Scott Hilburn - Cartoonist Survey #103

Cartoonist Scott Hilburn was born in Texas in 1971. He received an A.A.S. degree in Computer Animation and Multimedia from the Art Institute of Dallas. He also has a B.A. in Psychology and has worked towards an M.A. in Professional Counseling/Clinical Psychology from Argosy University. Scott worked for a while developing flight simulator programs at FlightSafety. He then worked for MCI where he created award winning interactive media. He has also worked as a flash developer for Fujitsu Networking Communications. He started posting his single panel comic, The Argyle Sweater, on his own website in September of 2006, and was soon showing his work on Comics Sherpa. Just two months later he signed a contract and moved over to GoComics. In February of 2007 he signed a syndication contract with Universal Press Syndication and in April of 2008 The Argyle Sweater made it's first appearance in newspapers across the country. Scott still lives in the Dallas, Texas area and has two daughters. Visit his Argyle Sweater website here and his blog here.(The above picture of Scott was taken from Universal Press Syndicates...I do not claim to have taken the photo nor am I making any money off of it's use.)

What is your favorite pen to use?
I use various size Rotring Rapidograph pens.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I don't use pencils at all. I draw my roughs using a gel pen.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I colorize on the computer using PhotoShop.

What type of paper do you use?
I use Strathmore Bristol Smooth

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I've always hated drawing horses. I usually have to draw them several times before getting a shape I like.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I purchase my supplies both online and in person. Online I buy from Dick Blick and Mister Art. In person, I purchase from Asel Art supply in Dallas.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
None really before working on ideas outside of turning off the TV. When I ink, it's usually late at night so sometimes I drink a 5-hour energy drink to keep me awake.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Not usually. I rarely listen to music when drawing.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I did read comics as a kid. I can remember reading Beetle Bailey, Hagar and Blondie.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Under the age of 10, my favorite comics were probably the ones listed above. By age 13 or older, I became a Far Side fan (obviously).

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
My favorite book as a child was probably Green Eggs and Ham or any number of Dr. Seuss books.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
One of my degrees is in Computer Animation. Although most of my drawing skills were self taught before that.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
I think it's a little of both. The Internet has made it possible to reach newer and younger audiences and has given cartoonists (and other creators) the opportunity to grow larger audiences. But at the same time, it doesn't generate the income that newspapers do.

Did either of your parents draw?
Yes, both parents (as well as both grandfathers) were artists on one level or another.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My parents were always pretty supportive. I'm not sure anyone ever really expected me to be able to make a living as a cartoonist though - including myself.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I used to. I mostly use loose typing paper these days.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Can't say that I ever have.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I suppose passion. I think most talented people became that way because they had a passion for what they did.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I don't collect anything really.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I've had other careers in my life, but there's nothing else I could ever imagine wanting to do besides cartooning.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
I can do it in one or two words: Total mess.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Guitar Hero is as close it gets for me, unfortunately.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Really, this advice applies to anyone and any career: Only do so if you love it. Do it because it's your passion. Do it because you couldn't imagine doing anything else. If you aren't doing it for those reasons, you'd be better off doing something else.

Who is your favorite artist?
In terms of art alone, I don't know if I could pick just one. There are SO many brilliant artists out there.


Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions Scott.

Next time on David Wasting Paper is cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and current President of the Australian Cartoonists’ Association, Jules Faber.

Do You Draw In Pencil First And If So Do You Use A Standard Pencil Or A Mechanical One? - Cartoonist Survey Answers Compiled.

Here are the answers for the second question of the Cartoonist Survey;
Do You Draw In Pencil First And If So Do You Use A Standard Pencil Or A Mechanical One?
Remember that this is out of 100 cartoonists surveyed.

Yes or No

Yes - 90
No - 10

Standard or Mechanical

Standard - 58
Mechanical - 24
Both - 3
Answer not provided - 5
Does not draw in pencil first – 10

Brand or Type

Not Given - 20
No. 2 HB - 14
Does not draw in pencil first – 10
Prismacolor Col-Erase Blue - 8
Prismacolor Col-Erase green and red - 1
2H - 6
Non-Photo Blue Lead - 4
Dixon Ticonderoga HB - 3
Dixon Ticonderoga 2.5 - 1
Dixon Ticonderoga 3B - 1
Dixon Ticonderoga 3H - 1
Tombow 2B - 2
Tombow - 1
Tombow 4B - 1
Tombow B - 1
3H - 3
2B - 2
HB - 2
Pentel Twist-Erase - 2
Mirado Black Warrior F - 1
Mirado Black Warrior 2 - 1
Staedtler 2B - 1
Staedtler Non-Photo Blue - 1
Staedtler standard - 1 .7 Lead - 1
2mm Non-Photo Blue - 1
4H - 1
Clutch pencil 5.6mm lead - 1
Ebony - 1
Faber Castell DS05 - 1
General No. 555, Pentel HB 0.7 - 1
Mars Lumograph 100B - 1
No. 3 - 1
Papermate #2 - 1
Strathmore HB - 1
Uni-ball Kuru Toga - 1

