Bob Almond - Cartoonist Survey #274

Bob Almond is a professional inker, columnist and creator of the Inkwell Awards. He was born in Seoul, South Korea in January of 1967 and moved to the US soon after. He began his life-long love of comics at the age of nine when he started reading Marvel comics. His favorite comic series was The Avengers, which featured the artwork of George Perez. Bob, along with his brother Mike and a few like-minded friends, created their own comic book group in 5th grade called ‘Torpedo Comics’. Together they created comics based on their own characters. Bob worked on these homemade comic books, gaining valuable experience, up until his sophomore year of high school. After high school he studied at the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth where he graduated with a BFA in Illustration in 1990.

He spent the next two years after college sending out penciling and inking samples. Finally, with the help of Bernie Wrightson and Jim Starlin, Bob broke into the business inking Marvel’s Warlock and the Infinity Watch. He worked on Warlock and the Infinity Watch until 1994 when he moved on to other titles for Marvel including Black Panther, Silver Surfer, Star Masters and Nova. Throughout the 90’s Bob worked on numerous titles for most of the leading comic book publishers such as Malibu, Penny-Farthing, Acclaim, Marvel and DC. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Power of Prime, Siren, Foxfire, Ultragirl, Mission Impossible, JLA, Bloodshot, Metal Men, Batman: No Man's Land Secret Files, Decoy and The Victorian are just a few of the comic books he contributed to during this time.

The 2000’s were also a busy time for Bob, with runs on Aquaman, Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril, JSA: All Stars, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Perhapnauts, Annihilation: Conquest- Quasar, Vampirella: Revelations, Danger’s Dozen, Saga Six and many others. Bob’s inking of Sal Velluto’s pencils from 1999 to 2002 on Black Panther earned him two Squiddy Awards and an Ook Award for Best Inker. In addition to comic books his artwork has been used by TwoMorrows Publishing’s for “The Jack Kirby Collector” and also in many of the DK Publishing comic related books such as "The DC Comics Encyclopedia", "The Marvel Encyclopedia", "Fantastic Four: The Ultimate Guide” and “Avengers: The Ultimate Guide".

Besides inking, Bob is a columnist with an encyclopedic knowledge about everything comic book related. He has written many articles for Krause Publications’ “Comics Buyers Guide” and has been a regular contributor to Sketch Magazine, writing the column ‘Inkblots’.

In 2008, in an effort to bring more attention to the craft of inking, Bob founded the Inkwell Awards. 2012 marks the 5th year of this wonderful award whose mission is “to educate and inform the community about the craft of comic book inking, and to recognize it's artists, all for the celebration and advancement of the artform.” The Inkwell Awards website is a great resource which not only lists all of the past winners with quotes from the recipients, but also has links to art supplies, interviews, tutorials and much more.

Bob lives in New Bedford, MA and is a proud husband and father. Be sure to visit his Bob Almond Inkwell website to learn more about him and see much more of his work. His website also has a store where you can purchase autographed prints, original artwork and other goodies. You can also follow Bob on Facebook and Twitter. Want to meet Bob in person? You’re in luck as he will be appearing at the Rhode Island Comic Con on November 3-4 and at the Albany Comic Con November 11th.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I use brush (Raphael Kolinsky or WN series 7 sable) or markers (Sakura Micron markers and Pitt markers). Sometimes I use a quill Hunt 102.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
As an inker almost exclusively, I do very little drawing. But I use a standard pencil when I do.

Do you do your coloring by hand or on the computer?
I have done very limited digital coloring in Photoshop.

If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
The only coloring by hand I have done was in school (acrylic and oil paints, guache, pastel, Prismacolor pencils, etc.)

What type of paper do you use?
Usually supplied to me by the publisher or pencil artist to ink on. They tend to be Strathmore bristol 2-ply board of various levels of quality.

Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
A local art supply store for almost everything.

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?
Usually TV. But if I play my iPod the eclectic range can be from classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, pop, easy listening, alternative, R&B, you name it!

What was the first job as a cartoonist/illustrator that you were paid for?
Warlock & the Infinity Watch for Marvel Comics in 1992.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Marvel Comics and especially Avengers.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?
The Amazing Spider-Man when by Stan lee and John Romita.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I majored in Illustration at the art college at UMass: Dartmouth, formerly known as Southeastern Massachusetts University.

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

Did either of your parents draw?
No.

Do you keep a sketchbook?
Of other artists’ sketches....not my own.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I taught sequential art which involves storytelling, drawing, and inking at an adult learning center as well as inking at a high school for students at risk.

Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
Discipline is, which probably leans more towards passion than talent.

Do you collect anything and if so what?
I've collected comic books since the age of nine.

Are you a righty or lefty?
Righty.

