Legendary comic artist Ernesto "Ernie" Colón was born in Puerto Rico in July of 1931. During his long career, starting back in the Sliver Age of the late 1960’s, he has worked on children’s, superhero, horror and nonfiction comics. He’s worked for almost every major and minor comic publisher including, Harvey, Marvel, DC, Gold Key, Broadway Comics, Star Comics and Eclipse. Ernie got his start in the comics field as a letterer at Harvey Comics. Soon he began drawing Harvey’s best known characters such as Casper the Friendly Ghost and Richie Rich. While at Harvey he met Sid Jacobson who would become his editor, lifelong friend and creative collaborator. Unfortunately Harvey never gave its many talented artists and writers credit for their work, so the almost 15,000 pages that Ernie drew went unsigned. He left Harvey after 25 years before they closed in the early 80’s.
During the mid 1960’s and through the 1970’s, his artwork regularly appeared in Warren Publishing’s black-and-white horror-comics magazines Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella. Some of my favorites from these classic monster comic magazines that Ernie drew include; “To Save Face”, “Beyond Nefera's Tomb” and “Escape into Chaos” for Eerie; “The Mind of the Monster” and “Strange Expedition” for Creepy and “Room Full of Changes” and “The Survivor” for Vampirella.
From 1982 to 1985 Ernie was an editor for DC Comics where he penciled the historical fantasy Arak, Son of Thunder (which was written by Roy Thomas) and Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. He worked on Marvel titles as well, including Red Sonja, Damage Control, Doom 2099 and the Bullwinkle and Rocky series for Marvel's children's imprint Star Comics. He also wrote, drew, lettered and colored 1988’s science-fiction graphic novel Ax for Marvel. In the early 1990’s, he returned to Harvey along with his friend Sid Jacobson and worked on such projects as Monster in My Pocket and Ultraman.
Recently, Ernie has been working with Sid on non-fiction work. The team produced the graphic interpretation of the 9/11 Commission’s 2005 report, “The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation” and a couple of years later they created “After 9/11: America's War on Terror.” The pair also worked together on three biographies, “Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography”, “Che: A Graphic Biography” and “Vlad the Impaler.”
Just a couple of weeks ago Ernie’s book “Inner Sanctum” was released through NBM Publishing. Returning to the mystery and horror radio shows of the 1940’s, this book re-creates four of the shows stories, The Horla, Death of a Doll, The Undead and Alive in the Grave. His next project with NBM, which is still in the fact-checking phase, will be “3/5ths of a Man”, the historical account of slavery in America. Ernie has recently started blogging for NBM, which you can read here.
What is your favorite pen to use?
Ballpoint. Bic is best.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Mech pencil, light lines. But mostly I sketch on the comp, then all the rest as well.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
All on the comp. Afraid I don't have time for hand coloring.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
Prisma pencils and acrylics.
What type of paper do you use?
Whatever's in the closet
What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Buildings, steps definitely.
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
Local stationery--they have more than enough Bics in stock.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Turn on TCM. If a really lousy movie is on, I'm grateful so I can get to work without distraction.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
Brazilian jazz, then a motley array of decades. Rarely classical--makes me think.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Yes. Captain Marvel was great--sense of humor--lost when the brains at DC acquired him and turned him into another snarling brute.
What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Noel Sickles' and Milton Caniff's Terry and the Pirates.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Too many. Permanent resident at the library--they still threaten to charge me rent.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
None. Self-taught--if you don't count all the art books I bought and occasionally stole.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Me and Google are very close. Almost all my reference is from Goog. E-mails I write and receive by the hundreds--something I never did with U.S. mail. It's only a curse when one becomes a victim.
Did either of your parents draw?
No.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My mom and Step-dad.
Do you keep a sketchbook?
I tried--many times. I only succeed in filling a few pages, then putting them up with all the other mainly empty ones.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
No, and I wouldn't. I have given talks at schools, but they were to encourage kids.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
If by passion you mean obsession--it can get you far--else how to explain the plethora of mediocrity.
Do you collect anything and if so what?
At times, ceramic pigs, little owls. But well-meaners started gifting me awful examples--some of them expensive--which was never my measure of worth, Lovely sculpting, by some anonymous artisan somewhere in the world and turned into a cheap souvenir was more my interest.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
Is Bugs taken?
Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty. Left hand is useless.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Lordy--what wouldn't I do?
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
TV on the left, comp with a drawing board in front. Couch in back, littler box in bathroom for our devil's spawn, Phoebe.
Do you play any musical instruments?
The ukulele once. I got too good at it and quit.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
None--too many variables.
Who is your favorite artist?
Too many. But I see you interviewed Roz Chast. Would it be possible to forward a message to her? Just tell her I believe in polygamy.
As you can tell, Mr. Colon is quite the busy guy; and because of that I want to give him a heartfelt thank you for taking the time to participate.
I also want to thank my buddy Bill White (Cartoonist Survey #1) who was nice enough to contact Ernie and ask him if he would be interested in answering the Cartoonist Survey.
Born in 1980 in Tucson, AZ, Chris Schweizer is a cartoonist, writer and a college professor. He started drawing when he was very young and was lucky enough to grow up in a house full of comics. Surrounded by his dad’s trade collections of Peanuts, Dick Tracy, Calvin and Hobbes, Pogo and The Far Side; and his mother’s Cathy and For Better or Worse, Chris was exposed early to some of the greats of cartooning. He continued drawing strips and gag cartoons throughout his school years and during his studies at Murray State University, he had a strip in the school’s newspaper. He graduated from Murray State in 2004 with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design. At first Chris thought he wanted to do a newspaper strip, but after having his submission rejected and noticing the ever-expanding graphic novel sections at bookstores he decided against it. He researched graduate programs and chose the Savannah College of Art and Design (Atlanta). He not only received his M.F.A. in Sequential Art from SCAD, but he is now also teaching comics there fulltime. Chris believes that one of the things that makes SCAD such a great school is that all of the faculty “regularly publishes professionally” and therefore “know what's happening in the industry and have established relationships with editors”.
Chris’s award-winning historical fiction series of graphic novels titled Crogan Adventures (published by Oni Press) features different members from the Crogan family tree. These action packed adventure stories are set in different corners of the world and span 300 hundred years. When he pitched his idea for the series to Oni Press he included a poster size copy of the Crogan family tree with all 16 characters including a private eye, lion tamer, secret agent, pirate, gunfighter, ninja and more.