David Cowles - Cartoonist Survey #102

Caricature artist and illustrator, David Cowles, was born in November of 1961 in Rochester, N.Y. Art was definitely in his blood, with his dad being a Professor of Ceramics at Rochester Institute of Technology and his mom running a craft/gift shop in town. David graduated from Victor Central high school in 1979. He audited a few college classes and in 1983 he started working in the art department at Rochester’s Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. In 1985 he started freelancing on the side and in 1991 left the Democrat and Chronicle to freelance full-time. His work has been printed in numerous publications including, Playboy, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Time, and People, just to name a few.

Aside from being an illustrator and caricaturist, David also does work in animation, with his first animated short, “Superfunk & Freaky-Dee” winning the Grand Jury Prize for animation in the New York Independent Film & Video Festival in 2000. He has also directed, produced and designed multiple videos for the band, They Might Be Giants, which have gone on to win ASIFA-East awards.

David still lives in Rochester, NY and has two great children, Alison and Clayton. Check out David’s website for more examples of his work and follow him on his blog. You can also see his animation director’s reel here.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I'm generally digital these days, but when I do use a pen it's a Pigma Graphic 1.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Yup, everything is sketched out (at least roughly) in pencil first. General, a standard Number 2.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Depends on the jobs, but I do 90% on the computer.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
When I do, usually gouache.

What type of paper do you use?
A pretty heavy cold pressed Archers watercolor.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I don't hate them so much if I can stylize them, but in general, cars and buildings. Not crazy about horses, either.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Usually, it's at the local The Art Store, which I'm not sure is a chain or not. Lately, most of the supplies I've been buying is printer ink from Staples.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Depending in the job, and if it's conceptual, I tend to think up ideas walking the dog or in the shower. But in terms of warm up sketches or anything, I usually just jump right in to the actual job. These days I'm much more productive in the morning than at night.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
There has to always be some sort of noise while I'm drawing, either music or a movie I'm familiar with. For music genres, they're all over the place. Heavy on The Beatles, but a lot of Soul gets in there as well.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Big comic reader. Started with MAD, then went into the Harvey stuff for a while, and finally heavily into Marvel comics. In the 70s I discovered John Buscema . The first comic book stores were starting to open here in Rochester, so every Saturday I'd get my dad to drive me and my friends down the street there to try to collect all of his stuff from the 60s that I could get my hands on. That's where all of my lawn mowing allowance went. A lot of The Avengers.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
I was equally into Peanuts, Dennis the Menace and Pogo as a kid, mostly for the art. Especially since most of Pogo went over my head. In later years, I really dug Calvin and Hobbs and The Far Side. After working on the art staff of the local newspaper for several years, though, I stopped getting the paper.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I would say something probably like Where the Wild Things Are, and yup, I've got a copy. But not the same copy I had as a kid. I think I probably re-bought most of my childhood favorite books as my kids were growing up.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I didn't actually go to college, but I went to a one year Trade School type of place named Graphic Careers here in Rochester, that taught you the nuts and bolts stuff to get a job in Graphic Arts (mechanicals, specking type, sizing photos, etc.), all of which became obsolete when Macs showed up a few years later. But I would say my real education was my first few months as a staff artist at the newspaper.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
I'm leaning toward blessing. It's invaluable for reference. And it potentially opens up the entire world as a potential market for your work. On the curse side, it's certainly helping to bury magazines and newspapers, who were the majority of my clients. Plus, as a tool for getting misinformation out there, it's awfully potent. But it's not going away, so I lean toward working with it.

Did either of your parents draw?
Both of my parents could draw. My father was a Professor of Ceramics at the Rochester Institute of Technology, but also did a lot of painting when he was in college. I remember asking my mom to draw me TV's Batman when I was a little kid.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
Both of my parents were pretty supportive. It was a pretty arty household, so it made sense that they would be into it. I had some teachers in High School who were quite supportive as well.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Nope.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I've taught illustration at a few colleges around here, and at times I liked it and at times I didn't. It usually would depend on the quality of the students I had in the class. Sometimes it would be a nice exchange of ideas, sometimes it would be babysitting, basically.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I'd say both are needed, but passion is probably the key to success. I would add stubbornness, and a certain willful ignorance about what the odds against you really are. That might be true in a lot of things, though. I might throw caffeine in there as well.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Too much. I've still got all of my old comics, a ton of art books, plus old toys and packaging. DVDs.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Probably...Droopy.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Politics, a lefty. Drawing hand, a righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Would love to have something to do with the movies.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Cluttered. Very cluttered. Does that count as two sentences?

