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Interview with Keith Page

Oct 09, 10:06 AM

Keith Page has been a regular contributor to ‘Commando’, providing artwork for covers and interiors since his debut in No.2941, ‘Odd Man Out’. We asked you to submit questions for us to put to him – and now, courtesy of Keith, we’ve got some very interesting answers!

Click on any of the articles images to see a larger version.

Could you give us some brief biographical details?

Currently working on my 144th ‘Commando’. I’ve been drawing comics for quite a few years now. I started off drawing stories for the old Fleetway annuals, moved on to such long-forgotten titles as ‘Mask’ and ‘Supernaturals’ and ended up on ‘Thunderbirds’ for the weekly comic and a newspaper feature. Since then I’ve been with ‘Commando’, although I should say I’ve always been interested in things military.

What’s your approach when you receive a script for ‘Commando’?

The first step is to flick through the story to see what refs are needed. The editor’s pretty good in supplying these, but I usually dip into my own library as well. I have a fairly extensive reference library. You can’t have enough reference material for some of these stories! Then I sketch the main characters. I never read the whole story before I draw it; I find working from page to page helps keep the interest up.

Who are your influences?

Certainly some of the good old British artists; Frank Hampson (‘Dan Dare’), Joe Colquhoun (‘Charlie’s War’), Geoff Campion (‘Battler Britton’). And French artist Jacques Tardi (‘C’était la Guerre des Tranchées’).

Do you have favourites out of the issues you’ve drawn?

Overall best single issue- ‘Hold The Front Page’. I’m also pleased with the trilogy about the Victorian soldier abandoned in Paris- ‘Sense of Duty\Honour\Justice’. And some of my best black and white art is in ‘Cold War’ and ‘Murder and Mutiny’.

How did you get into working for ‘Commando’ comics?

I had just finished a lot of work on the ‘Thunderbirds’ comics and my agent found out that (then editor) George Low was looking for a new artist for ‘Commando’! He gave me a script and fortunately many others have followed.

Which publication have you most enjoyed working for?

‘Commando’ is the most fun, because (nowadays) there is a wide range of subject matter. Where else, for example, could I draw a story about Victorian war correspondents?

Which period in history do you find the most satisfying to illustrate?

I like World War I or 19th century stories. Some of the earlier periods too. I’m not too keen on anything set in the present day.

How large is your original artwork for ‘Commando’ before it is scaled for printing?

Artwork is drawn 20 cm x 26.5 cm.

How long do you have to work on a particular story?

A ‘Commando’ story takes around four weeks to draw.

How much detail does the writer give to the artist about the contents of a panel?

Sometimes a writer gives an awful lot to include in a relatively small picture. It can be a matter of selecting the essentials only, while still giving a flavour of what’s described. Usually ‘Commando’ writers have a very good visual sense of what can be included in a scene, and also how to break the action up. Occasionally, I have to add an additional frame if it’s really not possible to show all that is needed in a single picture.

Do you do the pencils and final inks or just one or the other?

I do pencils and inks, fortunately. I don’t like the American method of splitting everything up into different trades, as it were. The end result can be very characterless.

Do you have a website?

You can find me as ‘Keith Page. UK Comics Artist’ on Blogger.com, where there is a selection of my non-Commando work.

Would ‘Commando’ work in colour, and do you prefer to work in colour or black and white?

I don’t think that colour would be a great improvement. I have seen work for a US publisher by a well known British artist in black and white form which was excellent. The published version with computer colouring was far inferior. Also, I like the challenge of showing as much as possible with just a pen and brush and a pot of ink.

What art training did you have and was it useful in getting into professional illustrating?

I have no art training whatsoever. The way to learn to draw comics seems to be to study the work of the very best artists and then draw (a lot) until your own style develops. I don’t think it’s something that can really be taught.

Is it hard to draw people? Is it easier rendering vehicles and weapons as art?

Drawing figures is very tricky, and only comes together with a lot of practice. With machinery etc., it helps to understand how things work.

How much of the process is digital?

I painted the “portraits” on the cover of ‘Bad News Travels Fast’ using a computer. Otherwise, I only use it for scanning and e-mailing cover sketches etc. I prefer working in the old – fashioned way, which I find is just as quick and there are no annoying technical problems to deal with.

What are your techniques for conveying action and movement? Ever wanted to add in sound effects?

I try to show action as it would be seen in a film still. I try to avoid much in the way of “speed lines” and that sort of thing. I don’t like ‘sound effects’ in comics.

Has your style changed over the years?

Drawing ‘Commando’ means you have to produce a lot of work relatively quickly. The result is a looser style, although I sometimes adjust the style to suit the story. Ramsey’s Raiders’ for example demands a rather different look to the recent story about the soldier and the fortune teller (‘The Deadly Prophecy’). A humorous story has its own requirements as well.

Do you listen to music when drawing, or work in silence?

Most issues of ‘Commando’ I draw are accompanied by BBC Radio 2.

Which ‘Commando’ have you most enjoyed working on?

My overall favourites are the ‘Headline Heroes’ series, although they are hardly the easiest!

What kind of collaboration do you have with the writers of your stories?

I am not generally in contact with the scriptwriter while I am illustrating his story.

Do the editors give you a choice of scripts to choose from?

The editors usually give me a story which they think will appeal to me. Occasionally I come up with ideas which they will pass on to script writers to develop.

Have your stories for ‘Commando’ or other comics been printed in other countries?

Australia, New Zealand and Finland.

Do you sell original art or prints and if so how does one get in touch regarding that?

‘Commando’ artwork is never available for private sale. Some of my other work can be found at The Book Palace, Crystal Palace, London. I have thought of doing a series of large well-detailed works for reproduction as prints. I’ve so far done one (featuring the Battle of Kursk). I may pursue this.

Do you get a feeling of pride and satisfaction when you see your completed work on the newsagent shelves?

It’s nice to see one of your ‘Commando’ issues on a newsagent’s shelf. You can however always see minor defects in the artwork which you didn’t notice before you sent the package off to the editor. Hopefully they are more noticeable to the artist than the reader!

Have you got any advice on drawing for us mere mortals?

With this type of work you have to be able to draw, convincingly, literally anything, any type of action, while telling a story (some artists tend to indulge themselves at the expense of the script). With all the research and background knowledge, it’s quite a difficult job, but if you really want to do it , have a go.
But don’t be put off by critical comments from editors. It took me 10 years of rejected work to get my first proper commission!

(Thanks to Rupert, Chris, David, Kevin, Percy, Brucie, Cpl. Charlie, Derek and Patrick for providing a range of questions and, of course, to Keith for taking the time to answer them.)

Bonus Feature!

This sequence of three images shows the evolution of the “Cold War” cover – from rough, final artwork, and the completed Commando cover. Just click a thumbnail to see a larger version.

You can also download the artwork as a wallpaper:

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