The opinions expressed in this chat are not necessarily those of The Other*Worlds*Cafe or America Online. Online Host: *** You are in Entertainment *** RWalotsky: Hey Tech, how ya doing? RWalotsky: I don't get on this very often.... RELM Astra: Hi all! Techyo: Hi Astra! RWalotsky: Hello astra. RELM Muse: Hi Astra! RELM Muse: Hi Chip! RWalotsky: Hi Chip! RELM Chip: Yello. RELM Astra: Hi Chip! Techyo: Hi Chip! RELM Muse: ***This is an Other*Worlds*Cafe Event!*** RELM Muse: We're interviewing famous science fiction RELM Muse: and fantasy artist Ron Walotsky! RELM Muse: Click on his picture to find out more about RELM Muse: him and his work! RELM Muse: Welcome, Ron! And welcome also to his lovely wife Gail, at the keyboard! RELM Astra: Hi Gail! RWalotsky: Hello! RWalotsky: I'm sitting behind my wife as she types this in... RWalotsky: /ga RELM Astra: One of the first voice activated computers :) RELM Muse: Great! We're looking forward to an interesting chat! RELM Muse: LOL Astra! RWalotsky: LOL! Well, I hope so! RELM Muse: First of all, tell us how you got started in art. ;) RWalotsky: When I was in public school, the one area I always seemed to do very well in was art, and not RWalotsky: very well in anything else. So I knew pretty early on where my strength's lay. RWalotsky: My mother also encouraged my art, sent me to PRATT institute in Brooklyn on saturday mornings. RWalotsky: When I was about 12 or 13. RWalotsky: Was never good in english, nor math. RWalotsky: Was funny, could NEVER get out of english in high school. was taking 3 english classes at once! RWalotsky: I ended up reading manuscripts for a living! RELM Muse: LOL RELM Muse: Welcome, Sol! RELM Muse: Ron, I think we may have some questions from the audience, too. :) RELM Astra: ? RELM Muse: Go ahead, Astra! RWalotsky: Well, I'm ready- go right ahead! RELM Astra: I read that you did a Stephen King cover...which one? RELM Astra: ga RWalotsky: I did two covers for Stephen King for Thorn Dike Hall press. That's the Large Print, Library edition. RWalotsky: I did Carrie, also Night Shift. RWalotsky: If you go to the library, you'll see them there. RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: Cool! RELM Muse: ***For those of you who have just come in*** RELM Muse: The Other*Worlds*Cafe is proud to present RELM Muse: renowned science fiction and fantasy artist RELM Muse: Ron Walotsky in chat! RELM Muse: Click the picture for more information! RWalotsky: Bahwolf is having a hard time getting into the room, can someone help him? RELM Astra: Now I have to go buy the large print copies :) RELM Muse: Ron, how did you end up doing fantasy & SF art? RWalotsky: LOL! RWalotsky: When I graduated from the SCHOOL of VISUAL ARTS, I started doing Day Glow posters. This is in the mid 60's, RWalotsky: I was doing psychedelic art for these poster companies, The Third Eye, Dream Merchants. RWalotsky: They were all sereal Fantasy & Science Ficiton Images. that led me into RWalotsky: the book covers. I did my first cover for Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine in 1997. /ga RELM Muse: Folks, feel free to ask questions! RELM Astra: Do you prefer oils or waters or pencil or computer? RELM Muse: You've been doing trading cards lately -- how is that different from.. RELM Muse: the larger size formats? RWalotsky: Oops! I meant 1967! (gail's typing!!!!) RELM Muse: LOL RWalotsky: Well, the paintings are a lot smaller! RWalotsky: They are reproduced 1 1/2 x 2 inches square, they have to be pretty tight1 RWalotsky: I've done cards for quite a few different card companies, from Dune to Tolkien, To Imajica set. RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: Astra was wondering if you preferred oils or watercolor or pencil, or computer? RWalotsky: Astra: None of the above! I prefer acryllics. I do like to work in water colors. I'm fairly old fashioned I do RWalotsky: like to paint. /ga RELM Muse: Ask question whenever you want, folks. :) Solstice62: Do you consult with the author when you do a book cover, or simply read the work? RWalotsky: Sol, 95 % of the time I'll read the work. RWalotsky: Most author's don't have a lot of say about the covers. Unless they are very successful authors. Solstice62: Got any favorite authors to illustrate for? Someone whose work really seems to fit with yours? RWalotsky: Sometimes I'll call an author If I need to find out