkson
Is any of your work available in the UK? and if so,
whereabouts?
RWalotsky
I was supposed to do a book with Paper Tiger untill they went
Belly Up./ga
Silaspak
Do you do any artwork for yourself...your own ideas and if so
does your style change from your commercial work?/ga
RWalotsky
Quite a bit! I've always been an abstract painter. I've had
shows around the country of my abstract work. I've shown on Madison
Avenue and in SoHo. I also make masks out of horse shoe crab
shells. They are called "Ancient Warrior's of Lost Civilizations".
The abstract work is called illusionistic Abstract painting.
Completely Unrepresenational. Very Different from the SF Work/ga
Silaspak
glad to hear it..
Simon023
I know I have favorites in your work (speaking of the SF part)
and was wondering if you did?/ga
RWalotsky
The last two years of my work I feel has grown and I like the
new pieces I've been turning out. you a are always growing, you
always have to push. As they say, the road is the key, not the
destination. /ga
JDipale
If the SoHo you mentioned is the one in NYC, I live there.
Will you be coming back, Dinner is on me! /ga
DWO Janice
LOL.
RWalotsky
Just to visit, but your on! We'll call!::G::/ga
DWO Janice
Thanks so much, Ron and everyone. What a wonderful Q&A
session.
DWO Janice
Folks I'm going to turn off the Robot now...but let's thank
...
RWalotsky
Thanks, we've enjoyed this very much. Thanks for having us,
and we'll stick around....
DWO Janice
Ron for being such a wonderful GOH!
Simon023
Thanks Ron
JDipale
Thank you. Let's do it again!
RWalotsky
Hey simon, Glad you could make it!
Simon023
You gonna pick me up for convention?
Simon023
::G::
Winkson
Thanks! :-)
Araiused
Thank you, let's do it more some time.
RWalotsky
I'd be delighted to drag you out and take you, been trying to
for a while!
