Aaron Lopresti - Cartoonist Survey #184

Illustrator and comic book artist Aaron Lopresti was born in January of 1964 in Portland, OR. He studied at the USC film school in Los Angeles and spent a year working at Tri-Star Pictures before moving back to Portland and getting a job at Art Farm Studios. He spent three years at Art Farm honing his skills as a commercial artist. In 1993 Aaron was hired by Malibu Comics to draw for the comic book series Sludge in the new Ultraverse line. Since that time he has created artwork for Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse. Some of the titles he’s worked on include The Hulk, X-men, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Batman, The Avengers, Plastic Man, Star Trek, Superman and many more. He also wrote and illustrated the self-published Atomic Toybox and CHIX comic books. One of my favorite works from Aaron is his Fantastical Creatures Field Guide: How to Hunt Them Down and Draw Them Where They Live book. It is filled with great sketches and watercolors and also gives step-by-step instructions that show how to draw your own monsters and creatures. Aaron lives in Oregon with his wife and two children. Be sure to visit his website and spend some time looking around. You should also check out Aaron's Zazzle store.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Microns.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I do my under drawing in Col-Erase light blue pencil and then go over that with a .3 mm HB lead mechanical pencil.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I prefer to paint but almost always color my comic art in Photoshop.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Almost always watercolor and colored pencil.

What type of paper do you use?
For comic work I use a 2 ply smooth surface bristol board. For watercolor work I will use a hot press watercolor paper.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Guns and cars.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I often buy online from Dick Blick or go to my local art store, Art Media.

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?
I usually listen to talk radio. If I listen to music it is either classic rock or contemporary Christian music.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Read and collected. I still collect Gold, Silver and Bronze Age books. My favorites as a kid were Spider-Man, Captain America, Avengers, Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
It would be too easy to say Calvin and Hobbes. My favorite strip when I was a kid was "Shoe" by Jeff MacNelly. I kind of like "Mother Goose and Grim" now. I also liked "Bloom County".

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
"Dinosaur Ghosts" by Walt Disney Studios. It was a school book club order. I think I still have it. It had great drawings black and white Dinosaur drawings in it. I also read a series of books called "Matthew Looney and the Space Pirates." Also, Encyclopedia Brown mysteries and Alfred Hitchcock Present's "The Three Detectives".

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Unfortunately, no. I went to film school instead. So as a result I am still learning.....the hard way.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
It is a blessing in that it allows you to sell and promote yourself with little cost. Also it is a great resource for information, products and communication. It is a curse because of pornography and gutless people that hide behind pseudonyms and post stuff (true or false) without repercussions.

Did either of your parents draw?
My mom did a little. My aunt was quite good at cartooning.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My mom, by far. My wife is very supportive now.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes. Most of the work ends up seeing print in my published "sketchbooks" but I do have several sitting around here full of drawings.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yes, I taught an extension course at the Northwest School of Fine Arts in Portland for comic art. I enjoyed and if and when I have time in my schedule I might do it again. A couple of my students went on to big things.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Talent dictates how good you can become. Passion dictates how successful you will be.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Comics. Movie Posters. Some original art. Dinosaur sculptures.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I would like to be Bugs Bunny but I am probably more like Sokka from the Last Air Bender.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I would like to be a chef.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
It is the biggest, coolest and messiest room in the house.

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?
Practice. Never think you are good enough and never give up.

Who is your favorite artist?
Either Frazetta or Leyendecker.


Thanks again Aaron!

Illustrator and character designer Peter de Seve provides the next set of answers.

Phil Yeh - Cartoonist Survey #183

Cartoonist Phil Yeh was born in Chicago, IL in 1954 and grew up in Southern California. When he was 16 years old and still in high school, he founded his studio and began his own publishing company, Eastwind Studios. Phil studied both film and art at Cal State University, Long Beach and was also a cartoonist for its newspaper. In 1973 he started publishing Uncle Jam, a newspaper that covered everything from books to health and the arts. He interviewed many cartoonists for Uncle Jam including Harvey Kurtzman, Jean (Moebius) Giraud and the co-creator of Superman, Jerry Siegel. The interview with Siegel brought to light the sad story of how he and Joe Shuster were cheated over the rights to Superman. Phil’s graphic novel "Even Cazco Gets The Blues", published in 1977, was one of the first modern American graphic novels. When he interviewed Wally “Famous” Amos for Uncle Jam in 1985, Wally discussed the serious illiteracy crisis here in the US. This inspired Phil to start the Cartoonists Across America and the World organization that sends out the message that cartoons can be used to inspire people of all ages to read.

The artists involved with CAA have toured the world, creating books, painting more than 1700 colorful murals and speaking at libraries museums, schools, and conferences raising awareness of the illiteracy problem. Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” funded the publication of Phil’s 1991 book “Theo the Dinosaur.” The colorful cartoon oil paintings in “Theo the Dinosaur” were shown in art galleries in California and New York and in a five-month exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. In 1993, he published the wordless graphic novel, “The Winged Tiger” which went on to be named one of the 25 best graphic novels in the book, “100 Graphic Novels for Public Libraries.” A comic book series called “The Winged Tiger Comics & Stories” and two other Winged Tiger books, “The Winged Tiger's World Peace Party Puzzle Book” and “The Winged Tiger & The Lace Princess” have also been published. To date, Phil has written and illustrated over 80 books including his most recent, “Dinosaurs Across America” and “Steve the Dog & The Winged Tiger.” Learn more about Phil and Cartoonists Across America and the World here.

Update: Just wanted to let you know that a new issue of Uncle Jam (#98) just came out this weekend. It is jam-packed with interviews of cartoonist, artists and musicians. You can get a 4-issue subscription or just buy a single issue here.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Hunt Bowl pointed extra fine (if you have some send them along).

