R. Sikoryak - Cartoonist Survey #150

If anyone had told me back when I created the Cartoonist Survey in November 2009 that this project would take on a life of its own and I would eventually be posting the 150th survey, I never would have believed them. As a white collar worker by day and a leisure cartoonist wanna-be by night, my reason for creating the survey was totally self-indulgent. I was curious to learn how others had crossed that threshold into the world of professional cartooning. Creating and maintaining the blog has become a fun hobby for me. I personally have learned so much from the survey responses, but I never imagined that professional cartoonists themselves would find the sharing of information among their peers to be so entertaining and useful. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I would like to thank everyone who has participated thus far; and I look forward to bringing you many more sets of answers throughout the coming months. Please enjoy the 150th Cartoonist Survey with answers provided by R. Sikoryak.

Comic book artist Robert Sikoryak, a.k.a. R. Sikoryak was born in New Jersey in 1964. He earned his BFA from the Parsons School of Design, where he currently teaches. After graduating from Parsons, he worked as an assistant at Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly’s RAW magazine. He sat in on Art Spiegelman’s comics classes at the School of Visual Arts, and also took a class taught by Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden. It was for this class that Robert produced his first pastiche strip. In 1991 he was invited to contribute a page to the first issue of RAW’s second volume. He married the look of Bazooka Joe bubble gum comics to the nine circles of Dante’s Inferno. For the next issue of RAW he drew “Good Ol’ Gregor Brown,” an adaptation of Kafka’s "Metamorphosis" in the form of a series of Peanuts strips. For the last 13 years he has been presenting his "Carousel" series of multimedia comics slideshows in various venues in the United States and Canada.

Last September, Robert’s book, “Masterpiece Comics” hit the stores. Published by Drawn & Quarterly, “Masterpiece Comics” is a collection of his mash-ups of classic comics with classic literary works. Some of the stories include Dagwood and Blondie as Adam and Eve from the book of Genesis, “Crime and Punishment” featuring Gil Kane's Batman as Raskol and characters from Little Lulu in his version of the “Scarlet Letter.” His cartoons and illustrations have appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as well as in The New Yorker, GQ, Fortune, Esquire, The Onion, MAD, and Nickelodeon Magazine. Both The New York Foundation for the Arts and The American Antiquarian Society have awarded him artists fellowships. Robert lives in Manhattan with his wife Kriota Willberg who is a very successful choreographer. You should stop by both his official website and his Drawn & Quarterly page.

What is your favorite pen to use?
It really varies -- for sketching, I like the archival pens that Pigma and Faber Castell make. For inking, I use Speedball pen nibs, generally. And I've recently gotten a Cintiq (an interactive pen display), which has taken over my life! My two latest commercial comics jobs were created entirely digitally, in Photoshop. But, since almost all of my work is parody, I have to be pretty flexible about the techniques I use.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I draw with whatever I have handy. When I'm inking on paper, I'll trace my final, tightest sketches onto the board with a mechanical pencil.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
On the computer, in Photoshop, almost exclusively.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Depends on the look I'm parodying. Most likely, though, I'd use colored pencils or watercolor.

What type of paper do you use?
For inking, I prefer Strathmore bristol board, 3 ply, smooth.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Hmmm.... I'd hate to draw the same style over and over again, but I can't think of a specific "thing."

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Luckily, downtown Manhattan has plenty of actual stores, and I prefer to leave the house whenever possible!

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
No, not really. When I'm about to ink, I do like to warm up a little bit, which generally means scribbling with my pens on tracing paper or vellum, placed on top of my pencil art.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
iTunes tells me I like "alternative," electronic, hip hop, rock... When I'm inking, and if I can concentrate, I like to listen to audio books. Classics, mainly. Lots of podcasts, too. NPR and WFMU are favorites.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I read lots of the daily newspaper comics. Peanuts was by far my favorite. My brothers and I also avidly read and collected Marvel comics.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Of all time? Peanuts was -- Krazy Kat is today. Although that's a really tough call.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
"Where the Wild Things Are" made a very strong impression, and I've still got a copy.
I certainly have a lot of the same comics, though mostly in reprinted form.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I studied illustration at Parsons, where I now teach. At the same time, in the late 1980's, I also sat in on some amazing cartoon and animation classes at SVA.

