John Martz - Cartoonist Survey #272

John Martz is an award-winning Canadian cartoonist, illustrator and designer. He is also the editor of one of my favorite cartooning and illustration blogs Drawn! John studied graphic design at Conestoga College in Ontario from 1997-2000. He then worked in the television industry where he created logos, animation and graphics. Some of the television stations he produced work for include CityTV, Space (Canada’s sci-fi channel), Bravo! and MuchMusic.

In March of 2005 John launched the blog Drawn!, which focuses on illustration, cartooning and animation from around the world. I already mentioned that it is one of my favorite art blogs, and I’m not alone. Drawn! was chosen as one of TIME Magazine's Coolest Websites of the Year for 2006. Over the last seven years, I have been introduced to the work of some very talented people…most of whom I would never have discovered if not for John’s wonderful resource!

John left the television industry in 2006 to become a full-time illustrator. His comics and illustrations have appeared in Kayak, Canada’s history magazine for kids, as well as numerous other magazines such as Jamie Oliver’s Jamie, chickaDEE, Uppercase and Maclean's. Hallmark, No Brow Press, Yahoo!, First Second Books, CTV, La Pasteque, Koyama Press and Egmont are just a handful of John’s other clients. In July of last year, John’s work started appearing in Canada’s largest circulated national newspaper, The Globe and Mail and he is now a regular contributor.

His comic work has been nominated twice for Doug Wright Awards and at last year’s Joe Shuster Awards, John’s comic book ‘Heaven All Day’ won the Gene Day Award for self publishers. A member of the National Cartoonists Society, John lives in Toronto with his wife, Lindsay and dog Gary. Visit his website here to see more of his work and to purchase prints and mini-comics. You can follow John over on his blog and his Facebook page. Also, be sure to set aside some time every week to check out some of the coolest comic and illustration work that John showcases at Drawn!

What is your favorite pen to use?
For sketching I'll grab whatever's nearby. I tend to have a new favourite every few months, and impulsively buy different pens whenever I see something new.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I'll use either. I use a lightbox for my non-digital work, so sometimes I'll use a pen or, again, whatever's handy, since I trace over my roughs on the lightbox rather than having to erase my initial under-drawings.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I like to play around with watercolour and gouache, but I'm not proficient enough with it yet, so my colouring is all done on the computer.

What type of paper do you use?
I'm not picky. I buy pads of illustration paper or bristol board -- usually the higher end brands since they tend to take ink better without bleeding. For roughs, and even for final art sometimes, I'll use cheap printer paper.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Horses on bicycles.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I sometimes buy pens from websites like Jetpens simply because they have a broader selection, but otherwise I'm lucky to have several art supply stores within walking distance from my house.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Is procrastination a ritual?

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Not while I'm doing any comics work that requires writing and thinking, since I need to be clear-headed. But for doodling, sketching, and inking, and doing final art, I listen to music or podcasts, or I'll have movies/TV on in the background. Something that doesn't require much attention. Musicwise, my last.fm profile can probably better define my tastes better than listing a few genres: http://www.last.fm/user/robotjohnny/.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I didn't read a lot of comic books until I hit high school, but I loved MAD Magazine as a kid.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
My favourite was and still is Peanuts.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I still have copies of all my favourite childhood books. I don't know if I can pick just one, but certainly Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl was a favourite, as was Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs & Ham, and a book of poems called Alligator Pie by Canadian poet Dennis Lee.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I studied Graphic Design in college, but I didn't have any formal art or illustration training.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Certainly it's both. It's a wonderful resource and Twitter is a great way to keep in touch with other cartoonists throughout the day, but it sure is a distraction.