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Standard pencil - very light and very rough pencils.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?Lieve Jerger is the genius behind my coloring except when I just paint in watercolors. Lieve handles the computer coloring very much in her own style. I can answer emails on this machine and that is about all. I am in awe of anyone who understands computers and can color on them but have zero desire to use them for my art.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Watercolors and then INK over the paint.

What type of paper do you use?
Strathmore Windpower vellum bristol for comic book and black and white illustration. Arches for watercolors.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Commercial stuff which I gave up when I created Cartoonists Across America & The World. I did freelance artwork from 1970-1985 and did every type of thing one could imagine. Drawing machines and homes for real estate clients that look REAL. It's great for your future when you can draw anything but with your own twist. So, no regrets. If the clients were decent, no worries but often we get people who are really a pain. I love to draw ANYTHING but I hate working for people who are not bright. I stopped freelancing in 1985 and never looked back. I have met so many not bright people in the world of publishing and TV and film and of course in the so called fine art world and in big business. Really big business. I have worked for some of the biggest companies on the planet and it is amazing just how not bright so many of the top executives can be. So it has never been about hating something I am asked to draw, it's more about hating the people asking me to do the work. I don't respect stupidity. Perhaps this is why I never had a real job.

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

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?I sleep and then wake up and draw from my dreams in terms of my comic book stories. I have done this all my life. My friend Rick Veitch never believes me on this point. But it is the truth. When faced with a problem, I sleep on it and the answer comes in my dreams.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Seldom. If I do listen to music it's old rock or classical but most often when I am inking, I listen to the news which often fuels ideas for my books. But it's silence when I am writing the actual dialog for my books which come from refining those dreams. I listen to the universe when I am writing.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Never really read them as kid or as an adult. So it's been a weird thing to be a comic book artist for most of my life. I did love some of the comic strips like Gasoline Alley and Rick O'Shay as a kid in Los Angeles and one of the very few comics I truly loved was Sugar & Spike. I also loved Jack Cole's Plastic Man. I saw comics at a couple of friend's homes in Los Angeles and when I was 13, my friend Dennis Lew gave me about 500 old DC comics from the 60s. He kept up "my collection for a year or so" but I really didn't read a lot of comics even then. I did read Tintin and Asterix at my German neighbor's house and I always read children's books and all the classics. One of my friends read MAD so I would see Sergio Aragone's work and people like Mort Drucker and Jack Davis. I love to read biographies, history, and anything that makes one think. That was what filled my time as a kid in the ghetto - that and SPORTS. I loved to play all sports.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
As a kid, Rick O'Shay and Peanuts and BC. As I got older and found the Comic-Con world at 15 in San Diego, I was turned on to Krazy Kat and Little Nemo which are two of my all time favorites. One for the great drawing (McCay) and one for the pure genius that was Herriman. I also love Walt Kelly's Pogo. A truly great strip.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
The Little Prince which I first read in French as a teenager. Still remains my favorite book. Still don't care much for adults who see things as a "hat". Never did.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I have drawn since I was 2 years old. My dad was a Chinese engineer and used computers the size of buildings and brought home tons of free paper (failed programs for his work) for me to enjoy.

Years later, I learned I had dyslexia which didn't stop me from reading everything I could but I cannot spell to save my life and I cannot do math. Mr. Peterson in the 7th grade at Henry Clay Junior High turned me on to the dip pen and a bottle of ink. My half-Chinese background gave me knowledge of Chinese brushes very early and I still preach to all young artists to draw from life and use these old fashioned instruments. I always did art and was fortunate enough to have free reign in Los Alamitos High School when I left Los Angeles. I am not one to listen to most art teachers and was tossed out of life drawing in college when I didn't know the Latin word for arm. I can't stand most of the nonsense associated with art theory and uptight art museum type phonies. I hate SNOBS. Most of the art world is about CON ARTISTS and not really good art. One has to have a sense of humor and listen to your own heart and your own opinions.

If you can find a truly GOOD art teacher than you are blessed. It's the same for martial arts or anything in this world. A truly great teacher is a gift to the world and I love GREAT TEACHERS. Sadly, most teachers are not even good when it comes to any of the arts. And that is truly tragic.

If you cannot find a great teacher then go read everything in the library on every subject and teach yourself! For all artists, start with NATURE. Draw from life and don't copy other artists like a robot. Look at all the art you can in all fields and learn from the best of them but when you want to be an artist, it's just best to do your own thing.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
It's great for communicating with a lot of "friends" in terms of my new projects and where I am appearing. It's also great sometimes when I need a specific reference image but I still maintain and buy BOOKS from all over the world. I like books. Other than that, the internet is totally over rated in my opinion. Of course, this is on the internet, right?

Did either of your parents draw?
No and as they approach 90 years of age, they are still reminding me to get a real job. I really never had a real job. Started publishing my own work at 16 and ran my own studio and really have never paid much attention to what the real world believes I should do for a living. I do not live my life in fear. I became a taoist (note the small "T" at 15) and through years of meditation, I found the best way to live for my SELF.

My grandfather Williams loved to paint a bit in a very amateurish way and I have a Chinese uncle who taught literature so I know my writing and drawing skills do come from DNA on both sides.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
I had a few incredible teachers starting with my 1st grade teacher Miss North in Wayne, New Jersey. She saved my drawings and told me I would be famous. I painted a mural in Wayne many, many years later and she called me in my hotel. She was so proud of me. My 4th grade teacher Miss Borkin in Los Angeles was also a supporter of my work and Mrs. Hemphill at Los Alamitos high school. But really it was being friends with artists like Ray Bradbury, Flavia, Leo & Diane Dillon, Alfredo Alcala, Jean Giraud, Hal Robinson, Sergio Aragones, Roger Armstrong, and so many others when I was in my 20s that made me think that I might be okay with this crazy career choice, not that I really had a choice. I cannot see myself doing anything but making art and telling stories.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I have many and draw in some every ten years or so. I read many books at once always and perhaps this is my A.D.D. kicking in. I also work on many books and projects at the same time and often pick up a story I started 3 or 5 years ago when an idea hits me again to keep going on it. The best thing about being my own boss is that I cannot get fired and we don't have meetings. I hate meetings.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I did teach in Anaheim years ago to all ages in an after school program and loved it. Of course, I give workshops all over the world to kids and adults about drawing and the entire creative process. My joke is that I say the same things to 5 year old kids as I do to high school and college kids, only I repeat myself to the older kids.

