Mailbag
February 8th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Do you work with assistants and if not, why ? A: For those who might not know this, some cartoonists have assistants that do certain tasks for them in order to get work done more quickly and, thus, be able to accept more work. These tasks can range from minor stuff like erasing the pencil lines from inked boards to major stuff like literally doing all the work (called “ghosting”). In most cases these assistants get paid but get no credit on the final work. This practice has been around since comics began, and in fact was very common in the early days of… READ MORE
February 1st, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: A few months ago I finally got my first serious contract as a freelance illustrator, but unfortunately, almost at the same time I started feeling slight twinges in my wrist, that initially just came and went, but now they’re starting to last longer and increase in intensity as well. I have been considering getting a Cintiq (now I’m using a tiny Bamboo, that I think because of its relatively small surface being mapped onto a bigger screen kind of forces me to concentrate too much on getting my lines right and thus grip the pen too tightly). Do you think that could be a… READ MORE
January 24th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Do you use your drawing skills for private tasks, say for instance a birthday-card for your uncle? And are you asked by relatives, friends or neighbors to make just a little drawing for a party, a present, etc.of course without getting payed? A: That sort of thing is inevitable, but I have to say my family, friends and neighbors are all very good about understanding I have a hard time finding enough hours in the day to get my professional work done, so they seldom if ever ask me to do anything for them. I’ve done art for a few things like that here… READ MORE
January 18th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: My question is regarding your thoughts on the future of comics and illustration in general. Newspaper printing seems to be headed towards a very different form in the coming years (or possibly by the wayside completely) and I was curious to hear (read) your thoughts or predictions about where the future of the cartooning industry lies. A: That’s a big question, but pretty easy to answer in general terms. One: publishing and media consumption in general is going to move almost exclusively to the internet over the next decade or so. Two: cartooning and comics will move with it. I don’t have any idea… READ MORE
January 11th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: In light of the events this week with the Charlie Hebdo massacre, have you ever done any work where you were worried you might offend some crazy extremists and get death threats? A: Yes. Every time I have to draw Justin Bieber, I’m afraid a belieber will jump me in the streets and force me to listen to some of his music. Seriously, not really. I don’t do the kind of work that pushes people’s buttons or calls into question their beliefs on something as volatile as religion. I’ve done some politically charged stuff but I can only remember one time I did something… READ MORE
January 4th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Sebastian Kruger was the guest speaker at the International Society of Caricature Artists’ annual convention and competition. Does the National Cartoonist Society conventions have special speakers? If so, who does the NCS turn to for inspiration, seeing that each member is (in my book) already an inspiration? A: Just some background for readers: The International Society of Caricature Artists (formerly the National Caricaturists Network) is an organization of professional caricature artists from around the world. Each year the ISCA has a convention and competition where anywhere from 150 to 250 caricaturists gather at some hotel somewhere and draw each other for four days. Then… READ MORE
December 28th, 2014 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Drawing is just one aspect of the art of live caricature. Another aspect is smalltalk with your subject. You have already written about an extraordinary conversation “drawing somebody naked”. Can you give an example of a typical conversation during a live caricature? Are you talking about the weather or something like that? And what are you doing if your subject is a child or a person who does not understand English?¬¨‚Ć A: You’re right about drawing being only one aspect of the art of live caricature. Live caricature at its best is a performance art. Those who can combine great drawing with great “banter”,… READ MORE
December 21st, 2014 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Prior to the internet and image search, how did you gather reference material for caricatures? A: Internet search engines have certainly spoiled me. If I want to do a caricature of Jennifer Lawrence, I am only a few seconds away from having literally thousands of photos of her to choose from… some even show her wearing clothes. Back in the days before Google, Yahoo and their ilk, it was a lot more time consuming a process. I used to keep what was called a “morgue file”. I believe the term was originally used to refer to collections of old police files and reports, but… READ MORE