Did either of your parents draw?
Neither of my parents draw, but my grandmother painted, and my mother is very crafty.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My parents always made sure I had plenty of drawing tools and paper, and always signed me up for cartooning classes, art lessons, and even computer animation camp.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Absolutely. It's the single greatest tool in an artist's arsenal. I have several on the go at all times, and have several bookshelves full of my completed sketchbooks.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I taught cartooning at a library one summer long ago, but I was woefully unprepared for it, so I don't think it counts. I'd do it again if given the chance and if I had the opportunity to really think about lesson plans and methods.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
You won't get very far without passion. I don't know if I really believe in talent -- you just keeping doing, and you get better at it. Cartooning is a honed skill.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Books, mostly. Our house is overflowing with books. Books books books.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I'd like to say Bugs Bunny, but I think the more truthful answer would be Daffy Duck.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Gosh I don't know. I don't have any other marketable skills. I'd have to do medical testing for money.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Currently, due to the layout of my apartment, it's split between two rooms -- I have a room with my computer and Cintiq for digital work,

and another room with my art supplies and drafting table for non-digital work.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Sadly, no.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Keep at it! Nothing happens overnight. Keep a sketchbook, never stop drawing, and just concentrate on enjoying the process of discovery and play. That's when the best things happen.

Who is your favorite artist?
I couldn't possibly choose, but it's an even tie between Charles Schulz, Jim Henson, Chuck Jones, Ronald Searle, Jean-Jacques Sempé, Seth, B. Kliban, and the list goes on!

Thank you again for taking the time to participate John!

Jef Czekaj - Cartoonist Survey #265

Jef Czekaj is a cartoonist, musician and children's book author and illustrator who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1969. He earned a BA in linguistics from Binghamton University. Although he loved to draw as a kid, creating his own comics and movie poster spoofs, he didn’t draw at all in college. While at Binghamton U, he worked at the radio station WHRW as the business manager and host of various radio shows. Around that time he also joined his first band, Shig Pit. Since then Jef has been a member of many bands including The Anchormen, The Tardy and Plunge into Death; and he has also been a solo performer.

After college he moved to Ithaca, New York and began drawing and distributing his mini-comic R2-D2 Is an Indie Rocker. The comic told the story of the struggling indie rock band Hypertruck and featured R2-D2 on guitar. Due to the fear of receiving threatening letters from George Lucas’s attorneys, Jef avoided copyright-infringement by renaming the comic Hypertruck.

In the late 90’s Jef moved to Somerville, MA and quickly became involved in the New England underground comics scene that included people such as Tom Devlin, Jordan Crane, Ron Rege Jr. and Brian Ralph. In 1997 he started working at Tom Devlin’s Highwater Books, a Cambridge-based independent comic book publishing company. Two years later along with Alex Pirie, Jef founded The Somerville Comics Collaborative. The Collaborative was created to bring artists, businesses, community groups and people of all ages and backgrounds together to tell stories of the city in comic form. One of the several collaborative comics that was created was the 96-page graphic novel “Fire on the Nunnery Grounds”. Published in 2000, “Fire on the Nunnery Grounds” was drawn by twelve Somerville teenagers and tells the story of the 1834 Ursuline Convent riots which resulted in the burning of the convent.

While working at Highwater Books Jef frequently attended comic conventions. It was at one of those conventions where he met Chris Duffy, who was then the editor of Nickelodeon Magazine. Chris read Jef’s mini-comic and suggested that he submit some work to the magazine. Thus began the 10-year run of Jef’s adventure comic strip, Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters in Nickelodeon Magazine. The strip centers around a young girl, Julie, and her world-famous-scientist Grampa who search the seas for Stephen, the largest shark in the world. Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters was read monthly by over a million children in both English and Spanish. In 2003 Jef was awarded with a Xeric Foundation Grant. The grant allowed him to publish a collection of the first three years of the strip which was distributed by Top Shelf Productions.

He has illustrated several books including, “The Quest to Digest”, “Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation”, “The Circulatory Story” and “Horns, Tails, Spikes and Claws”. Jef also wrote and illustrated his own picture books, “Hip and Hop, Don’t Stop!”, “Cat Secrets”, “A Call for a New Alphabet” and the soon to be released “Yes, Yes, Yaul!” and “Oink-a-Doodle-Moo”.



Jef still lives and works in Somerville, MA. Be sure to visit his website to learn more about him and to see more of his work. You can also follow him here on his blog and on his Facebook page. Jef makes frequent visits to schools, libraries and book stores, where he gives multi-media presentations that combine his musical and art skills. Click here to find out how to arrange a visit from Jef.