I love speaking around the world and have some wonderful stories from many folks now grown telling me that something I said made a difference years ago. My own 3 sons are age 26-30 and they all draw but only one of them makes his living from his art full time. I have always suggested that art can save your life and your sanity - any art! It's just a good thing to do and you do not have to "make a living at it."

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?Passion for anything is the most important thing that any of us can have in this really sad 21st century world run by lousy corporations and lousy governments. Are there some good big companies and good governments? - a tiny few but most are all about making humans into robots that they can rip-off and in making more and more money. The level of greed in this world today is off the charts and that is so sad. The powers that be are not about passion for us as individuals and when you destroy passion and free thought, you have NOTHING. Artists with PASSION are the key to reminding us of our real humanity in all THE ARTS.

My friend Emmanuel Itier just made a documentary called The Invocation that shines a light on the good things happening on this planet. He used a painting of mine in the film from Leive Jerger's and my new book, The Winged Tiger & The Lace Princess (out in 2011). Emmanuel's film can give us all hope for the future once we see the real truth of the so called man-made material world. I am still an optimist because of films like Emmanuel's and the people he spoke to all over the globe. Artists are crucial to us healing the planet.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I collect original artwork that I can afford and have also been blessed by many friends who give me their work as gifts. But I have never really been a collector of anything including comic books. I do read some excellent stuff that my friends turn me on to or have made but I am not a collector in any sense of the word.

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

Are you a righty or lefty?
Started off using my left hand - still play the drums left handed - but my mom switched me early. My mother believes that one should go along and conform and not make waves. I have spent my life as the loyal opposition to both my parents. They don't understand me at all. I learned to understand that we can love people we don't often agree with and this is why I still believe in peace. I was born in Chicago and I am a lifelong Cubs fan so I am an eternal optimist.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I would go into politics and get thrown out if I got elected (rare chance of that in the USA) because I am always honest. But I was a two term senator in college years ago and had a lot of fun actually trying to do the right thing in government. I made some good changes. The powers that be are generally against doing the right thing so I became an arts/literacy activist many years ago. I admire people like Frederic Douglas, St. Francis, and Rosa Parks. Change the world without selling your soul but change the world in a non-violent way.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Since I have moved into the wonderful mountain home of my girlfriend Linda Adams, I draw on the kitchen counter and think of another favorite painter Paul Klee working on his kitchen table. Someday, I will have a studio again like in my youth but really it doesn't matter. I can draw and paint anywhere. I spend a lot of my time in the garden that I built in these mountains. A much better studio to just meditate in and enjoy my flowers and birds and lizards and bees.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I used to love to play the drums. I am not good but its fun. I have many dear friends who are actually great drummers.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
My standard answer is two words for all aspiring artists and musicians--- "Marry well."

A more serious answer would be ---learn to draw everything and then find the best way to make a living at what you love. When you start your career DRAW for everyone. Make signs for the local shop with bad signs, redesign ads for all the businesses that have truly awful ads, make t-shirt designs and really just use your art in every way that you can to make this a more interesting and creative world. Do birthday and holiday cards for people and give the world something that is unique and original!!! With all the artists on this planet, one would think that we would see great art everywhere. Instead, we in the United States see mostly corporate box stores and ugly urban architecture and terrible signs. There is very, very little good art on anything mainstream from the internet to the TV to our print ads. Big soulless companies do not understand what good art is 99% of the time. Precious few American magazines even run cartoons and even fewer use illustrators. There is lots of room for excellent art.

Who is your favorite artist?
I have to mention three who really made me want to draw in pen and ink for my living. Rick Griffin, Hal Robinson, and Alex Nino. All were so inspiring to me as a young person. Griffin and Nino also paint beautifully. Alex is still amazing me in 2010. In pure painting, it's always been Vincent Van Gogh. A truly tortured soul and a real genius.


Thank you for taking the time to answer Phil.

Cartoonist and illustrator Aaron Lopresti’s answers will be next.

Ghosts of Halloween Past

Happy Halloween everyone!

Below are some photos of a Halloween-costumed yours truly from many years back.

Your basic hobo.
This one is from 1967...may I present a 5 year-old Hippie. Complete with LSD t-shirt?!

This one was the ghost of a person who was hanged. The head has a beach ball underneath the sheet.

The mask on this was made from plaster of Paris and used the clear outside part of the Renwal Visible Head model as a mold. It went on to become a Gerry Cheevers hockey mask, complete with scars.

Rina Ayuyang - Cartoonist Survey #182

Rina Ayuyang was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a child she was fascinated with cartooning, drawing her own, reading the Sunday funnies and borrowing David Breger’s “How to Draw and Sell Cartoons” from the Shaler North Hills Library over and over again. During college she stopped drawing comics and focused on painting and installation/conceptual art. She graduated from San Francisco State University in 1998 with a major in Art. After discovering the work of cartoonists Chester Brown, Lynda Barry, Dan Clowes and John Porcellino (Cartoonist Survey #154), Rina re-discovered her love of drawing comics and began self-publishing "Namby Pamby", a semi-autobiographical series which focused on the humorous side of everyday life. She has just released her first graphic novel "Whirlwind Wonderland", a collection of her auto-bio comics that was co-published by Portland’s Sparkplug Comic Books and Tugboat Press. In addition to drawing comics, she also co-hosts The Comix Claptrap, a comics podcast with fellow Bay Area cartoonist Thien Pham. Rina lives in Oakland, California with her husband, son and cat. Check out Rina’s website and blog. Click here to purchase her "Whirlwind Wonderland."

