Q & A with Matt Haley
How did you get your start in art and illustration?
I was 20 years old and I sent some Star Trek samples into DC Comics after having met one of their editors at a comic book convention. He called and hired me for a Star Trek: The Next Generation annual.
What have been some of your most important lessons learned as a student developing your talent?
Meeting deadlines is crucial. Also, being willing to create art even when it's the last thing on earth you feel like doing.
Describe your first professional experience working as a professional artist/illustrator.
I had been hired to draw a Star Trek: The Next Generation comic annual for DC Comics. It was 54 pages, and I had only ever drawn ten pages of samples in my life! They gave me two and a half months to draw it. I ended up taking six because I had never met a deadline before, and it was a licensed product that the actors had likeness approval over. Nightmarish, but it got done, and ended up being a best seller that launched my career.
Tell us about your creative process. Does it differ from one medium to another (comic books/graphic novels, TV, videogames, etc.)?
Not really. Usually when I get the first creative brief for a gig, if an image leaps into my head I know the problems are already solved and I just have to draw it. Otherwise, it's a hard slog to get it done to my satisfaction.
What technology, equipment and tools do you use to do your work? What are your favorites?
I still work on paper when I draw comics, but for the vast majority of my commercial work I use Illustrator, Painter and Photoshop, on an Intel Mac Pro with a 21" Cintiq drawing tablet.
What’s your favorite character or subject to draw?
That's like asking which of my children is my favorite. Seriously, though, I dearly love drawing the historical characters Ben Thompson writes for me in BADASS. I mean, I got to draw Bruce Lee!
Of your many projects, which did you enjoy the most and why?
The Stan Lee "Who Wants to be a Superhero" TV series was a lot of fun. We had a great cast and an excellent crew to work with. I got to turn average Joes and Janes into superheroes, and that was a hoot.
VisionFest is primarily about 2D and 3D animation. Have you ever dabbled in animation?
I've directed animation for USA Networks and done a lot of model sheets and turnarounds for Warner Animation.
If there’s a “next level” for you and your career, what would you want that to be?
Directing feature film, which I'm already doing.
What are you looking forward to most about VisionFest?
Getting to see some incredible budding talents! That always inspires me to renew my commitment to creating art.
