Cartoonist Ed Smith, "The Caricature Guy", got his start drawing caricatures in Boston's Faneuil Hall while attending the Massachusetts College of Art in the late eighties. He worked for awhile traveling with other artists doing caricaturing gigs at colleges and universities across the country. He then spent several years slinging ink for the famous Building #19 circular. (Other Cartoonist Survey participants who have worked for Building #19 include, Bill White, Cartoonist Survey #1 and Mat Brown, Cartoonist Survey #2.)
Ed now has his own successful caricaturing business, The Caricature Guy. He is also the Vice President of Creative & Marketing Communication for the golf outlet website, 3balls.com. You can see some of the cartoons he has created for 3balls.com here. Check out Ed’s, The Caricature Guy website and if you live in the South Shore area of Massachusetts, click here to book The Caricature Guy for your next event.
What is your favorite pen to use?
The digital pen attached (albeit relationally) to my Wacom tablet.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
When drawing caricatures I dive right in with ink. Digitally I adjust the opacity of the layer to replicate a pencil sketch.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Both.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Chartpak ad markers.
What type of paper do you use?
Bristol vellum, or a crisp Photoshop layer.
What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Sports utensils (because I'm ignorant of how they look).
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Local Art Warehouse-type store.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Doing caricature gigs, I always show up first.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I listen to a lot of NPR, old time church sermons and unusual folk music.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Comic books: X-Men, The Tick, Comic Strips: Calvin and Hobbes
What is or was your favorite comic strip?
The Far Side
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I loved the entire scratch and sniff genre. No point in keeping 'em because eventually they just smell like paper.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
No, I attended Mass College of Art.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
A Blessing (that will probably prove to be a curse come the apocalypse ).
Did either of your parents draw?
No.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
The salesman from the "Draw Tippy the turtle" correspondence art school.
Do you keep a sketchbook?
I do, but I keep it in a drawer with the best intentions of starting to use it again one of these days.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yes, I loved it.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Yes I certainly do.
Do you collect anything and if so what?
I have a quite extensive collection of disparate items with seemingly no connection to one another.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I always wanted to be the leader of the scrubbing bubbles gang. Those guys always resonated with me for some reason.
Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
As little as possible.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
My studio space is a room in my 19th century New England farm house. Wide plank floors and a working fireplace create a nice mood. I have a simple old wooden table with cups full of pens, a bottle of Pelikan ink (which I never use because my laptop and Apple cinema display put them out of view.)
Do you play any musical instruments?
I play guitar and sing.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Keep on keepin' on.
Who is your favorite artist?
Norman Rockwell. (seriously)
Thanks again Ed.
Illustrator Jim Keefe will be next.
Ed now has his own successful caricaturing business, The Caricature Guy. He is also the Vice President of Creative & Marketing Communication for the golf outlet website, 3balls.com. You can see some of the cartoons he has created for 3balls.com here. Check out Ed’s, The Caricature Guy website and if you live in the South Shore area of Massachusetts, click here to book The Caricature Guy for your next event.
What is your favorite pen to use?
The digital pen attached (albeit relationally) to my Wacom tablet.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
When drawing caricatures I dive right in with ink. Digitally I adjust the opacity of the layer to replicate a pencil sketch.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
Both.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Chartpak ad markers.
What type of paper do you use?
Bristol vellum, or a crisp Photoshop layer.
What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Sports utensils (because I'm ignorant of how they look).
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Local Art Warehouse-type store.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Doing caricature gigs, I always show up first.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I listen to a lot of NPR, old time church sermons and unusual folk music.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Comic books: X-Men, The Tick, Comic Strips: Calvin and Hobbes
What is or was your favorite comic strip?
The Far Side
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
I loved the entire scratch and sniff genre. No point in keeping 'em because eventually they just smell like paper.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
No, I attended Mass College of Art.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
A Blessing (that will probably prove to be a curse come the apocalypse ).
Did either of your parents draw?
No.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
The salesman from the "Draw Tippy the turtle" correspondence art school.
Do you keep a sketchbook?
I do, but I keep it in a drawer with the best intentions of starting to use it again one of these days.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
Yes, I loved it.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Yes I certainly do.
Do you collect anything and if so what?
I have a quite extensive collection of disparate items with seemingly no connection to one another.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I always wanted to be the leader of the scrubbing bubbles gang. Those guys always resonated with me for some reason.
Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
As little as possible.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
My studio space is a room in my 19th century New England farm house. Wide plank floors and a working fireplace create a nice mood. I have a simple old wooden table with cups full of pens, a bottle of Pelikan ink (which I never use because my laptop and Apple cinema display put them out of view.)
Do you play any musical instruments?
I play guitar and sing.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Keep on keepin' on.
Who is your favorite artist?
Norman Rockwell. (seriously)
Thanks again Ed.
Illustrator Jim Keefe will be next.
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