What is your favorite pen to use?
My favorite pens are felt tip pens, but my ultimate favorite amongst them is the Pentel Sigma Sign Pen. I love the feel of that pen when I draw in my sketchbook. I also favor cheap brush pens from the local Daiso Japanese superstore. Anything from Uniball or Pentel is great for me.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I don't normally draw with pencil first, but when a page or panel requires something that needs to be accurate like a car, or a building, I use a blue pencil because I really like to draw in heavy strokes on the page, not very light. So using a regular graphite pencil is murder to erase.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Yes, usually I color by hand, but it depends on the project.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
I mostly use colored pencils or Sakura crayons for coloring. Also Faber Castell markers.

What type of paper do you use?
Because I use felt tip pens, I use regular sketchbook paper, sometimes charcoal paper because I like the texture.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I don’t think I've found anything yet that I hate drawing, but there are some things that I wish I was better at drawing like people's feet, the side profile of cars. I also wish I drew bottles better. Everything I draw seems to be asymmetric.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I buy my supplies through both local and online stores depending on what I need. My favorites are Artists and Craftsman Supply in Berkeley, the Kinokuniya stationery store in Japantown; Patrick and Company and University Arts in Downtown San Francisco. I get a lot of fun pens online through Jetpens.com and WetPaint, a store based in Minneapolis, MN.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Hmm, well procrastinate? No, I just sit down on the couch, with a pad of paper, a couple of pens and just start drawing anything, just doodle. I try to start something as a stream of consciousness and go from there.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Sometimes I do, but often I just like the quiet when I draw. When I do listen, it's mostly electronic, shoegaze type stuff to hypnotize me into drawing, or old easy listening standards, stuff to calm me down a bit.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Oh yeah, I read the Sunday funnies like Nancy, Blondie Peanuts, Doonesbury, collections I could take out from the library like Dick Tracy, Classic Illustrated. I also loved MAD magazine, and random comics from Marvel and DC but also Krazy Kat and Tim Tyler.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Peanuts and Nancy. Also Blondie. Right now I'm loving Larry Alcala's Mang Ambo strips.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Well I loved a lot of illustration, architecture books. I think one of my favorites were the big architecture books by David MacAulay like "Cathedral" and "Pyramids". I also loved the Choose Your Adventure books especially the ones that were illustrated by Paul Granger (aka Don Hedin). I still have a lot of those books from the series and love looking at those illustrations.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I got a BA in Art, Conceptual Art/Information Arts at San Francisco State University.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Well both, I feel like the Internet can be a useful resource but is also totally can be abused in a way. Twitter makes me crazy. I guess I'm biased because I am a web designer too, and also much of the art I was making before comics incorporated the web and computer technology. I think though that we could stand to use a break from the Internet from time to time.

Did either of your parents draw?
My parents drew stuff like doodles for me when I was little. One time my dad demonstrated how to draw a coconut tree and a bahay kubo/nipa hut for this story I wanted to do when I was in second grade. Sometimes if I really beg them, they'll oblige still, but they aren't professional artists or didn't have any formal training. I have a feeling though that they probably draw a lot, but they do it in secret.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
Well my family for sure. My parents even though they were a doctor and a lawyer, have totally been supportive of my creative art goals and haven't nagged me to be a brain surgeon. I think my dad thinks I'm going to make a lot of money like Charles Schulz. Anyway, my siblings and I constantly drew a lot as kids, and my older sister really got me into painting and drawing and art history. My husband also introduced me to comics again years and years after I had abandoned it during college when I focused more on painting and installation and that crazy stuff.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I keep a lot of sketchbooks in random places. I have a sketchbook specifically for the bus ride to work for drawing sketches and writing some ideas. I have the thick Fabriano sketchbook at home supposedly for notes and drawings for my current project. I have a little one to take with me to draw with a friend down the street at a coffee shop... I have a feeling I collect sketchbooks more than I draw consistently in them.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I have never done it. I do show my son how to make marks with crayon. I think I'd have fun teaching kids to draw rather than grown-ups. I'm not great at public speaking or verbalizing things but find it more comfortable talking to kids. Perhaps if it was an online class, then I might be good at it.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Well that's tough, I definitely think passion is important, otherwise it just feels like a chore, and the lack of motivation can be obvious in the art or the end product. I do think having or acquiring some basic skills in drawing helps a lot, or at least working hard to at least improve your skills is key, but I don't think talent is required and as necessary as passion.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I collect a lot of comics, books, music, probably also pens. Apparently I also collect sketchbooks.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
People say I'm Lucy from Peanuts, but that's not true. I think I'm Sally. I would love to be Nancy though and witty as Bugs Bunny.

Are you a righty or lefty?
I'm a lefty. Actually I'm a lefty when I draw or write but a righty for everything else.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I would like to be a publisher someday. I'd also like to own a bookstore/cafe with my husband.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
My drawing area used to be a cluttered drafting table, in an office but that turned into the baby's room. Now my drawing area is a lap-desk, otherwise it's pretty much non-existent.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I play the guitar horribly. I used to play the recorder very well. I can play a tune on the piano.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Observe the world around you, Keep drawing. After you finish one comic, just continue onto the next one. Never stop and stay in love with it.

Who is your favorite artist?
I have a lot of favorites from various places: Michelangelo, Raymond Pettibon, Bruce Conner, Blutch, Picasso, Edward Hopper, Barry McGee, David Park, Richard Diebenkorn, Rodin, Lynda Barry, Jaime Hernandez, the list goes on and on…

Thanks very much Rina.