Do you play any musical instruments?
I wish.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
I would say: See the question about passion, stubbornness and ignorance. You really have to love it to do it, because at first there will be a lot of rejections, so you have to be able to keep doing it just for yourself. Then, if you're lucky enough to hit it big, you'll have to still love it as you put in the hours doing the jobs. And get a web site.

Who is your favorite artist?
That's a tough one to narrow down, but the one who influenced me most was probably Mexican caricaturist Miguel Covarrubias. He ruled.

Thank you for your time David.

Up next is Scott Hilburn, creator of the single panel comic, The Argyle Sweater.

Paul Szep - Cartoonist Survey #101

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist, Paul Szep was born in the summer of 1941 in Hamilton, Ontario. His first printed cartoons ran in his high school paper, the Hamilton Spectator. His first submissions to the Spectator were sports cartoons but he soon moved on to political cartooning. After high school he attended the Ontario College of Art where he specialized in illustration. As most boys growing up in Canada Paul dreamed of playing hockey for the NHL and he did play for awhile under the Detroit Red Wings franchise. Paul freelanced as an illustrator before he was hired by the Financial Post to do cartoons and illustrations. In 1967 he was invited to try out at the Boston Globe as a political cartoonist. He landed the job and ended up being their chief editorial cartoonist until 2001. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in both 1974 and 1977. In 1978 he was the National Cartoonist Society’s, Editorial Cartoonist of the Year and in 1987 he tied with Bill Gallo for the NCS’s Sports Cartoons Award. He has been honored with many other awards including the Thomas Nast Prize in 1983. Paul’s cartoons have been syndicated to hundreds of newspapers worldwide. He has also been a contributor to Golf Digest (he’s quite a golfer himself, as are a lot hockey players) and he has written more than a dozen books. His regular cartoon, “The Daily Szep”, appears in the Huffington Post and he is presently syndicated by The Creators Syndicate. Visit Paul’s website and see his political cartoons at the Huffington Post.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Staedtler pigment liner, Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen, Montblanc.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Yes I draw in pencil first with a mechanical one.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I color by hand with colored pencils and watercolors.

What type of paper do you use?
Bienfang watercolor paper.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I dislike drawing caricatures of attractive women.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Most of my supplies are bought at Staples but there is a great local art store in Tampa when I need special items.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
My ritual is hitting golf balls every morning at my club and then running on a treadmill.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I love classical music on when I work.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I did read and trade comic books as a kid but can't recall my favorites.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
I did love POGO.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Pinocchio was my favorite book although I do not have a copy of it.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Spent 4 years at THE ONTARIO COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN in Toronto Canada studying illustration.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
The Internet has been great for me but it has impacted newspapers and thus cartoonists in a negative way.

Did either of your parents draw?
Neither of my parents draw, but my late grandmother was a clothes designer in her native Hungary.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I do not keep a sketchbook.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I taught satire at Harvard but have never taught cartooning and frankly don't think it can be taught.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion and talent are both required to succeed plus some luck in what is a very competitive field with fewer opportunities right now.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I have collected way too many putters over the years that did not make me a better putter and are now being tossed.

Are you a righty or lefty?
I'm right handed.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I played pro hockey and now play tournament golf so I probably would be a hockey coach (of course I would have to move back to the frozen tundra in Canada) or a golf pro-teacher.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
We call my work area the wreckage room because it is jammed with books, drawings and golf clubs. People have gone in and never been seen again.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I would have liked to play the violin, but sadly no.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
My advice to someone wanting to draw for a living would be to learn to do it on-line, that is the future.

Who is your favorite artist?
I have many favorite artists. In my own field, Ronald Searle, Daumier and of course Pat Oliphant, who is head and shoulders over every one else.


Thank you very much Paul.

Illustrator, caricaturist and animator, David Cowles, shares his answers next.

What Is Your Favorite Pen To Use? - Cartoonist Survey Answers Compliled.

I have started to compile the results from the first 100 cartoonists surveyed and here are the results for the first question, "What is your favorite pen to use?" The number in parentheses before the pens are the number of cartoonists who responded that it is their preference. Please note that some of the answers provided did not give a specific brand, such as "dip Pen" and "brush and ink".