The first in the series is “Crogan’s Vengeance”. It stars “Catfoot” Crogan, an honest sailor who gets thrown into the world of pirates. A fun story filled with sword fights and naval battles, it contains a positive moral without being preachy. The second volume in the series, “Crogan’s March”, is set in North Africa in 1912 and tells the story of French legionnaire Corporal Peter Crogan who is fighting for France. The third book in the series, “Crogan’s Loyalty”, should be released this fall. Chris has created the Crogan Adventure Society for fans of the series. For $25 you receive a lifetime membership, an original inked 4”x6” drawing of a Crogan character of your choice, a quarterly newsletter and more.
Chris’s other comic works have been published by Top Shelf Productions, Evil Twin Comics, Nickelodeon Magazine, Image Comics and more. He recently wrote an upcoming six-book series for Lerner Publishing called “Tricky Journeys”. Recommended for ages 4–8, each of the “Tricky Journeys” books allow the reader to choose how the story unfolds. Look for the “Tricky Journeys” series to be out sometime in October of this year. Chris has also just released a 180 page sketchbook which is available for purchase here. This thing looks great! Be sure to watch the video preview of the sketchbook below. Chris lives in Marietta, GA with his wife Liz and daughter Penelope. He has a great website called the Curious Old Library where you can see many of his drawings and comics, read more interviews and even purchase original art. He also has a blog that is loaded with a lot more of his work.
What is your favorite pen to use?
It depends on whether or not I’m sketching or doing finished pieces. If the former, I use a size S or F Faber-Castell PITT pen. They’re filled with India ink, and I find that sketching with a pen comes much more naturally to me than using a pencil.
If I’m doing finished art, I use a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. Pentel makes two brush pens – one with a soft plastic shaft, the other a hard plastic shaft with a tiny silver Japanese writing character on it. I use the latter. The soft one is called the Pentel COLOR brush, though a lot of people confuse the two. The pocket brush is synthetic, behaves like a real brush, and has a wonderfully consistent ink flow. It uses cartridges, and the ink works great on the paper that I use. It smears TERRIBLY on Bristol, though.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Occasionally, if I’m doing a for-the-heck-of-it drawing, I’ll use a Col-Erase Blue pencil. Col-Erase pencils are nice because, unlike a lot of colored pencils, they are not wax-based. Have you ever tried to draw with ink on top of, say, a prismacolor or crayola pencil line? It breaks up, beads up, won’t lay down. That’s the wax. The Col-Erases allow you to avoid that. I use the blue, NOT the non-photo blue. The latter is TOO light, and I can’t do a really light sketch and build, the value just won’t shift the way it will with regular blue.
I don’t use graphite for a lot of reasons, most of them having to do with strip tradition, but also for the practical reason that I don’t like to erase, and levels rarely get rid of graphite on scans in the digital stage with the success that I want. Most of the time, though, I sketch with pen, scan that into the computer, blow it up, and print it out in light blue. Then I ink on top of that, often cleaning it up a little with a col-erase.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I use the computer almost exclusively for coloring, using a Cintiq screen to draw my colors. I’d like to learn watercolor, though, but I doubt my ink would stand up to it.
What type of paper do you use?
I use a commercial printing heavy paper stock, Hammermill 11x17 100# Color Copy Cover. It goes through my printer, which is important, but because it is a color copy/laser paper, it has a coating that makes it slick (which I like) and that makes ink dry fast (which I also like). Since it’s designed to go through printers in high volumes, the ink has to dry fast or otherwise it will gunk up the rollers. This helps me because I drag my hands all over my page while working, and when I used Bristol it would ALWAYS smear.
I get mine at a commercial paper supply company called XpedX. I don’t know how widespread they are, but they have them in Atlanta and Austin, TX, so I assume they’re in a lot of places. It’s around thirty bucks for 250 sheets, which comes out to WAY cheaper than Bristol.
What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
Hands. I stink at hands. I practice, but my big problem is that my hands are shaped weird. My knuckles become concave when my hand it relaxed. It makes for an efficient fist – I’ve never broken anything boxing or fighting – but a REALLY lousy model, and as such I’ve always had trouble with them. I’ll keep trying, but they’ll probably always look a little wonky.
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I mostly buy from a local store, Binders, that carries LOTS of comic supplies. If I know I’m gonna be on a tear, I’ll order a bunch of Pentel cartridges from Jetpens, but mostly it’s Binders.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Not really. I’m drawing pretty much all of the time, so I do it whenever I have a spare minute.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
The music that I listen to is generally instrumental, and generally relates topically to the subject matter on which I’m working. When I did the pirate book, I listened to lots of pirate movie soundtracks. Phillipe Sarde’s Pirates, John Debney’s Cutthroat Island, Eric Wolfgang Horngold’s stuff, Hook, Pirates of Dark Water, plus swashbuckling-sounding music like Willow. For the Foreign Legion book I listened to a lot of North-African-inspired music, again mostly working to film scores. I have a real affection for Jerry Goldsmith, who can keep to comfortable western structure while incorporating a lot of regional/ethnic elements into his pieces.
When I’m inking I listen to podcasts, NPR, and audiobooks. This American Life is a perennial favorite, as is Stuff You Missed in History Class, which I think is produced just a little way down the road from my school. Lately I’ve been working my way through the Patrick Tull readings of O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I read a lot of strips. Calvin and Hobbes was at the forefront, and from middle school onwards I really dug Bill Amend’s FoxTrot, which is a significant influence on my dialogue pacing. I also liked looking at Kelly’s Pogo as a kid, but didn’t really READ it until later. Ditko’s first ten Spider-Man issues.
I also had that Burne Hogarth comic adaptation of the first half of Burroughs’ Tarzan of the Apes. It was a big, hardcover book – not a collection of his Tarzan STRIPS, but a genuine book (I guess you’d call it a graphic novel – it was huge, and drawn to fit the format). I don’t know how much it influences my work – Hogarth is EXTREMELY stiff and beautifully illustrative, and I don’t think I’m either – save for my penchant for making my protagonists fight exotic animals hand-to-hand.
What is or was your favorite comic strip?
These days, it’s a toss-up between Roy Crane’s Captain Easy Sunday run and Richard Thompson’s Cul de Sac.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
It may have been that Tarzan book. If so, yeah. I had a lot of favorites.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I studied art at Murray State University straight out of High School, but aside from a few things here and there it didn’t really inform the direction that I ended up going. It gave me a basic overview of Photoshop, which helped a lot later. What was most beneficial about my time there were the peripheral classes that I took – a LOT of English classes, history classes, theater and film. I changed majors half a dozen times.