Phil Yeh, cartoonist, illustrator and founder and president of Cartoonists Across America & the World will be next.

Thom Zahler - Cartoonist Survey #181

Ohio cartoonist and illustrator Thom Zahler graduated from the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. After graduating Thom moved back to Ohio and worked as a caricaturist at an amusement park. He then worked as an advertising artist at a suburban newspaper and later become an art director at an advertising agency. In November of 2001 he quit his job as art director and became a full-time freelancer with his Thom Zahler Art Studios. His artwork was used in the nationwide Prilosec advertising campaign and has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers across the US. He has written and drawn three graphic novels: “Raider: From the Shadows”, "Raider: A Cold Day in Heaven” and “Raider: Dead Men’s Tales.” He has also created work for Marvel Comics, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Cleveland Indians’ “Slider” comic strip.

Thom appears on both television and radio on the Cleveland broadcast media and was a contestant on the syndicated version of “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” where he walked away with a cool $32,000. Thom is best known for his Harvey Award-nominated comic “Love and Capes.” Described as a superhero romantic comedy, “Love and Capes” follows Abby an ordinary bookstore owner and her accountant boyfriend Mark who just happens to be the super-powered crime fighter, the Crusader. Two volumes of “Love and Capes” that collect the first 12 issues have been printed by IDW Publishing. On October 2nd of this year, Thom setup his art studio in the Great Lakes Mall for the 24-Hour Comics Day and in front of all the shoppers, he created a full 24-page comic titled “Haunted.” The complete “Haunted” comic is available here as a pdf. See more of Thom’s work at his Thom Zahler Art Studios website, “Love and Capes” site and here on his blog.

What is your favorite pen to use?
For inking, I'm far more a brush guy. Raphael #2, sometimes a Windsor Newton #2 in a pinch. Pens in particular, I use the Microns. They have just enough flex to them to get a bouncy line.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I do draw in pencil first. These days I start out with blue Col-Erase pencil and then tighten with a mechanical pencil with an HB lead.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I color on computer. I haven't worked by hand in years.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Wacom Intuos 3 tablet with mostly Photoshop. I use Painter when I want some more textured effects, but it runs kind of slow on my Mac so I tend to use it sparingly.

What type of paper do you use?
I use Canson tracing paper to start. On Love and Capes I ink on Canson Marker/Layout Paper with the tracing paper taped to the back of it. For commissions and things that need to be on good paper, I use a Canson two-ply smooth bristol.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Cars. I hate cars. Mechanical stuff leaves me cold and it shows in what I do, I'm afraid. I've found that using Microns and a French Curve to draw and ink gives a little more life than a ruler.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?I go wherever the supplies are. Here in Northeast Ohio, we've got Pat Catan's and Utrecht. Catan's is good for staples like paper, ink and board. Utrecht only sells their own brushes, so I tend to avoid them. If I'm out of state and can hit a Pearl or especially the Kubert School store, I'll buy brushes there. I like seeing them in person and dipping them in water, seeing how they hold a tip.

I prefer to buy bulk things online at Cheap Joe's or Pearl. Col-Erase pencils, pads, etc. I'll order brushes from Kubert online in a pinch.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Not really. At Kubert, one of my teachers beat into me that all you do at your drawing board is draw so that your brain associates work and the table, kicking you into gear faster. Working at my table is probably the biggest ritual for me.

Sometimes I roll my socks halfway down my feet. I don't need to do that, but it does seem to happen more often than not.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I'm more a talk radio/podcast/news channel guy. It kind of simulates a conversation and keeps my mind engaged while I'm working, and satisfies part of my need to be around people.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I've been reading comics since two and a half. I love Superman and always have, and being the first book I read will always have a special place in my heart. Firestorm is probably my favorite character, though, because I got to jump on his adventures from the beginning.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Bloom County, hands down. I learned most of my comedy from that. These days I dig Fox Trot, and I think Rose is Rose is one of the best drawn strips out there.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I don't recall having a favorite book. I know I liked that Grover "Monster at the End of this Book", but I don't own a copy anymore.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?I'm a graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. Before that, I took all the art classes my high school had.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Technology is neither good nor bad, only characterized by how it's used. For me, though, it's indispensable. It's my art library and allows me to promote my work more fiercely and directly than I could have years ago. I would not have been able to do the work I do. My "Love and Capes" series, and before that "Raider" would not have been possible before the 'net.

Did either of your parents draw?
My Dad drew, even went to art school. His sister is an artist, too. My whole family is pretty artistic and crafty, from woodworking to cake decorating to crocheting. I'm the first one to go professional, though.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
I've got a pretty good support network. My maternal Grandmother was my biggest fan, and it's her that I named my publishing imprint for. But both my parents, whole family and friends have always been as helpful as can be.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes, but not religiously. I use it for idea capture more than technique.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I have, and in fact I'm teaching a cartooning class to fifth graders right now. Its hit and miss based on the students. A good group is energizing, and a group that needs a lot of discipline… well, that's not my forté. Generally, I find I'm far more comfortable with one-day workshops than I am with multiple classes.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion overall. But in the talent vs. passion, I liken it to baseball. You may be born able to throw a 95 MPH fastball (talent) but you've got to apply yourself to learn how to spot the ball and play the game (passion). Passion will fill in the gaps in your talent.

