Who Will Be Cartoonist Survey #250?

Soon I will be posting the 250th Cartoonist Survey. Who will it be? Here is a hint...

Happy Thanksgiving from David Wasting Paper

I wanted to take a minute and wish the readers of David Wasting Paper a Happy Thanksgiving! I fondly remember going to my grandmother's house when I was little to watch the Macy's Day Parade because she had a color TV and we didn't (yes, I am that old). My favorite part of the parade was the cartoon character balloons. Here are a few photos that I hope will bring back some happy memories.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and remember to give thanks for our troops whose hard work and sacrifice, both here and abroad, allow us the freedom to gather with our loved ones for the holidays.

The New Yorker Cartoons of the Year 2011

The 2011 issue of The New Yorker Cartoons of the Year is now available wherever fine magazines are sold. I was lucky enough to spot it at my local grocery store. The magazine, which has a cover price of $10.99, features over 250 cartoons from more than 50 cartoonists.

Five of those cartoonist were nice enough to participate in the Cartoonist Survey. Read their answers by clicking on the links below.

Drew Dernavich (Cartoonist Survey #56)

Kim Warp (Cartoonist Survey #75)

Mick Stevens (Cartoonist Survey #64)

P.S. Mueller (Cartoonist Survey #62)

Roz Chast (Cartoonist Survey #249)

Blog Archive

Did you know that all of the Cartoonist Surveys are archived on this blog? Did you also know that there is an easy way to find a specific cartoonist's answers without scrolling through hundreds of pages?

After speaking with my brother-in-law, who is not blog savvy, I realized that not everyone knows how to search through the content of David Wasting Paper. He complained that he had to keep clicking on"Older Posts" at the bottom of each page. What he didn't know is that on the right-hand side of the page is a section called, "Blog Archive" that makes it easy to find any of the Cartoonist Surveys.

Clicking on any of the black arrows under "Blog Archive" expands and contracts the information for that specific year and or month. Below are a couple screen shots as examples.




Happy searching!

Roz Chast - Cartoonist Survey #249

Cartoonist and writer Rosalind "Roz" Chast was born in November of 1954. She grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York where she attended Midwood High School. Once she graduated from high school she went to Kirkland College where she learned a lot of art related “stuff” such as etching, lithography, silk screening and film development. After two years at Kirkland she transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design where she studied painting and graphic design. She earned a BFA from RISD in June of 1977 and moved back to New York.



Back in New York, Roz started showing her portfolio around and landed a few illustration jobs before deciding to give cartooning a go. She sold some cartoons to Christopher Street magazine and the Village Voice, but the pay wasn’t very good. In April of 1978 she learned that drop-off day for cartoon submissions at The New Yorker was Wednesdays, so she decided to leave a package of her cartoons. When she went back the next week to pick up her drawings, there was a note with them from the magazine’s art director, Lee Lorenz, asking her to see him. Much to her surprise, Lee ended up buying one of her drawings and told her to submit more work every week. Less than a year later she was under contract as a staff cartoonist for The New Yorker.



Now, over thirty years later, Roz has contributed hundreds of cartoons to The New Yorker, as well as full-color spread illustrations and covers. Her cartoons and editorial illustrations have also been published in over fifty other magazines and journals including Mother Jones, Town & Country, Redbook, the Harvard Business Review and Scientific American. She has illustrated and written many children’s books including Steve Martin’s “The Alphabet from A to Y, with Bonus Letter, Z” and her own “Marco” series of books.



There have been numerous compilations of her work printed including the 400 page “Theories of Everything: Selected, Collected, and Health-Inspected Cartoons” which includes most of her cartoons from 1978 to 2006. Her most recent release, “What I Hate; From A to Z” is a funny, alphabetical look at her fears and anxieties. Another edition of her “Marco” children’s books, “Marco Goes to School” is scheduled to come out next July.



Roz has received many awards and accolades including the Museum of Cartoon and Comic Art Festival Award in 2004 and honorary doctorates from Pratt Institute, Lesley University/Art Institute of Boston and most recently Dartmouth College. She and her husband, humor writer Bill Franzen, live in Ridgefield, Connecticut and they have two children, a son and a daughter. Visit Roz’s website to see more of her work, including her pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs), and to check for dates of upcoming lectures and book signings.



What is your favorite pen to use?

Rapidograph.



Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?

I sketch in pencil first for finished drawings, but not generally for roughs. Mechanical pencil.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?

