I’ll be honest: I didn’t know what a “graphic novel colorist” was a job until well after I wrote my first graphic novel. What do you mean, the illustrator doesn’t color the whole book? Well, coloring an entire 300-page book takes an enormous amount of time– and is a skill in and of itself. So many publishers hire an artist known as a colorist for that very important job. I asked our graphic novel colorist for Renegade Girls, Abbey Paradis, if they’d be willing to share a little about how they got into this career and a look in to their practice.
And if you’re inspired, try your hand at this free coloring page featuring exclusive art that didn’t make it into the final book! (It is… um… way harder than it seems to make it look professional. Check out my Instagram if you want to see some mediocre coloring.)
Nora: To start with, can you explain what exactly a colorist is, and what your role was on this project?
Abbey: I receive the comic pages after Julie has drawn them. Everything is black and white, so it is then my job to add the color. This includes things like deciding palettes, lighting, and textures.
Nora: It sounds like such a dream job! When I go on school visits, students are always so excited to learn that a colorist is a potential job option some day. How did you end up in this line of work?
Abbey: A lot of techniques I built as a young painter long before I started reading comics. I learned to take a closer look at the world around me and analyze the work of other artists. When in college, the skills I built over the years shone through when I got to coloring. I think it was halfway through the program I focused on becoming a colorist. The support and critique from my peers and professors were invaluable. It never felt like we were competing for each other’s jobs. If someone had success they tended to try to help their peers rise with them. I also reached out to working colorists to ask for advice and permission to share my portfolio. Building that community and network are what led to working on Renegade Girls.
Nora: I think people might not understand that it’s not just coloring in the lines but also developing light, shadow, tones, shading, patterns, fabrics, textures, and more. What’s your process to building up all those different layers?
Abbey: As a colorist, it is my job to complement the drawings of the illustrator, make the focus of a panel clear to the reader, and convey the mood of the moment, all while applying the artistic rules that keep an illustration in the realm of reality. For example, in order to apply light and shadows correctly, I need to understand the structure of objects and anatomy of living things. But another skill is knowing when and where breaking rules better serve the mood of a moment or create a clearer focus.
Nora: One thing that stands out to me in Renegade Girls is your use of light. Can you talk about your goals for the lighting in this book? It’s very ~vibey~ in a way I love.
Abbey: I felt the light needed to almost be a character in of itself; reacting to the emotions of the characters. Especially during romantic and tender moments between Nell and Alice; I wanted the light to become a stronger presence, growing with intensity to match the giddy excitement of a crush or the deep appreciation of someone you’re in love with.
Nora: I love that so much!! Wow. And finally, why did you want to work on Renegade Girls? And why should someone pick it up and read it?
Abbey: When I was pitched Renegade Girls, I couldn’t believe my luck. The first graphic novel I was going to color after graduation was something I would have picked off the shelf! Julie’s thin and delicate linework felt so open and inviting to me as a colorist in a way that I find hard to describe. It meant a lot to be on the creative team for a book that has such heart to it. All the personalities of the girls are so endearing. I had great fun. While working on one section of the book, I found myself excited to move on because I was looking forward to finding out what happens next in the story!
Again, if you want to try your hand at being a graphic novel colorist, this free coloring page!