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

Did either of your parents draw?
No, but my father taught English, which undoubtedly helped make me a cartoonist who writes.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My family was very supportive, and my brothers and I drew comics together when we were kids. My wife Kriota loves comics and is enormously encouraging.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Not consistently, but I have notebooks that get interesting when I'm working on my own comics. Lots of scribbles and rough drafts.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yes, I do, and I really enjoy it. Students can be hugely inspiring.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
That's a tough call. They're both pretty useful!

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Too many comics. Some music.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I have no idea. Sometimes I pace like the 1920's Felix the Cat. But all we really share is a walk cycle.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Hmmm. I'd love to work in the theater, as a performer or producer. I've put together a lot of shows, such as my Carousel (cartoon slide show) series, which I still do -- but the theater has never been a viable career for me!

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
It needs organizing. It's very cluttered, surrounded by lots of reference and books that've overflowed my shelves.

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 more!

Who is your favorite artist?
Whomever I'm parodying today...


A special thank you goes out to Robert for taking time away from his very busy schedule to answer my questions.

The Cartoonist Surveys continue with cartoonist Mike Shapiro; next time at David Wasting Paper.

Steve Bright - Cartoonist Survey #149

Steve Bright is a freelance cartoonist, illustrator and writer. Originally from Perth, Scotland, he now lives in the West Midlands region of England. At age 18 he started working for the UK children’s comic, The Beano and spent the following six years writing and editing humorous comics before becoming a freelance cartoonist. Steve worked with John Geering to create the super hero parody Bananaman, which was launched in 1980 and became an instant and long-running hit. His cartoons have been published in Beano, Dandy, Beezer, Topper, Nutty, Hoot, Buster, Daily Record, Sunday Times, Funday Times, Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Glasgow Herald, Ben 10, Scotland's Runner and many others. His work has been exhibited at the Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival and other venues. Steve is a member of both the Professional Cartoonists' Organisation (PCO) and the Cartoonists' Club of Great Britain (CCGB). See much more of Steve’s work here at his website and follow him on his blog.

What is your favorite pen to use?
These days it's a Wacom Cintiq tablet pen. In the past, it was a dip pen with a Gillot 303 nib. Also love Zig Art & Graphic Twins, particularly the 'brush' tip.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Yes I do, but again, these days it’s the Wacom pen set to a low opacity. Before that, definitely mechanical - the first and most valued 'gadget' I ever used.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Computer, using Photoshop, but I still have to use my hand.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
That'll be my right.

What type of paper do you use?
Pre-Cintiq, I used bleedproof marker pads.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I've learned from experience never to disclose that, in case some sadistic editor/scriptwriter is taking note, but I'll give you bicycles and brass bands for starters.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
These days it's all online, and there are actually fewer and fewer supplies needed. It's all in the software and hardware. I do still enjoy the occasional nostalgic stroll around art stores when I go to town though, but rarely ever find anything I need to buy.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Coffee - always coffee!

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Rarely. I prefer talk radio. But if I do go for music, it'd be classic rock mostly.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Loads of them. I loved all super hero comics from both the big stables, but my favourite comic of all was the UK funny, Sparky.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Was Peanuts for the first half of my life. Second half, it's Beau Peep, written by my good buddy, Roger Kettle.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I don't think I had one, if I'm honest. I've never actually been much of a book reader (too busy with comics), and nothing's changed there.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
None at all. By an incredible stroke of luck, I walked straight into the job of office junior on the UK's biggest selling children's comic (The Beano), aged 18 - spent the following six years writing and editing humorous comics, then leapt the fence to become a freelance cartoonist using all the experience of those six years. It was infinitely better than any formal training could possibly have been for what I've been doing for the past 27 years.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Blessing, no hesitation!

Did either of your parents draw?
My father fancied himself as a bit of an abstract artist, but stopped drawing the moment it became apparent that I could draw better than him, aged about 7.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
The lady of my life, and best friend, Sam(antha).

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Never have, no.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I did a summer school once, and I've made the occasional visit to schools in my area. A lot of fun, but never enough for me to ever give teaching a serious thought. I don't have what it takes.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I'm not sure you can easily separate the two, but if I was forced to choose, I think the job would be easier to do with talent minus passion, than passion minus talent. But no fun if either is missing.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Rejection slips and wrinkles.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Easy - my very own 'Bananaman' - the body of a man, with the mind and heart of a child, using my powers, badly, for good over evil.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty. Unless we're talking politics... ?

