Comics Features - Artist Spotlight

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David Moran

By Blazej Szpakowicz September 25, 2005

Welcome to a specialedition of the DCG Artist Spotlight!

Our very own David Jos�Zamarripa Moran (aka Marrow2000) has recently made the big leagues! David is thecolorist for DC's top-ten selling Supergirl series. To celebrate a DCGveteran's recent successes, we sat down (well no, not really) for an exclusiveinterview with David...

Comics2Film (C2F):When did you join the DCG?

David Moran (DM):May 2001 maybe?

C2F:What software/tools do you use to make your art?

DM:Strictly Photoshop, it seems.

C2F:As being one of the senior members of the DCG (at least you get the up closeparking) you inspired many artists who now contribute to the site. Did youthink back when you started submitting work that you would be an influentialmember of the manipping community?

DM: No, not at all. Just like everyone else, when I first started, I felt like a newbie. I haven'tbeen a very active photomanipper in the last few years, so I'm pretty muchforgotten, but while I was a very productive member, I definitely didn't feelI would be an influential member.

C2F: When you doa manip, take us through your process from conception to final product.

DM: First, for me,is the motivation. Then is the sketches, then the practice pictures. I doa lot of quickies, and then I finally tackle the project. I try to determinelight sources at the beginning because that's extremely important.

C2F: How long haveyou been doing art such as manipping, drawing, coloring, etc?

DM:I've beendoing manipping longer than anything else, it seems. I doodled for a while,but was never good with a pencil. I did manips of some sort since I wasabout 16, so 7 years now, but only a few years of manipping to the degreethat DCG requires. I did a few coloring pin-ups, but nothing big. Actually,I think that contest where I got 2nd and 3rd place here at the DCG might'vebeen the first time I actually colored anything. Then I took a coloring classin college, then decided on taking another one. So that was it, two coloringclasses plus photomanip background.

C2F: What is yourbackground in art?

DM: I have a BFA inSequential Art, which basically means comic books, but it deals mostly withstorytelling and penciling (which I can't do either of, to be honest.) It taughtme about comic books, but also about all types of art history, working in artdirection, and stuff like that. It's a broad degree.

C2F: What inspires you?Where do you get your ideas from?

DM: I get my ideas andinspiration from reading comic books. Sometimes you just want to bring thecharacters to life a little more.

C2F: Who are yourfavourite comic book and/or mainstream artists?

DM: My favorite comicbook artists are probably Frank Quitely and colorists Laura Martin, JustinPonsor, Richard Isanove, and of course, the other Aspen colorists.

C2F: Any advice foraspiring artists?

DM: Work really hard onyour off time. I had never realized it, but doing all these photomanips, doingall this coloring, just for fun, REALLY paid off. It gave me a lot more of a headstart on art.

C2F: What artists atthe DCG do you look forward to seeing work from?

DM: Probably the onesthat I know best, like Zac, Sammy, Adams, Kev

C2F: What was yourfavorite comic book title growing up? What is your favorite comic title today?What are you currently reading (book, comic, etc)?

DM: X-Men,X-Men, X-Men

C2F: Obviously youare now a professional, can you talk a little about your experiences in theprofessional world? Things like maybe meeting or working with an artist thatinspired you, or just a inside anectdote.

DM: I had to work the'portfolio' scene for quite some time before I got any where. You get yourscathing critiques, and your glory ones, but at the end of it, you need toremember all the good and bad and keep rising above.

I've met a lot of professionalwriters and artists, and it's funny because sometimes they're so unlike whatyou imagined. At times, you realize "wow... I used to think you were so awesomewhen I was younger, but you're totally an old funny perv!" or whatever. Iremember the first time I went to Aspen Comics, I met a lot of artists, and(head guy) Michael Turner was around and was introduced to me and I was verycasual about it. Inside, though, (at the time) I thought to myself "whoa,that's Michael Turner!"

C2F: How (if at all)has the DCG helped you in achieving your professional goals as an artist?

DM: Of course, the DCGhas been the single most invaluable thing that has ever happened to me. For awhile, this was the most tight-knit group of artists online, and I think ourUIRs are so important in helping artists grow and branch out. I can honestly saythat without the DCG, I would be doing other things right now.

C2F: How is your workon the 10th Muse different than your work on Supergirl? Are there similaritiesin the workflow, the people involved, etc?

DM: 10th Muse was justphotomanip covers for a small publisher. Supergirl is a top-10 selling 22-pagetitle for DC Comics, which I interally color. They're entirely different. I dealt with one person at 10th Muse; on Supergirl, I work through Aspen Comics,plus editors, the writer and penciler at DC, so it's a lot more controlled, so tospeak. The workflow on Supergirl is insane. Due to reasons, I've been onextremely tight deadlines (the colorist is usually the one who has to make uplost time.) I have a daytime full-time job as a photomanipper/web guy as well,at Trashy Lingerie, a large celebrity-loved lingerie and clothing store. So someweeks, with doing both on top of each other, it's easy to tack up about 90 workhours.

C2F: What is your favoritepart of working on Supergirl?

DM: I love working onSupergirl because of the well known characters. I mean, issue 2 just came out,and I did Starfire, who I think is totally cool.

C2F: Take us through yourtypical professional day. Do you get to work from home, or is it an office job? What are your hours, what type of deadlines do you face, etc?

DM: Typical ProfessionalDay (remember, I work two art jobs, trying to pay off my loan earlier thanscheduled):

morning (7-10am) to evening(5-7pm): photoshop/beautify lingerie models at www.trashy.com

evening (7-9pm) to latenight (12-2am): work on coloring.

Weekends are sometimes30 hours of coloring in 2 days.

I work a lot, and I workhard, but I do it intentionally and willingly, if that makes sense.

C2F: Your Daredevil/Elektrapiece was a much different step in your work. It is a much darker, emotionalpiece...how did it come about and can we expect similar emotional type pieces fromyou down the road?

DM: It came about with mewanting to try new things. I have a 12 page story coming up in the Aspen Seasonscomic soon, that deals with an angry character, Kiani (from the pages of Fathom)which will require a darker tone. I'm excited to try something new forit.

C2F: What do you thinkis your strongest asset as an artist?

DM: My strong work ethicand fast turnover.

C2F: What do you stillneed to work on?

DM: Oh man... a looot.Better lighting, more experimental colors, things like that. Just growing as anartist.

C2F: Where do you thinkthe DCG should be headed?

DM: I'm not sure... theDCG has definitely changed since I first came, not just the people, but the'feel'. It was a fun site for ordinary people like me or you or whoever, withartistic expression, but now, I'm not so sure. Maybe it should head towardssomething like a myspace.com site?

C2F: What charactersdo you want to manip/colour?

DM:Man... I would LOVE towork on Dark Phoenix, but I'd be too afraid, cuz she's just way too damn cool!

C2F: What are you workingon right now?

DM:Expanding my graphicdesign/photomanipping resume on one side, and on the other, working on Supergirl,fill-ins on Fathom, Aspen Seasons, stuff like that. I sometimes help out othercolorists with a few pages here and there, on titles like Mary Jane, Runaways,Kitty Pryde.

C2F: What's your favouriteof your own work?