Um, before I start answering these questions, let me say that I'm not really so picky about the tools and materials that I use. I used to get really attached to one type of brush or paper or whatever and then that brush company would go out of business or I'd be on vacation and not be able to find that brush. So now I generally use whatever I can get my hands on.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I use a #2 size brush for inking. I just go to the art store and look for one that has a good point. I assume they're usually sable, but I'm guessing a lot of times they're not. Right now, I have a bunch of Winsor & Newton Cotman III brushes. For lettering I just use a Uniball.

When I'm buying art supplies, I ask myself these questions:
1. Is this the absolute cheapest thing I can buy?
2. If I needed to, could I buy this art supply on Christmas Day (presumably at 7-11) in Ocean City, MD?

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Yeah, pencil first. I draw with non-photo blue pencils even though I think my scanner picks up these lines anyway. Old habits die hard.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I color on my computer using Photoshop. Let the record show that I've had the same Wacom Pad for over 15 years.

What type of paper do you use?
Strathmore bristol, the one with the yellow cover.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Wow, this is a long, long list. Cars, Horses, Buildings, Perspective, PrettyMuchAnythingThatIsNotAFishWearingATie.

I often try to write comics/books that force me to draw things I don't like to draw. For example, when I was still doing my Grampa and Julie strips I wrote an entire story arc that was based around a race just so I would force myself to draw vehicles.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I always physically go to the store. There are a few art stores in Cambridge, most of which are chains: Dick Blick, Utrecht, and one called Artist and Craftsman Supply. I miss the days when the cashiers who worked at Pearl (RIP) would help you shoplift.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Um, procrastinate for several months.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I actually listen to a lot of NPR when inking. I do most of my rough sketching in coffee shops, so I'm sort of beholden to the musical taste of baristas. In Somerville, this involves way too much of Magnetic Fields and The Postal Service.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I read comic strips, not really comic books. I LOVED Bloom County, The Far Side, and Calvin and Hobbes.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I loved THERE'S A MONSTER AT THE END OF THE BOOK and yes I still own a copy. My book CAT SECRETS was an "homage" to that book (meaning, of course, that I ripped it off).



Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
No formal training. Strangely enough, I actually didn't take ANY art classes in college.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
It's neither Satan nor God. I think it's honestly hard to argue that the Internet isn't a blessing, right? I mean, remember how hard it was to even get directions. However, I'm not naturally a "blogger" or "content provider" so it's mostly a pain in the ass for me from a promoting-my-work point of view. As much as I try, I just can't find it in my heart to tweet.

Did either of your parents draw?
Not really. I remember a painting that my mom had done in our basement, but it seemed like it was from some sort of paint-by-numbers kit and I think was done before I was alive. I had an uncle who does realistic animal/nature paintings. We had an awesome painting of a tiger by him in our living room growing up. Man, I wish we still had that painting.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My friends in junior high school. Everyday at lunch we would eat while I would illustrate a Lord-of-the-Rings type fantasy story that they dictated to me.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes, though it's pretty informal. There aren't drawings of cute girls in coffee shops or life drawings like you're supposed to do. It's usually just page after page of me drawing the same picture of a fish wearing a tie or whatever it is I'm into.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yeah, I've taught a few classes on cartooning, mostly for younger kids. It's all right, but I don't think I'm especially good teacher. Since I'm entirely self-taught I really have a hard time explaining to people what I do and how I do it. I have a lot of enthusiasm.

Usually when I do workshops with kids I try to do something more dynamic than drawing. For example, in a couple of weeks I'm leading a cardboard fort-building workshop at the Boston Children's Museum.

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

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I'm really not much of a collector. I have a lot of art books and music.

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

Are you a righty or lefty?
A Proud Lefty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Yikes. I have no contingency plan.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Two drafting tables, one "new", one "vintage" pushed together. Ideally one is for my computer and one is for drawing, but usually 1.75 is for storing stuff that I should put away and the corner of one of them is for drawing. I have a nasty habit of not bothering to clean off my drawing area before I start drawing. Oh, and my cat is usually sitting on my chair and refusing to get off.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I play many instruments not especially well. Primary instrument = guitar. Other instruments I am somewhat competent at: violin, drums, keyboard, computer.

These days I'm a DJ for a rap group, The Big Digits.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
I bet this is what EVERYONE you ask says, but just draw as much as you can. And don't worry about whether it's a "good" drawing or a "bad" drawing.

Who is your favorite artist?
Tove Jannson.

Thanks again for participating Jef!