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RAHeight2002-2012 — Evolution
Published: 2008-05-01 05:10:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 2019; Favourites: 31; Downloads: 55
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As the title says, it looks like it's time for my style to evolve. After compiling certain information I have been receiving the past year from friends, colleagues, and plain observation that both Marvel AND DC are "moving" towards styles that are less cartoony and more mainstream/realistic. So, in order to remain viable and stay in the game I feel that either I get with the program or cease to work for the big two.This sketch is an example of the direction I will be going in from now on. Pulling more of the realism out by drawing my eyes smaller, easing up on the stylized jawlines, and making my line work way more detailed while still trying to maintain my usual structure since all my drawings foundations are based in realism.
Hopefully this change will lead to more mainstream work. I just feel that I have to do what is best for me in order to get more work.
-Ray
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Comments: 53
Well, it's not really commenting on your work in particular. But as a comic fan, some personal opinions. I like stylized, and I like realistic. Which one is used depends on the subject I suppose. What I don't like, is cookie cutters. There are some artists out there, who have absolutely mastered how to draw one female form, and one male form. They then substitute things like hair and clothes to make them, "Different characters" I won't name those people, cause other consider them to be among 'the greats' of artistry. And it's nice for artists to have their own style. If DC is having some people doing some brilliant stylized work, doesn't necessarily mean I want to see Marvel jump on the bandwagon, or vice versa. Other than that, I think you're doing pretty good at keeping up the evolution.
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Total agreement with you there!
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so.. why are you going mainstream again? for other people? O_o
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to get more work from editors.
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Hey Ray
I draw in the style your talking about, and believe me. They got plenty of guys who draw like me. Your style is unique, you have mastered a style that alot of us realistic types just can't do well.
I understand that you gotta expand, but don't lose Ray to be like Brian Hitch. DO YOU!!!
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HAHAHA....I hear ya'. No worries, though. As much as a talent I think Hitch is...I could NEVER bring myself to draw THAT realistic. It just goes against my nature 
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Ya work is tight. Would love to collab with ya in the future.
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You should take advantage of this opportunity and draw Peter Parker and Spider-man, to compare this new style with your more recent Spidey work.
BTW, I don't agree with you doing this, because it sounds like you're all "style, style, style" right now. I understand your reasons, but it sounds like you're willing to cut off your non drawing hand to get work, when instead you should be equipping wrist mounted flame throwers. Bad metaphor, but that's how it sounds.
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LOL...No, no..I get it. The thing is, I just CAN'T afford to lose any work or potential work for any reason. If I was a rich man....I could give a rat's behind what the trend is or what style some editors are looking for. I would just draw for kicks....because I love it. But since I draw for a living I have to do whatever I can to get the next gig. My motivations are all very different now.
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Well, as ever, I'm rooting for you. I get what you mean, but this usually happens when its for illustration or photography. I never really thought it was the same for the comics industry, though. That one might have to go with the trend as opposed to getting hired for who they naturally are.
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I always feel sorta sad when I hear things like this. Not for you wanting to be more viable to find the work, but for the companies shoehorning themselves into one specific look or direction. Because guess what...when you make everything look in one style only (realistic, or cartoony, or whatever), then the human condition can only take it for so long before wanting something different. It's why we don't eat the same food every day, because we want variation. Our taste buds want it and we're more the better for it.
So yeah. I always say, work in a style you like. Don't abandon it altogether. Sure you can still grow and evolve and try new things. But still come back and do what you enjoy and feel like doing.
- D
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D, you know it's hard to enjoy what you do when you're broke....LOL. I guess I am just in full on hustle-mode. I think what I am going to do after Free Comic Book Day is relax and find my center.
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Yeah I hear ya man. I just needed to vent a lil myself. Hope things pick up for ya. Drop me an email and maybe I can help out.
- D
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Yeah,the problem with the big companies is that they go a lot for the marketing of the product (which makes a lot of sense of course), and once they have an artist with a style that people like and that artist starts selling a lot they want to put on their titles people with the same or similar styles, as happend with the Madureira boom that brought all these manga based styles to control the pages of comics (which I personally prefer to the more realistic ones), I think what you are doing is very smart, if they see you have a good handdle on both styles that's gonna get you a good place in their minds and hopefuly get you more gigs, no matter how the tide turns.