If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
Something else related to the comic book industry.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
A bedroom was converted to a studio with two drawing tables, art supplies/inking tools, lateral file drawers, a personal copy machine, books shelves, TV, art and/or prints hanging up and a few collectibles scattered about.

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?
Patience, perseverance, and passion (oh, and that discipline I mentioned above, too...it just doesn't fit in for the alliteration).

Who is your favorite artist?
I was originally inspired by George Perez....he's the reason I wanted to get into comics. Since then I've admired many artistic heroes and can't limit it to just one: Bernie Wrightson, Adam Hughes, Michael Golden, Jack Kirby, Jim Starlin, Frank Miller, Neal Adams, Gene Day, John Byrne, Jim Steranko, Jeff Jones, Mike Perkins, Howard Chaykin, Makr Texeira, Alex Ross, Tom Raney, and many more. My inking influences include Joe Rubenstein, Terry Austin, Mark Farmer, Klaus Janson, Tom Palmer, Bob Layton, and many I'm surely forgetting.

Thanks again for participating Bob!

Phil Hands - Cartoonist Survey #273

Phil Hands is an award-winning freelance cartoonist, illustrator and writer, who was born in October of 1980.  He grew up in Detroit, MI and started drawing at a very young age.  He started having his cartoons published in the Grosse Pointe News when he was still in high school.  He graduated from Kenyon College in 2003 with a double major in Political Science and Studio Art.  During his four years at Kenyon he was the cartoonist for the school’s newspaper, The Kenyon Collegiate.  In 2005 Phil moved to Madison, WI to attend graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He drew cartoons for that school’s newspaper, The Daily Cardinal, as well.  While at UW-Madison working towards his Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications, he was honored with a first place finish from the Associated Collegiate Press for best editorial cartoons.

He currently draws editorial cartoons for the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison, Wisconsin as well as contributing illustrations to other sections of the paper and writing columns for the opinion page. Phil’s cartoons are also distributed internationally through Artizans Syndicate. Being a political moderate, his editorial cartoons don’t pull any punches with either side of the aisle.  For three years straight (2005 – 2007) the Milwaukee Press Club chose one of his cartoons as the best for the year. He has also received national first place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and was even a finalist, along with other staffers at the Wisconsin State Journal, for 2008’s Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing.  His cartoons have also been published in TIME Magazine, The Washington Post and USA Today.

A member of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, Phil lives in Madison with his wife Tricia and their son Owen.  Visit his Phil Hands Cartoons website to see much more of his work as well as his Madtoons blog and his blog at the Wisconsin State Journal.  You should also his check out his Facebook page which he updates regularly.  As a side note, Phil is also a huge Green Bay Packers fan, but I won’t hold that against him…Go Patriots!

What is your favorite pen to use?

I ink with a brush. My favorite pen is a Micron number 01.

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

Mechanical.

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

Computer.

What type of paper do you use?

I use 100 lb smooth Bristol board.

What thing(s) do you hate to draw?

Large crowds.

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

I buy what I can from local stores but I order specific items I can't always find.

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

Drink coffee.

Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?

I always listen to something when I draw. Usually news and talk shows. Occasionally I'll listen to

Irish Music, Hip/Hop, Country or the Grateful Dead.

What was the first job as a cartoonist/illustrator that you were paid for?

Editorial Cartoonist Grosse Pointe News.

What is or was your favorite comic strip?

Calvin and Hobbes

What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?

Sneetches, my son has it now.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?

I have a Bachelor's in Art.

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

Both of course. It's easier to share my cartoons with people. It's harder to get paid.

Did either of your parents draw?

No.

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

Mom, Dad, wife.

Do you keep a sketchbook?

Yes.

Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?

Yes. It was just OK but I don't think I'm very good at it.

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

Passion can lead to skill, but you can't learn talent. I'm a skilled artist, but not all that talented.

Do you collect anything and if so what?

I collect little Christmas village houses and characters but if you tell anyone I'll have to kill you ;)

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

No clue.

Are you a righty or lefty?

Righty.

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

Editorial page writer and columnist, or Architect.

In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.

I have an exceptionally messy desk in the attic of my house.

Do you play any musical instruments?

Guitar and Harmonica.

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

Quantity breeds Quality. Draw lots and don't worry about making it too perfect.

Who is your favorite artist?

Bill Watterson

Thank you very much for participating Phil!

Nate Powell - Cartoonist Survey #253

Graphic novelist, writer, publisher and musician Nate Powell was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1978. He began self-publishing comics with friends Mike Lierly and Nathan Wilson when he was only 14. In 1994 he started publishing zines and also started a record label. Nate would go to punk shows and sell comics, zines, tapes and records. After graduating from North Little Rock High School in 1996 he spent a short while at George Washington University in Washington, DC. He then attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City and graduated in 2000. While at SVA he received the Outstanding Cartooning Student award and the Shakespeare & Company Books Self-Publishing Grant.