By hand.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?

Watercolor.



What type of paper do you use?

Bristol vellum 2 ply.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?

Things like "the woods." Also, large crowd scenes.



Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?

Websites.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?

Not really.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?

I listen to music only when I'm doing color. All genres except marching bands and country.



Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?

Charles Addams. Also loved Nancy. Also, MAD magazine-- Don Martin, Dave Berg, etc.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?

Don Martin

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?

Merck Manual. Yes.



Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?

I graduated from R.I.S.D. Also, in high school, I went to the Art Students League for figure drawing in NYC on Saturdays.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?

Both.

Did either of your parents draw?

My mother "doodled" a little. But not really.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?

I had a couple of wonderful teachers in high school.

Do you keep a sketchbook?

Yes.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?

No, I've never taught.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?

50/50. I know, wussy answer.

Do you collect anything and if so what?

To some extent, old New Yorker artist cartoon books. I used to collect more things, but I've become less interested in "stuff" since clearing out my parents' apartment after they died.



If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?

I hope I would be the brave little toaster and not that blanket who was always in a panic.



Are you a righty or lefty?

Lefty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?

Surgeon.



In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.

My studio is in the corner of the house. It's a good temperature and quiet and dim, except for the light on my desk.



Do you play any musical instruments?

Not really.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?

If you have no other options, give it your all and hope for the best.

Who is your favorite artist?

Charles Addams

Thanks again for your time Roz!

Faber-Castell PITT Artists Brush Pens Review - Set of 12 Colors

In between surveys, I’m trying to complete reviews on all the amazing complimentary art supplies that I have received from various vendors. This review is part two in the series on Faber-Castell PITT products sent to me by Lisa Brophy. You can read the first review here.

(As always, click any of the pictures for a larger view.)

This is the 12-color set of Faber-Castell PITT Artist Brush Pens. These brush pens are filled with odorless, waterproof, permanent and lightfast India ink. They have durable nibs that give you the ability to get different thickness lines.

They come packaged in a sturdy case. The 12-color set includes; Middle Purple Pink, Pink Carmine, Orange Glaze, Cadmium Yellow, Dark Phthalo Green, Leaf Green, Phthalo Blue, Indanthrene Blue, Purple Violet, Cold Grey, Caput Mortuum and Black. There are a total of 48 colors in the PITT Artist Brush Pen line.

The caps go on with a satisfying click, so they won’t dry out quickly.

A sample of the colors.

Here’s a Marvel character totem pole I drew to color with the brush pens.

As you can see the colors are very vibrant. I usually do my non-digital coloring with either watercolor or colored pencils, but I really like these brush pens and see myself using them a lot. My only complaint and it’s more of a “want to have”, is that this set does not come with a peach or flesh colored pen. I ended up using a colored pencil for a couple of the faces above.

Overall, I feel that the Faber-Castell PITT Artist Brush Pens would make a great addition to anyone’s art supply arsenal. They are fairly priced, easy to use, comfortable in the hand and lay down a lot of color.

Thanks again to Lisa Brody at Faber-Castell for sending me these fine Faber-Castell products to review. Click here to see the entire line of Faber-Castell art and graphic products.

Watch this demonstration on tips and techniques for using the Faber-Castell PITT Artist Brush Pens.

And, check out this video of Chicago artist, Don Colley as he draws from life using Faber-Castell PITT Pens.

Thanks again Lisa for sending out the pens to review!

I also highly recommend the two books I used in the backgrounds for a couple of the above photos. First is Tom Richmond's "The Mad Art of CARICATURE!" It is simply one of the best books I've ever read on caricaturing. You can order your very own signed copy by going to Tom's Deadline Demon Publishing website.

The second book is "Mail Order Mysteries" by Kirk Demarais. Filled with great photos and write-ups about those novelties that were sold in vintage comic book ads. 

Check back soon for more Cartoonist Surveys and art supply reviews including Sakura, Strathmore Artist papers and Pilot.

Paolo Rivera - Cartoonist Survey #248

Painter, sculptor and comic book artist Paolo Rivera was born in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1981. He moved to Rhode Island, after graduating from Mainland High School (Daytona Beach) in 1999, to study at the Rhode Island School of Design. While at RISD, he studied under comic book artist and writer, David Mazzucchelli and spent his junior year studying in Rome. By his senior year, he was creating covers and pin-ups for writer Jim Krueger. He had previously met Jim at a MegaCon in Orlando, FL while he was in high school and had shown him his artwork. Paolo graduated from RISD with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2003.