Hunt Crow quill was the most popular with 10 cartoonists preferring it. Breakdown of the nibs;

(2) Hunt Crow quill 102
(2) Hunt Crow quill 101
(2) Hunt Crow quill
(2) Hunt 513EF
(1) Hunt Crow quill 108
(1) Hunt Crow quill 100

The rest are as follows...

(8) Pigma Micron
(7) Rapidograph
(6) Winsor Newton Series 7
(6) Pentel pocket brush
(5) Wacom
(5) Gillot Breakdown of nibs;
(2) Gillot 303
(1) Gillot 850
(1) Gillot 290
(1) Gillot 170
(4) Rotring Art Pen
(4) Sharpie
(4) Faber-Castell Pitt
(3) Flair
(2) Speedball
(2) Staedtler Pigment Liner
(2) Pentel Uni-ball
(2) Dip pen
(2) Brush and ink

The rest were preferred by only one cartoonist each;

Prismacolor Fine Marker
Various
Medium Ballpoint
Lamy fountain pen
Rotring fountain pen
Esterbrook dip pen
Raphael Kolinsky #2 brush
Winsor Newton Graphic Series 239 brush
Dixon Markette
Handmade Japanese pen
Anything
Kuretake brush pen
Nikko G nib
Grumbacher brush
Tri-Art markers
Sanford Design Ebony pencil
Papermate blue ballpoint
#2 Cotman Winsor & Newton brush
Pentel Hi-Tec-C Slim Knock
Rotring Isograph
Pilot Precise V5 RT
Sanford Expresso Extra Fine
Bic
Delta fountain pen
Robert Simmons 785 white sable brushes
Brause "Blue Pumpkin" Steno nib
Zebra G
Sanford Expresso Extra Fine

David Paccia - Cartoonist Survey #100

I really can’t believe that this is the 100th Cartoonist Survey! I started sending out my set of questions only 4 months ago, and at that time never expected to reach 100--especially in such a short period of time. It has been a lot of fun and I have met some incredibly talented and kind people. I have learned so much from their answers and hope that you have gotten something out of reading them too. In the process of compiling the answers, I have corresponded with cartoonists from all over the world including the US, Canada, the UK, France, Australia and Israel.

One thing I learned during this project was what a tight-knit group cartoonists are, willing to share their knowledge and help out anyone who asks. I will be taking a short break (maybe a week) from posting to rest my carpal tunnel. Fear not though, as I still have more sets of answers and will continue to send out requests. By the way, if you are a professional cartoonist and would like to be included, just send me an email or leave me a comment about it and I will send you the questions. Thank you to everyone who has participated and stopped by, I really appreciate it. And now, without further ado, here is the 100th Cartoonist Survey, with answers by none other than me…

David Paccia was born on a foggy, rainy day in June of 1962. He grew up on a steady diet of Captain Crunch, Pillsbury Space Food Sticks and Moxie. Saturday mornings were devoted to cartoons with the afternoons reserved for Creature Double Feature (a 4-hour classic monster and sci-fi movie double feature that aired in the Boston area during the 70’s and 80’s). On Sundays it was Davey and Goliath, Gumby, the Captain Bob Show (a drawing show for kids hosted by Bob Cottle) and Ultraman. In grade school he excelled at drawing in his notebooks and making gum wrapper chains without getting caught. After keg partying his way through high school he bounced from one major to another in college. Anthropology was followed by Solar Energy Technology, which was followed by Architecture, thus giving David a well-rounded education in none of them.

He spent a decade working his way up the ladder at a supermarket chain before he had enough and quit, moving on to a steel factory where he fabricated rebar for a few years. He now works for a financial institution where he has been employed for the last 17 years testing their website. Through it all he has maintained a love of comics, cartoons and drawing. David aspires to one day become a professional cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonist Society. He lives in southeastern Massachusetts with his ever-patient wife and two cats. He maintains the blog David Wasting Paper, which features cartoonist Q&As and sometimes his own original artwork.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I'm still forcing myself to learn how to use my Kuretake Brush pen, but until I have it mastered, Pigma Microns and Faber-Castell Pitt pens.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I've been using the same Pentel Twist-Erase .9mm for about three years now. For loose cartoony drawings I'll sometimes use a Prismacolor non-photo blue.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I'm presently in the process of learning to color in Photoshop.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Winsor Newton watercolors and colored pencils.

