Derek Yaniger - Cartoonist Survey #269

Derek Yaniger is an artist and cartoonist who was born in Arkansas in 1960. He attended the University of Georgia’s Lamar Dodd School of Art, where he drew the cartoon series "Brou-Ha-Ha" for the school’s student newspaper, The Red & Black. He graduated from UGA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1986 and then began working for an Atlanta graphic design company. He worked at the graphic design company for three years until he began freelancing for Marvel Comics. While at Marvel, Derek worked on many different titles including, Web of Spider-Man, Transformers: Generation 2, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, Alpha Flight and others.

He then worked for the Cartoon Network where he created artwork for well-know characters and shows like The Transformers. Derek enjoyed the work but was growing tired of drawing other people's creations. In his off hours he worked on his retro-inspired style of art that he is now known for. His illustrations are eye-candy for fans of the 1950’s tiki bar culture, beatniks, burlesque and Vegas glamour scene.

Derek now produces fine art paintings, prints and serigraphs. He also designs clip art images, stickers, limited edition tiki mugs and CD cover artwork. His artwork is showcased in numerous magazines such as Barracuda, Car Kulture Deluxe and Atomic. In 2008 the book “Wildsville: The Art of Derek Yaniger” was released, which collects many of his paintings and illustrations. Visit Derek’s website to see much more of his artwork and be sure to check out his store and news page, which he updates regularly.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Staedtler Lumocolor

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Yes....Everything starts with pencil to paper....I use a standard pencil. Them Mechanical pencils scare the hell outta' me! Damn robots are takin' over the world!

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I do a little of all of the above! Paintings are acrylic on wood...sketches are Copic Markers in sketchbooks...and serigraph art is colored in layers on the Dell devil machine.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
I already told you, man!!

What type of paper do you use?
I use Tracing Paper for my initial sketches and my inks.......works super-swell!

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
TRANSFORMERS!! ...Them Damn robots!!

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
A little of both...if it's hard to find I order online, but I do miss art stores.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
I usually down an entire bottle of gin and eat a box of Twinkies every mornin' before I get to scribblin'! I am just kidding, of course...yes...just kidding.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I dig 50's Jazz...Rockabilly...Exotica...Vintage music to submerge me fully into my retro vibe!!

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I loved Archie when I was but a wee ankle-biter...but as I got older I really dug MAD and CRACKED and PLOP!

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
The early Peanuts strips were hi-larious but for some reason I really liked Snuffy Smith...I dig hillbillies!

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
"Hop On Pop" was pretty damned important to me in my younger days...I also loved Tintin...the art in those books really flipped my switches!

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I didn't have any fancy book-learnin for art until I was in College...I copped a BFA at UGA in Athens, GA

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
It is indeed a blessing...the very fact that I can receive payment instantly via Paypal and then send a huge art file around the globe to a client in Australia with the click of a button is wild!! I started doodlin long before computers and the net so I know what a royal pain in the arse workin' on board, wrapping it up, callin a courier to pick up and deliver it can be...Oh yeah, that...and free porn!

Did either of your parents draw?
Nope...not nary a one.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My Dad...He believed I could do whatever as long as I worked hard and stuck with it...My Mom however, felt sure I was gonna' end up starvin' in the streets....Oh Mom.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I keep several...some of my best scribbles start as sketches.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Never taught…too many felony convictions.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Depends on what yer doin' with them drawins...If you are makin' a living doing ad illustration, then talent is more important. But if you are drawing for yourself...definitely passion!

Do you collect anything and if so what?
You name it...vintage shotglasses, lunchboxes, tiki mugs, beatnik figures, talking dolls, jazz albums, Rat Fink / Weirdos model kits, hillbilly arty-fax...

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I'd be the sloppy drunk lush in the Pink Panther cartoons stumblin' home in the early brights fumblin' for his house keys...

Are you a righty or lefty?
If you ain't RIGHT, then you ain't Right!

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I have absolutely no idea...maybe gargle bees and juggle chainsaws.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Mid-Century Modern Cartoon

Do you play any musical instruments?
Drums...

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
You may have to kiss a lot of ugly-ass frogs before you get to dance to the beat of your own bongos...don't quit...NEVER stop!

Who is your favorite artist?
Jim Flora

Thank you very much for your time Derek!