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Coach of the Scottish Football (soccer) team.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
I work on the same A0 sized draughtsman's board I've had from the start, literally held together with string. But although I still have boxes and desk tidies with pens and other stationery items, they are rarely used, and there is no paper to be seen. There are three screens, however - my Cintiq (12"), my Dell Studio laptop, and a 21" widescreen monitor. And coffee mugs.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Sadly, no. I'm very envious of those who can. I'm told I sing like an angel however. Or was that a dead person?

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Don't! I'm serious. Do it for fun, and train to be a lawyer or a car mechanic.

Who is your favorite artist?
Sebastian Kruger at the moment.

Thanks again Steve.

Can you believe it’s time to post the 150th Cartoonist Survey?! Be sure and check back to see who it will be.

Matt Buck - Cartoonist Survey #148

Matt Buck is an award-winning cartoonist, illustrator and journalist. He became interested in politics and journalism while attending Hull University in the UK and working on the student newspaper, Hullfire. Matt spent one of the years working toward his degree in the US at North Carolina State University. He drew cartoons for the student paper there as well. When he went back to the UK he earned his post graduate diploma in journalism at the University of Central Lancashire. He worked as a reporter for the Hull Daily Mail before moving on to create computer-generated editorial graphics for the Lancashire Evening Post and the Southern Daily Echo. Matt soon became a freelancer spending time on the national graphics desks of the Daily Express, the Guardian and The Sun.

In 1999 he started drawing for the Tribune and went on to win the Young Cartoonist of the Year award for 2000 in a competition run by The Cartoon Art Trust in memory of the late Times cartoonist, Mel Calman. His website’s name, MattBuckHackcartoons.com, comes from the fact that he was trained as a journalist (hack being slang for a writer who produces mediocre work hoping to gain commercial success). Matt also supplies animated drawings to national publications, broadcasters and commercial and campaign groups. Some of the early versions of his animated work have been collected by the Cartoon Art Museum and the British Cartoon Archive at the University of Kent. His weekly animated narrative, The Opinions of Tobias Grubbe, appears at The Daily Telegraph every Monday. Check out Matt’s website and blog. You can see his, The Opinions of Tobias Grubbe, on the official website and over at the Telegraph.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Pentel Brush.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Everything starts with a pencil, usually of the stick-like variety.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Both - often at the same time.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Whatever is appropriate to what I am making at the time.

What type of paper do you use?
Whatever is appropriate to what I am making at the time.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I find this depends how mentally fresh I am feeling or how tired I think I am.

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

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
One warm up drawing and the first one of the day is nearly always bad.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
This depends on mood. Perhaps I do this less than I used to.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Yes, but no favourites.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Again no favourites. I enjoy variety.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Oooh, tough question. I was always fond of history and maps so maybe something like Charles Oman's "History of England."

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Only at school so effectively I am self-taught.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
It is a huge blessing and an enormous curse.

Did either of your parents draw?
My mother, on occasion.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
Me, my shadow and my love. She knows who she is.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yes. It can be fun but, it is hard work.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Neither. They are both essential and complementary.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Q&As. ;)

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
The eponymous hero from The Opinions of Tobias Grubbe.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I'd just write words instead of both words and pictures.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Carefully structured chaos.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Not now but I used to play a mean brass French Horn.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Develop persistence and learn to think of yourself as a commercial business person. If you don't you'll starve.

Who is your favorite artist?
Rembrandt Van Rijn, Matt Groening, Edward Sorel - oh, I dunno, pick any one from thousands more...

Thank you Matt.

This must be “UK Cartoonist Week” at David Wasting Paper as the next participant, cartoonist and illustrator Steve Bright, is also from “across the pond.”

Noel Ford - Cartoonist Survey #147

Noel Ford is a cartoonist who was born in December of 1942 in Nuneaton, England. He had always wanted to be a cartoonist but while attending Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts was told that he could never make it as a full-time cartoonist. He left school and spent a couple of years touring as lead guitarist for a traveling rock band and writing fiction for magazines and BBC radio. In 1975 Noel changed his focus and became a full-time cartoonist. He started sending out cartoons to various publications and was determined to be published in Punch. After submitting 10 cartoons a week for a year he finally saw one of his cartoons printed in Punch. He soon became one of the magazine’s regular contributors and went on to illustrate over 30 covers for them. Noel became an editorial cartoonist on the Daily Star in 1979 and continued working there until 1992. In addition to the Daily Star, he has also been the editorial cartoonist for the Church Times since 1989.

