Mailbag
February 20th, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Like yourself I prefer to ink and scan. I do use a digital pen for all the colouring, washes and so forth but for the fine detail of the lining I prefer the real thing. So, I notice not all of your artwork is black outlined, some of your work you colour the lining to match the area it is next to, so perhaps a brown for the lining around the skin, blue for jeans, gray for hair and so on. So my question is, do you alter the colour of the lines in Photoshop or do you use inks or paints on paper… READ MORE
February 13th, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I’ve read your answer to the question “do you do any writing for MAD?” (you add background gags and jokes, but don’t write the dialogue, yes?), but who does the writing for MAD? How does that work? A: Having never written anything per se for MAD, I don’t know firsthand about the writing process for them. I have learned a fair amount about it from writers who I have corresponded with, however. Several MAD writers occasionally drop by the MAD Blog just to make sure I am not talking smack about them, so if I have any of this wrong maybe they can set… READ MORE
February 6th, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I usually assume most artists are skinny or out of shape guys like computer nerds… but when I saw your picture you looked like a WWF wrestler. I workout myself and I was wondering if you could share with us your regiment and more importantly your diet and/or supplements. For instance I stick to a complex carbohydrate diet and I take creatine. I lift weights every 3 days yet I go all out. My main exercise are bicep curls and dips with a weighted belt. Also, I was wondering if you could share with us people’s reaction (such as fans or industry professionals) to… READ MORE
January 30th, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: On a lot of your drawings (sketch of the week) you type out the copy right symbol and your name. If someone wanted to “steal” it or “borrow” it, all they need to do is just PhotoShop it out, correct?? What’s the point of the copy right symbol?? You mean like this?: You are 100% right in that it would be very easy for even the most novice of PhotoShop users to remove that copyright symbol/credit and steal this or any image thus marked. Despite that fact, I started doing this a few years ago for 3 reasons: The Orphan Works Act– I’ve endlessly… READ MORE
January 23rd, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: What do you think of the problems that print publications are having these day? Do you think print is dying, and where do you think the publication industry goes from here? A: The world of publishing is in a transition right now from print to digital media. Will print go away completely? No, I don’t think it will, but digital content is becoming more and more important and will continue to do so. I think that as hardware become more and more sophisticated and portable, more and more consumers will be looking to find their content on devices like the iPad and the evolution… READ MORE
January 16th, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Finding clients and jobs seem to be the biggest challenge for freelancers. Of all your freelance marketing efforts, what seems to be the most effective for you these days, and has that changed over the years? A: Things have definitely changed over the last decade when in comes to how clients are finding illustrators for jobs. Back in the late 1990’s, printed sourcebooks like the Directory of Illustration and Workbook were arguably still the primary place art directors went to find illustrators. These sourcebooks are big printed volumes with glossy pages of ads by individual illustrators and representatives of illustrators showcasing the styles of… READ MORE
January 9th, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: For some time I have been looking for instruction on caricature art. The online courses strike me as a bit sketchy (ok,..shame on me). Could you give me a lead or some direction on how I can learn this art form? A: There are a lot of different ways to learn to do caricature. Some work better for one person than another, so there is no “right way” to learn the art form. Here are some of the things I recommend for anyone wanting to learn how to draw caricatures: Books There is no definitive book on how to draw caricatures out there, but… READ MORE
January 2nd, 2011 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Do you find architecture grueling to draw? Is there any trick to it or do you really have to draw each and every stinking brick and tile? A: Drawing buildings and architecture can be very tiresome, but you have to know when it’s appropriate to draw every brick and tile and when you are better off “suggesting” the features of something like a building. Every illustration has a focus, and adding too much detail to an element that is only a supporting player in an image will distract from the focus and make the illustration too busy. If a building facade is close to… READ MORE
