BLOODSHOT Colorist ANDREW DALHOUSE Explains His Process

BLOODSHOT #10 – Part 1 of “One Last Shot” hits your local comic book shop next month, but Monkeys Fighting Robots got a chance to talk with veteran colorist Andrew Dalhouse about his process and what he brings to Bloodshot.

Dalhouse has worked for all the big publishers and has been a busy man for the past ten-plus years, with his most notable works being Irredeemable, Faith, New 52 Teen Titans, and now Bloodshot.


About BLOODSHOT #10:
He only has “One Last Shot” as the brand-new story arc starts now! Superstar artist Brett Booth and Pedro Andreo join best-selling scribe Tim Seeley for Bloodshot’s road to retribution. Who can one a one-man army trust when everyone’s trying to kill him? On sale January 13, 2021.

<

Andrew Dalhouse Interview:

MFR: As a novice when it comes to the work of a colorist, what elements stand out in your work?

ANDREW DALHOUSE: Storytelling. I try my best to convey the story in color. Leading the reader by adjusting the color temperature to the emotions happening on the page.

MFR: What is your philosophy when it comes to colorwork in comics?

ANDREW: Enhance what story the artist and writer are telling.

MFR: What a colorist can do in comics has exponentially changed over time. How has your style evolved over the past 20 years?

ANDREW: Before I started coloring comics, I went to art school and used a variety of mediums before I started using computers. Computers make the job easier and faster to do certain things. I do miss using markers and watercolors. I still use them, but just for fun when I have free time.

MFR: When I see a lightning blue or a fiery yellow in a comic book, I get excited. Is there a color that gets you excited when you use it?

ANDREW: Actually I get excited to see both blue and fiery yellows. I love seeing a good purple and yellow used in a complementary way. I really loved what Justin Ponsor did on that last Defenders series. The book was so pretty.

MFR: How deep do you go into Color Psychology when laying out a book? Do you think about the emotional impact you have on the reader?

ANDREW: It goes deep. I try and convey emotions by using different color temperatures and secondary lighting. This is the main reason I love receiving a book in page order. It makes it easier to see how the story plays out. The script helps, but a lot of the time the artist adds or subtracts from what the script says. Those additions and subtractions can make a huge difference in how I color a book.

MFR: Bloodshot is a character set up for great colorwork with his blue-ish white skin and the potential for blood going everywhere. How do you put your personal spin on Bloodshot?

ANDREW: I always have his eyes and chest symbol a bright red. They are his biggest defining features, and I want that to show through always. I try to make them also have a boogeyman element in dark, moody scenes. Bloodshot #4, page 1, shows how it can be used dramatically.

BLOODSHOT Colorist ANDREW DALHOUSE Explains His Process

MFR: Who are some great colorists that inspired you?

ANDREW: Justin Ponsor, Frank D’Armata, Steve Firchow, Laura Martin, J.D. Smith, Jessica Ruffner.

MFR: Bloodshot has a good amount of action; what is your role in taking the action to the next level?

ANDREW: Help make those action beats readable and enhance them. Really make that explosion looks cool and cinematic. If it’s a big gun battle, there will be lots of fiery yellows. I will use rim lights to help separate the characters.

MFR: What is the one thing you wished more people knew about colorists?

ANDREW: We work very hard. There is a misconception that the computer does most of the work. There is no magic “Color Page” button on our keyboards. The computer is just a tool. Just like a penciler’s pencil or an inker’s brushes and nibs. It takes knowledge, training, and lots of coffee to get the job done.

MFR: Andrew, thank you again for your time, and best of luck with BLOODSHOT #10!

ANDREW: Thank you for the interview. It was fun.

BLOODSHOT Colorist ANDREW DALHOUSE Explains His Process

Matthew Sardo
Matthew Sardo
As the founder of Monkeys Fighting Robots, I'm currently training for my next job as an astronaut cowboy. Reformed hockey goon, comic book store owner, video store clerk, an extra in 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon,' 'Welcome Back Freshman,' and for one special day, I was a Ghostbuster.