His cartoons have appeared in Spectator, Truck & Driver, The Golfer, Private Eye and many other magazines. He has done advertising work for clients such as Guinness, Mercedes Benz, Digital, British Telecom, and Coopers & Lybrand. Noel has illustrated hundreds of books for others and has written and illustrated many of his own, including “Golf Widows”, “Business Widows” and the children’s books, “Nuts”, “The Lost Wag”, “The Greedy Ghost”, “Limeroons” and “Diary of an Alien”. Most recently he has co-authored two books for New Holland Books, “Draw Cartoons” and “Draw Caricature”. He has won numerous cartooning awards and is a member of The British Cartoonists Association (BCA), The Cartoonists Club of Great Britain (CCGB), The Federation of Cartoonists Organisations (FECO) and The Cartoonists Guild. In 2003 he was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society for Arts. Since 1998 he has worked completely digital using a Macintosh and Wacom tablet; sending out his work via email. In 2000 he moved to the Welsh countryside where he still resides. Visit Noel’s website to see many more examples of his work.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Wacom Digital Stylus.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I work entirely digitally (and have done for over ten years). I will often do a rough layout on a layer and then do the finished artwork on a new layer.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Everything on computer, using Corel Painter.

What type of paper do you use?
Working digitally, I don't normally use paper. On those occasions that I need hard-copy (exhibitions, cartoons for presentations, etc.) I use either a water-colour inkjet paper or photo paper.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Used to be horses and cats, but I got over it.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I buy most consumables online but also use a local retailer on occasion.

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

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
No. Where music is concerned I'm more a player than a listener. Music distracts me when working.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Beano, Dandy, and my favourite, ironically, was the Wizard which was mainly stories (written, not drawn!)

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
My favourite would have to be The Creature Feature by my late friend and colleague, Dave Follows. Not because he was a friend but because it was a wonderful strip.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
"Raiders of the Fells" by Arthur Waterhouse, published in 1948. I recently managed to find a copy and re-read it. Still like it. I also loved Richmal Crompton's "Just William" books.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I did attend Birmingham College of Art, very briefly. Cartooning was strongly discouraged and I was told that I could never hope to earn a living drawing cartoons. I left and, after a few years playing music, have been drawing cartoons for a living since 1975.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
A blessing! I used to waste hours in libraries trying to find references, and I love being able to deliver roughs digitally and receive instant feedback. Same goes for delivery of finished art. And how else could I do several topical editorial cartoons working from home?

Did either of your parents draw?
No.

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

Do you keep a sketchbook?
No.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I helped create, run and tutor a distance learning cartooning course. I enjoyed it but it was much harder work than just cartooning.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Talent but, even more so, persistence and luck.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Vintage guitars.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
It's a horrible thought, but, apart from the gender, I might easily be Marge Simpson!

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

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

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
A home office, with a window overlooking open countryside. Computers at the window end but an ever-advancing music area rapidly encroaching from the other.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Did I mention the guitar?!

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Do it part time while gaining lots of experience which will be invaluable if you are ever able to make it a full-time occupation.

Who is your favorite artist?
Renoir

Thanks again for taking the time to answer Noel.

UK Cartoonist, illustrator, animator and journalist Matt Buck provides the next set of answers.

David Collier Comic In Luke Doucet's Electronic Press Kit For "Steel City Trawler"

Here's the EPK for Luke Doucet's new album coming out August 24th, "Steel City Trawler". It features artwork from none other than David Collier (Cartoonist Survey #133). "Steel City Trawler" will include a comic book created by David.

Mark Anderson - Cartoonist Survey #146

Cartoonist Mark Anderson was born in June, 1971 in the town of Donahue, Iowa. His first published cartoons appeared in his high school and college newspapers. Wanting to become a jazz trombonist, he majored in music at college. In 1997 he gave up playing music professionally, got married and moved to Chicago. Throughout this time he still continued drawing cartoons and started submitting them to magazines. His first sale was to Funny Times and soon other magazines such as Reader's Digest purchased his work. He held a couple of different office jobs, drawing cartoons early mornings, lunch hours, and into the night until he was able to build up a large enough clientele. After his first child was born, Mark quit his day job and become a stay-at-home dad and full time cartoonist. Over the years he has built up his "Andertoons" website into an extensive searchable cartoon archive. Mark's cartoons have been printed in “The Wall Street Journal", "Barrons", "Forbes", "Good Housekeeping", "The Saturday Evening Post" and many more. His corporate clients include IBM, General Electric, McGraw-Hill, Walgreens, Morgan Stanley, FedEx, US Airways, Microsoft, Wells Fargo and numerous others. Mark lives in the Chicago area with his wife, their children, two cats and a dog. Oh yeah, he is a huge Lego fan! Stop by his Andertoons website and follow him on his blog.

