Austin Kleon - Cartoonist Survey #140

Austin Kleon is a writer, cartoonist and designer who grew up in southern Ohio. He graduated from Miami University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. As a cartoonist, Austin draws and takes visual notes at live events such as the South by Southwest (SXSW) festivals, Austin City Limits and TEDxAustin. He is best known for his Newspaper Blackout Poems, which he creates by eliminating words from newspaper articles with a permanent marker. He started creating these in 2005 as a way to get through a period of writer’s block. Since then they have been featured in Toronto’s National Post, on NPR’s Morning Edition and all over the Internet. In April of this year Harper Perennial published a collection of his poems in the book, “Newspaper Blackout.” Austin enjoys using the web as a medium, designing websites, blogging and making videos. He loves to teach about writing, drawing, and creating better work through visual thinking and play. At his book signings and speaking engagements he covers a wide range of topics including, drawing basics, visual note-taking, Blackout poetry and blogging for creative people. Austin lives and works in Austin, Texas with his wife Meghan and their dog Milo. Be sure to check out Austin’s website which is loaded with samples of his work, how-to’s, videos and blog posts.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Fine Point Sharpie.

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

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

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Probably plain-old Crayola crayons.

What type of paper do you use?
Whatever's on sale.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Cars! I hate drawing cars.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Both. Stuff like Pentel Brush Pens you hafta get online from JetPens or someplace like that. I often hit up Jerry's Artarama here in Austin.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Pet my dog? Drink a beer?

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I read newspaper comics and loved those Garfield paperback collections.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Peanuts.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?Ernie's Big Mess. It's probably still at my Mom's house.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I took a few drawing classes at Miami University in Ohio.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
A blessing when it comes to getting your work out there, a curse to actually getting it done.

Did either of your parents draw?
No, but they gave me lots of supplies.

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

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yep!

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I have. I love to teach.

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

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Yes. I collect unread books.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I'm *am* an artist, and most of my money comes from my day job, designing websites.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Yes. Piano, guitar, and drums.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Don't. Get a day job you can stand and keep it.

Who is your favorite artist?
Dead: Saul Steinberg. Living: Lynda Barry.


Thanks again Austin.

Next time on David Wasting Paper is surf artist extraordinaire, Drew Brophy.

Developing a Price Sheet and Proposal

There is a great post over at MariaBrophy.com about developing a price sheet and proposal. Anyone who sells their artwork should definitely give it a read through.

Dylan Horrocks - Cartoonist Survey #139

Comic book writer and artist, Dylan Horrocks was born in 1966, in Auckland, New Zealand. While attending the University of Auckland his weekly strip, “Tisco George” ran in the student magazine, Craccum. In the late 80’s he had work published in both Australia’s ‘Fox Comics’ and the United States’ ‘The Dead Muse’ (Fantagraphics). Dylan moved to the United Kingdom and self-published several mini-comics including, ‘The Last Fox Story’ and ‘Opposite Equinoxes’. While in the UK he also co-founded the comics annual, Le Roquet. Returning to New Zealand in the mid-90’s he had a half-page color strip called 'Milo's Week' which appeared in the New Zealand Listener magazine. During this time his comic book, ‘Pickle’ was being published and ran for 10 issues until 1997.

In 1998 his graphic novel Hicksville, a tale about a town in New Zealand that is completely devoted to comics, was released by Black Eye Books. Hicksville, reprinted by Drawn and Quarterly, went on to win an Eisner Award in 2002 and has been translated into French, Italian and Spanish. In addition to winning the Eisner his work has been nominated for a number of Ignatz Awards, Harvey Awards and Prix d'Alph'Art. Dylan has written comics for Vertigo and DC Comics, including 25 issues of Hunter: the Age of Magic, 19 issues of Batgirl and 3 issues of Legends of the Dark Knight. He has also written about comics for magazines in New Zealand and America and has taught cartooning and comics history courses. He currently lives near Auckland with his wife and two sons. You can read much more about Dylan here at the Hicksville website and the Hicksville Comics website. Buy something from his store and make him happy. There is also a Dylan Horrocks page over at Drawn and Quarterly.