He has been working almost exclusively for Marvel Comics since 2002. His first painted cover for Marvel was 2003’s Iron Man #63. Since then he has painted covers and interiors for most of the Marvel Universe characters including, Captain America, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, The Twelve, Hawkeye and more. One of the best known projects Paolo has worked on was the Mythos series of Marvel origin stories. This six issue series of one-shots written by Paul Jenkins and featuring beautiful paintings by Paolo, ran from 2006 to 2008. The Mythos stories were collected into a hardcover edition in 2008.



Paolo’s most recent work includes the re-launch of Daredevil, which he has been working on with writer Mark Waid and artist Marcos Martin. Though he started out primarily as a painter, he now regularly does penciling, inking and coloring as well. See much more of Paolo’s work at his The Self-Absorbing Man blog. Many of his posts discuss his process in drawing, painting and sculpting including my favorites, the Wacky Reference Wednesdays. To purchase Paolo’s original artwork click here.



What is your favorite pen to use?

I'm more of a brush guy. Winsor & Newton Series 7 #6 (#2 for small stuff)



Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?

Right now, I'm using a Pilot .7mm blue pencil, followed by a Uni Kuru Toga .5mm pencil with 2B lead, and a 2mm lead holder with B or 2B lead, sanded to a chisel tip.



Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?

Both. I paint when I can, but for most of my sequential work, I color in Photoshop. Lately, though, I've been working with colorist Javier Rodriguez.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?

Watercolor, gouache, and Acryla Gouache, usually Holbein, and mostly with a Silver Brush "Black Velvet" #12.

What type of paper do you use?

Marvel board for all my pencils, Strathmore 500 Series 3-ply bristol, vellum surface for fully rendered paintings.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?

I love everything in moderation. Things only get to me if I have to draw the same intricate subject from many different angles, over the course of many pages.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?

It's a mix. Wherever I can find good deals. I use to live nearby a great store, but I moved this year.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?

I like doing warm-up sketches, but that doesn't happen often enough. Lately, I've been trying to sculpt digitally with Sculptris when I can.



Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?

I often do, mostly I just hit "Quick Mix" on Pandora and go from there. Pretty much everything and anything. Somewhere between alternative rock and rap.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?

I did, but it was an eclectic mix. I grew up mostly on cartoons, so Ninja Turtles, X-Men, The Tick, and Batman were my favorites. Once I was old enough to work and drive, I could go to the comic store. Mostly, I would buy anything by Alex Ross and Joe Madureira.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?

I was a big fan of X-Force by Peter Milligan with Mike and Laura Allred. That was probable the last time I bought every issue of something.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?

Amazing Spider-Man #33. I had that one book and I read it over and over again. Don't know what happened to it, but I do have a copy in a Marvel Essentials collection.



Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?

I went to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 2003 with a BFA in Illustration.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?

It's a lot like life: it depends where you go.

Did either of your parents draw?

Both. My Dad actually inks me on Daredevil now. His day job is painting custom motorcycles.



Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?

My parents, without a doubt. Professionally, I'd have to say Jim Krueger and Joe Quesada.

Do you keep a sketchbook?

Sorta. Not really.



Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?

Not officially. I've given a handful of lectures and demos over the years. Most definitely. I might do it on a regular basis some day.



Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?

I feel like they're one in the same. If not, they're so inextricably intertwined that separating them serves no purpose. Each feeds the other.

Do you collect anything and if so what?

The last thing I actually collected were a lot of Ninja Turtles toys.



If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?

The Tick.



Are you a righty or lefty?

Righty, though in certain situations I'll do primitive drawings of my right hand with my left.



If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?

Let's hope it never comes to that.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.

Metal drawing board at an angle. All my tools have magnets on them. 27" iMac to the right. If I'm painting, a Sta-Wet Palette on a turntable to my left.

This video is from Mike Furth's wonderful, The Comic Archive website. Head over to The Comic Archive now for much more on comic creators and their methods.

Do you play any musical instruments?

I wish.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?

Can I give two? Find a balance between passion and practicality. And if you want to be a professional, compare yourself to nothing less than the best in that field.

Who is your favorite artist?

It changes, day to day. Today, it's a brawl between Milton Caniff, Alex Toth, and H.J. Ward.


Thank you very much Paolo!