Illustrator Peter Bergting has been busy. Very busy. And now, there is a collected volume that allows us to catch up to him. From his early drawings, through the various stages in his career development, it’s all here in a hardcover volume.
Bergting writes, and of course illustrates this 208-page book, enfusing it with many anecdotes. He is refreshingly frank and open about his early experiences as a comic book artist, describing his first projects, his strong work ethic, and expressing his appreciation for all the constructive criticism he has received along the way.
I particularly like the section where Bergting talks of copying Mike Mignola’s work, with Mignola’s permission, so well that readers thought Bergting’s art WAS Mignola’s. And then, Bergting deliberately starts working to distance his art away from that look, moving on to develop yet another visual style, one of his own.
Artwork included consists of Gaming art, trading card art, Hellboy sourcebook, pages from The Portent, various graphic novels, acrylic paintings, rough sketches, layouts, children’s book illustrations, and of course more Hellboyverse!!
The introduction is by writer Christopher Golden. Edited by Katii O’Brien, book designer is David Nestelle.
Dark Horse, The Art of Peter Bergting, $49.99 for 208 pages hardcover.