When I figured out that I wanted to do comics, I applied to SCAD-Atlanta for my MFA. Every craft has rules and structures, and I wanted to actively study them so that I could be the very best that I could be. My primary professors were Shawn Crystal, who does a lot of Marvel work, and Nolan Woodard, the colorist. I learned a LOT from both of them. Now I teach alongside them, and am proud to do so.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Oh, a blessing. It makes everything so much easier. I can order reference books easily and find just about anything I need. Well, no, I still have to hunt for a lot of stuff, but it does make it a lot easier. I don’t care for its insistence on brevity. I’m terrible at returning e-mails because I treat them like letters, writing quite a bit. But that’s how correspondence should be, I think. This survey is a good example. I’m sure everyone else would write one word or the other for this question, and I’m too full of hot air.
Did either of your parents draw?
My dad can draw, but doesn’t, never really developed it. He took his storytelling in different directions – he’s a mystery novelist, and a choral music composer, and often a librettist. My mom’s a violinist. My granddad drew. He was an architect. He designed Epcot’s Mexican Pavilion, and a lot of mid-century modern buildings in the Orlando area, including that angular Cavalry Church off the interstate downtown, and a chunk of the airport. He did a painting of Kelly’s Pogo reading to all the little animal children; it’s in my dad’s office. A lot of my relatives are architects, and I have an aunt who is an illustrator.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
There really isn’t anyone is ISN’T. My wife is at the forefront. She’s very patient with me, and has allowed me much freer rein to pursue my career than her logical and pragmatic nature probably felt comfortable with, with no complaint and lots of encouragement. My parents were always supportive. Both have creative jobs, but treated them like jobs. They were always fine with me doing anything provided I treated it like work, put in the hours, did my best. No waiting for the muse to hit.
Do you keep a sketchbook?
I fill up about four a year in addition to the project-specific ones that I keep for the Crogan books. Most of what’s in there is terrible, but a quarter or so usually yields good results. I make my own sketchbooks using the department’s perfect-binding machine, using Bristol for the cover and Hammermill 28# color copy paper for the interior, usually around 200 pages or so. Before we had the glue-binder, I used the contact cement-and-clamps method of binding. The sketchbook is where I work out all of the pre-production for the comics – designs, dialogue, thumbnails, as well as preparatory sketches and from-life observations, that sort of thing. I’ve collected a lot of my sketchbook work into a book that I have on my website – if anyone is interested, it can be found on just about any current blog post.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I teach currently, at SCAD-Atlanta, and just finished my third year as a professor. We have an undergrad and a graduate program. I love it. I love being in a position to help these students (who show a real single-minded devotion to their craft) learn to hone that craft, as well as help them with the career side of things. They’re really an incredible bunch. Teaching also helps me to articulate principles that I find affecting my own work. It keeps me constantly examining our medium and striving to better it through my own work and through instructing the next generation.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion. I never use the word “talented” when describing someone, because it almost doesn’t matter. To me, saying that someone is “talented” is no more a compliment than noting someone’s height. It’s a given. One is born with a certain degree of innate ability, and whether or not it is developed has more to do with passion that what’s initially there, though folks with talent are probably more likely to cultivate their abilities. But I’ve seen a lot of talented folks whose work doesn’t amount to anything, and some folks who have had to teach themselves to draw through uphill struggle and who make fantastic comics. If teaching has taught me anything, it’s that the ones who try the hardest produce the best results. Flaubert said, “Talent is just long patience,” and the “developed” talent we see is just that – patience and tenacity.
Do you collect anything and if so what?
I don’t collect anything as objects for their own sake, only for what they can do. I do have an inordinate amount of books, but I read them and ruin them. Books are the one big thing on which my wife and I disagree. I want to keep any book that I may someday return to, or pull a fact from. Though I can rarely remember exact quotes, I’ll remember exactly where in a book I read something, and usually be able to flip to it and pull out a quote. The Flaubert quote above is like that – I remembered the quote but not who said it, and so I picked up the book in which I read it (L’Amour’s Education of a Wandering Man), flipped to that page, and pulled it out. I hate to get rid of books, because each one yields gems worth retrieving. And I love having them at easy disposal. Were it up to me, you wouldn’t be able to see our walls. That’s my ideal house.
Liz is more minimalist, and more of a sharer. She thinks books should go out into the world. She also doesn’t like clutter. So I keep adding shelves to my studio and trying to keep the upstairs rooms from being overwhelmed, and provided that I’m not ridiculous about it we keep a comfortable neutrality in which I’m granted a great deal of leeway.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
The old guy from the Aristocats, only about fifty years younger. Or Gomez Addams. Either way, I’m enthusiastic and tend to knock things over with exaggerated gestures, and challenge dinner guests to fencing matches.
Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty, though every couple of years I try something with my left hand to make sure I can still work if something happens to my right. I can usually scratch out some legible image, though to develop it would require a great deal of time.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Whatever field I went into, I knew I wanted to teach it at the college level. My dad did that, and it was my one career definite. Geez, I can’t think of anything I’d like to do a tenth as much as what I get to do. Maybe prose, maybe animation preproduction, but I guess those are still almost the same thing. I planned at various points in my life to be a martial arts instructor and an Episcopal priest, but I’m too out of shape for the former and ill-suited for the latter. Let’s hope comics don’t disappear any time soon. What a terrifying prospect, to find a career you love with all your heart and have to pick something besides.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Meticulously organized, not because I’m an organized person but because I’m so naturally disorganized that if I don’t have a place for absolutely everything then I pile everything up and lose track of all of my tools and papers.
Do you play any musical instruments?
I play a lot of instruments at a very amateurish level. Guitar, piano, bass. I can scratch out a song or two on violin, cello, concertina, and accordion, but they sound terrible.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Follow through. Practice, read, take classes, practice, practice, practice. Nothing substitutes for output.
Who is your favorite artist?
Geez, that’s a tough one. Comics-wise, probably Pierre Alary or Guy Davis, on a purely aesthetic level. Ridley Scott and Wes Anderson for film. Glen Keane. Geez, I can’t answer this one. If we encompass all of the arts, including writing, then George MacDonald Fraser wins, hands down.
This is Chris’s awesome submission for the Team Cul de Sac project. You can learn more about Team Cul de Sac here.