Nate used some of the grant money to self-publish his 2001 comic series “Walkie Talkie.” From 1999 to 2009, in addition to cartooning, Nate worked full-time providing support for adults with developmental disabilities. He was also an actor and skit writer for the North Little Rock sketch comedy show Fun And Games for six years between 1997 and 2002.

“Tiny Giants” is Nate’s debut anthology of work. Released in 2003 and published by Soft Skull, “Tiny Giants” contains work that spans the years 1998 to 2001. His next release was 2004’s graphic novel “It Disappears” that tells the tale about a journey of self-discovery resulting in the realization that everything eventually disappears. In 2006 “Sounds of Your Name”, another collection of his work was printed, including comics, zines and his first two books “Tiny Giants” and “It Disappears”. Nate’s collection of four autobiographical stories, “Please Release” also came out in 2006.

Nate’s next effort, “Swallow Me Whole”, spotlights the effects mental illness has on families. In 2008 “Swallow Me Whole” was awarded the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut. The next year it received the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist and the Eisner Award for Best Original Graphic Novel. “Swallow Me Whole” was also a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for Young Adult Fiction in 2009.

“Any Empire” is his latest graphic novel. Debuting last September, “Any Empire” looks at the damage that war and violence causes middle American children by shattering their innocence. Nate recently finished illustrating Mark Long and Jim Demonakos’ semi-autobiographical tale about civil rights struggle in 1967 Texas, “The Silence of Our Friends.” He is presently drawing “The Year of the Beasts” which is written by Cecil Castellucci and is scheduled to come out in May 2012.

On top of all of the above, Nate also managed the DIY punk record label Harlan Records for 16 years and has performed with numerous bands including Universe, Divorce Chord, Soophie Nun Squad, Wait, and Boomfancy. He’s also a fill-in writer/artist for DC’s Vertigo Comics series "Sweet Tooth" (by Jeff Lemire) and was a contributor to the acclaimed fundraising anthology "What You Wish For: A Book for Darfur." He lives in Bloomington, Indiana with his wife Rachel, their two pets and their brand new baby girl, Harper. Visit Nate’s blog here where you can see much more of his work and purchase comics, books and CDs.

What is your favorite pen to use?
I do about 50/50 work in Hunt 102 crowquill and Windsor & Newton 7 Series #2 brush.

Do you draw in pencil first and if so do you use a standard pencil or a mechanical one?
Until a couple of months ago, I just used a regular HB pencil, but have recently rediscovered the joy of a mechanical pencil after watching my friend work with one.


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


If you do your coloring by hand, what do you use?
I color with FW Acrylic Artists Ink and a brush, directly on the line art.

What type of paper do you use?
Strathmore 400 Smooth Finish Bristol.


What thing(s) do you hate to draw?
I feel that I’m weak at drawing feet, cars, and sleeves because I’m lazy at observing them. Also, horse anatomy and babies.


Do you buy your supplies from big chain art store catalogues/websites or a local one that you physically go to?
I split my orders between Dick Blick and my local shop, Pygmalion’s.

Are there any rituals that you do before starting to draw?
My entire daily life is one big routine. It’s the only way to keep discipline. A typical morning (before my new baby arrived) was this: wake up at about 8, drink water and eat breakfast while checking email, reading news and Cracked.com; spend about 45 minutes gently waking my wife up at 10-minute intervals, then taking my dog on a walk through the cemetery next door. The whole ordeal takes about 2 hours.


Do you listen to music while you draw and if so what genre?
This last year I’ve listened a lot to Genesis, ^(Arc), La Roux, V Manuscript, Bernard Herman, Fat Shadow, Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, New Order, Please Inform The Captain This Is A Hijack, Tammar, Dreamers Of The Ghetto, Morrow, Moby, Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Anthrax, Megadeth, Neurosis, Black Sabbath, Portraits Of Past, Yes, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Antelope, and lots of 1980’s DC hardcore.

Did you read comics as a kid and if so what was your favorite?
Of course! I started reading comics when I was 3, thanks to a steady diet of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Wonder Woman. Until I was in about fifth grade, I loved G.I.Joe, Transformers (the comics shop in Alabama even carried totally separate British versions of both series, which were awesome and brutal), and The ‘Nam. Once I actually started coming into my true self, I devoured all X-Men related books, Daredevil, the original TMNT run, Appleseed, Orion, and Akira.


What is or was your favorite comic strip?
Calvin & Hobbes, of course.


What was your favorite book as a child and do you still own a copy of it?
Hands down, it would be "Bunnicula", and I still have my old copy at the ready.