What is your favorite pen to use?
The Tombow GCD-111 (a felt tip pen from Japan). I'm also very fond of the Pentel GFPK Brush Pen (also from Japan).

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Mechanical pencil - usually with a 2H lead.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Until recently, I did all my colouring digitally. But I've just started hand-colouring again, and I love it. From here on, I'll probably hand-colour most things (although some things will still be digital).

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Watercolour and gouache. Sometimes a little touch of coloured pencil.

What type of paper do you use?
Fabriano A3 cartridge paper (the Accademia Schizzi pads).

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Cars and horses. Actually, any form of transportation gives me trouble. I wish my characters just stayed where they were...

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Usually a local one, but some things (like the Pentel brush pen) I get online from overseas.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
No, but I probably need to try using one. I'm very slow to get started. From seeing other people's warm-up drawings, I think I might start doing that.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Hell yeah. A wide variety of stuff (basically I put thousands of tracks on shuffle): mostly alternative, folk, some contemporary classical...

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I read far too many comics as a kid. Tintin was probably my number one.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?Probably Peanuts. Of course, I love Krazy Kat and a lot of current alternative strips (Kaz, Lynda Barry, Tom Tomorrow, Lloyd Dangle [Cartoonist Survey #132], etc), but Peanuts is a masterpiece.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
A toss up between the Tintin books (couldn't choose one) and Tove Jansson's Moomin novels (ditto). And yes, I do.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Only at high school, and it wasn't very good. My marks weren't good enough to go to art school after that, so I studied English instead. Sometimes I wish I had received more formal art training. I really don't know what the hell I'm doing...

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Both. Mostly a blessing. But it can be quite the distraction.

Did either of your parents draw?
Yes, my father used to draw now and then. In fact, when he was a teenager, he considered taking up cartooning as a career. Once, when I was away with my mother for a few months, he drew me a whole comic book and tucked it into a letter. It was about a New Zealand farmer carrying out a commando raid on Hitler's bunker. I lost it years ago, but I can still remember what it looked like. I wish I could draw like that...

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My parents have always been totally supportive. My father would often bring me strange and wonderful comics he'd found (French BD, underground comics, etc). And my mother bought me my first Rapidographs and my first drawing board. Also my wife, who persuaded me to quit my day job years ago, and has supported what I do through thick and thin. She's pretty fabulous...

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes, but not always. Sometimes a single sketchbook will last me several years. Other times only a couple of months. I tend to fill notebooks much more quickly, with writing and notes and doodles. But at the moment I'm drawing (and painting) in my sketchbook most days.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yes, I teach quite often - usually guest lectures at design schools or English departments, plus workshops in schools and at festivals. I just taught a week-long workshop in Australia for a dozen really interesting cartoonists. That was the most challenging but also the most rewarding teaching I've ever done. I get a lot of satisfaction from it, but it is exhausting.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion. Definitely. Talent can make things a lot easier, but it can also make you lazy and your drawings facile. I'm often attracted to drawings that have a lot of personality and even awkwardness; slick virtuoso stuff usually turns me off. But sometimes, of course, people with enormous talent knock me dead (people like Craig Thompson, Blutch, etc).

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Role-playing games (Dungeons & Dragons etc). Rather obsessively. I mean, I play them too, but many of them I buy just to read and have on the shelf.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Um... I'd like to say someone from a Miyazaki film, but actually I'm probably more like Donald Duck.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Lefty. And green. But I'm a big believer in tolerance and compassion.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I'd love to be a librarian. Very cool job.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Cramped! I have a tiny workroom with a drawing board and a computer desk and another small desk with scanner etc. It tends to get very messy and cluttered, but I recently got rid of a lot of junk and took everything off the walls so it would be bare and peaceful. Visually peaceful, I mean; there's also a great big 20-year old stereo in one corner that I've plugged into the computer.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Guitar. Badly...

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Just draw all the time. And don't be afraid of making bad drawings - just draw and draw and draw and stay true to your own drawing voice. Also: enjoy it. If it's horribly painful and makes you unhappy, why are you doing it? For the money? What money?