That also means I have to practice my colors over realistic styles more
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*sniff* it still smells like Ray Anthony Heights work. I think it's nice, never been a real big fan of realistic myself, but it's like you said, even the most stylised of artist has thier fundamentals based on realism. I dig it mate, just don't lose the edge you had. Just my two cents, since I am just a mad clone
Looking forward to more mate,
DFs.
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I like this style. Can't wait to see more. It's always nice to see an artist step out of their creative comfort zone.
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and hence the reason I will never work for the "big two" - I don't change my "personality" for the company that I am in - its a crock of Shit - My agent told me the same thing about they were shying away from my style - you know what I said? Oh fuggin well....no sweat off my nuts.... (sorry that whole thing just irritates me to no end)
Just be true to your self man.....eff what everyone else thinks (but I am quite aware that that does not put food on the table)....Opinionated fugger I know - but that's why you lub me
I've been compared to Ramos, which I am quite sure that that was a compliment, even though the statement was meant to be derragatory (spelling sucks) - but again, I don't really care what the critics think. My fans - all two of them - love me for me.....LOL!
like I said - be true to yourself man.....just be true to yourself.
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I REALLY, REALLY like this touch of realism!
Keep this up!
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I like the style and I definitely get what you're saying about the mainstream style changing, John Cassaday, Stuart Immonen, and Brian Hitch are the "look" the big 2 seem to like. Great to see you are broadening you palette, it's always good for an artist to grow.
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while i like what you were doing before just fine, i understand your feeling the need to stretch- this is kinda interesting- almost has a brent anderson feel to it!
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I'm going to miss the stylized look of comics (well, until the realism fad ends, then back to the more stylized look).
Nice new style, I've been trying for that look myself, but I end up falling horribly short.
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I've been reading up on the ongoing conversation on this controversial piece. I'd like to weigh in on the whole realism vs. cartoonism thing.
I wouldn't worry too much about the industry going into photorealistic styles. It's a self-defeating move, in the end. As you said, Ray, comics are a business, and the fact that Ramos (who I've had the pleasure of meeting), Bachalo, Mignola, and Young's style have prevailed is because they SELL.
This means there is a clear demand for stylized and cartoonized artists. And, in my humble opinion, they sell just as good as photorealistic artists like Bryan Hitch or Alex Maleev, or David Finch, even.
What your doing is basically what a lot of artists are doing too. They incorporate realistic elements into their styles. A good example is the huge transition Joe Mad made from his earlier work (almost anime-like) into Ultimates 3 (gritty, yet still stylized). Another good example on a perfect real/cartoon balance is Olivier Coipel on the recent Thor books. Humberto Ramos, though heavily stylized on his characters, draws amazingly lifelike backgrounds and structures to contrast this.
You're heading in the right direction, Ray, incorporating realism into your stylization. I'm doing the same with my own style. Just stick to your roots.
I, for one, dig your style.
I'm sure you'll never lack work.
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this is great man i really like it! either if you make it more cartoony or realistic your style is always going to come out, because it's you who's drawing it, and i agree that the artist must always evolve and become a better artist so if you do this you will upgrade your level into another level! and dude this is very cool i like it! cool expression! let's see some more stuff like this!
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that's lame that they want more realism in their work.. i PREFER stylized work. i mean yea more realistic artwork is nice and everything... but if everyone were doing photorealistic type of work... it'd get boring to look at comics. no disrespect to those who do photorealistic as that is their style. as is more stylized realism is another's style. i think the variety of people's work and the variety of artists and what you get from them is one of the great things about comics. being able to go... oh man i wonder what it would look like with jim lee's style on a run of flash or instead to see leinil yu do the same run is something i believe is an underlying definition of comic art. i mean who hasn't wanted to see their favorite artist do a run of a specific character. i like what you've done here don't get me wrong but the fact that you have to push your artwork into something else when i do enjoy your style currently, i think is wrong.
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I agree, but at the end of the day comics is still a business. Albeit a VERY fun business, there is still someone over you telling you how THEY want it done.
