What's a color guide ??

[Dad&Son-migration]

I've been viewing a lot of people's galleries on comicartfan and once in a while I come across these color guides. Are they originals too or just proofs of the artist's art board panels that are copied and colored ?? The reason I ask is because some guys are selling the full issues for approximately $400 or so for about 35 pages etc. That doesn't seem like a bad deal. Are they unique at all ?? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[mister_not_so_nice]

in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. . . . .

 

I don't own any color guides, nor I have I ever seen any in person.

 

Color guides are copies of the OA that the colorist colors as a guide for tjhe printer. Yes they are unique(1 of a kind).

 

Alot of talk has been going on here lately of value and good deals. There is some guidance out there and comparable pieces, but ultimately value on these one of a kind items is determined by the buyer(Speak with your dollars). If you purchase 35 color guides for $400 than that is thier worth. Personally, I wouldnt do it, but thats my preference, I dont buy color guides. If you like them, do it.

 

Thier is ALOT of cool art out there and a very nice collection can be built with a little forethought and preplanning( See Steve Borock's collection as a prime example). You can also buy everything in sight at a value you feel is appropriate and then when you go to re-organise your collection realise you cherish that piece more than the next potential buyer. I know for me that I like ALOT mre art than I cna afford, so one of my guidelines is if I dont read the title, I dont buy pages from it. Subsequently I have passed on some pieces I thought were nice, but I used that excuse to console myself

 

This ramble has been brought to you by the letters "I.O.U"

 

Mike

[Dad&Son-migration]

Thanks for the insight mr. not so nice!!! I like the look of the color guides, but I personally enjoy the actual pencilled and inked artist boards myself. I just thought that it would be a great way for folks to collect something unique if the pocket books weren't deep enough for 1 panel at a time and want a lot quickly for a good price.

[143ksk]

I really like color guides. It's especially cool if you have both the OA and color guide that goes with it. Here is an example of a mid-'60s color guide

 

[Dad&Son-migration]

I really like color guides. It's especially cool if you have both the OA and color guide that goes with it. Here is an example of a mid-'60s color guide

 

 

Very nice, thanks for sharing!!! I like the look of them too. I think my focus has become OA, color guides ( just discovered them really) and books now in the VF to NM- range "raw" and preferrably horror. The idea of owning something unique and one of a kind is really appealing to the collector/art fan in me.

[Pirate]

personally I won't touch them, but thats just me.

[boomtown]

Years ago I saw some really beautiful color guides that Steranko did for his Captain America run. They went for obscene prices but it was the only time I was ever interested in purchasing color guides. I do agree that it would be a nice presentation piece if you owned the original art also.

 

Mark

[justin]

I've only got 1 color guide, but it's to one of my most favorite covers. Currently seeking the OA for this cover.

 

[Mister Trent]

I really like color guides. It's especially cool if you have both the OA and color guide that goes with it. Here is an example of a mid-'60s color guide

 

 

At first glance, the color guides look okay. Under scrutiny, you notice the color bleeds, than you realize the colorist dashed these things out for the purpose for which they were intended - a guide for the engraver.

 

Not my type of thing, as I prefer to see the artist's best efforts (be it penciling, inking or coloring) in OA . . .

 

Here's my type of thing . . . a penciled, inked and colored original (the complete package on one board) from the late 1950s UK strip, DAVID, THE SHEPHERD KING by Frank Bellamy.

 

Bellamy didn't need an inker or colorist - he was an all-round master technician with pencil, pen or brush:

[Mister Trent]

P.S. It goes without saying that I'm heavily into American comics. Why . . . here's a photo of me in 1966, wondering where Ditko's got to:

 

 

Caption (if there was one) would read:

 

"What's this excrement-like Romita stuff - I wanted Stevey-boy?"

 

And for the analy-retentive types, that's a 'Poor' copy of ASM # 39 - even by '66 standards . . .

[ft88]

Rich Henn can probably expand on the issue quite a bit, I think he did this sort of thing for a living at one point.