Who is your favorite artist?
That's almost impossible to answer. Right now I'm obsessing over Sharyn Boyle's work in Kramer's Ergot. But there are so many... Throughout my life, maybe Tove Jansson.


Thank you again for answering my questions Dylan!

Up next is writer, cartoonist and designer, Austin Kleon.

Happy 4th of July!

In case you want to make your very own decorations for the 4th, here is a quick video which shows you how to draw a "dynamic eagle" step by step.



Have fun and be safe!

Howard Tayler - Cartoonist Survey #138

Howard Tayler was born in Florida in 1968 and is the creator of the very successful webcomic Schlock Mercenary. He graduated from high school in 1985 and moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University. After studying there for two years Howard volunteered to be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He spent two years as a missionary before finishing up his Bachelor’s degree in Music Composition. Putting his music degree to good use, he co-founded the independent record label Sanctus Records which was primarily aimed at the Latter-day Saints market. Howard also worked for Novell, a multinational software and services corporation as a project manager. In 2000 he started publishing his webcomic, Schlock Mercenary and four years later he was able to quit his job at Novell to work full-time as a cartoonist and writer. Schlock Mercenary, which has been nominated twice for a Hugo Award and has won multiple Web Cartoonists’ Choice Awards, follows the adventures of a mercenary company aboard a starship in a 31st-century space opera setting. Since February 10, 2008, Howard has been producing a weekly writing tips podcast with best-selling fantasy author Brandon Sanderson and horror author Dan Wells. You can listen to these 15-minute fun and informative podcasts here on the Writing Excuses website. I have been listening to some of the podcasts while preparing this post and they are very good. Howard lives in Provo, Utah with his wife Sandra and their 4 children. Visit the official Schlock Mercenary website, store and blog. You can also read Howard’s Ramblings of a Happy Cartoonist livejournal.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Staedtler Pigment liners, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7. Gotta have all four or I can't get any work done.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Mechanical pencils first. Soft lead.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Computer coloring for strips, hired out to Travis Walton who does brilliant work. Hand-coloring for some pieces of margin art, sketch cards, etc.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Copic Sketch markers. I've got a full set.

What type of paper do you use?
8.5"x 14" 20lb bright white legal paper.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Everything, if I'm in a hurry. When I'm not in a hurry I love to draw everything. Usually I'm in a hurry right about the time the backgrounds need to be added.

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

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Make sure I'm not going to need to get out of the chair for at least an hour or two.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Yes. Electronica, atmospheric, movie soundtracks (Zimmer, Elfman, others), video game remixes, and occasionally pop/rock.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
You mean comic books? I didn't read any of those.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Bloom County, with Calvin & Hobbes and The Far Side tied for second.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I'm not really sure. I've been reading since age 4. There were too many books for me to play favorites.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
One basic penciling class in college, Brigham Young University. No other formal training in visual arts. I majored in Music Composition with an emphasis in Sound Recording Technology.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
This question should be reworded." For instance: What do you see as the top three benefits of the Internet? Top three problems? Or: Some say the Internet is a blessing. Others say it is a curse. How do you respond to these statements?

Did either of your parents draw?
Not to my knowledge. My Grandmother painted extensively, though.

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

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yes, and yes.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion. Talent is irrelevant.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
28mm miniatures from Privateer Press. I paint them.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I don't identify with animated cartoon characters, or at least not with one in particular. If I see elements of my own personality in a particular character, that reflects the genius of the writers and the animators as they've made their characters accessible.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Ambidextrous, but I've trained my right hand for drawing. I throw and kick left-handed, but throw darts equally well right or left.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Write. Or maybe write music.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Inclined table with all tools close at hand, as well as a source of music and someplace to set my drink.

Do you play any musical instruments?
At one point in time I played over a dozen. These days I can sing well, but I'm out of practice on pretty much everything else.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Draw something every day, and let that guide you. If you love it, you'll be great at it.

Who is your favorite artist?
Too many to choose from. I love James Christensen's work, as well as Frank Frazetta, Michael Whelan, Alex Ross, and Boris Vallejo.


Thank you very much for your time Howard!

Next on David Wasting Paper is Eisner Award winning, New Zealand cartoonist, Dylan Horrocks.