Did you have any formal art training and if so where did you receive it?
I got a BFA in Cartooning from School Of Visual Arts in New York City, Class of 2000.


Do you feel that the Internet is a blessing or a curse?
It’s the Internet.


Did either of your parents draw?
My dad and both of his parents are/were pretty skilled at drawing, though none of them spent too much time focusing on it. My dad’s mom, Elaine Powell, began painting in 1980 for something to focus on while recovering from cancer, and lo and behold was quite good at it. From a very early age, I have strong memories of watching Bob Ross programs, smelling oil paint, and collaborating with her on paintings, adding snakes and dinosaurs to her rural Southern landscape paintings.

Who in your life is/was the most supportive of your art?
My wife Rachel Bormann is a huge support in every facet of my life, and provides crucial feedback and insight to my comics (and we’re known to crank out a few stories together like “Cakewalk”), and my best friend and collaborator Erin Tobey is a direct and constant presence with the work I do, from concept and editorial phases to art production assistance to website management. The journey would be so much harder without these two peeps!

Do you keep a sketchbook?
I have kept a sketchbook/journal fairly consistently since 1995, and have probably filled up 20 or so journals along the way. Throughout my twenties, I relied more and more on my sketchbook work to make sense of an increasingly messy and unpredictable life. As things have grounded themselves a bit more, and as projects are more long-term, I’ve virtually stopped my journal entries and simply thumbnail my books in them. I’ve never actually kept a sketchbook of life drawing, or kept in practice with it.


Have you ever taught cartooning/drawing and if so did you enjoy the experience?
I’ve done a variety of presentations and workshops in several public libraries throughout the land, and during 1999-2002 I was an art teacher at a skills center for adults with developmental disabilities in my hometown of North Little Rock, AR. Any presentations about comics had much more to do with opening up the field for folks’ specific questions—pulling back the curtain—than teaching drawing, semiotics, or the technical side of comics.


Do you feel that talent or passion is more important in drawing?
I feel that focus is more important than either, but if I had to pick one, it would maybe be talent—which seems kinda lame. But I think that part of talent in this sense can also be the developing skill set that focus brings forth in a person’s drawing, harnessing the passion and intuition that drives you to observe and create.


Do you collect anything and if so what?
I have 2,000 records, but I don’t think I would consider those a “collection” any more than my library of books or comics—maybe the difference is that these collections are constantly used and referenced. I mean, I do put all my records in little plastic baggies and stuff, but that’s because I plan to keep using them throughout my lifetime.


If you were an animated cartoon character who do you think you would be?
I’ll go transgender (and transspecies) on this one, as one of my cartoon heroes is Mrs. Brisby/Frisby from The Secret Of Nimh.

Are you a righty or lefty?
I follow the right hand path.


If you weren't an artist what would you want to do for work?
If I couldn’t make a living drawing comics, I would still gladly be doing support work for adults with developmental disabilities, a career I had from 1999 to 2009. My brother has high-functioning autism and some other disabilities and lives a very independent, functional, highly social life. Growing up with and through him gave me a natural inclination to work and communicate well with folks with disabilities, and to see the urgency of providing advocacy for folks who our society consistently wants to sweep under the couch.


In one or two sentences describe your drawing area.
A lifetime’s detritus, stuffed into rows and shelves as if my studio were the final shot of Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

Do you play any musical instruments?
I play bass decently, and play guitar, keyboard, and percussion most indecently. Over the years I’ve been in the bands Soophie Nun Squad (1992-2007), Gioteens (1999-2001), Boomfancy (2000-01), Wait (2005-2007), Divorce Chord (2008), and Universe (2008-2010).

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to pursue drawing as a career what would it be?
More essential than anything else is developing and maintaining true discipline. “Draw comics every day” is a nice gesture, but it won’t cut it. After drawing comics full-time while working my job full-time for 9 years, I finally had a brief window to take a chance on full-time cartooning, but the only way I can stay afloat is working about 9 hours a day, 6 days a week, 50 weeks a year. And it’s essential to factor in several hours a day doing email/communications/media/promotion/pitch stuff on the computer. It’s a rough ride, but then again, you do get to listen to music and draw all day. It’s just that it’s ALL day.


Who is your favorite artist?
My all-time favorite mainstream comics artists are Arthur Adams and Michael Golden. These days, my very favorite cartoonist peers are Gabby Schulz, Erin Tobey, Gabriella Giandelli, Genivieve Elvrum/Castree, Dash Shaw, Becky Cloonan, Farel Dalrymple, Anders Nilsen, John Porcellino, Vanessa Davis, and Lisa Hanawalt, to name a few. It’s a great community.


Thank you very much Nate and a big congratulations on the new addition!