more detail about the manuscript. RWalotsky: A lot of the time, The author doesn't see the covers till they are on the book. RWalotsky: ?ga RWalotsky: Roger Zelazny was one of my favorite authors. I did the original covers for AMBER. Lord of Light, Creatures of RWalotsky: light and Darkness. And a lot of his earlier stories. I also worked on his first book and did the cover for RWalotsky: his last book for Easton Press called DonnerJack! RWalotsky: He was one of the writers who really hit a cord, especially in the early 70's. RWalotsky: I even sent him the original painting for Lord of Light, as a gift because I liked the story so well! RWalotsky: Bah's still having trouble! RELM Muse: Wow, that's a great present! RWalotsky: brb RELM Astra: I sent Bah a hyperlink :< RELM Muse: Yeah, we hear that some folks are getting "This area is temporarily not available" right now. RWalotsky: Thanks Astra! RWalotsky: /ga RELM Astra: ah...the famous stopsign. RELM Muse: We see in the sample gallery that you do abstracts, too. What's the attraction there? RWalotsky: Muse, always doing such tight work- I find that the abstracts free me. RWalotsky: Let myself go. Let feelings come out, be very spontanous, let the paintings express themselves instead of RWalotsky: having everything drawn out. I've always done abstract painting, have been torn between the two fields. RWalotsky: At times, I've tried to put them together. I've started a new series of paintings for myself that combine both RWalotsky: Elements. RWalotsky: They have a very serreal quality. RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: Wonderful! Where will we be able to see this new series? RELM Astra: Do you have a favorite artist, besides your own work? :) RWalotsky: I've had gallery shows since the mid 60's, I've shown on Madison ave. in Soho. RWalotsky: I've found that the galleries would rarely let me show the Fantasy/SF originals with my abstract work. They RWalotsky: are considered almost two seperate fields... RWalotsky: /ga RWalotsky: LOL! Astra, I'm not one of my favorite artists. I give myself too much agrivation about my own work! RWalotsky: I always feel that I could push it further...but one of my favorite artists RWalotsky: Is Rene Magriet. The french Surrealist. Solstice62: Who influenced you the most as you moved into SF/F artwork? RWalotsky: /ga RELM Chip RWalotsky: Some of the people in the field who's work I've admired was Richard Powers, for his abstract SF paintings. RWalotsky: Don Ivan Punjaz (lord these names!) RELM Muse: LOL RWalotsky: Who did great illustration work. Jim Lear, RWalotsky: I loved his monumental type paintings. There's a lot of people who influences an artist's RWalotsky: work. Going back to Rembrant, Vemier, RWalotsky: Van Goug, Dali.... RWalotsky: etc. etc..../ga RWalotsky: Van Gogh! (she needs glasses!) RELM Muse: LOLOL RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: Do you have a favorite painting of yours? Solstice62: LOL.Gail's typing? Poor thing! RELM Muse: Yep, that's the lovely Gail at the keyboard! Techyo: I was wondering if you did some of those Psicadelic(SP?) posters? JDipale: Agr,. Sol! Solstice62: Bah asks "So, tell us, Ron, did you mother holler at you for coloring on the walls when you were little?" RELM Astra: LOL RELM Muse: LOL JDipale: LOL! RWalotsky: Tech, made a living for years off psychedlic posters. RWalotsky: LOL! Bah, I don't think I ever drew on the walls! Solstice62: BTW, the typo is his. RWalotsky: They gave me paper, lot's of it. I don't think I dared draw on the walls!!!!! RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: Do you have a favorite painting of your own? RELM Astra: :::wondering if she owned any of Ron's posters, and threw tham away when she 'grew up':::: Techyo: Cool had a bunch of those from 3rd eye. RWalotsky: (bah's turning into a mad man!) RELM Muse: LOLOL RWalotsky: Muse: that's hard to say...the last thing is usually the one your working on. Techyo: I think my mom trashed mine or little brother took em anyway I lost them all. RWalotsky: There's probably just a handfull of paintings that I have a strong connection to. RELM Muse: You know what Terry Pratchett has a character say -- if someone... RWalotsky: Tech, your mom threw away collector's pieces!