Bob Ostrom - Cartoonist Survey #137

Bob Ostrom has been a professional illustrator for over 20 years. He finished his studies in illustration and advertising at the New England School of Design in 1985 and started his career as an assistant art director. Since then his art has been featured in over 200 children's books and publications and he has designed logos, toys and games. The list of companies he has done work for, such as Disney, Parker Brothers, Scholastic, Hooked on Phonics, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon shows that his specialty is children’s art. Bob lives in North Carolina and is represented by Deborah Wolfe LTD . He has a great website which features a How-2-Draw page filled with tutorials and other resources. You can learn even more about Bob by checking out his blog. There is very good series of Bob’s “How to Draw” DVDs that are available here at Jerry's Artarama.

In addition to his illustration work he also co-created and co-hosts the podcasts on the Creative Independence Network with multimedia designer, Chris Wilson. The Creative Independence Network uses a variety of online media including podcasts, blogs and social media sites to help “independent creatives look at their current roles and see possibilities beyond what they are doing now.” Find out more about Creative Independence here.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I'm not too fussy about pens. Lately I've been into using a brush pen for some of my line work. Faber Castel makes a good one so does Prisma Color. I like the looseness and fluctuation in line weight.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I always sketch out my drawings out in red pencil. I start really loose with a .5 and then tighten up with a 2mm. After that I go over it with a 2b. Seems like a lot work but it actually saves me a ton of time when I bring the whole mess into Photoshop and drop out the reds. I prefer mechanical pencils. I love em. I must have at least 50 different kinds. There's nothing worse to me than a dull, nubby, wooden pencil.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I do all my color digitally. It's just the fastest most efficient way for me to get thing done.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Watercolor mostly. It's really hard to duplicate that kind of spontaneity on a computer.

What type of paper do you use?
Cheap copy paper. I go through a lot of paper when I sketch and since I do my color on the computer that's what works best for me. I shudder to think what I'd be spending if I sketched everything out on the high quality stuff. On the other hand when I do need good paper I don't skimp. Bienfang and Strathmore are my favorites.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Anything riding a bike (I can never get the pedals right). Merry-go-rounds give me headaches and so do soccer balls. When I'm in charge all those little shapes on the ball will be changed to squares and artists everywhere will rejoice.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I get all my art supplies from Jerry's Artarama here in Raleigh. They have a great store. What I don't get there comes from my local office supply chain. I really hate waiting for stuff so shopping on-line can be a drag. Plus I love the smell of a big old art store....can't get that on line.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Nope, no time for pre-game warm ups. I usually just dive right in. When I get keyed up though I love to run or go to the gym. Helps clear my head.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Sometimes I'll listen to music but mostly I'm a big podcast fan . When I'm working late a good audio book is a nice distraction.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Peanuts, I learned to draw by tracing Charlie Brown. I also loved Mad magazine, Sergio Aragones was the best.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
It's hard to pin it down to just one strip. There are so many I love. The first place I go when I read any paper is the comics section. If your paper doesn't have comics... sorry I'm not interested.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I had this old paperback Peanuts book I found in the attic. I forget the name... might have been You're a Good Man Charlie Brown or something like that. I read that thing over and over again. I studied the art on each page until the spine finally broke and all the pages fell out.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I went to the New England School of Art and Design in Boston. It's now a part of Suffolk Universtiy.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Blessing. It's really hard to remember what life was like without it. Finding reference used to be such a chore. I knew these guys who used to have giant file cabinets filled with reference photos clipped from magazines and such. Interacting with people was more face to face... I miss that a little but the idea that you can answer almost any question that pops into your brain in seconds still amazing to me.

Did either of your parents draw?
No but my mother always did a lot of crafts.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
It's been many different people at different times in my life. My family has always been there for me and that means a lot. I feel it's really important to surround yourself with people who believe in what you do.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I carry a sketchbook with me where ever I go. I have about 10 different sketchbooks going right now and a bunch sitting in my attic. Every once and a while I dig them out and ransack them for ideas.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I teach cartooning classes to kids at Jerry's Artarama in Raleigh. I've also done a couple of DVD's on cartooning. It's the best gig in the world.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
It's both. One usually feeds the other but I tend to lean more toward passion. All the talent in the world will go nowhere without the passion to drive it forward.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Junk mostly. Man, you should see my desk...