What is your favorite pen to use?
The Faber-Castell Pitt brush pen. It's just the best.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I LOVE pencils! I use a really nice one from ForestChoice. I buy them in bulk.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
On the computer because I'm not at ease with my color choices and that undo is nice to have.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
I think we've been over this. Are you listening?

What type of paper do you use?
Borden & Riley Bleedproof paper for pens. It takes my markers nicely.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Cars, horses, caricatures, and caricatures of horses driving cars.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I order from Dick Blick online. Easy peasy.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
It involves a chicken and that's all I'll say.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I tend more to watch TV (listen to, really) while I work.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Peanuts & Spider-Man. BTW, how come they never had a crossover?! That would have rocked!

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
My favorites currently are Speed Bump, Sherman's Lagoon and Frazz.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Flat Stanley, and it's still around here somewhere.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Nope none at all. I'm entirely self trained and it shows.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Total blessing. It's how I earn a living drawing funny pictures!

Did either of your parents draw?
My mom does, but not cartoons.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
Definitely the Mrs.. She's not only my biggest fan, but a great editor!

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Nah...

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Never tried it, but maybe someday.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Persistence. Draw a lot, then draw more. And write even more than that.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
LEGO! I have countless LEGO littering almost every available space in my office.

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

Are you a righty or lefty?
This is getting a wee personal dontcha think?

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
LEGO master builder. Definitely.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
How about a haiku:
My drawing board is
Filthy with marker and tape
It shames me daily

Do you play any musical instruments?
Yep, I majored in trombone in college. Also piano & tuba.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
It's not a career for mediocrity. Be really good as often as you can.

Who is your favorite artist?
Arno. Definitely.

Thanks again Mark!

Next up is UK illustrator and cartoonist Noel Ford.

Ben Towle - Cartoonist Survey #145

Ben Towle is a freelance artist and cartoonist who lives and works in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Ben started drawing comics at a very young age and had his first published work appear in his elementary school’s newspapers. He went to Davidson College and after graduating in 1992 with a B.A. in philosophy he joined the rock band 'Come On Thunderchild' . The band released an indie label record and Ben and the band toured the Southeast for a couple of years. While touring with the band he produced a series of full-page comic strips based on his experiences on the road for an alternative-weekly newspaper in Charlotte. Deciding to go back to school and more formally study comics and cartooning he enrolled at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

In 2002 he received his MFA in Sequential Art and started working as an art instructor at the North Carolina Governor's School, headquartered at Salem College. Since then Ben has taught cartooning and comics at workshops, libraries and schools such as The Sawtooth School for Visual Art, where he still occasionally teaches. He is also the co-founder and assistant director of the National Association of Comics Art Educators. NACAE is a non-profit organization that offers online comic and cartooning resources for educators and provides a list of available speakers across the country. Ben’s first full length comic “Farewell, Georgia” was published by Slave Labor Books in 2003. His other solo work includes the graphic novel “Midnight Sun”, a fictional account of an actual expedition by an Italian airship to the North Pole and many short stories published in various comics anthologies. He recently illustrated “Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean” and is currently working on his re-telling of "The Count of Monte Cristo" and illustrating a book about the turn of the century Oyster Wars of Chesapeake Bay. For more on Ben checkout his website. You can also see some of his work here at ComicSpace and on his online portfolio TrainedChimp.com.

What is your favorite pen to use?If you mean literally "pen," then that'd be my Rotring Art Pen. If you mean, "What is your favorite way to get ink on a page," that'd be a #4 Rosemary & Co. Series 22 Designer brush.

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--with wood (non-mechanical) pencils. Usually I rough with a non-photo blue Prismacolor colored pencil, then light pencils with a Derwent Graphic B or 2B, then tighten up with an H.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Mostly with the computer, but occasionally by hand.