Do you collect anything and if so what?I collect some glasses. I've designed most of the Toon Tumbler glasses, so I've got a complete set of those. I have a bunch of action figures, too. Mostly the DC set. I've slowed down my purchasing of those, though. There are only so many Supermans I need before I have enough. But give me a Blue Devil or Captain Atom and I'm all over that.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Kyle Rayner from the Superman Animated series. He looked like me, talked like me, and dressed like 90's me. Plus, he was an artist.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Writer, for sure. I think that's part of being a cartoonist. Past that, stand-up or acting. I'd love to play one of those small character roles, like Kevin Pollack in "A Few Good Men". Unfortunately, I'm cursed by these leading man good looks.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Hardwood floors, brick walls, glass and metal furniture. Honestly, it kind of looks like Michael Newman's place from "Now and Again."

Do you play any musical instruments?
I played a little bit of guitar when I was a kid. I'm no good at it. It's one of my regrets, and one of these days I'll learn to play something.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
You can always get anything you want, it's just a question of what are you willing to do to get it. If you do the work, the practice, the networking and sweat equity, you'll carve out a piece for yourself. Lots of people have unwritten stories and undrawn masterpieces. Don't be them.

Who is your favorite artist?
Curt Swan's the biggest influence on my art overall. Right now, I'm leaning towards Darwyn Cooke and Claire Wendling.


Thanks again Thom!

Cartoonist Rina Ayuyang is up next.

Scott Chantler - Cartoonist Survey #180

Graphic novelist and illustrator Scott Chantler was born in 1972. He has been nominated for the Joe Shuster, Russ Manning, Doug Wight, Harvey and Eisner Awards. Scott is the artist for Oni Press’ graphic novels Days Like This, Scandalous and Stephen Colbert’s Tek Jansen. He is the writer and artist for Northwest Passage; originally a three-volume graphic novel but now collected into a single annotated edition. Northwest Passage is the story of the colonial Canadian northern frontier in 1755, when British, French, and private interests competed for the lucrative fur trade. This past August his Tower of Treasure (Three Thieves) was released and is the first book in a three part series for kids ages 8 – 12. The story in Tower of Treasure revolves around Dessa, a 14-year-old orphan who is an acrobat in a traveling circus in search of her long-lost twin brother. Scott’s most recent work, Two Generals is scheduled to be released next Tuesday. Two Generals is an intensely researched graphic novel that tells the accounts of his grandfather and his grandfather’s best friend during the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Scott has done animation work for the BBC/CBC children’s series Shoebox Zoo and he directed the short film Gone with the Wind in Sixty Seconds. As an illustrator his clients have included Reebok, McDonald’s, Macy’s, The New York Daily News, Atlanta Magazine, The National Post, The Toronto Star, Maclean’s and many others. He also teaches Writing for Graphic Novels at Max the Mutt Animation School in Toronto. Scott and his wife live in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. To see more of Scott’s work head on over to his website, where he just put up a great post on creating a magazine cover illustration. You should also pay a visit to his Two Generals Research Blog.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Unlike a lot of artists, I'm not actually that fussy about tools and materials. I tend to like to try new things, or just use what's on hand, or that's cheap and available. So I might at any time be using a variety of brushes, nibs, markers, Pitt pens, etc. And the one I'm using that day is my favourite that day.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Yes, and it's usually a mechanical pencil. I use two of them, one filled with regular lead and the other with non-photo blue lead.

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

What type of paper do you use?
Like most comic book artists, 11"x17" Strathmore bristol.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I'm sure you hear this a lot, but cars and crowds.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
A little bit of both. I buy paper in bulk, which they don't have at the local shop, so I need to order it online.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Not really. I don't even warm up. I just sit down and dive in.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I listen to music more or less all the time, whether I'm drawing or not. A lot of it depends what I'm working on. If I'm writing, it's classical or instrumental jazz. When I'm penciling, it'll be anything that's engaging and creative: indie rock, etc. When I'm inking it's anything that's lively and fun, like swing or rockabilly. When I get tired of music, I also listen to a lot DVD commentaries, podcasts, old Charlie Rose or Inside the Actors Studio interviews, just to get some voices in the room and be inspired by other creative folks.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
When I was really little, it was Batman, and other superheroes. But by the time I was 12 or 13 and started getting really seriously interested in comics, it was fantasy comics like Conan the Barbarian and DC's The Warlord that really bent my crank.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Calvin & Hobbes, by a country mile.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I don't remember any books from when I was very little, but when I was around eleven or so I began to read "adult" fantasy novels like Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara. I still had my beaten, cover-less copy floating around until just recently. I tried to read it for the first time as an adult, and realized that it was a piece of completely derivative rubbish.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I have a year of university fine arts, and also had a high school art teacher who drilled figure drawing into me, bless her. But other than that, no.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Clearly, it's both.

Did either of your parents draw?
Absolutely not.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My mom, for sure. And more recently, my wife.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I do, but it's nearly empty. Unlike a lot of artists, I really don't sketch much. I'm almost working on a finished piece that I'm going to get paid for. It takes me literally years to fill a sketchbook, which I use mostly for working out character designs and such. I really don't know where a lot of artists find the time to draw for fun.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Not cartooning or drawing specifically, but I do teach Writing for Graphic Novels at Max the Mutt Animation School in Toronto, a course I created myself which deals with a lot of visual storytelling concepts.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
The debate about craft or expression is a false one. The two things are by no means mutually exclusive, and people who think art is strictly the domain of one or the other make me feel sorry for them. Clearly, both are important.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Nope. I don't really "get" the collector mentality.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
To steal an answer from Chuck Jones: I'd like to think I'm Bugs Bunny, but in truth I'm probably Daffy Duck.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I've tried doing other kinds of work, and it's just not for me. I really can't imagine being anything but an artist of some kind. But I do enjoy teaching my college class, so if I really had to choose, that'd be it.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
A messy drafting table piled with reference material.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I play guitar, a little bit.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Too many artists, especially new ones, undervalue their work because they feel like they're just lucky to be doing it at all. And it's true; this is something you do for love, not money. But that's no excuse for not treating it like a business, being a professional, knowing your rights, and trying to make it as profitable as you can.