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Eek the cat.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Lefty sort of. I write and draw with my left hand but that's it. For everything else I'm a righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I'd love to be a professional musician. How cool would that be?

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Messy and cluttered. Everything I need is within arm’s reach (I can never find anything when it's tidy).

Do you play any musical instruments?
I'm a drummer. I used to play with a band called the Funk Assassins. That was a blast.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Surround yourself with people who encourage you to live your dream the rest will take care of itself.

Who is your favorite artist?
My daughter Mae. Do I have to pick one because my son Charlie is a rockin' good artist too.

Thanks very much Bob.

Howard Tayler, creator, author and artist for the webcomic “Schlock Mercenary” is up next.

2010 Bunny Bash

A couple of weeks ago, Ed Steckley (Cartoonist Survey #108) invited me to attend Bunny Hoest’s “Bunny Bash” on Long Island. The Bunny Bash is a get together of cartoonists and their friends and family which is held annually in June at the house of Bunny Hoest, the writer of the cartoons The Lockhorns, Laugh Parade and Howard Huge.

The Bash started many years ago when Bill Hoest, creator of the Lockhorns comic panel, wanted to show his cartoonist buddies the house he had designed and was in the process of building. He invited over members of the Long Island chapter of the National Cartoonists Society (a.k.a. “Berndt Toast Gang” named in honor of Walter Berndt, the cartoonist of “Smitty”) for lunch and a tour of the construction. After Bill passed away in 1988 his wife Bunny continued to host this annual gathering.

My wife Patti and I made the trip down last week. It was quite a long trip, but well worth it. Bunny’s home, the grounds and the ocean made an amazing backdrop for the event. Everyone was very welcoming to us newcomers. When we first arrived the skies were looking ominous, but after a very brief shower and wind storm, the sun broke through the clouds and conversations carried on, never missing a beat. We found out later that this storm produced a tornado which touched down in Bridgeport, CT creating all kinds of damage and sending 25 people to the hospital.

This is a picture taken from the back of the house. The house is constructed of old cobblestones that used to pave the New York City streets. Some of them still have the actual tar on them. The place is right on the water and is simply beautiful.

Above is a photo of me and cartoonist Mike Lynch who drove down from New Hampshire. Mike was the first person we met at the party and he had us laughing from the very start of the conversation.

We then met Ray Alma (Cartoonist Survey #124) and his wife Caryn who couldn’t have been more friendly to us. Ed Steckley (Cartoonist Survey #108) and his wife Heather showed up a little bit later and upon arrival Ed took Patti and I on a quick tour of the studio. On the way up to the studio, I took the above picture of legendary MAD magazine cartoonist and caricaturist Mort Drucker relaxing on the couch.

Here is Ed looking pensive while sitting at the drawing board. Note the original Lockhorns panels on the left hand wall.

Here I am sitting at the same drawing board.

It was such a treat to meet Mort Drucker, who was nice enough to pose with me.

I also had the honor to speak with long time New Yorker magazine cartoonist George Booth.

Here is a photo of me and Bunny. She was such a gracious hostess and a delightful woman.

Patti and I had such a good time. We want to thank everyone for being so nice to us, especially Ed and Heather Steckley, Ray and Caryn Alma, Mike Lynch and of course Bunny Hoest!

Kevin Kallaugher - Cartoonist Survey #136

Kevin Kallaugher, known as KAL, is a political cartoonist and animator who was born in Norwalk, CT in 1955. He graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies in 1977. Kevin went to the British Isles after college and was hired by The Economist to become their first resident cartoonist in March of 1978. Working in London for the next 10 years he continued as the cartoonist for the Economist, as well as many other publications including The Sunday Telegraph, The Observer, Today and The Mail on Sunday. Kevin returned to the US in 1988 and became the editorial cartoonist for the Baltimore Sun. During his 17 years drawing for the Sun he drew over 4000 cartoons while continuing to draw two cartoons per week for The Economist. His work has appeared in well over 100 publications worldwide such as Der Spiegel, Daily Yomiuri, The Australian, Pravda, Le Monde, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Newsweek.