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

What type of paper do you use?
2-ply Strathmore 500 Series Bristol board.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Motorcycles are painful and never turn out looking good. I'd turn down a gig drawing "Ghost Rider" for sure.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?Pretty much everything from DickBlick.com. Unfortunately, there's not an art supply store near here.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
No, but after I complete a project, I ritualistically clean my whole studio.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
If I'm thumbnailing or writing, I need silence. If I'm actually drawing (or inking) I'll listen to NPR, comic’s podcasts, or music. I like a lot of different types of music and don't have any particular genre that I favor for drawing.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Yeah, I read a lot of comics as a kid. I think maybe THOR during Walt Simonson's run was probably the one I was most passionate about as an early teenager.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Currently it's probably a toss-up between MUTTS and CUL DE SAC. Of all time, it's THIMBLE THEATER/POPEYE for sure.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I had too many favorite books as a child, and I still have a ton of them that my daughter reads. If I had to narrow it down, I'd say it'd be the works of Tomi Ungerer: stuff like THE THREE ROBBERS, EMILE, CRICTOR, and RUFAS (all of which I still have).

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I have a MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
On the whole a blessing for sure, but definitely a potential time-waster. I'm apparently the last person on the planet with neither a Facebook nor a Twitter account, and yet I still feel like I spend too much time in front of a monitor.

Did either of your parents draw?
Yes, my mother is a very good artist and is an art therapist by trade. My father can draw as well, but never pursued it seriously.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
Probably my wife, who actually puts up with my vein attempts to make a career out of this. (And she has to put up with me talking about comics all the time as well.) She deserves a medal.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes. I've kept a sketchbook ever since I was a little kid. I have them all piled up in a cabinet in my studio.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I've done lots of teaching, although not much lately. I really, really enjoy it.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I feel that hard work and focus is more important than either.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I collect old and out of print how-to books on cartooning and linear perspective.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I'm not sure... Some days I feel like I'm the Pink Panther from that episode where he has a storm cloud that follows him around raining in his head, though.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I probably would have made a good veterinarian, or maybe a lawyer.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
I have a fantastic drawing space: a big upstairs room on the rear of our house that's mainly just my drawing area. I've got a big drafting table, my desktop computer, and built-in book shelves and cabinets that hold all of my art supplies as well as all of my graphic novels. If only I could figure out something to do with these ugly "longboxes" that make the place look like The Android's Dungeon...

Do you play any musical instruments?
I currently play ukulele, but I played bass guitar for a long time and could probably pick that back up if I decided to.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
1) Draw. 2) Draw more.

Who is your favorite artist?
Favorite artist? Or favorite cartoonist? My favorite artist is probably Chuck Close. My favorite cartoonist currently is Christophe Blain, but I definitely go through phases with cartoonists. As me again in a couple of months and it's likely to be someone else.

Thanks a lot Ben!

Cartoonist Mark Anderson of Andertoons is up next.

Stephen DeStefano - Cartoonist Survey #144

Photo credit: Stephen's wife Siobhan.

From the upcoming graphic novel, 'Lucky in Love.'

Storyboard artist, character designer and cartoonist, Stephen DeStefano has been drawing professionally since the age of 15. He began his career in the mid-1980's working for DC comics where he contributed to 'Blackhawk' and 'House of Mystery’. In 1986 DC started publishing the series 'Mazing Man’ which Stephen penciled and co-created with Bob Rozakis. When ‘Mazing Man’ ended its run in 1990 Stephen and Bob teamed up again and created the limited series, ‘Hero Hotline’. During the early 90’s he also worked on Disney Comics, Marvel’s ‘Bill and Ted’ and Dark Horse’s ‘Screwball Squirrel’. From 1992 to 1995 he worked at SPUMCO as a layout artist and background designer on the Ren and Stimpy cartoons.

Over the years, Stephen has worked on many other animation projects including storyboarding and character design for Nickelodeon, Universal, the Cartoon Network and Warner Brothers. He was the storyboard artist on the first season of Adult Swim's ‘The Venture Brothers’, and later returned to oversee the storyboard department, as well as manage the character and prop design department. As the licensing artist for King Features Licensing, he creates images of Popeye the Sailor for a wide variety of merchandise and products. There is a great interview with Stephen about his work drawing Popeye in issue #16 of Hogan’s Alley magazine. Stephen’s most recent project, scheduled to come out this September, is the graphic novel, ‘Lucky in Love: Volume One: A Poor Man’s History’. He co-created and drew ‘Lucky in Love’ with scriptwriter George Chieffet for Fantagraphics Books. Stephen lives in New Jersey with his wife Siobhan. You can see more of his work here on his blog.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Off the top of my head, I can't think of the nib #. I prefer a stiff, sturdy nib, something that will give me a bold pen line.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I most definitely begin with a pencil sketch before I go onto inks. I switch off between standard and mechanical pencils. When drawing for animation, I used to prefer a very soft, dark Tombo pencil, like a 4, 5 or 6 pencil.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I was never really comfortable working in color. I respect color so much; I'm almost frightened of it. I did very minimal color work in the past, although the computer has loosened me up a bit, so if I do any color work today it's usually on the computer.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
I used to be most comfortable working in marker and colored pencil.