Award winning illustrator and cartoonist Eric Orchard grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He started on the path to becoming a professional artist in grade school where he began illustrating stories. He studied painting and art history at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and graduated with a BFA. Eric has illustrated three children’s books. His first, “A Forest for Christmas” was published in September of 2007. The second and third, “Anything but Hank” and “The Terrible, Horrible Smelly Pirate” were published a year later. In 2010 his work was showcased at The Society of Illustrators annual exhibit. The same year he was awarded silver in the comics category of The Spectrum Awards, and his work was featured in Spectrum 17: The Best of Contemporary Fantastic Art. Eric's winning page for the Spectrum Awards comes from his mini-comic The Cloud Cave, which he is currently expanding and adapting into a full-length graphic novel, “Maddy Kettle (Book 1): The Adventures of the Thimblewitch.” Top Shelf Productions will be releasing “Maddy Kettle” in the near future.
Robot Museum is another comic project Eric has been working on and it is science fiction themed and filled with monsters and robots. He has been working on Robot Museum for the last five years and plans to self-publish it in a series of three or four books. Some of his clients include Scholastic, Discovery Channel, Raincoat Books, Orca Books, Tor Books, Nimbus Publishing and Five Rivers Publishing. Eric lives with his wife Julie and their son Henry in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Visit both his website and his blog to see much more of his work and you can purchase some of his mini-comics here.
What is your favorite pen to use?
I use a Pigma Micron marker pen by Sakura mostly, because it's convenient and holds up really well over time. But my favorite pen is probably a Hunt 102 nib dip pen.
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. I use a Staedtler standard pencil, 2B.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I go back and forth although I’m colouring by computer more and more
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
When I colour by hand I use Winsor Newton watercolours and gouache.
What type of paper do you use?
I use a variety of papers. I like a 4 ply Strathmore paper for most stuff but if I’m going to paint I'll use Arches hot press watercolour paper 140 pounds.
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?
A local shop. I almost always find something I need not on my list.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
Not really, I just jump right in.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
I like to have on very quiet Classical music, Bach or some late romantic stuff.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
I did. I loved all sorts of comics. Marvel's Star Wars, Omega Men, Bloom County, Peanuts, Atari Force, Carl Barks, EC horror reprints, Tintin, Amethyst, Rocket Raccoon, Claremont's X-Men and a number of Marvel and DC superhero comics.
What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Krazy Kat.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Probably “The Celery Stalks at Midnight” by James Howe and yes, I still have a copy
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I started art lessons in junior high with a police portrait artist and later received a Bachelors in Fine Arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
Both! It allows me to reach more people but at the same time it's becoming a form of entertainment that takes eyes away from creators.
Did either of your parents draw?
I never met my father but according to my mother he drew all the time.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My mother and now my wife as well.
Do you keep a sketchbook?
Yes, I go through about one a month. Very important part of my process.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I taught art at the high school level for two years and found it both fun and stressful. More stressful.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Passion will carry you farther, I think.
Do you collect anything and if so what?
Books, mostly books with pictures; comics, picture books, illustrated books etc.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
The Iron Giant
Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
I'm not good at anything else. Maybe something academic, with lots of books.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
Tiny chaos.
Do you play any musical instruments?
No.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
Persistence is way more important than I ever would have guessed.
Purchase your very own FrankenJerry t-shirt by clicking on the above picture.
Steve Lafler is a cartoonist who was born in upstate New York in 1957. He studied painting at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and graduated in December of 1979. While at UMass he drew the daily comic strip, “Aluminum Foil” for the school newspaper, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian. In 1980 he published his first book, “Benb and Gerald”, a collection of his “Aluminum Foil” strips. Steve then published the 24 page comic, “Mean Cat” in 1981 under his own Cat-Head Comics imprint. His “Dog Boy” series came next and was also published under his Cat-Head Comics until Fantagraphics picked it up for a ten issue run in 1987. In the 90’s he and his long-time friend Stephen Beaupre created the magazine-sized comic anthology Buzzard, which ran for 20 issues and included work by many well known and up and coming cartoonists.
Steve is probably best known for his “Bughouse” comics which feature anthropomorphic jazz music playing insects. Originally published in the pages of Buzzard, “Bughouse” soon became its own series published through Cat-Head Comics and eventually published by Top Shelf in three volumes, “Bughouse”, “Baja” and “Scalawag”. Other works by Steve include, “Duck & Cover”, “Femme Noire”, “Prometheus’ Gift”, “40 Hour Man”, “Self Employment for Bohemians”, “Tranny” and his most recent “El Vocho”. Steve is also a talented painter and illustrator who has done work for Sony Music, Bill Graham Presents, Apple Computer, Rolling Stone, Guitar Player, Seattle Weekly, San Francisco Weekly, Worcester Magazine and many others. He lives with his wife Serena and their two children in Oaxaca, Mexico. Stop by his website to see more of his work and buy his books. You should also follow him on his Self Employment for Bohemians blog. There are also some pretty cool t-shirts that he has for sale over at CafePress.
What is your favorite pen to use? Micron 03 and 05, which I use for details after inking with a brush. Speedball B-6 for lettering, can't beat it for classic cartoon feeling.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one? I draw with HB drawing pencils.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer? I use Photoshop for the most part.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use? Acrylics.
What type of paper do you use? I like 2 ply bristol, or heavier, and I like both smooth and rough finish. You just can't get bristol in Oaxaca where I live, so I try to stock up when in the states. Down here, I go to the art stores and papeleria and just look at various stock until I find something good. Right now I'm drawing a Dog Boy story on some heavy paper with a rough texture, it defines a lot about how the work goes--it will be very rustic looking!
What thing(s) do you hate to draw? The only real problem is drawing when I'm rusty--and as a dad of two small kids, I'm rusty a lot these days. I'm not a fan of doing illustration work, but on the other hand I take it because I need the bucks!
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?All of the above. Dick Blick is good when I'm in the states.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw? Review the script, check my supplies, and go. Sometimes I like to smoke some pot, depending on the task at hand.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre? Oh yeah, lately been listening to Cracker, Capt. Beefheart, Elvis Costello, Grateful Dead, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, the Cramps, and some bad ass Bob Dylan shows from the mid 90s with lots of snarling guitars -- a very edgy, bluesy moment for Bob, most folks don't even believe it's him. I was 20 in 1977, so you can figure that defines part of my taste.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite? Archie, Sad Sack, Gold Key, Dell, Uncle Scrooge, then at age ten on to Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and Marvel stuff. Later, Will Eisner and Crumb. Reading Spider-Man in '67 - '69 was insane fun and very exciting.
