WALDEN WONG
Tell us about your latest work.
Some of my recent work includes The Human Race mini series, JLU, Day of Vengence mini series, and the Day of Vengence Crisis Special. I just finished working on an 11 page short story for Brave New World. Currently, I'm working on The Creeper mini series as well as another unannounced mini series. All of which are for DC Comics.
How long have you been inking?
Almost ten years.
How did you break into the biz?
I went to conventions to show my portfolio to publishers and Editors. I also sent out submissions when convention season was over. And I paid my dues working for independent publishers.
Do you have formal training or are you just naturally talented?
No formal training like going to school to learn my craft. I just did it on my own. Of course all the critiques that I've received at conventions helped out a lot. And I also the works of different artist and inker to see of I can learn from them.
Do you work strictly in comics or do you also work in commercial art related fields?
It's all about the comic books for me.
Who has helped you along the way?
Marlo Alquiza and Paul Smith are two of the artist that helped me the most along the way.
Do you use assistants?
Nope. All me.
What job are you most proud of?
The Human Race for DC Comics. It was a 7 issue mini series and I pour everything I knew into it. It's probably the most detailed work I've done to date.
Is there a title or artist you have always really wanted to work on?
I wanna ink Arthur Adams' pencils some day.
What other artists inspire you to do your best or to learn something new?
Arthur Adams, Brian Bolland, and Bill Sienkiewicz.
How long does it take you to ink a page?
Depending on detail, I would say between the ranges of 8 to 16 hours.
Nib or brush? Or what combination of the two...
Nib, brush, and a bunch of other stuff. I don't limit myself to the tools, I use whatever tools that'll create the best look. And I use all tools equally.
What tools aside from the brush and or nib do you use as part of your daily arsenal?
Tech Pens, synthetic tip pens, templates, rulers, french curve, flex curve, white out, white ink, post it notes, masking fluid, and kneaded erasers.
What is your favorite ink? If it’s not a specific brand, what mix do you create that works well for you?
I like using Koh-I-Noor straight up. Occasionally, I'll mix in some Higgins ink because it's there.
What is your favorite white out?
Any brand as long as it's in a format of a pen.
Which aspect of inking should all aspiring inkers work to improve but seldom do?
Stay true to the pencils. If you can, enhance it, but never just trace it.
Have you gone high tech to work with FTP and/or blueline pencils? If so, do you prefer this method to traditional pencils/shipping methods? Give us some specs about your printer and scanner as well.
Yup, I've done both FTP and blueline pencils. I got a full size scanner as well as a full size printer. But nothing is compare to inking over the original pencils where you can see every detail.
Do you have anything additional to add?
Um... Sure... Sometimes people ask me if I'm a tracer. I just say "Yeap." It's much easier then having to explain what an inker does and the whole process of creating a comic book.
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