What type of paper do you use?
Depends on the job. If it's a job for animation, I'll use punched-animation paper, or "storyboard" paper, which has storyboard panels printed on it. For comics I'll use a sturdy bristol board, switching between vellum and plate finishes. The majority of my graphic novel (LUCKY IN LOVE, coming out this September from Fantagraphics Books) was drawn on high quality recycled paper, although sadly I can no longer find it. I must admit, the paper that I've been finding since I consider to be really, really poor in quality.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I really, really stink at perspective. Consequently, the majority of scenes that I draw are exceptionally claustrophobic.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
It depends. If I'm walking near an art store and recall needing a supply, I'll stop in. If I want something specific, I may order it online.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Other than procrastination, no.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Again, whether or not I'll listen to music depends on the job. If it's straight technical drawing, like inking, or designing a character, prop or background for animation, I'll listen to pretty much anything in my iTunes catalog. If, however, I'm trying to figure out a bit of storytelling, or laying out from a script or plot synopsis, I can't listen to music at all. Then I need as much silence as I can get.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
OH, did I read comics as a kid! Batman was my absolute favorite character. I religiously collected DC's BRAVE AND THE BOLD. I also adored JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA and WORLD'S FINEST. Although I primarily followed DC comics, I also collected Marvel's CAPTAIN AMERICA, the AVENGERS and an occasional SPIDEY or two.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
I loved reading the Sunday Funnies as a child, although I'm totally drawing a blank trying to come up with my "favorite". For whatever reason, MOTLEY'S CREW keeps popping into my mind, so I'll stick with that.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Absolutely. My favorite book was D'AULAIRES GREEK MYTHOLOGY. I think I now own two copies of it. When I was thirteen, I bought THE SMITHSONIAN BOOK OF NEWSPAPER COMICS, and I was mesmerized by it. I think I own two copies of that as well today.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I attended New York City's HIGH SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN for one year. That's about the length of my formal artistic training.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Depends! I recall when I first got to DC Comics as a teenager, Joe Kubert lectured me on starting my reference file. This way, no matter what I wanted to draw, I always had a photo to reference. In this age of Google Image Search, the idea of a reference folder seems positively quaint! In terms of research, support and networking, the Internet is a miracle. Of course, if you're a perpetual procrastinator, or someone in constant need of distraction (my hand is now raised), it can be a curse.

Did either of your parents draw?
No, neither of my parents had much interest in art or culture.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My wife Siobhan! And my cats. My wife and my cats. And my friends! My wife, cats and friends.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I keep several. I just don't ever draw in them. I don't enjoy recreational drawing at all. For me, drawing is work. If I'm working, I'm drawing. If I'm not working, I'm not drawing.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I've never taught professionally, other than training people who've worked on my staff at various jobs in animation. I'd love to teach someday.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
A little bit of both helps. Honestly, I think more important than either is discipline. If you want to draw, you just have to draw, and draw, and draw, and draw some more. You have to share your work, be open to criticism, and then draw, draw, draw and draw.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Oh, gosh, every week I find myself bringing home graphic novels, and hardcover collections of comics, and I can't figure out why because I have no space in my home to put them.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Jeez Louise, I dunno. Popeye the Sailor, maybe? I'm not that strong, but I like spinach and I can be scrappy. I hates unkindness to animals. I hates bullies. I'm short, and my language skills are limited. Probably Popeye. Which is good, because I've made part of my living for the last 20 years drawing him for King Features licensing.

Are you a righty or lefty?
I am a righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I've always said, I would've liked to bake bread professionally. Or have been a doorman at a swanky hotel.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Books and papers everywhere. Often there's a cat on top of something it shouldn't be.

Do you play any musical instruments?
No, sadly I've zero musical talent.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Start drawing, and don't stop.