~!!!! RELM Muse: uses five exclamation marks, it's a sure sign they're wearing their underpants on their head. RELM Astra: LOLOL JDipale: My mom threw awamy baseball cards :( RWalotsky: LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!! YOur nUTs, Muse!! RWalotsky: JD! JDipale: WOW, Can I typo tonight or what??? RELM Muse: Not me, you'll have to blame that on Pterry. ;) RWalotsky: I wish I still had half the early things that I did! RWalotsky: In the sixties, we never asked for original paintings back from the publisher. We were just RWalotsky: happy to get the job! RWalotsky: The early ones are worth a lot of money now...especially from the 60's... RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: Is there a big market for cover paintings as opposed to other paintings? Techyo: Such as the Hendrix? RWalotsky: Not as big as it used to be. The field is getting a lot tougher. RWalotsky: More computer art. RWalotsky: More graphic illustrations on covers instead of paintings.... RWalotsky: Less companies to deal with , than years ago. A lot more 'Good"artists in the field today. RWalotsky: too many good artists! where'd they all come from???? RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: LOL They probably all emulated you. :) RWalotsky: Yea, tech. I did Hendrix! RELM Muse: ***Ron Walotsky at the O*W*C!*** RELM Muse: The Other*Worlds*Cafe has acclaimed RELM Muse: science fiction and fantasy artist RELM Muse: Ron Walotsky in chat tonight! RELM Muse: Click on the picture to learn more! RWalotsky: Jim Morrison poster. Solstice62: Bah says: ASk him if he still like fingerpainting. RWalotsky: Joe Cocker! RWalotsky: All day glow for Dream Merchants. Still have a few of those silk screens. RELM Astra: Led Zeppelin? RWalotsky: /ga RELM Astra: LOL Bah/Sol RELM Muse: Sol is apparently channeling Bah. ;) RWalotsky: I love finger painting! There's nothing like squeezing the paint through your fingers. Sometime I use that in RWalotsky: my abstract work. I RELM Muse: We have several folks knocking on the door -- AOL is hard-of-hearing today. Techyo: I know several people who still have the Hendrix up one lawyer friend in his office. RWalotsky: I call my abstract work illusionist. RWalotsky: LOL! Tech. No Zepplin. (gail's bummed) RWalotsky: Ron says he knows a 'few' of those lawyers!!!! Solstice62: LOL Muse. I'm "channeling" tonight, I guess. RWalotsky: They are still in the 60's!!! RWalotsky: I can't complain...so am I! RELM Muse: LOL RWalotsky: So my wife says!!!/ga RWalotsky: groovey... Techyo: :::looks at ceiling and makes no coment:::: RELM Astra: LOL RELM Muse: I know you come to cons, what's your favorite part of them? RWalotsky: Yea, right tech! RELM Muse: o/~ Feelin' Groovy! o/~ RWalotsky: Lol! RELM Astra: Peace, man \ / RWalotsky: Admit to nothing... RELM Muse: LOL Solstice62: Bah wants to know if Gail has modeled for your more risque work. (That's HIS question!!) RWalotsky: Well, she's modeled for me.... RWalotsky: She's a bit more conservative than I am. (so he thinks!-gail) RELM Astra: LOL RWalotsky: RWalotsky: /ga RWalotsky: I used to do erotic art for the mens magazines. mid 70's. RWalotsky: Although, I've just done two covers for Hustler Comix. RWalotsky: Keep your eye out...you never know when g RWalotsky: Gail Might be on one of them....(now she's nervousd!) RWalotsky: nervous! RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: Ron, what do you like about SF conventions? RWalotsky: I love seeing and talking with the other artists, for one. seeing all the new work, it's the only time we can RWalotsky: ever get together. RWalotsky: Talk about the state of art, the business, and new projects. RWalotsky: The first time I went to a con, I was shocked! RWalotsky: There were so many people who knew my work, I never knew. I did art for 10 years before RWalotsky: I ever knew there were cons..... RWalotsky: Someone came up to me, with a box of 40 books of my covers. Took me by surprise!!! RWalotsky: I was amazed that the fans would be that knowledgable and would collect the work. RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: That's the right kind of surprise to have! RELM Muse: Let me update y'all on what's happening. RWalotsky: Yes, Muse. RWalotsky: okay... RELM Muse: AOL is having problems responding to all the requests for access.. Techyo: Do you perfer doing one type of work over another? If that's already been asked ignore me. RELM Muse: to areas so we have a lot of people who can't get