HEROESCON :: GUEST SPOTLIGHT :: CHRISSIE ZULLO

March 10, 2011 at 10:49 am By:

Throughout the year, as part of our buildup to HeroesCon ’11 we’ve been shining a spotlight on several artists who will be guests at our show.

This week we’re proud to feature an interview with Chrissie Zullo, an artist who burst into the industry in recent years with several high profile gigs, most notably as the cover artist for two Fables spinoff Cinderella miniseries’.  Zullo has also branched beyond covers to provide interior art for books like Madame Xanadu #26 and Fables #100.  Zullo is also one of Charlotte’s many talented local creators, which adds a lot of hometown pride for all of us at Heroes.

Seth Peagler (SP): Chrissie, thank you for taking time to talk with me.  I’d like to first ask you about your background in art.  What kind of training have you had both academically and in your own private studies?  Who are some of the painters and illustrators both in and out of the comics industry that you’ve been particularly affected by?

Chrissie Zullo (CZ): I’ve been drawing all my life, literally since I could hold a crayon properly. I used to think that I wanted to work in animation, but when I entered art school in college, I was introduced to the comic book world and realized that comics was what I really wanted to do. I studied and majored in Illustration at UNC Charlotte, and built up a portfolio catering to comics. I think the comic book artist who had the biggest influence on me was James Jean, but I am equally obsessed with so many others, including Adam Hughes, Travis Charest, Sean Murphy, Chris Bachalo, Skottie Young, and on and on. Outside of comics, an artist who had a very big influence on me was Winsor McCay.

SP: In the past year we’ve seen you go from working primarily as a cover artist to one who is starting to do more sequential work.  In your experience, what have been some of the challenges you’ve faced in transitioning from covers to interiors?

CZ: It’s easy to make one image to catch your attention on a cover, but to be consistent from panel-to-panel is definitely more of a challenge. It was such a rewarding experience and I really hope to improve upon it and keep doing more sequentials.

SP:  One of the first examples of your art I eversaw was one of your pieces in our Super! The Fine Art of Comics exhibit last year.  It was the first time I became aware that at times you paint on atypical canvases like wood and grainy surfaces.  What led you to this type of painting, and are you still actively involved in painting on other surfaces?

CZ: I started experimenting with it in college, and I just loved to texture of it. Something about painting on wood panel makes it feel more important; for instance, working on a beautiful piece of parchment paper or a lovely texture of wood panel, you want your art to compliment it, so you will work harder than, say, on printer paper or in a sketchbook. I hope that makes sense!

SP:  In terms of converting your art into a printed medium, can you talk a little bit about how you scan some of your larger pieces into sizes that fit onto comic covers or pages?  What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in developing this part of your process?

CZ: I actually can’t scan some of the pieces due to their size, and had to revert to photographing it. I’ve actually returned to working a bit smaller, so I can scan it in sections and piece together in Photoshop.

SP:  As an artist who is still in your ’20’s, how do you manage to continually find fulfilling comics work while still allowing yourself to grow and adapt?

CZ: I think on every new piece I work on I am still growing and adapting. Each project or page is a chance to learn something new. I look back on earlier work, and even if at the time I was proud of it, I only see small flaws now! I think criticizing your art is the only way you will improve though, and I am definitely my worst critic. I’ve been told that some people enjoy seeing the transition and growth of an artist’s style, so hopefully I am moving in a better direction than earlier.

SP: Beyond the covers for the new Cinderella: Fables Are Forever miniseries, what other projects can we expect from you in 2011?

CZ: Besides new Cinderella and hopefully more work from DC Comics in the future, I am currently working with a fellow writer on a creator-owned comic. I’m also moving to New York soon to hopefully find more projects, whether in comics or the fine art world. I hope to keep trying new things and do art every day.

You can see find plenty of Chrissie Zullo’s comics at Heroes, and don’t forget to stop by her table at HeroesCon in June to pick up some art and prints!

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Filed Under: DISCUSS, Guest List, HeroesCon, Interviews




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