Who is your favorite artist?
Can't possibly pick one. Can't possibly. I've three favorite artists. E.C. Segar, Milt Gross and Harvey Kurtzman. They're my three favorite cartoonists.


Thanks again for your time Stephen.

Next time on David Wasting Paper is freelance artist and cartoonist Ben Towle.

New Comic Strip Postage Stamps - "Sunday Funnies"

You should head down to your local post office and grab yourself a sheet of these new "Sunday Funnies" postage stamps. Read the USPS's press release here and for a short history of cartoons and stamps read this article by Mike Rhode of the great blog, ComicsDC.

Sage Stossel - Cartoonist Survey #143

Executive editor of The Atlantic Monthly Online and cartoonist, Sage Stossel grew up in the Boston area and majored in English and American Literature and Languages at Harvard University. While at Harvard she drew the weekly strip about college life, “Jody” for the Harvard Crimson newspaper. After college she took a temporary job at The Atlantic Monthly and soon became a full time employee, contributing Web site reviews, authoring interviews, illustrating, hosting message boards and producing the digital edition of The Atlantic on the Web.

Her weekly editorial cartoon which appears on The Atlantic Monthly Online, “Sage Ink” was launched on Election Day in 1996. Sage’s cartoons have been featured by CNN Headline News, The Boston Globe, The Provincetown Banner, the New York Times Week in Review, Cartoon Arts International/The New York Times Syndicate, The Palm Beach Post, Nieman Reports and many others places. She has created two children’s books, "We’re Off to Harvard Square" and "On the Loose in Boston". Her work is also in, "Attack of the Political Cartoonists" and the 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010 editions of the "Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year" books. Sage works in Boston and lives in Cambridge, MA. You can see many of her cartoons on her website and over at The Atlantic Monthly Online.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Uniball Roller Grip 0.5mm

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I use standard pencils (I can’t seem to draw with a mechanical pencil without breaking the lead.)
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
By hand, but sometimes I make adjustments afterwards in Photoshop.

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

What type of paper do you use?
Regular printer paper.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I especially dislike drawing cars, which I'm embarrassingly ignorant about. Earlier this year, an editor sent a cartoon back to me because I’d accidentally drawn a car's door opening backwards.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I like to go to the store in person.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
I entice the cat over to keep me company.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I usually listen to NPR on my laptop.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I was into Peanuts and Garfield and the Asterix books.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Probably Peanuts.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I used to love a book called the Christmas Cat, by Tasha Tudor and her daughter Efner Tudor Holmes. I also loved Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. (I still have copies of both.)

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
No formal training, but after college (where it hadn’t occurred to me to take art classes) I took some adult education classes at the Museum School in Boston.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
It can be an addictive time-sink, and it's certainly taken its toll on the publishing industry, but I can't imagine not being able to look things up instantly, or work on projects and collaborate with people remotely.

Did either of your parents draw?
No, but my father’s mother was an illustrator.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My Dad started egging me on to do cartooning after I made him a humorous comic book for his birthday when I was twelve.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I usually have a Mead 4 x 6" spiral-bound book of index cards (blank on one side) in my bag or coat pocket.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I taught cartooning to junior high and high school kids a few years ago. It was nerve-wracking, because the junior-high kids would get crushes on each other and express it by hitting each other over the head and so forth. But I learned a lot in the course of preparing to teach them about different facets of cartooning, and gathering examples. I also learned from the kids - like about Manga, which most of them were really into. And one kid was a graffiti artist, who would tell me about the world of tagging. He wanted to develop signature characters that could be drawn with a flowing line really quickly (presumably before the police could catch him). So I brought in a book of Al Hirschfeld caricatures for him to look at, which he loved. (He was convinced that Hirschfeld must have been a master tagger.)

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I think it takes a combination.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Nothing intentionally, though I do end up with a lot of books.

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

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
My non-cartooning job is as an editor, which I enjoy.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
I sit or lie on the living room floor, with pens, pencils, erasers, and scratch paper spread out around me, and my laptop nearby.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I used to play the piano, but I don't have one at the moment.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Do other things, too, so it’s not just you and the Blank Page.

Who is your favorite artist?
I like Ed Sorel, Sempe, Red Grooms, Maira Kalman, Ludwig Bemmelmans, Winslow Homer, John Sloan, and lots of others, but I don’t have one favorite.


Thank you very much Sage.

Up next is Stephen DeStefano, storyboard artist, character designer and cartoonist.