In 2006, Kevin’s work was exhibited at The Walter’s Art Gallery and has also been on display at the Library of Congress in Washington and at the Tate Gallery in London. He has been presented with many awards for his work including multiple Thomas Nast Awards, The Gillray Goblet, The Grafica Internazionale Award and The Berryman Award. Over the years Kevin has also been involved in animation and in 2007 he launched the Maryland based animation company, Kaltoons, which produces both 2-D and 3-D animations. Visit Kevin’s website and check out his sketchblog. If you have an iPhone, you may purchase his app, iKal Book for $0.99 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod Touch.

What is your favorite pen to use?
A quill pen with a special nib: George W Hughes 1319.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I draw in pencil using a mechanical pencil .5 HB.

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

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Normally watercolor and gouache.

What type of paper do you use?
Pen and ink: smooth Bristol, Color: Arches hot pressed watercolor block.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Cars.

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

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
No.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Yes... Mostly blues . Now increasingly I listen to podcasts from the BBC and web based TV episodes.

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

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Calvin and Hobbes.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Dr Seuss: ‘If I Ran the Zoo’... Yes.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Bachelors degree from Harvard in Visual and Environmental Studies.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
A complete blessing... Easy access to reference images, view the great work of colleagues around the world, share your work with new audiences.

Did either of your parents draw?
Both painted.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
Early on my Harvard teacher Albert Alcalay.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
No.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Both are required for excellence.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Men's waistcoats.

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

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

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

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Cluttered, doing 3 jobs at the same time.

Do you play any musical instruments?
No.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Love what you are doing. If you do not make a living as an artist you can still enjoy drawing as a lifetime passion.

Who is your favorite artist?
Daumier.

Thanks again Kevin.

Up next is illustrator Bob Ostrom.

Nate Beeler - Cartoonist Survey #135

Award-winning editorial cartoonist for the Washington Examiner, Nate Beeler began his cartooning career drawing for his high school’s student newspaper in Columbus, OH. He graduated from American University with a journalism degree in 2002. While in college Nate won the three major college cartooning awards: first place in the SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards, the Charles M. Schulz Award, and the John Locher Award. Since becoming the editorial cartoonist for the Washington Examiner in 2005 his cartoons have also appeared on CNN and in such publications as Newsweek, Time, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times. He is one of the most widely syndicated editorial cartoonists, with his cartoons distributed internationally to more than 800 publications by Cagle Cartoons. In 2007, Nate won the Golden Spike Award, which was voted upon by members of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists at its 50th anniversary convention in Washington. One year later the National Press Foundation awarded him the prestigious Clifford K. & James T. Berryman Award. Just few months ago he took home this year’s The Thomas Nast Award. See more of Nate’s work here at the Washington Examiner and for all of your political and editorial cartoon needs go to Daryl Cagle's great website.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I mostly use a #3 Winsor Newton Series 7 brush, but I rely on the Micron pens (Nos. 1, 5 and 8) for teeny details and lettering. Every once in a while I use dip pen nibs to keep things interesting.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Before I ever put ink to paper, I'll usually completely pencil in and erase the cartoon multiple times before I feel comfortable moving forward. For whatever reason, I absolutely have to have a sharp pencil point, so I use mechanical pencils.

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

What type of paper do you use?
Standard smooth bristol board.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Buildings, cars, animals, perfect circles, Mitt Romney.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Both. The local store doesn't carry the ink I like to use, Dr. Ph. Martin's.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Besides slaughtering a ram, I compulsively pace around the office or the sidewalk (on nice days) and recheck the news online.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
"I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am," over and over again in my head. That is, until "Livin' La Vida Loca" takes over.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Most definitely. I was a huge Wolverine fan, as drawn by Marc Silvestri and Mark Texeira. Soon after I started reading, Image Comics started up, and like a good fanboy, I collected and read every title. Cyberforce, Spawn, Savage Dragon.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
My favorite has got to be Calving and Hobbes, though I also loved Bloom County and Outland, the Far Side and Foxtrot. My favorites now are Cul de Sac and Pearls Before Swine.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Hmmm... Probably "If I Ran the Circus," by Dr. Seuss. Later on, the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And yes, I still have them.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I took art classes in high school on top of Saturday morning classes at the Columbus College of Art and Design. In college I signed up for several life-drawing classes as electives. I graduated with a degree in journalism.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Blessing, no doubt about it.