What is or was your favorite comic strip? For the storytelling and great art, Steve Canyon. The imperialism, that aspect of Caniff's work is sort of dumb, but other than that he's the man.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it? As a teen, read thru Lord of the Rings three times. When really little, you can't beat Dr. Seuss.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it? Bachelor's of Fine Arts, concentration in painting at UMass Amherst. The profs were a bunch of drunks, letches and ego maniacs. Quite a bunch.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse? Yes. I love the web, but I love print even more. I love printing presses and ink.
Did either of your parents draw? A bit, both had talent but did not pursue it.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art? My wife Serena. My friends Mike Perkin and Stephen Beaupre.
Do you keep a sketchbook? I don't have time, with other responsibilities. Here and there I'll do a stretch of sketching. I'm not a compulsive life drawer like Crumb or Peter Kuper (Cartoonist Survey #126).
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience? Taught at Lane Community College in Eugene Oregon for two years, and later in the Oakland CA Parks and Rec art program for kids. I'm not a true teacher though. I prefer students 18 or older who exhibit a real commitment.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing? For me, it's a matter of will and a sense of mission. The talent is important, but passion trumps talent.
Do you collect anything and if so what? Collected Marvels as a kid. Now, I'm the least materialistic person I know, can't be bothered. I'd rather do than collect.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be? A combo of Shaggy and Spider-Man. Well, I'd be Daphne for Halloween.
Are you a righty or lefty? Left handed lefty.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work? Cow punk guitarist/singer/songwriter -- basically a rock star.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area. A drawing table in a corner, with a cluttered table full of crap next to it.
Do you play any musical instruments? Acoustic and electric guitar, have just started a band with Bill Stair, who's been onstage at CBGB's, provisionally called Bughouse. Sort of cow punk/country/rock and roll. Just played our first gig, with more to come this spring.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?Go to a cool art school and make lots of friends. My nephew Dan James, aka Ghostshrimp, went to Pratt. Some of his college buddies hired him to work at Cartoon Network and now he's the lead background artist on Adventure Time. Not bad, kid! Rock on.
Who is your favorite artist? It's always changing. I like ink slingers like Eisner and Caniff, but hell Jack Kirby ruled my childhood. And now, who can beat Jaime Hernandez, he's incredible. Well, I also love Lux Interior, Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Jerry Garcia and Howlin' Wolf as much as any visual artist.
Thank you very much Steve!
Next time on David Wasting Paper is cartoonist Paul Fell.
Photo Source: New Zealand International Arts Festival
Shaun Tan is an illustrator and author who was born in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1974. He had his first illustration published in the Australian science fiction magazine, Aurealis, in 1990 when he was only 16. He graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts. After graduating he earned his living as a freelance artist working on everything from commercial work to cartoons. He is now an author and illustrator of award-winning picture books including, “The Rabbits”, “The Lost Thing”, “The Red Tree” and his most recent, “Tales from Outer Suburbia”. Shaun’s wordless graphic novel, “The Arrival” was released in 2007 and has been translated into many languages around the world. It is the story of a man who leaves his family and travels to a far away land to try and find a better life for them. “The Arrival” has won the "Book of the Year" prize from the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, the Children's Book Council of Australia’s "Picture Book of the Year" award and the “Prize for Best Album” at the Angoulême International Comics Festival.
Shaun has also worked as a theatre designer and was a concept artist on the films ‘Horton Hears a Who’ and ‘WALL-E’. This past September he was awarded a Hugo Award for the category “Best Professional Artist”. Since 2002 he has been working with a small team animating an adaption of his “The Lost Thing”. It was completed in April of this year and has received many awards. You can see a trailer of this film over on the official “The Lost Thing” website. A DVD of “The Lost Thing” was released in October of this year by Australian independent home entertainment company, Madman and is available for purchase here. Stop by Shaun’s website where you can see much more of his work.
What is your favorite pen to use? A very cheap BIC classic fine point or similar ballpoint pen.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one? Standard pencil - B or HB.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer? A bit of both, but mostly (95%) by hand.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use? Acrylics, pastel crayons, oils and coloured pencils.
What type of paper do you use? Either a 150gsm cartridge or a 300gsm watercolour paper (for painting).
What thing(s) do you hate to draw? Hands from a very fore-shortened angle, feet and cars.
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to? The latter.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw? Not really, besides clearing out a bit of horizontal space.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre? Yes, and pretty broad ranging. Sometimes I also listen to audio-books.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite? No, didn't really read comics as a kid, although I really liked Gary Larson's Far Side.
What is or was your favorite comic strip? Calvin & Hobbes.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it? An encyclopedia of Dinosaurs I bought when I was seven, and yes, I still have it.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it? Mainly high school in Western Australia. I later studied art theory at university.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse? A blessing.
Did either of your parents draw? Yes, both can draw well, but don't practice it much.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art? My parents.
Do you keep a sketchbook? Yes.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience? Yes, to young children, which was an enjoyable experience.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing? Passion. Talent just really helps to stimulate that.
Do you collect anything and if so what? Mainly just books, but also lots of small interesting objects.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be? I am actually an animated cartoon character in my own short film, 'The Lost Thing', so I'll stick with that. Otherwise, possibly the springy dog in Toy Story.
Are you a righty or lefty? Righty.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work? An historian, critic or gardener.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area. A mess.
Do you play any musical instruments? Alas no.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be? Learn to draw extremely well: practice, practice, and then when quite sick of it, practice some more.
Who is your favorite artist? Too many to name - no singular favourites!
Thanks again Shaun.
It's hard to believe that up next is my 200th Cartoonist Survey...and what better artist for this milestone than the creator of the Strangers In Paradise and Echo comic book series, Terry Moore.
David Petersen is a comic book creator and illustrator who was born in Michigan in July of 1977. He studied at Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan and Eastern Michigan University earning a degree in Fine Arts. He is the writer and illustrator of the comic book series Mouse Guard that is published by Archaia Entertainment. Mouse Guard tells the story of a few brave mice who are committed to protecting their fellow mice from all kinds of dangers and predators. David has always loved cartoons, comics and drawing and came up with the basic premise for Mouse Guard back in high school, and reworked it while in college. He won the Manning Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 2007 and in 2008 won two Eisners, one for Best Publication for Kids and another for Best Graphic Album Reprint. The Mouse Guard series is popular world-wide, has gone through multiple printings and has been translated into French, German, Spanish and Portuguese. There is even a Mouse Guard Role Playing Game that came out in 2009. David lives and works in Michigan with his wife Julie and their dog Autumn. Visit David’s website and his blog to see more of his work. To learn more about the Mouse Guard series, check out the official Mouse Guard website.