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for lack of a better word... that's just retarded. sure it's a business... but it's a business based on it's fans. i'm willing to bet that more people enjoy a more stylized comic than a realistic one. i mean to be honest i get bored looking at photorealistic work... with stylized work you can push boundaries with structure and physique that make characters look a certain way.... that's something you just can't do with photorealism. and another thing.... what about lighting? if they want things to be more realistic... the shadow(blacks) that a lot of artists use to create imagery and mood in a scene can't be done. i think this is a bad move on the big 2's part. i never want to see a realistic spider-man.... ever.
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Man, why realism?
What about guys like Humberto Ramos or Mike Mignola etc.?
I don't support this push towards hyper reealism in comics...
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I had this discussion with another friend of mine and he said the same thing using those same examples. I told him that it's because those guys are already cash cows and they don't want to F$%$ with that. New guys like me...they want to be a certain way. Sucks...but it's the nature of the beast.
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I understand why. But when comics stop looking like comics and start looking like photo stills I think I'm gonna have to stop buying those titles.
Comics are already hitting "too realistic" for my tastes with certain artists on books I want to like (not to mention some artists just drawing in styles that make characters look horrible...Clayton Crain makes Wolfsbane look like a Rat.)
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i have to agree with you there... i don't want a bunch of photorealistic looking comics... i mean... might as well have just taken pictures with people in costume for the panels. i mean just look at jim lee... i know they won't make him change his style as it's just way too recognizable and well known... but his work is so stylized and people love it... so it just doesn't seem fair that he wouldn't have to change what he does just based on seniority. people's style is people's style... you shouldn't have to force them to change just because it's what you "want" a comic to look like.
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The sad fact then becomes that artists will only get hired if they already do that style or conceed and change.
Now, you may ask what the audience a=can do, and it's pretty simple: stop buying the offending comics and write the company a letter to both the editor/general office and to their marketing department explaining WHY you stopped buying the book. Marketing has the company by its short hairs, and if they see we want stylized art they'll give it to us. Even if the Ed-in-Chief doesnt want to. Money talks.
I'm giving Clayton Crain and X-Force one more issue to make me feel his arts faults are worth their decencies and then i'm doing just that. Dropping it and telling Marvel why. Wolfsbane looking like a rat is one big reason...along with overuse of thick panel borders.
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i agree with you... i am hoping to get into the comic business someday as an artist and my work is stylized.. and if they force artists to go into a realistic direction... a lot of artists will have to completely overhaul their work. as much as i love marvel and DC... the politics that are involved with them really gets on my nerves sometimes. the fact that characters in marvel and dc aren't owned by their creators i will never forgive.
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Well, to be fair, many of the creators dont terribly mind
Stan Lee isnt exactly phased by not owning his dudes, y'know.
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I assure you....in my case, there are just SOME things about my style that I WILL NOT change. There will still be big muscles and over-the-top-action with exaggerated foreshortening. I just can't let those fun things go.
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That's good. I'm just not looking forward to comics not looking like comics to me. I mean, I have always been open to realism and extra cartooniness so long as they didnt become what everything was, y'know?
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Totally. I guess the swing in style is SO strong that even the reviewers are kinda against it. I got a review on the Spidey stuff I did that compared my work to Mike Wieringo's and in the same breathe said it was dated. "Dominated the industry in the 90's" was the exact phrase...LOL
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Well, I'd be tickled pink to be compared to Ringo, god rest his soul, and just because its a new decade doesnt mean one needs to change styles. Fucking retro is in, man!
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Random smoke stack.....LOL
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"Would you care for a cigar, sir?"
"No, I have other, specific sins to indulge in."
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yeah...but you know how it goes. They say they will never ask you to change your style, but they don't say they will be giving you another gig either...LOL
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yeah I remember a couple of artist mentioning that before. After they became more of a "regular" with consistent work, they start going back to being themselves. I'll drop by this Sat. when your doing your signing
- Lak
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We should wait and let Ray draw the rest of him: who knows, maybe the guy is going to have biceps the size of bowling balls.
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yeah I know it takes time to develope, I'm just giving my buddy a hard time lol
- Lak
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I don't think character size is an issue as much as the actual look
- Lak
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True, true.
Still, I wonder how Marvel's going to handle super-realism, and still keep Colossus as big as a barn.
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