here. They can't get into.. RELM Muse: the regular room, either, so no use moving there. We thought we'd go ahead with the interview.. Solstice62: Bah wants to know about your book deal. RWalotsky: wow! Can we move to another room? RELM Muse: and then maybe do another interview soon with more people. RWalotsky: Tech: No I love moving around. RELM Muse: No, the problem is all over AOL -- there's problems getting into *all* areas. Techyo: So this is a trial run through? Cool. RWalotsky: Bah, I'm working on a deal with Collins & Brown. I should know within a month or so if I'll have something RWalotsky: coming out.... RELM Muse: Well, it wasn't meant to be.... RELM Muse: Cool! A collection of your work? RWalotsky: This is fine. RWalotsky: /ga RWalotsky: Whatever you wish to do, Muse... RELM Muse: Ron, there's a good possibility *we* would find ourselve unable to get into.. RELM Muse: another room. :) Might as well stay here. :) RELM Muse: So this new book will be a collection of your work? RWalotsky: Muse, yes. If it works the way I want it to. It will have the early posters, abstracts, fantasy & science RWalotsky: fiction all together. RWalotsky: /ga RELM Muse: That would be great! RELM Muse: Do you have a preference for particular palettes in your work? RWalotsky: We're looking forward to it. RWalotsky: I go through different colors, changes. I find for a certain amount of time, I might be in a blue period. then RWalotsky: a golden period... RWalotsky: /ga RWalotsky: My colors are fairly bright. But I try to tone them down at times... RWalotsky: you get into the habit of doing very strong color pieces for the books, RWalotsky: /ga RWalotsky: I have a question? RELM Muse: Sure, Ron! RWalotsky: Was wondering how many of you really notice the art work. Does it persuade you to purchase the books? Solstice62: It does have some influence on it, Ron. RWalotsky: Some companies are coming out with just graphic covers for SF, how do you feel about that. Solstice62: Oh, no, I like the paintings. RWalotsky: Sol, what infuences you most? Techyo: I actually buy books sometimes for the covers, Ron. Techyo: I think others do to, but don't admit it. RWalotsky: Tech, keep it up! LOL! I still want to make a living doing this! RELM Muse: I frequently never see the covers before I buy books. Dayahla: I have been guilty of picking up, to see cover...and buying book RWalotsky: /ga Solstice62: Tech - I've done that too. I've got duplicates of some because I liked the cover. Solstice62: Ron - uh, really cute guys? RWalotsky: (gail) I keep duplicates. One to read, one for collection. RELM Muse: LOLOL RWalotsky: LOL Sol! RWalotsky: Buldging biceps, eh? RWalotsky: /ga RWalotsky: brb RELM Muse: Gail, look for a couple of IMs from me. :) RELM Muse: Tomorrow, in our regular O*W*C chat room RELM Muse: from 10pm - 12am ET: RELM Muse: ~ RELM Muse: "That's one small step for a man, one giant RELM Muse: leap for mankind." The knowledge and the RELM Muse: practical rewards from the space exploration RELM Muse: program have been immense. What RELM Muse: happened? Is there anything we common RELM Muse: citizens can do to move it to the forefront RELM Muse: again? Join RELM Astra to discuss what RELM Muse: needs to be done to the U.S. Space Program. Techyo: I actually found Foster the second time around by this really bright cover that was on Quazil(SP?) RELM Muse: I'm trying to remember the right spelling for that, Tech. RWalotsky: back RELM Muse: Gail, did you find the IMs I sent? RWalotsky: Muse, read your i'ms. they were behind the screen... RELM Muse: All right, since there's so few of us, we're going to cut the interview now. RELM Muse: We really appreciate Ron & Gail's time, but we want them to talk to more people! RWalotsky: Thanks everyone for trying. Hope aol get's straightened out real soon... RELM Muse: We'll reschedule them sometime soon, when, we hope, AOL isn't acting up. RWalotsky: bye. JDipale: Nite Gail! Nite Ron! Techyo: Gona come back for us when AOL works, Ron and Gail? Cool! RELM Muse: Thanks so much for coming, Ron! And thanks for typing, Gail! RELM Muse: I'm going to try to move back to the regular chat room, but there's.. JDipale: Does AOL ever work right? RELM Muse: a good chance I can't get there. If y'all want to try and come, that's great. :) RELM Muse: LOL JD! Sometimes! RELM Muse: Thanks for coming, y'all! And see you soon!