Did either of your parents draw?
Not that I know of.

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

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes, though it tends to spend most of its time at my office.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
No, but I'm sure it would be enjoyable to have the chance.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion. Without it, you can't develop talent.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I used to collect comic books, cartooning books and music, but there's not as much time for that nowadays. Also, I'd need to ramp up my other hobby of collecting money. I'm not great at that one.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Jessica Rabbit. Wait a sec... Wrong question.

Are you a righty or lefty?
I'm closer to the middle. I'd use my right hand to point out where that is.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I would want to be a roller coaster ride tester. Or maybe a food critic.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
It's pretty messy. My drawing board has a swivel light that I never use. I've got used-up pens and old sketches everywhere. Woops, that was three sentences! Oh no, that's four!

Do you play any musical instruments?
Yes, guitar.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Figure out what you want and then work hard to get it.

Who is your favorite artist?
My favorites include Pat Oliphant, Jim Borgman, Jeff Macnelly, Matt Davies, Mike Ramirez, Nick Anderson, Scott Stantis, Tom Toles, Richard Thompson, Cam Cardow and Mike Lester, among others.

Thanks a lot Nate!

Political cartoonist and animator Kevin Kallaugher shares his answers next.

The Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum

The wife and I just came back from a mid-week vacation where we revisited a fascinating place that we stumbled across a few years back. The Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum located in Cheshire, CT is the country’s largest collection of comic strip, cartoon, TV, western and advertising collectibles. Their exhibits span fourteen decades from the 1870s to present day. The Museum is the personal collection of Herb and Gloria Barker. Herb was an avid collector of memorabilia but when his hobby outgrew their home, Gloria expressed her “desire” for him to find a new venue for his vast collection. In 1997 the Museum celebrated its grand opening and to this day continues to add great finds to the expansive display, never ceasing to evoke fond childhood memories for all ages.

Located adjacent to the Museum is one of the most renowned animation art galleries in the world, The Barker Animation, Fine Art & Sculptures Gallery. They feature America’s premier artists, working in a variety of genres which include classical, contemporary, whimsical and traditional. Some of the amazing pieces for sale included signed artwork from Chuck Jones, Iwao Takamoto and Bill Melendez…just to name a few.

Upon entering the Museum, we were greeted by our official tour guide, Jay Zabel. Unfortunately, we were also greeted by a large sign indicating “no photos allowed,” thus my hopes of being able to share this gem with readers at David-Wasting-Paper were dashed. Jay noticed our disappointment and suggested we seek special permission from the Gallery. I explained to Gallery Director, Allison Simcik, that my intention with the photos was to introduce the Museum and Gallery to my readership. She placed a phone call and upon verification of the nature of my blog, we were granted one-time approval to document our visit. Thank you!

Here is Jay standing in front of some very old Disney memorabilia.

Jay was not only knowledgeable about the thousands of items and their history, but he himself shared in our excitement and enthusiasm as we discovered lost childhood treasures throughout the tour. If you are ever in the Connecticut area, it is a must see for any comic or cartoon enthusiast…and tell them David-Wasting-Paper sent you!

Now on with the tour…be sure to click on the photos to view in greater detail...this is only a VERY small sample of what is at The Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum.

Yellow Kid cigarette promotional buttons.

Early Felix the Cat and Moon Mullins.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Fontaine Fox's "Toonerville Folks"

Daily Dime banks.

One of the many display cases of Popeye.

Little Lulu

They have whole walls of these "Frame-Tray" puzzles. I had this Secret Squirrel one when I was a kid.

Boy I sure wish I owned these "TV-TINYKINS" put out by Marx.

This is a great mural on one of the buildings on the grounds.

A close-up of a section of the mural.

I'd like to take a minute and thank my wife Patti, who was not only nice enough to go with me, but who also took all of the photographs.