What type of paper do you use?
Everything from post-it notes to Arches Aquarelle Hot Press Watercolor blocks.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I don't hate drawing anything, but I suck at drawing hands and feet.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I tried shopping at my local art store but I got tired of them following me around like I was going to steal something every time I went in there. Now I buy my pens exclusively from JetPens.com and most everything else from Dick Blick and Jerry's Artarama.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
I'll usually fill a couple pages with nonsense drawings and doodles to warm up. Sometimes a glass of Balvenie Doublewood 12 year-old single malt Scotch will do the same thing.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Yes, I have to have music going. I just put my iPod on shuffle. I listen to most genres except Country and Rap. I love Joe Bonamassa, Frank Zappa, Dropkick Murphys, the Kinks, The Persuasions (an a cappella band) and classic monster movie soundtracks like Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Godzilla and King Kong.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I read a lot of MAD magazine, those old Ripley's Believe It Or Not! paperbacks and Creepy and Eerie magazines.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
I would have to say Peanuts, with Calvin and Hobbes and the Far Side running a very close second. As a kid I used to buy all of the Peanuts paperback collections through the Scholastic Book Club at school.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
"Where the Wild Things Are" by Sendack. I also would spend hours looking at the illustrations in my Richard Scarry books. My wife bought me a nice hardcover of "Where the Wild Things Are" a few years back.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Not really. I had drafting classes all through high school and I did take a cartooning class with Mat Brown (Cartoonist Survey #2) and Bill White (Cartoonist Survey #1).

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
A blessing in that you can find any reference picture you need, but a curse due to all the cool things you can find to spend money on.

Did either of your parents draw?
My mom was into painting ceramics when I was young and my dad is still a very good artist.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
I'd have to say my Grandmother on my dad's side. I never met anyone who showed so much genuine interest in what you were doing as she did.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I have about 10 of them going at once, which ensures that I will never completely fill any of them.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I've shown my wife's nieces and nephews some basic drawing lessons. I really enjoyed seeing the excitement in their eyes when they could transfer what they were seeing in their head onto paper.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I agree with many of the previous cartoonists that you really need a combination of both, but I think that in the long run if you aren't passionate you won't go anywhere.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
What don’t I collect…Classic monster and sci-fi movies, cartooning books, Godzilla and classic monster figures and pretty much anything else that catches my eye.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Physically, Baby Huey or Peter Griffin from Family Guy. Mentally, Bugs Bunny or the Chicken Hawk from the Looney Tunes Foghorn Leghorn shorts.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty for most things including writing, drawing and throwing. The weirdest thing is that I play golf righty, but I'm a lefty playing hockey.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Something to do with history or archeology.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
A desk from Ikea covered with monster and classic cartoon bobble heads and figures, a portable DVD player with a stack of classic cartoon DVDs (Popeye, Woody Woodpecker, Droopy, and Looney Tunes) a small light box and more pens than I could ever use.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I have played the guitar for over 35 years. I recently taught myself how to play ukulele and I taught myself the basic chords on the keyboard.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Make tons of mistakes and learn something from all of them. Also when you want an honest critique of your drawings, stay away from asking friends or family members. They're friends and family, they have to tell you it looks good!

Who is your favorite artist?
R. Crumb followed closely by Don Martin.

See you in a few days. In the mean time, check out this great Toon-Ed website with lots of valuable information about cartooning.

Answers from the Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist, Paul Szep will be next.

Jonathan Mahood - Cartoonist Survey #99

Cartoonist, sculptor and carpenter, Jonathan Mahood lives in Parry Sound, Ontario. On a side note, Parry Sound is also the birthplace of one of my heroes on and off the ice, Boston Bruin legend, Bobby Orr. Jonathan has been drawing since he was a little kid and started creating his own comic strips when he was a teenager. He drew his first published cartoons for his high school newsletter, Panther Press. He graduated from York University in Toronto with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1992. In 2006 Jonathan combined his love of all things electronic with his passion for drawing and created Bleeker the Rechargeable Dog (originally titled, Hoover the Rechargeable Dog). His strip is about a boy named Skip Small who desperately wants a dog. When his parents finally buy him one he realizes that all is not as it appears. His “dog” Bleeker is actually an electronic dog, equipped with cell phone, mp3 player, GPS and much, much more. Bleeker originally started as a web-comic on Comic Sherpa in 2006 and then in 2007 was picked up by GoComics. It is also published in Germany's largest national weekly newspaper, Die Zeit. Besides creating cartoons, Jonathan also enjoys sculpting and building furniture. Visit his Bleeker the Rechargeable Dog website and then go bookmark his blog here. You can follow Bleeker everyday at GoComics, and you can buy a collection of Bleeker the Rechargeable Dog here.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I use the Brause "Blue Pumpkin" Steno nib for all of my inking.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I use a Prismacolor Col-Erase 20044 Blue pencil.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
All my coloring is with PhotoShop.