What is your favorite pen to use? Uniball Vision.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one? I sketch in pencil using a mechanical pencil.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer? Computer color, though I think my hand watercolor work informs my digital technique.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use? I still do watercolors from time to time.
What type of paper do you use? Strathmore bristol board.
What thing(s) do you hate to draw? Technology and attractive women...because I draw them booth poorly and wish I drew them better.
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?Sometimes I go to my local Utrecht (though that is a chain) and sometimes I place orders online when I'm low on lots of things and need to restock the studio.
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. I listen to music including: Beatles, Cake, Simon & Garfunkel, Barenaked Ladies, and movie soundtracks. I also listen to audio books and old time radio.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite? I read Classic X-Men, Eastman & Laird's Ninja Turtles, and some Archie comics of my sisters.
What is or was your favorite comic strip?Growing up it was Calvin and Hobbes. Now it's a webstrip called the Abominable Charles Christopher.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it? As a little kid it was 'The Monster at the End of this Book'. And yes, I still own a copy.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it? Yes, I have a degree in Fine Art. I started at Mott Community College in Flint, MI and finished at Eastern Michigan University.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse? Blessing.
Did either of your parents draw? My dad was a draftsman who did technical drawing and did some sculpture. My Mother did a lot of sewing and pattern making. But neither of them drew things freehand.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art? My parents and wife.
Do you keep a sketchbook? Not that I draw in for fun...but as a place to work out panels and pages for my comic.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience? I have done a few guest lecture appearances, but never a full class.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing? Talent...but only by a sliver of a percent.
Do you collect anything and if so what? Original artwork from artists I respect and admire.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be? I'm part Roger Rabbit, Donald Duck, and Wakko Warner.
Are you a righty or lefty? Righty.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work? Puppet Builder or Furniture maker.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area. A finished basement area flanked by a computer table, a lightbox table, and a drawing table. Off to the side I have flat files filled with artwork, and book cases with reference books and favorite comics.
Do you play any musical instruments? Not really. I play around with recorders every now and then and can figure out melodies to songs...but not very well.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be? Marketing can be just as important to getting work as how well you draw, but you never want to sacrifice doing your best work in favor of marketing yourself.
Who is your favorite artist? Jeremy Bastian.
Thanks again David.
Up next is one of my favorite cartoonists, Fred Hembeck.
Cartoonist, writer and illustrator Nick Abadzis was born in Sweden in 1965. Raised in Sweden and England, he studied at the Chelsea School of Art in London. In 1987 he started working at Marvel Comics’ UK publishing branch as an editor. He left Marvel at the end of 1988 and became a fulltime freelancer once he started having success with his work in the UK comics and music magazine Deadline. While producing work for Deadline he created two of his most well-know characters, Hugo Tate and Mr. Pleebus. The Hugo Tate strips ran in Deadline for 6 years and some of the series was collected into the UK Comic Art Award winning graphic novel, “Hugo Tate: O’ America”. Mr. Pleebus went on to star in his own series of “Pleebus Planet” children’s books. The mid-90’s saw the decline in the UK comics market so Nick did a lot of work for children's publishers, worked for the BBC co-creating comics-based educational websites and did a lot of editorial work. He also worked for Eaglemoss Publishing and helped launch The Classic Marvel Figurine Collection and DC Comics Superhero Collection. These collections are magazines that come with hand-painted lead figurines of the Marvel and DC characters. Nick still writes the historical copy for the magazines and also does cover illustrations.
His 2007 graphic novel, “Laika” is the story of the dog the Soviet Union sent into orbit inside the Sputnik II satellite in 1957. As a child Nick was fascinated with the space program. His unanswered questions about this cosmodog’s one-way trip into space and the release of new information about the program in 2002 was the spark for this graphic novel. Nick spent a lot of time researching this book, traveling to Moscow and even visiting the home of the founder of the Soviet space program, Sergei Korolev. “Laika” was nominated for a Harvey Award for Best Original Graphic Album in 2008 and won an Eisner Award for Best Teen Graphic Novel in the same year. Other than writing, drawing and editing, Nick also teaches and travels doing lectures. He recently moved from England to Brooklyn, NY with his wife and daughter. Learn more about "Laika" here and visit Nick’s website and blog.
What is your favorite pen to use? Pentel brush pen, Chinese calligraphy brushes, Mistubishi Uni-Ball Eyes.
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one? Mechanical pencil.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer? Both - depends what the work demands.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use? Color pencils, watercolor, inks.
What type of paper do you use? Anything with a bit of tooth to it. I like Fabriano Tiziano, any kind of.
What thing(s) do you hate to draw? Not much.
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to? Both. I'm fond of New York Central Art Supply in Manhattan - I like to browse.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw? Breakfast or sometimes I cycle around the park and do a bit of yoga.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre? Yes - I write as well as draw so it tends to be soundtracks, classical, jazz mostly. I love all kinds of music but tend not to be able to listen to anything with a human voice in it while working, so it's mostly textural stuff, mood music. If I'm inking I'll listen to audio plays, BBC Radio 4, DVD commentaries, that sort of thing.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite? Yes. I'm not sure I had any one favorite, but Tintin, Asterix, Peanuts and The Dandy were perennials.
What is or was your favorite comic strip? Peanuts, closely followed by Calvin & Hobbes.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it? Tove Jansson - Moominpappa at Sea and yes, I still have the same copy I had as a child.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it? Yes - Chelsea School of Art, London.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse? The Internet is a loaded question.
Did either of your parents draw? Yes, my mother.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art? My mother, my family, The Bentleys. Certain good friends. I'm fortunate these days to have good fans, too.
Do you keep a sketchbook? I keep several at any one time.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?Yes, I teach fairly regularly, sometimes at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. I also travel and do lectures at various universities and literature festivals. I love teaching.
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing? Neither - perseverance is where it's at. Doggedness, determination, is the most important quality a working artist should develop in support of either (or both) of those qualities. That said, there's nothing more common than the talented person who is not passionate enough to turn their talent to some good use.
Do you collect anything and if so what? Books, I guess, and Daleks. I like robot toys of any kind.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be? Bagpuss.
Are you a righty or lefty? I'm ambidextrous.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work? DJ.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area. Two tables and a window for light.
Do you play any musical instruments? Not anymore.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be? Never give up.
Who is your favorite artist? Edmond Baudoin heads up the list pretty often, but it's ever-changing.