[comiconxion]

WHAT ARE COLOR GUIDES? Color guides were done so that the printer would have a guide so that they could do the final color separations for comics. Typically photocopies or photostats (a photographic process that produced sharper copies on slicker paper) would be made of the original B&W art and they were given to a colorist. The colorist would use Dr. Martin's dyes to color the pages and then would write notations on the page denoting which color inks they used. Most color guides are approximately the same size as the printed pages and are unique.

 

WHAT ARE THEY WORTH? I believe that color guides are still underpriced compared to other things in this hobby. Yes, the B&W art is the most desirable, but when you compare the price of color guides to high grade 70's and 80's books these days, they're still a bargain! Personally, I'd rather have a complete set of color guides to a book I really enjoyed than a high grade copy of that book. Why? Because they are unique items and an important part of the creative process. Color guides are great because you can see the artwork clearly, you can see the notes written in the margins of the pages, you can see where someone made a correction to the artwork. And, an artist (the colorist) actually labored over these pages. Color guides are also very vibrant and display very well in a binder. Ah, if only hadn't started out as photocopies, collectors would have more respect for them.

 

I don't think color guides will ever reach the level of the B&W art. Currently, color guides typically they sell for $5-25/page. But, I could see them going higher as the B&W art to books goes higher and higher. They may not truly be art, but they were an important contribution to bringing those comics you remember to life.

[Mac Man]

I liked this thread and thought it was worth a bump. Anyone else have some ideas on collecting color guide pages?

[CAP Freak]

If I find any JIm Steranko color guides I will buy them. I love his art but his stuff is just too expensive for me,

[Mac Man]

Here's another question following color guides: what's the typical market for color guides from the "big guns" like Steranko, Romita Sr, Kirby, and so on?

[CAP Freak]

And where can I find them.

[CDaBruce]

There were some color guides on ebay (last year I think) from the Kraven's Last Hunt arc. In hindisight, I wish I would have at least put up a bid. Probably the only way to get something original from those issues within my comic budget.

[Hepcat]

So who deals in color guides for atom age, silver age and bronze age comics?

 

[bluechip]

WHAT ARE COLOR GUIDES? Color guides were done so that the printer would have a guide so that they could do the final color separations for comics. Typically photocopies or photostats (a photographic process that produced sharper copies on slicker paper) would be made of the original B&W art and they were given to a colorist. The colorist would use Dr. Martin's dyes to color the pages and then would write notations on the page denoting which color inks they used. Most color guides are approximately the same size as the printed pages and are unique.

 

WHAT ARE THEY WORTH? I believe that color guides are still underpriced compared to other things in this hobby. Yes, the B&W art is the most desirable, but when you compare the price of color guides to high grade 70's and 80's books these days, they're still a bargain! Personally, I'd rather have a complete set of color guides to a book I really enjoyed than a high grade copy of that book. Why? Because they are unique items and an important part of the creative process. Color guides are great because you can see the artwork clearly, you can see the notes written in the margins of the pages, you can see where someone made a correction to the artwork. And, an artist (the colorist) actually labored over these pages. Color guides are also very vibrant and display very well in a binder. Ah, if only hadn't started out as photocopies, collectors would have more respect for them.

 

I don't think color guides will ever reach the level of the B&W art. Currently, color guides typically they sell for $5-25/page. But, I could see them going higher as the B&W art to books goes higher and higher. They may not truly be art, but they were an important contribution to bringing those comics you remember to life.

 

When you say these go for $5-25 a page, does that mean I'd have to pay $5 for a an ugly page from an obscure 90s title, but I could get an action 1 page for $25?

[doxbane]

From what I've seen, mid-range colour guides still get relatively expensive -- I was watching a bunch of Bill Sienkiewicz New Mutants covers guides and they were hitting $85 each or so.

 

I haven't seen any on eBay in the last few months of any type for less than $25.

 

On a side note, one thing I've always wondered -- what tools did colourists use to colour pages, pre-digital? It's not paint, or marker, etc. Sounds like a dumb question but I really never figured it out