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

What type of paper do you use?
I use Strathmore 400 series smooth Bristol.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Furniture (...which is funny because I build and design real furniture.)

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
A bit of both. I live in a small town so when I'm in the city I stock up on ink and pencils. Strangely, for nibs and paper I can only get them over the web (from the other side of the country).

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Not really...it's more a state of panic about a deadline...so maybe that is a ritual...?

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Yes, all of the time. I listen to tons of different stuff...whatever works that day.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Yeah, I read the comic section in the daily paper and Charlie Brown and Snoopy were probably number one on my list.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
I'm not sure I've ever had one favorite comic strip. Bloom County, Pogo, Far Side, Krazy Kat would all be on a favorites list.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Most likely Lord Of The Rings...yes and I read it every few years.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I got my degree in fine arts/visual arts from York University in Toronto.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
I think it's a bit of both. Without it I never would have gotten Bleeker off the ground or got it in front of so many eyeballs. On the downside making money from it is difficult to say the least. I think it forces you to rethink the market...kinda like making the switch from buying Cd's to downloading off of iTunes.

Did either of your parents draw?
Nope.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My family has been great these many, many, many years.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I keep a couple on the go...and old ones are always close by for reference.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
No, I've given a talk or two to school kids but nothing formal...yet.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion is probably the most important. Some lucky bastard out there hits the lottery and is an over night success but for the rest of us it's just slugging away at it.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I used to collect lots of different stuff but now I'm out of room.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Roger Ramjet.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

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

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Cluttered with stacks of paper, pencils and pens around. Also, everything ink splattered.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Technically, no.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
If you're not a great salesman, have another job to make a living from. Starving is not fun...and you can't swap drawings for video games...I've tried.

Who is your favorite artist?
Too many to name.

Thanks again Jonathan!

Tune in next time to see who will be the 100th cartoonist surveyed!

"The Last of the Funnies" by Mike Cope

Last Friday I received a package in the mail from cartoonist Mike Cope (Cartoonist Survey #74). It was a copy of his book, “The Last of the Funnies.” I finished reading it last night and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.


The story combines science fiction with a historical overview of the cartooning industry and a warning about where the future may lead. It is set in the year 2076, after a worldwide energy and economic crisis. There are no longer any newspapers being printed and most forms of art and entertainment are only done via digital simulation. The story focuses on an old cartoonist, Frost and his son Giles who is a Virtual Art professor. Frost is one of the last remaining cartoonists who actually still draws his comic strip by hand. He wants his son to be his successor, but Giles doesn’t share his enthusiasm…that is, until Frost tells the story behind the special ink he uses, that draws whatever he imagines.

It really was a fun, quick read that left me wishing the book wouldn’t end. Mike’s writing does a great job of keeping the reader interested in the story while educating them on the history of the comics industry at the same time. If you are a fan of cartooning or science fiction you can’t go wrong picking up this little gem. Plus, Mike is donating $2 from every copy purchased to the Ohio State’s Cartoon Library and Museum. He is doing this in response to the challenge put out by Jean Schulz, Charles Schulz’s widow, when she donated $1 million to Ohio State’s Cartoon Library and Museum.

Here is the “The Last of the Funnies” website. You can see what Mike is up to here on his CopeToons blog.

While you are on Amazon purchasing Mike’s book, why don’t you also grab my buddy Chris Sabatino’s (Cartoonist Survey #53) latest book, “Pocket Doodles for Boys.” Both books would make a great gift for budding cartoonists young and old.

Ted Dawson - Cartoonist Survey #98

Ted Dawson is an illustrator and cartoonist. He is the creator of Spooner, a comic strip about Spooner and Roxanne, two newlyweds who are adjusting to married life. Other recurring characters in the strip were Cisco, Spooner’s dog, Lenny, Spooner’s brother and Cal the next door neighbor. Spooner ran in newspapers from January, 2000 to July 2002. It is collected into two books, “Spooner, The Sunday Comics” and “Spooner: The Complete Collection Of Daily Comic Strips”. Ted’s other comic strip "Wild Blue" was a spin-off of Spooner, which featured Spooner’s brother, Lenny who joined the Air Force after 9/11. It appeared weekly in The Air Force Times from 2003 to 2005. Ted’s brother Steve who was an officer in the USAF assisted in the writing. Wild Blue was also collected in a book, “Wild Blue: The Weekly Comic Strip From The Air Force Times”. In addition to Ted’s cartooning work he has illustrated numerous children’s books including a recent series on dinosaurs, written by Rena Korb and published by Magic Wagon. His educational comic book put out by Sprint entitled, Relay Rabbit, educated thousands of deaf and hard-of-hearing children on the uses of a telephone relay service. He is also a very talented watercolor artist and portraitist. He collaborates on the sketch blog, Three Men in a Tub, with Stacy Curtis and Wes Hargis. Ted lives in South Carolina with his wife and two children. Visit his website here and check out Three Men in a Tub here.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Zebra G and Hunt 512. They're ball-tipped and can produce a wide range of line widths, even producing brush effects. I've used a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen often during the past three years, and it has held up amazingly well.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I work with tight pencils, and prefer Tombow pencils. I'm amazed by cartoonists who can scribble something in pencil and then do the actual drawing while they ink.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Comics are colored in PhotoShop. For work that doesn't require flat color, I'll use watercolor, ArtRage or PhotoShop. PhotoShop can be a hazard to artists, because you don't want your work to look like it was colored in PhotoShop.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
I use tubes of da Vinci watercolors.