Cartoonist Phil Yeh was born in Chicago, IL in 1954 and grew up in Southern California. When he was 16 years old and still in high school, he founded his studio and began his own publishing company, Eastwind Studios. Phil studied both film and art at Cal State University, Long Beach and was also a cartoonist for its newspaper. In 1973 he started publishing Uncle Jam, a newspaper that covered everything from books to health and the arts. He interviewed many cartoonists for Uncle Jam including Harvey Kurtzman, Jean (Moebius) Giraud and the co-creator of Superman, Jerry Siegel. The interview with Siegel brought to light the sad story of how he and Joe Shuster were cheated over the rights to Superman. Phil’s graphic novel "Even Cazco Gets The Blues", published in 1977, was one of the first modern American graphic novels. When he interviewed Wally “Famous” Amos for Uncle Jam in 1985, Wally discussed the serious illiteracy crisis here in the US. This inspired Phil to start the Cartoonists Across America and the World organization that sends out the message that cartoons can be used to inspire people of all ages to read.
The artists involved with CAA have toured the world, creating books, painting more than 1700 colorful murals and speaking at libraries museums, schools, and conferences raising awareness of the illiteracy problem. Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” funded the publication of Phil’s 1991 book “Theo the Dinosaur.” The colorful cartoon oil paintings in “Theo the Dinosaur” were shown in art galleries in California and New York and in a five-month exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. In 1993, he published the wordless graphic novel, “The Winged Tiger” which went on to be named one of the 25 best graphic novels in the book, “100 Graphic Novels for Public Libraries.” A comic book series called “The Winged Tiger Comics & Stories” and two other Winged Tiger books, “The Winged Tiger's World Peace Party Puzzle Book” and “The Winged Tiger & The Lace Princess” have also been published. To date, Phil has written and illustrated over 80 books including his most recent, “Dinosaurs Across America” and “Steve the Dog & The Winged Tiger.” Learn more about Phil and Cartoonists Across America and the World here.
What is your favorite pen to use? Hunt Bowl pointed extra fine (if you have some send them along).
Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one? Standard pencil - very light and very rough pencils.
Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?Lieve Jerger is the genius behind my coloring except when I just paint in watercolors. Lieve handles the computer coloring very much in her own style. I can answer emails on this machine and that is about all. I am in awe of anyone who understands computers and can color on them but have zero desire to use them for my art.
If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use? Watercolors and then INK over the paint.
What type of paper do you use? Strathmore Windpower vellum bristol for comic book and black and white illustration. Arches for watercolors.
What thing(s) do you hate to draw? Commercial stuff which I gave up when I created Cartoonists Across America & The World. I did freelance artwork from 1970-1985 and did every type of thing one could imagine. Drawing machines and homes for real estate clients that look REAL. It's great for your future when you can draw anything but with your own twist. So, no regrets. If the clients were decent, no worries but often we get people who are really a pain. I love to draw ANYTHING but I hate working for people who are not bright. I stopped freelancing in 1985 and never looked back. I have met so many not bright people in the world of publishing and TV and film and of course in the so called fine art world and in big business. Really big business. I have worked for some of the biggest companies on the planet and it is amazing just how not bright so many of the top executives can be. So it has never been about hating something I am asked to draw, it's more about hating the people asking me to do the work. I don't respect stupidity. Perhaps this is why I never had a real job.
Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to? Local stores.
Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?I sleep and then wake up and draw from my dreams in terms of my comic book stories. I have done this all my life. My friend Rick Veitch never believes me on this point. But it is the truth. When faced with a problem, I sleep on it and the answer comes in my dreams.
Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre? Seldom. If I do listen to music it's old rock or classical but most often when I am inking, I listen to the news which often fuels ideas for my books. But it's silence when I am writing the actual dialog for my books which come from refining those dreams. I listen to the universe when I am writing.
Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite? Never really read them as kid or as an adult. So it's been a weird thing to be a comic book artist for most of my life. I did love some of the comic strips like Gasoline Alley and Rick O'Shay as a kid in Los Angeles and one of the very few comics I truly loved was Sugar & Spike. I also loved Jack Cole's Plastic Man. I saw comics at a couple of friend's homes in Los Angeles and when I was 13, my friend Dennis Lew gave me about 500 old DC comics from the 60s. He kept up "my collection for a year or so" but I really didn't read a lot of comics even then. I did read Tintin and Asterix at my German neighbor's house and I always read children's books and all the classics. One of my friends read MAD so I would see Sergio Aragone's work and people like Mort Drucker and Jack Davis. I love to read biographies, history, and anything that makes one think. That was what filled my time as a kid in the ghetto - that and SPORTS. I loved to play all sports.
What is or was your favorite comic strip? As a kid, Rick O'Shay and Peanuts and BC. As I got older and found the Comic-Con world at 15 in San Diego, I was turned on to Krazy Kat and Little Nemo which are two of my all time favorites. One for the great drawing (McCay) and one for the pure genius that was Herriman. I also love Walt Kelly's Pogo. A truly great strip.
What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it? The Little Prince which I first read in French as a teenager. Still remains my favorite book. Still don't care much for adults who see things as a "hat". Never did.
Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it? I have drawn since I was 2 years old. My dad was a Chinese engineer and used computers the size of buildings and brought home tons of free paper (failed programs for his work) for me to enjoy.
Years later, I learned I had dyslexia which didn't stop me from reading everything I could but I cannot spell to save my life and I cannot do math. Mr. Peterson in the 7th grade at Henry Clay Junior High turned me on to the dip pen and a bottle of ink. My half-Chinese background gave me knowledge of Chinese brushes very early and I still preach to all young artists to draw from life and use these old fashioned instruments. I always did art and was fortunate enough to have free reign in Los Alamitos High School when I left Los Angeles. I am not one to listen to most art teachers and was tossed out of life drawing in college when I didn't know the Latin word for arm. I can't stand most of the nonsense associated with art theory and uptight art museum type phonies. I hate SNOBS. Most of the art world is about CON ARTISTS and not really good art. One has to have a sense of humor and listen to your own heart and your own opinions.
If you can find a truly GOOD art teacher than you are blessed. It's the same for martial arts or anything in this world. A truly great teacher is a gift to the world and I love GREAT TEACHERS. Sadly, most teachers are not even good when it comes to any of the arts. And that is truly tragic.
If you cannot find a great teacher then go read everything in the library on every subject and teach yourself! For all artists, start with NATURE. Draw from life and don't copy other artists like a robot. Look at all the art you can in all fields and learn from the best of them but when you want to be an artist, it's just best to do your own thing.
Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse? It's great for communicating with a lot of "friends" in terms of my new projects and where I am appearing. It's also great sometimes when I need a specific reference image but I still maintain and buy BOOKS from all over the world. I like books. Other than that, the internet is totally over rated in my opinion. Of course, this is on the internet, right?