Chris Gash - Cartoonist Survey #209

Chris Gash is a freelance illustrator who lives and works in Edison, New Jersey and has been working professionally since 2000. He has a retro drawing style that is heavily influenced by illustrations of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Chris’s work includes everything from spot illustrations and covers for books, magazines and newspapers to illustrating children’s books. His client list is a who’s who of publications and includes, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Newsweek, Golf Digest, USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Nickelodeon, Scholastic and Science Times, just to name a few. Chris is also an instructor of illustration at Montclair State University and has even had one of his courses included in the book, “Teaching Illustration” by Steve Heller and Marshall Arisman. See more of his work at his website and follow him on his blog.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I am a brush guy mostly, but I keep very fine Microns on my desk to touch up a line here or there (and I love a Sharpie on vellum).

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I lean on my pencils pretty hard and most mechanicals are just too brittle. I do all my sketches in black or indigo Prismacolor pencils.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I used to watercolor everything, but in order to be able to take on more work, I started coloring in Photoshop. Now the only painting I do is in my sketchbook.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Winsor & Newton watercolors, gouache and FW acrylic colored inks.

What type of paper do you use?
When I painted for work, I always used Fabriano watercolor paper. Now, since I am simply scanning the line art, I work on marker rag, trace or vellum.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I don’t know if hate is the right word, but I’ve always struggled with four-legged mammals, or most of them anyway. It doesn’t matter if I spend hours looking at the anatomy or how much I try to simplify the shapes; it’s always a miserable task.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I don’t think I’ve ever bought supplies online. I like going to the store and so far I’ve managed to live near a Pearl or a Jerry’s for the past 15 years.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
No ritual, but this makes me think I should have one.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Sometimes music, sometimes NPR, sometimes I put a movie in, something I’ve seen a hundred times that I don’t need to pay attention to…Harvey, Summer Stock, Rear Window, Royal Wedding. When it’s music it’s old - Artie Shaw, Hoagy, Bix, Cab, King Oliver; I could put Sweet Lorraine and Moonglow on endless repeat and be very happy.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I had only a handful of comic books as a kid; my real love for comics came much later, during college.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
I loved Peanuts from a very early age, although I didn’t understand why it was so wonderful until many years later. It would be difficult to pick one all-time favorite, but Sam’s Strip is definitely up there near the top.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I can’t honestly say I remember a favorite book as a child, but I do have the contents of my entire childhood bookshelf about three feet away from where I’m sitting, so if I did have a favorite, I do still own a copy.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I have a BFA in illustration and I’m looking at Hartford for my MFA. I also had a three-year internship with Steven Guarnaccia, and I couldn’t possibly sum up how much I learned about comics, cartoons and illustration while I was there.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Google Image Search does make life easy. And the Internet unquestionably has made some work-related processes much easier and faster, but the constant communication and information can be tiresome.

Did either of your parents draw?
Neither. My closest relative who could draw was my mother’s cousin.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My mom always wanted me to be an artist. Anytime I even considered something else she always seemed so disappointed. Later on I had a handful of instructors who were extremely supportive throughout college. And my wife of course, she tolerates my artistic jealousies and other assorted mania beautifully.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I have several sketchbooks on my desk and in my bag, but I hardly draw in them every day. I always want to be one of those guys drawing on the subway that has to date their many volumes of sketchbooks, but it’s just not me.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I currently teach Illustration Concepts, a sophomore level illustration course and I love it.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
This is a tough question - does talent mean preternatural drawing ability only? I think driving passion, vision, and good ideas will take a so-so drawing a lot further than the other way around.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I collect those old boxed novelty gifts, the ones that say “Do it every morning, do it every night” with an amorous couple in bed and then you open the box and there are toothbrushes inside. And I have amassed quite a bit of vintage Santa Claus stuff. Comics goes without saying, I guess.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
The elf who wanted to be a dentist.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I have no idea what I would do, honestly, that scares the heck out of me to even think about.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
There’s a small space in the center of my table for actual drawing, the rest is covered with supplies, books, assignments stacked in the order in which they have to be done, sketchbooks and the mountain of shavings spilling out of my pencil sharpener which I never empty, for no good reason. My computer and scanner are behind me at my non-drawing desk.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I played bass in a few bands when I was younger, and it was a lot fun, but then put it away to focus on illustration. I’ve been thinking about the ukulele, it has a beautiful sound.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Draw. And don’t be lazy.

Who is your favorite artist?
How about a few favorites, in no particular or logical order – Wayne Thiebaud, Claes Oldenberg, Lowell Hess, Charley Harper, Dan DeCarlo, Will Eisner, Gluyas Williams, Herge – I can keep going but I could never pick just one.

Thanks again for your time Chris.

Another thanks to Mike Rhode over at the ComicsDC blog for suggesting Chris. Good thing I don’t get paid for doing this or I’d owe him some money.