What type of paper do you use?
Strathmore Bristol 400 series, Arches hot press 140 lb. Crescent board is smooth and you can scrape off the ink if necessary to make corrections. I use a lot of HP Inkjet 24 lb. paper.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Anything that I'm told to draw.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I buy as much as I can from the independently owned local shop. If they don't have it, I go to Hobby Lobby or Dick Blick.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
I practice the time-honored illustrator ritual of Procrastination. Oftentimes I doodle...while procrastinating.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Listening to music is tricky. The right song can put me in "the Zone." I can be totally derailed when a song ends and a new one begins. Trial and error has resulted in a workable playlist of songs in various genres.

Generally, I have to work without music. Different aspects of art use different parts of the brain; some require the same kind of concentration as writing; some that of precise carpentry work; and some aspects are "mindless" like vacuuming.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I learned to read from the comics. Newspaper favorites were Peanuts and Dennis the Menace. With comic books, I started with Dell, Gold Key and Harvey, worked up to Archie and then Marvel and DC. My favorites were Richie Rich, Archie and Spider-Man.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
My favorite comic strip was Peanuts from the sixties. Nothing beats the old paperback collections. After that, Calvin and Hobbes became my favorite.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I can't pick a favorite, but my bible is "Charlie Brown and Charlie Schulz." I love "McBroom's Zoo," and still have both books.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I attended the Art Institute of Seattle.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Yes. The Internet has provided new opportunities for aspiring cartoonists, but the field of print comics has been doing everything it can to destroy itself by rushing to the Web, lemming-like. Print and Web are two separate animals, but people act like the Web is the successor of Print. They're different animals.

Sending work via the Internet has replaced FedEx and is great in that respect. Unfortunately, it's also tripled the work that cartoonists and illustrators do, because we're now expected to do our own coloring, typography and scanning, for no additional pay.

Did either of your parents draw?
My mother likes to draw. I was heavily influenced by my aunt, one of the best cartoonists I know. She's deaf and unfortunately was treated as Deaf and Dumb, given no opportunities to pursue a career at all.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
In one sense, everyone I knew was supportive. In another sense, none of them were because no one knew how I should go about pursuing a career in cartooning. I was clueless for a long while and had no idea what to do.

I never even met a cartoonist until I was about thirty. Someone did arrange for me to talk to a professional cartoonist over the phone in Seattle when I was about eighteen. He discouraged me enough to put off cartooning for several years.

When the Internet first came around, back when it was Cool, I began meeting all kinds of cartoonists online, and it has resulted in some terrific friendships.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
No, but I keep drawings I like. It creates quite a fire hazard.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I was a graphic design instructor. I taught cartooning to "troublesome" middle graders. I don't enjoy teaching. I enjoy being able to inspire or direct creativity. I don't think that can be done in most teaching environments.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I don't think there is any such thing as talent. A person learns to draw through his desire to communicate through art. And while anyone can learn to draw, what makes cartoonists and illustrators different is their ability to tell a story through their drawings.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I collect rejection letters.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I like to think it would be Bugs Bunny, but it would more likely be Droopy.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Right handed, but when I broke my right wrist, I realized I could draw as well with my left hand. I haven't tried it with my feet yet.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
If I knew that, I probably wouldn't be an artist. Since I could always draw well, the thought of doing something different never crossed my mind, which is probably unfortunate.

When I met my wife, I didn't have much of an art career. I promised us both that if I didn't get a comic strip syndicated within a year, I would go to school and work towards a degree in Physics.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Whatever's in front of me, as long as it's reasonably flat and horizontal. I built a watercolor table, and have a cheap drafting table. I often draw on a tablet PC as well, sitting in an old recliner.