Did either of your parents draw? No and as they approach 90 years of age, they are still reminding me to get a real job. I really never had a real job. Started publishing my own work at 16 and ran my own studio and really have never paid much attention to what the real world believes I should do for a living. I do not live my life in fear. I became a taoist (note the small "T" at 15) and through years of meditation, I found the best way to live for my SELF.
My grandfather Williams loved to paint a bit in a very amateurish way and I have a Chinese uncle who taught literature so I know my writing and drawing skills do come from DNA on both sides.
Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art? I had a few incredible teachers starting with my 1st grade teacher Miss North in Wayne, New Jersey. She saved my drawings and told me I would be famous. I painted a mural in Wayne many, many years later and she called me in my hotel. She was so proud of me. My 4th grade teacher Miss Borkin in Los Angeles was also a supporter of my work and Mrs. Hemphill at Los Alamitos high school. But really it was being friends with artists like Ray Bradbury, Flavia, Leo & Diane Dillon, Alfredo Alcala, Jean Giraud, Hal Robinson, Sergio Aragones, Roger Armstrong, and so many others when I was in my 20s that made me think that I might be okay with this crazy career choice, not that I really had a choice. I cannot see myself doing anything but making art and telling stories.
Do you keep a sketchbook? I have many and draw in some every ten years or so. I read many books at once always and perhaps this is my A.D.D. kicking in. I also work on many books and projects at the same time and often pick up a story I started 3 or 5 years ago when an idea hits me again to keep going on it. The best thing about being my own boss is that I cannot get fired and we don't have meetings. I hate meetings.
Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience? I did teach in Anaheim years ago to all ages in an after school program and loved it. Of course, I give workshops all over the world to kids and adults about drawing and the entire creative process. My joke is that I say the same things to 5 year old kids as I do to high school and college kids, only I repeat myself to the older kids.
I love speaking around the world and have some wonderful stories from many folks now grown telling me that something I said made a difference years ago. My own 3 sons are age 26-30 and they all draw but only one of them makes his living from his art full time. I have always suggested that art can save your life and your sanity - any art! It's just a good thing to do and you do not have to "make a living at it."
Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?Passion for anything is the most important thing that any of us can have in this really sad 21st century world run by lousy corporations and lousy governments. Are there some good big companies and good governments? - a tiny few but most are all about making humans into robots that they can rip-off and in making more and more money. The level of greed in this world today is off the charts and that is so sad. The powers that be are not about passion for us as individuals and when you destroy passion and free thought, you have NOTHING. Artists with PASSION are the key to reminding us of our real humanity in all THE ARTS.
My friend Emmanuel Itier just made a documentary called The Invocation that shines a light on the good things happening on this planet. He used a painting of mine in the film from Leive Jerger's and my new book, The Winged Tiger & The Lace Princess (out in 2011). Emmanuel's film can give us all hope for the future once we see the real truth of the so called man-made material world. I am still an optimist because of films like Emmanuel's and the people he spoke to all over the globe. Artists are crucial to us healing the planet.
Do you collect anything and if so what? I collect original artwork that I can afford and have also been blessed by many friends who give me their work as gifts. But I have never really been a collector of anything including comic books. I do read some excellent stuff that my friends turn me on to or have made but I am not a collector in any sense of the word.
If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be? Top Cat.
Are you a righty or lefty? Started off using my left hand - still play the drums left handed - but my mom switched me early. My mother believes that one should go along and conform and not make waves. I have spent my life as the loyal opposition to both my parents. They don't understand me at all. I learned to understand that we can love people we don't often agree with and this is why I still believe in peace. I was born in Chicago and I am a lifelong Cubs fan so I am an eternal optimist.
If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work? I would go into politics and get thrown out if I got elected (rare chance of that in the USA) because I am always honest. But I was a two term senator in college years ago and had a lot of fun actually trying to do the right thing in government. I made some good changes. The powers that be are generally against doing the right thing so I became an arts/literacy activist many years ago. I admire people like Frederic Douglas, St. Francis, and Rosa Parks. Change the world without selling your soul but change the world in a non-violent way.
In one or two sentences describe your drawing area. Since I have moved into the wonderful mountain home of my girlfriend Linda Adams, I draw on the kitchen counter and think of another favorite painter Paul Klee working on his kitchen table. Someday, I will have a studio again like in my youth but really it doesn't matter. I can draw and paint anywhere. I spend a lot of my time in the garden that I built in these mountains. A much better studio to just meditate in and enjoy my flowers and birds and lizards and bees.
Do you play any musical instruments? I used to love to play the drums. I am not good but its fun. I have many dear friends who are actually great drummers.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be? My standard answer is two words for all aspiring artists and musicians--- "Marry well."
A more serious answer would be ---learn to draw everything and then find the best way to make a living at what you love. When you start your career DRAW for everyone. Make signs for the local shop with bad signs, redesign ads for all the businesses that have truly awful ads, make t-shirt designs and really just use your art in every way that you can to make this a more interesting and creative world. Do birthday and holiday cards for people and give the world something that is unique and original!!! With all the artists on this planet, one would think that we would see great art everywhere. Instead, we in the United States see mostly corporate box stores and ugly urban architecture and terrible signs. There is very, very little good art on anything mainstream from the internet to the TV to our print ads. Big soulless companies do not understand what good art is 99% of the time. Precious few American magazines even run cartoons and even fewer use illustrators. There is lots of room for excellent art.
Who is your favorite artist? I have to mention three who really made me want to draw in pen and ink for my living. Rick Griffin, Hal Robinson, and Alex Nino. All were so inspiring to me as a young person. Griffin and Nino also paint beautifully. Alex is still amazing me in 2010. In pure painting, it's always been Vincent Van Gogh. A truly tortured soul and a real genius.
Thank you for taking the time to answer Phil.
Cartoonist and illustrator Aaron Lopresti’s answers will be next.
I'm a fifty-something year old married guy who is referred to as "The Geek" by my wife. I grew up in the 60’s-70's as a huge fan of the Big Bad Bruins, Godzilla, Rock and Blues Music, Comics, all things scary, drawing and reading. Hmm...doesn't sound like a geek to me... I work for a financial institution as a Web QA tester. I am happily married and have been for 20 years. I enjoy cartooning and drawing in pen and ink and occasionally will add some watercolor. I have been playing the guitar for years and just recently taught myself the ukulele. I love classic Sci-Fi and Monster movies. Preferably in Black and White.
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