Monte Moore

Painter

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
Phoenix Arizona for my youth, Nampa Idaho for high school years, (I grew up on a cattle ranch) and college to present is Denver, Colorado

How about your schooling? Had you gone under any art training?
I have a BFA in Graphic Design, and have attended and taught workshops on airbrushing and studied portraiture in oil’s in the Italian Renaissance style, my teacher is Frank Covino.

How long have you been working professionally in comics?
I started in comics in 1993 being the colorist on an indie comic Lords.  I attended the Comic Con International that year and have been going to that and dozens of other shows each year since.

What things — both in art and otherwise — have you worked on, besides comics? Are comics a full-time gig for you or part-time?

Even though in comics I’m mostly known as a cover artist, more of my work is commissioned for the gaming fields for trading cards, source books, covers and video game art.  I have been a full time freelance illustrator since 1993.

Talk about how you broke into the business –was it easy? Hard? Ups? Downs ? Any interesting anecdotes? When you held your first published work in your hands, how did you feel?

The first published work in the field was the Lords comic book, and it was a huge thrill.  Even though since then I’ve worked on hundreds of projects and properties, It’s still a thrill.  For “breaking in” it wasn’t one single event or publication, it has been a long slow steady climb, which is the best way to create a strong fan following, as well as a top tier client list.

How did you settle on the style(s) you’re currently using? If you have multiple styles how did you develop them?
I’m much more diverse than many illustrators, I adapt my styles to my client’s needs.  That said, I’ve always been drawn to and influenced by realism, so most of my airbrushed, hand painted, digital and drawn illustrations are high detail, and usually realistic based.  For my anime styled illustrations for Ultra Pro, DragonballZ and other clients, I take a look at the top work in the genre, and try to improvise and improve on that, to make it my own.

How did your parents take to the idea of working in comics?
My mother is an artist, so they were very supportive, which was great…since previously I told them I wanted to be a doctor.

How would you describe your work space? Is it part of your home, or do you go “to the studio”?
I had a studio I went to for about 15 years, but now have a killer studio in my new home which was custom designed.  Not only is it large, has big windows with an amazing view of the Rocky Mountains, but even has a space for my bat pole to slide down to the bar in the basement 🙂

What job are you the proudest of?
Winning the World Fantasy Art Show twice for Best Black and White artwork in 1998 and 2001 are both highlights for me.  Those were pieces not done for a client, but were drawings done my way, and that is very satisfying.

What are you currently drawing? Comments on that project?
I multi-task a lot.  Right now I’m penciling and inking a spec comic title for a client called Dan’s Inferno.  I’m also designing a couple of logo’s for a Reality TV show, and I have several private commissions also on the ‘drawing board’.  I just finished a killer IronMan painting for private sale.

Talk about your family: Parents, siblings, home situation.
I have 3 older brothers, and my parents, all which live in Denver, and we also often work together as well.  I’m unmarried but in a committed relationship to my girlfriend Laura, and we have been together for 8 years, and have a beautiful home together.

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
I’d like to do some comic book covers for high profile or currently popular titles.  I’d also like to do some more concept work for video games and films as well.

Where do you see yourself in five years? ten?
One of my new directions is writing, and I’ve already written 3 screenplays, and my first film is already in production.  I’d like to continue to write films, but also art direct on the film with regards to production design, set construction, costumes and all the other art related elements.

What is the interest in comics where you live? Do friends and neighbors know you draw comics for a living? How do they react?
Yes all my friends and family know I am a full time artist, several have murals in their homes I have painted for them.  Denver is known for having Mile-High comics, the largest retailer in the world.  Outside of them, there is a small indie community, but it’s hard to support conventions here.  I co-owned and operated a convention here in town for about 7 years, then sold it to another company.

What’s 1 thing you’ll always find in your refrigerator?
Milk, I LOVE milk.

What’s your favorite food?
Beef, pretty much any sort of meat/protein is a favorite.

What are your favorite interests –Movies? Music? TV? Any hobbies? Sports?
Mainly movies, of all sorts of genres, but I usually have the TV on in the studio while I work, lots of crime drama shows like CSI, Law and Order etc.

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?
I do write my own comics and screenplays as well, and have been hired as a professional writer for one of my upcoming screenplay projects.

What’s an average day in your life like?  Walk us through a typical day.
Check email, work, check email some more, do a little marketing, check craigslist in LA and NYC for interesting projects, then more work.  Have dinner…maybe do some more work.  I am usually doing art 40-60 hours per week.

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody’s gotten to see published?
I had one for 7 years in a drawer that was a fully painted comic, but it was eventually published.  My current great unsold projects are a horror property called Carpe Noctem, which is Latin for Seize the Night, and Dust to Dust, which is a Vampire Western property.  Both are screenplays, but also would make great comic book series.

If you weren’t a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
I think I would be a musician, I love to create.

The single thing you’d most like to be remembered for in your life is…?
Being a good down to earth person, and a quality artist who left memorable artwork.

Any other tidbits of info about you that you like to share?
I love my job, and am always on the lookout for new and interesting projects.

Marvel Comics – Marvel Masterpieces 1998
DC Comics – VS cardgame artist
Harris Comics – Vampirella Cover artist
Image Comics – Cover Artist
Lucasfilm Ltd. – Licensed artist for Limited Edition Prints
Topps Inc. – Card Artist for “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars” properties
Wizards of the Coast – Illustrator for “Dungeons and Dragons, Harry Potter, Magic the Gathering, Gamma World, Alternity, Dragon Magazine as well as DragonLance and Stardrive novel covers” and much more.
Sony Online – Video Game Artist
12/20 Art – Officially Licensed PLAYBOY illustrator for Uniquely Playmates lines of limited edition prints, one of only four artists in the world selected for such an honor.
Harley-Davidson – Concept artist for merchandising products.
Phoenix Games – Playstation Cover Artist
United States Marine Corps – T-shirt Artist
Rittenhouse Archives – Paramount licensed Artist for “Star Trek” trading cards.
Coors – Pin-up/Advertising Art
Pentax – Advertising Art
Tradex and Vogler Inc – Sculpture/Giftware designer for over 100 resin giftware products specializing in fantasy and gothic sculptures.
Ocean Spray – Mural/Billboard Artist
White Wolf Games – Card Artist for “Vampire the Masquerade” cardgame.
Ultra Pro Inc. – Exclusive illustrator for game storage products.
Lethal Threat – licensed pin-up artist for stickers and shirts
Sturgis Bike Week – Illustrator for number one selling t-shirt for Sturgis Bike Week 2009
Moonstone Comics – Cover artist and comic book illustrator
Silent Devil Comics – Cover Artist
Basement Comics – Cover and Pin-up artist
Lightning Comics – Cover Artist
Author and Artist for 6 books published and distributed internationally that exclusively featuring my award winning fantasy and pin-up illustrations.

Gallery

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