Who is your favorite artist?
Will Eisner, without question.


Thank you Scott!

Up next is the creator, author and artist of the comic book series Love and Capes, Thom Zahler.

Leigh Rubin - Cartoonist Survey #179

Leigh Rubin is the syndicated cartoonist of the single panel cartoon Rubes. While standing in the greeting card section of a pharmacy in 1978 he realized that he could create and sell his own line of cards. He dropped out of Pierce College in Los Angeles in 1979 and started his own publishing business, Rubes Publishing. In 1981 "Notable Quote,” his first cartoon collection, was published. Leigh started self-syndicating Rubes, his single panel cartoon in 1984. Four years later Rubes was picked up by Creators Syndicate and now appears in more than 400 newspapers. To date there have been over 10 million Rubes greeting cards, t-shirts and calendars sold and over 14 comic collections published. His most recent release, “The Wild and Twisted World of Rubes” celebrates Rubes 25th anniversary (now in his 26th year) and is packed with the best of his cartoons that he handpicked himself. In addition to drawing Rubes, Leigh also gives cartooning workshops and presentations to schools and professional organizations throughout the country. He lives in California with his wife and three sons. Visit his Rubes Cartoons website where you can buy his books and prints, send Rubes e-cards and even book Leigh for a speaking event. The holiday season is rapidly approaching; get your shopping done early by ordering some of Leigh’s books and the 2011 edition of his ever popular “Rubes Zoo in a Box” desk calendar.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I use three different sizes of Rapidograph technical pens. (They are welcome to send me a lifetime supply if they’d like to...or offer me a substantial endorsement deal).

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I prefer Mars Lumograph 3-B pencils. No other pencil will do. They are also welcome to offer me a substantial endorsement deal.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
By hand only....But I am willing to switch to a computer if there is a computer company willing to offer me a substantial endorsement deal. (Apple, are you listening?)

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Good old-fashioned colored pencils. However I am thinking of returning to my early roots...crayons.

What type of paper do you use?
It’s a super-secret due (Classic Crest) to the confidential terms of a very lucrative endorsement deal.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Hate is such a strong word. But even then, I cannot think of anything I even have an intense dislike of. If there’s something funny about it, I’ll draw it.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Sadly, my local art supply store went belly up and so now it’s all online.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Do you mean other than the occasional goat sacrifice?

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I prefer to work in silence until I develop a concept. Once I come up with an idea I can play music, listen to lectures, make phone calls, watch reruns of Law and Order, etc, etc, etc.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Geez, doesn’t everyone?! Peanuts was probably me early on favorite.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
My favorite one changes day to day. I’m pretty fickle that way. Whichever one gives me the biggest laugh that day is my favorite.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
"Kippy the Koala." My sister owns it. She's nuts about koalas.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I majored in advertising arts in college. Naturally life got in the way and I never did complete that degree so if anyone at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California is listening I’m more than willing to accept an honorary degree.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
The internet is just the internet, neither a blessing nor a curse. It is what you make of it. I do find it useful.
Did either of your parents draw?
My parents art both artistic in different ways. My mom is an amazing knitter. Love those sweaters! My dad taught me how to draw my first cartoon character when I was six or seven. Thanks dad, now just look what I’ve done with my life.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
Both my parents were highly supportive...and now I am highly supportive. I support a family of five.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I would gladly to trade it for a nice villa on the Mediterranean.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I have done some workshops and it’s always a kick to see someone say that up until that time they’ve never been able to draw and now they can. Very fun.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Please substitute “lovemaking” for drawing and then ask me that question again.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Just cartoons. I have about twenty-six years worth right about now.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Hmmm, definitely not a super hero. I am quite fond of Bugs Bunny.

Are you a righty or lefty?
I’m a moderate.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Sorry. There is and never was a plan “B.”

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Chaotically organized.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Sadly, no. But I have spent my entire retirement on music lessons for my kids.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Become a doctor or a lawyer. It’s a much more secure way to make a living and you’ll have plenty of disposable income in which to become a patron of the arts, especially cartoonists.

Who is your favorite artist?
Like ice cream, whatever flavor I find most desirable at the time.


Thanks for taking the time to answer Leigh.

Next time on David Wasting Paper is graphic novelist and freelance illustrator Scott Chantler.

Mattias Adolfsson - Cartoonist/Artist Survey #178

Click on the drawings to see more detail.

Mattias Adolfsson is a freelance illustrator from Sweden. He earned a Master’s of Fine Arts in graphic design at HDK School of Arts and Crafts, Gothenburg. After he graduated in 1995, he worked for a small game company called Tati creating 3D animation. Mattias then worked at Dice (now a part of Electronic Arts) and a company called Simbin before getting bored with the games industry and deciding to become a freelance illustrator. In 2006 he started his Mattias Inks sketch blog where he posts his pen and ink drawings of subjects including sketches from life, architectural fantasies, animals, robots and much more. Now a full-time freelance illustrator, his work has been exhibited throughout the world. Mattias lives just outside of Stockholm in Sigtuna with his wife (also an illustrator) and their two children. Visit his website here and be sure to set aside some time to go through his blog and see his wonderful drawings.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Namiki Falcon fountain pen with a fine nib.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I used to go without but for saving time I do some quick rough lines and with a mechanical one.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
By hand, haven't got the handle on the digital stuff.

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

What type of paper do you use?
I use watercolor paper form Saunders and Waterford 300 gr satin.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I tend to go in person when shopping for paper, when buying sketchbooks I use the web though.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
No rituals, I have almost no starting time.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Yes, but almost as much to online courses. When it comes to music it's everything from Zappa to modern electronica.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Yes I did, Tintin was the big favorite.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
If I had to choose one I would have to go for Snoopy (I just read the Schulz biography and that made me re-find it).

