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Interview with Ken Meyer, Jr.
Featured Artist for May 2005
Interviewed by Patrick Keith
To begin with, let's get the biographical details out of the way. Can you tell us a little about yourself--where you're from, what you like to do in your free time (apart from art, of course!)
Well, I was born in Puerto Rico, but was only there for a few months (my father was in the Air Force, so we moved around a lot). I grew up in about
10 states, the Philippines, and then moved through another 6 or 7 states on my own after that. For the last 18 years or so, I have had one type of art
day job or another, moving from paste up/illustration/cartooning in ad agencies, government contracting companies (one place I worked was in the
Nevada desert, across from area 51 supposedly, on the Stealth Fighter...a logo I did for one of the squadrons ended up as tail art on the plane),
educational media companies and more. Later, I worked on the popular online game Everquest for a few years. I have been freelancing since then (and
through all the day jobs) in comics, paper role playing games, design and illustration for magazines, books, cds, dvds, etc. My free time is an
illusion, but I do like to play tennis, read a fair amount, buy too much music, see as many films as I can, along with the usual family stuff (I have two daughters, 4 and 10).
Just from a visit to your Epilogue Gallery, it seems you are very prolific, art-wise. When and how did you decide to become an artist?
Boy, you should see my own website if you think that is prolific. I do seem to get a lot of work done...the bad side of that is that not all of it is as good as I would like it to be. Deadlines and bills, though, have a way of making you crank it out.
I don't know if I ever made a concious decision to become an artist, it is always just what I did and there was never any reason to pursue anything else. I remember tracing comic books at my grandmother's kitchen table, probably around the age of 8 or so, and progressing from there.
Which other artists, historic or contemporary, would you say are your greatest influences? Do you have a favorite fantasy artist or artists you admire?
Wow, that list is long. Early in life, I liked Michelangelo and other Italian artists along those lines, as well as Klimt, Wyeth, the Robinsons,
etc. Comics, of course, provided me with many role models and just plain artists to gawk at. The biggies include Bill Sienkiewicz, Steve Rude, Dave
Sim, John Buscema, Barry Smith, Jeff Jones, Dave McKean, Jaime Hernandez, David Mack and many more. Later, as I got more into commercial illustration,
people that started to mean more to me were David Grove, Bernie Fuchs, Jim Sharpe, Kazuhiko Sano, Brad Holland, Gary Kelley, Rick Berry, Phil Hale,
Drew Struzan and tons more. As far as fantasy, if we leave out comics artists, some that spring to mind are Whelan, Donato Giancola, Justin Sweet, Gregory Manchess, Jon Foster and the inevitable more.
Do you have any words of wisdom for artists who are just starting out?
Hmmm, well, the standard advice that still makes sense is to draw as much and as often (and as many types of subjects) as possible. Keeping a sketchbook will only help you. I don't think there is anything wrong with emulating someone you admire (or copying artists's styles to learn techniques and such), as long as you know you need to forge your own style at some point. As far as fantasy goes, the role playing game book market is a good place to start off doing black and white work...doesn't pay a ton, but will get you some good exposure.
Got any funny or interesting stories to tell about your experiences in the art world?
I would if I had a memory that works. My brain is one big sieve. It does seem, though, that many compatriots of mine go on to great things all around me while I essentially stay where I am. I worked with both Michael Turner (who went on to great things at Image comics), and another guy whose name I forget who went on to do work for Rolling Stone and the like. I sort of started off with David Mack, Brian Bendis and others at Caliber Comics. Mike Dringerberg worked on a funny animal comic with me before he went on to help create Sandman with Sam Kieth and Neil Gaiman. The list goes on, believe me.
Any tips and tricks concerning the business side of things? How do you handle difficult clients?
I haven't had too many difficult clients. Every once in awhile, what I do doesn't work out for a client and I just try to smooth things out and move on.
Can you describe your creative process - how you come up with ideas for a new piece and how you take those ideas and create a finished piece of art? Describe your working method and technique for creating your pieces.
Well, like many, I do thumbnails/small sketches to work out the composition, move on to more detailed sketches (sometimes), then, since my stuff is pretty realistic, shoot reference photos or find stuff for reference (usually a combination of the two), and move on to the drawing. I usually work in watercolor on 140 lb. Arches watercolor paper (stretched and stapled on wood panels), though if I could afford it, I would work on 300 lb. paper.
I usually start on the focal point of the piece first, which is usually the face of the character, if there is one. Sometimes, I will apply a wash over
the whole thing before that. I have been trying out some new media, mainly because of whichever class I am taking at the time, such as oil, acrylic,
etc. I usually work from light to dark, applying washes again and again until I get what I want. Here is an example of the process.
How is it working with the models? Tell us about shooting your own reference photos and have you worked from live sittings?
I haven't worked from live sittings for paintings, though I have taken life drawing classes. After doing the thumbnails, I try to shoot as close to that as possible, paying particular attention to the light/shadow, where they fall, how intense, etc. Sometimes I will get better ideas while shooting the reference and change things. I usually use friends, but have paid for models now and then. I am, in fact, shooting reference both tonight and tomorrow night (it is Monday the 4th of March as I write this) for three separate paintings. One is a book cover, while the other two are private commissions. I also have a couple of file cabinets full of stuff I have shot or collected over the years, broken down into various categories.
Most, if not all, of the work that you've posted is watercolor. What do like about working in watercolor as opposed to other mediums?
Well, I have a feeling it is because it was what I thought was easiest to learn long ago when I started. I do like the unpredictable quality of watercolor, and yet, you can control it if you use it in manageable quantities. I do like the saturation you get with oil, but have yet to really practice that enough.
What do you do if you make a mistake in watercolour-a misplaced brushstroke, an inopportune splatter? Is there any way to "fix" it?
Well, if you are quick, you can usually lift it out or integrate it into what you are doing...I can't recall having any really bad accidents.
So what is your day like now? Do you have a set working schedule?
Well, since I am going back to school right now to finish my degree, it revolves around that to some degree, as it revolves around family stuff too.
On the average, I get up, get the kids to school, come back and answer email and various other things, putting off painting as long as I can. I don't know if I conciously do that, but I do notice it happening now and then. Sometimes, getting started is the hardest thing, while applying the finishing touches is my favorite part, aside from the initial composition decisions. It seems I usually get started around 11 or so, work for a few hours, have lunch, then get my butt back to work. Pick up kids at 6 pm or so, do family stuff for a few more hours, watch a movie or some TV, then do
some more work before bedtime. I used to work far into the night before having kids...and get up a lot later.
If you could work with absolutely anyone (artists, companies, writers--anyone at all) on a project, who would it be?
Hmm...boy...I have always wanted to do a Rolling Stone cover, or an album cover. As for companies, etc....for the longest time, I wanted to do a Vertigo comic, but that never happened. I have always loved John Irving, Clive Barker, Stephen King and lately, Chuck Palahniuk, so working with any one of them would be pretty fun. And, of course, comics writers like Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. My dream is to get something in the Illustrators Annual one day...
And the trademark Epilogue interview question: What cartoons did you watch as a kid?
As a kid...I remember the old Marvel comic cartoons...I have a feeling I watched much more, but must have blocked it out or something. My head is so
filled with useless music and film trivia that all the useful memories have gotten crowded out.
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