I once saw on ebay an amazing wood drafting table that was billed as the table that Paris's subway system was designed on. It was huge and beautiful, like the Holy Grail of drafting tables. I was a few thousand dollars shy of being able to afford it, though.

Do you play any musical instruments?
With no attestation to any particular skill level, I play classical, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, piano and currently working on the drums. I'm available for private events and slumber parties.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Nowadays, I would probably recommend attended a school like the Savannah School of Art and Design or the Rhode Island School of Design.

Who is your favorite artist?
Anyone who makes me want to keep drawing.

Thanks very much Ted.

The creator of Bleeker the Rechargeable Dog, Jonathan Mahood will be next.

Yaakov Kirschen - Cartoonist Survey #97

Cartoonist Yaakov Kirschen was born in 1938 in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated from Queens College in 1961, where he studied art. He worked awhile for Norcross, drawing humorous greeting cards, before freelancing for Cracked magazine. He then went on to draw cartoons for Playboy. In the late 60’s he became an anti-Vietnam War activist and in 1971 he moved to Israel. In 1973 he began drawing a daily editorial strip called Dry Bones. Dry Bones is an Israeli political cartoon strip that was published in the English-language newspaper The Jerusalem Post from 1973 to 2008. It is now syndicated in America by Cagle Cartoons and Dry Bones is also a regular feature in 40 newspapers across Canada and the U.S. Yaakov’s work has been reprinted or quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Time magazine, CNN and others. Learn more about Dry Bones and Yaakov at his website and follow him here on his blog.

What is your favorite pen to use?
Sharpie.

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

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

What type of paper do you use?
Printer paper.

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

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

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

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Yes, all kinds, and old radio shows.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Yes, Little Lulu and Captain Marvel.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Can't Say.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Tom Swift and his Trip to Mars. Nope.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Queens college NYC. Painting.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Blessing.

Did either of your parents draw?
Mother.

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

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Many, Many, Many, Many.

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

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

Do you collect anything and if so what?
Ukuleles, vintage musical instruments and American Flyer trains.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
No idea.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

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

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Messy, cluttered, littered.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Ukulele.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Inherit money.

Who is your favorite artist?
Too many to name.

Thank you Yaakov!

Next time at David Wasting Paper is cartoonist and illustrator Ted Dawson.

David Horsey - Cartoonist Survey #96

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist and columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, David Horsey, was born in 1951. He spent the first three years of his life in Indiana and then moved to Seattle, Washington. He was a cartoonist for his high school newspaper and in his freshman year at the University of Washington he started doing editorial cartoons. While at the University of Washington he became the first editorial cartoonist to be chosen as editor-in-chief of the college’s newspaper, The Daily. He graduated in 1976 with a B.A. in communications. After college David started his professional career as a reporter for the Bellevue Journal-American. In 1979 he was hired to be the editorial cartoonist of the Post-Intelligencer and he has been there ever since. In 1986, he earned a master's degree in international relations from the University of Kent in Canterbury, England.

He was awarded a Berryman Award for Cartoonist of the Year in 1998 by The National Press Foundation and followed that up by winning a Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning in 1999. Four years later he won another Pulitzer Prize and then in 2004 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Seattle University. He has traveled to Japan, Mexico and Europe and has been witness to presidential primaries, the Olympics, political conventions and the Super Bowl. David’s cartoons have been collected in numerous compilation books. He is syndicated by Tribune Media Services and his work appears in 200 newspapers including, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, USA Today and The Washington Post. David still lives in Seattle, with his wife and two kids. Check out David’s blog at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, here.

What is your favorite pen to use?
After years of using cheap No. 2 brushes, I now use sets of cheap Micron pens.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
I use a 3H pencil.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I color on my computer using PhotoShop.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
On the rare occasion I color by hand, I use watercolors.

What type of paper do you use?
Bristol board.

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

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

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Procrastinate for hours.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Occasionally, mostly ‘80s rock and roll.

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

If you mean comic books, Archie.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Doonesberry.

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Wind In the Willows. Yes.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
Yes, at the University of Washington.

Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Both.

Did either of your parents draw?
My mother.

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

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Nope.

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

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I give the edge to talent.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
No.

If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Bugs Bunny.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Documentary movies or best-selling novels.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
It’s a room lined with bookshelves with my grandfather’s leather chair scooted up to a Bombay Company desk upon which sits my MacBook Pro hooked up to a 30-inch HP monitor.

Do you play any musical instruments?
French horn — once upon a time.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Make sure you actually know how to draw.

Who is your favorite artist?
Steve Hanks.

Thank you for taking the time to answer, David.

The next set of answers come all the way from Israel and are provided by the cartoonist for the strip Dry Bones, Yaakov Kirschen.