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I read the Lord of the Rings very early and I still have it.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I have a masters of fine arts from HDK in Gothenburg.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
For me it has been a blessing, there is no way I would have reached as far as I have without it.

Did either of your parents draw?
Yes my mother is/was an Illustrator, my father came from a very poor upbringing but he had great skills (he never had the possibility to develop it though).

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

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes constantly, I feel half dressed without it.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
No but I have taught digital medias (3d modeling and 3d animation).

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I think both ways work; for me it was hard work.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
No, I'm a lousy consumer.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Mr. Potato Head.

Are you a righty or lefty?
I'm a righty and proud of it.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I would like to have been a scientist.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Tidy, not so tidy, catastrophic, tidy, not so tidy, catastrophic...repeat.

Do you play any musical instruments?
No unfortunately.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Draw, draw, draw and be prepared for some starving in the beginning.

Who is your favorite artist?
I love Caravaggio.


Thanks again Mattias!

Leigh Rubin of the syndicated Rubes Cartoons is up next.

Jeffrey Brown - Cartoonist Survey #177

Jeffrey Brown is a comic book writer and artist who was born in 1975 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2000 he moved from Michigan to Chicago and started studying for his MFA at the School of the Art Institute. He originally focused on painting but decided he’d rather draw comics. Jeffrey won the Ignatz Award in the category of Outstanding Mini-Comic in 2003 for his I Am Going To Be Small. His first self-published graphic novel was the autobiographical Clumsy; the story of a long-distance relationship. It went on to be published by Top Shelf Productions along with his other autobiographical works; Unlikely, AEIOU: Any Easy Intimacy, Every Girl is the End of the World For Me, Little Things: A Memoir in Slices, Funny Misshapen Body and most recently, Undeleted Scenes. Jeffery has also drawn many humor and parody titles such as; Bighead, issues one and two of the Incredible Change-Bots and his two cat books Cat Getting Out of a Bag and Cats Are Weird.

Sulk is his latest series and is comprised of digest-sized satirical graphic novels with topics including superheroes, robots, giant monsters and pirates. Three issues of Sulk have already been published and future issues will be released on a quarterly basis. His work has been featured in the Drawn and Quarterly Showcase, MOME, McSweeney’s #13 and the 2007 edition of The Best American Comics. Jeffrey directed the animated music video for Death Cab for Cutie's "Your Heart is an Empty Room", has contributed to NPR's This American Life and illustrated the movie poster for the feature-length documentary, Rabbit Fever (having it’s World Premier this coming Sunday at the Heartland Film Festival). Bruce Parsons’ 2009 documentary, Drawing Between the Lines, explores Jeffrey’s process and provides insight from friends, fans and fellow cartoonists. Jeffrey lives in Chicago with his wife and their son. Head over to his website and have a look around. You should also visit his blog where he has been recently posting about the cartooning class he’s teaching at his alma mater, the School of the Art Institute.

What is your favorite pen to use?
It used to be the Uniball Deluxe Micro, and that's the sentimental favorite I suppose, but I've started to use Faber Castell Pitt Artist pens lately. It might just be a phase.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I usually don't pencil, but when I do it's never a mechanical pencil. Occasionally it's a Staedtler non-photo blue, but usually it’s a Staedtler Mars Lumograph 3H or 4H.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
By hand. I've tried coloring on the computer, but I don't like it much, and I'm not very good at it.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Faber Castell brush pens.

What type of paper do you use?
For book projects I draw in whatever blank sketchbook I have or can find that fits best in terms of size, page count and paper. I've used handmade books and printer's dummy books and I still use my original favorite the Watson Guptill blank sketchbook. For shorter stories or covers I occasionally use vellum bristol but usually I draw on illustration board.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Vehicles and buildings.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I'd probably buy locally, but with my wife needing the car for work and me being the stay at home dad, I usually just order online these days.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Mostly just pulling out different things to work on, looking at them, prepare to draw, then put them away and do the same thing with other projects.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Sometimes I'll watch hockey or the Lord of the Rings films, but usually it's listening to indie rock.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I grew up reading a lot of Marvel comics, and X-Men was my favorite.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
I don't know if I have a favorite these days - I like Keith Knight's strips. My past favorites are Garfield, Far Side and Calvin & Hobbes.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
"Small In The Saddle" by Mark Alan Stamaty. I lost my original copy, but got a new one for Christmas five years ago.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I received an MFA in studio painting and drawing from The School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Most blessings are also curses, and the Internet is a shining example of that.

Did either of your parents draw?
My dad drew a little, usually airplanes and emergency vehicles in profile on place mats at restaurants.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
I've been lucky to have an incredible amount of support from family, friends, publishers and strangers, but I would have to say my parents.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I try to, but I don't draw in it nearly as much as I'd like to or used to. Of course, most of my comics are drawn in sketchbooks, so in a way I keep a bunch of sketchbooks.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I'm teaching a comics class for the first time right now. I think I'm enjoying it, although I get nervous about it and think I'm not so great at it. My teaching style seems to be some kind of 18 simultaneous independent studies.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Hard work is the most important thing, so I guess that'd be passion.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I sort of collect hockey cards, but only casually. I'm trying to repress all of my collecting urges and tendencies.

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

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I would want to play professional football or hockey.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
It's wherever I have my sketchbook and some pens. Usually it's at a local coffee shop.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Not by any reasonable standard.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Draw more. However much you're drawing, if it's not your career yet, you're not drawing enough.

Who is your favorite artist?
If I had to narrow it down to just one I would say Julie Doucet, Chris Ware, Charlotte Salomon and, er... Moebius.

Thanks very much Jeffrey.

The next set of answers come all the way from Sweden and are provided by illustrator, artist and 3D animator Mattias Adolfsson.