DAN GOODSELL
Dan Goodsell is an artist living in Los Angeles. The basis of his work is a fictional place called the Imaginary World which is inhabited by an odd assortment of characters including Mr. Toast, Joe the Egg & Lemonhead. His artwork chronicles the adventures and lives of these characters. A major influence on his art was "the golden age" of education; when science, history and nature were taught through state fairs, roadside attractions, illustrated books and animated classroom films. Over the last six years, he has created and maintained the Imaginary World web site where visitors can find weekly web comics, read illustrated stories and purchase Mr Toast books and toys.
When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?My path to work in graphic arts was not at all straight forward. I come from a very creative family but at the same time we were all very interested in science. So when I entered college it was as a physics major but after taking a few art classes that all changed. As an art major I worked mainly in performance and video. I didn't have the patience to try to learn any real classic art skills. So I left school and did not really pursue an art career.
Well after a number of years working in art galleries and museums, I decided to get back into art. The project I cooked up in my mind was to create my own theme park similar to something like Disneyland. I quickly found that to make the park I need characters and the characters needed stories. I had characters from my college years including Mr Toast. So I began to paint and draw to try to establish who the characters were. Slowly I taught myself to paint and
draw over the last 6 years. Also I have never been paid to work as an illustrator. Any money I have made has been through selling my own paintings and products I have created myself.
Who or what inspires you?I was lucky enough to attend the Pictoplasma Conference in October of 2006 in Berlin. I came back completely inspired because everyone there was really doing there own thing and everyone seemed to be finding room in the world to live and create. Life is not a competition but a giant conference where we can all share ideas.
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?As I said before, I am self taught. I started with trial and error and now I find I look at other artists and can look at their technique and learn a little about how to perfect my own skills.
How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?I keep fresh by observing the world and trying to bring it into my work. I was walking the other
morning and I saw a giant spider web in the tree. Immediately I was working it into a story I had been thinking about. I also like to go to sleep working on an idea and then have it percolate inside my dreaming state. Often in the morning the idea will have worked itself out or sometimes transformed completely into something new and even better.
What are some of your current projects?Right now I am beginning to put together a little book of my work which I will self publish. I have a show of my paintings coming up in May that I have to start work on. Also I will hopefully begin work on a Mr Toast children's picture book to be published by a "real" publisher. This last one I am both excited about and terrified since I will not be in total control but you have to let go at some point.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why? I am proud of the books I have self published - Mr Toast at the Circus, Imaginary World Comics #1, GAGS and The World of Mr Toast. I am really proud of them because I did everything in them from the writing and illustration to the design. It is great because if you choose to you can do it all yourself with the help of a computer. It cost some money but by doing it myself I have learned so much more.
Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?I am about to give gouache a try. I want to try to do some classic old school magazine type illustrations. I have no idea if it will work out but it will be fun to try.
Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?Work, work, work. Try to figure out what it is you care about and follow it through. Never quit just keep moving. Art is about momentum and once you get going you won't be able to stop (at least until you run out of room to store all your stuff).
What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?As long as you are happy with a piece, it is a success. When it comes to my weekly comics, if I show it to my wife and get a laugh, I know that it is successful. I also benefit from getting feedback via my blog and Flickr and it helps me assess which things seem to strike a cord with people and which seem to fall flat.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?My main motivating factor is my age. I am about to turn 42 and I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do since I spent about 10 years not doing my art. Maybe at some point I will be satisfied about where I am at but right now I can't seem to get enough done. There are always plenty of paintings and drawings that need to get done. I used to be afraid of running out
of ideas, now I just want to find the time to get them all done. It drives my wife crazy because I have 5 projects all in progress throughout the house (I use the kitchen as a painting studio).
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?I am really excited about the new season of Rome on HBO. The HBO series like Rome and the Wire are my favorites.
Related Links:
http://www.theimaginaryworld.comhttp://www.mistertoast.blogspot.comRecent Work:
BRANDON REESE
I pay the bills by art directing a small children's magazine but my passion is illustration. I live in North Carolina with my wife and 2 and a half-year-old son.
web-
http://www.brandonreese.comblog-
http://www.drawger.com/brandonreeseWhen did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?
I've always thought I'd do something artistic. My mom is a big reason for that. When my brother and I were small she'd read something somewhere that if you want to foster creativity in your children, you shouldn't give them coloring books. You should just give them blank pieces of paper. She did that and I've been drawing ever since.
Who or what inspires you?
Vintage children's book illustration from the 50's and 60's. People like M. Sasek, Tibor Gergely, Art Seiden, and of course Mary Blair. I'm also a big fan of Tim Biskup. The stuff he comes up with is just amazing. But my 2 and a half year old son is my biggest inspiration. I want to create things that will make him smile and hopefully one day make him proud enough to say "Hey, my dad did that!"
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?
As far as my illustration work, I'd say I'm somewhat self-taught. My first real art class wasn't until college. I graduated from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with a degree in Visual Communications. There were art classes but at the Art Institute there was a definite emphasis on graphic design. I've been the art director of a small children's magazine for 6 years and I freelance illustrate as much as I can.
How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?
I try to draw something in my sketchbook everyday. I'm also constantly working on some personal project or another, like a children's book dummy, painting, silkscreen print, promo stuff, mural work, etc. I feel guilty if I'm not working on something.
What are some of your current projects?
Right now I'm customizing a Munny for a show at the Bear + Bird gallery in Lauderhill, FL. I'm also working on a small promotional booklet to send out to publishers for Valentine's day.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why? (Can you provide links to images of said project?)
I had a piece in the I am 8-bit 2.0 show last year. It was one of my first shows, so it was pretty exciting to be in a show with a lot of artists I admire. (
iam8bit.net)
I had a print sell out at Tiny Showcase (
tinyshowcase.com)
Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?
I'd like to experiment with acetone transfers and incorporate them into my paintings.
Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?
If you are just starting out, participating in illustration friday or Sugar Frosted Goodness' weekly assignments is a great way to build up your portfolio and get feedback. Plus, the deadline is good practice for illustrating in the real world.
Know what market your work is suited for and go for it. Never stop learning and be open to criticism.
What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?
50% concept, 50% illustration. I like my work to tell a story.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?
I go to the bookstore and walk to the children's book section. I then locate the book, "Walter the Farting Dog" and say, if this can get published, I know I can make it.
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?
The Venture Brothers... so witty, funny and nicely drawn.
Little Britain... If you can catch it on BBC America, do it. These guys push the envelope on comedy.
Lost... ever get the feeling the writers are just screwing with us?
and one of the best show of all time (drum roll please)... Six Feet Under. Catch it on Bravo now.
Related Links:web-
http://www.brandonreese.comblog-
http://www.drawger.com/brandonreeseRecent Work:
OCTAVIO DIAZ
I'm an illustrator/page designer/graphic artist/ for Florida Today newspaper, a 100,000-circulation daily in Melbourne, FL. I've been freelancing since 1997, but have not made the move to full-time freelance. Y'know, mouths to feed, medical benefits, the golden handcuffs.
My ispot portfolio
http://www.theispot.com/artist/odiazMy Newspagedesigner portfolio
http://www.newspagedesigner.comMy blog
http://octaviodiaz.blogspot.com/I used to do lot of work for
Forbes, Interactive Week and Business 2.0, mostly business mags and computer mags, but that dried up when the economy took a downturn around 2000. Lately, I've been having more luck with alternative weeklies like Riverfront Times in St. Louis, MO, and Cleveland Scene. Small budgets, but lots of fun. A little edgier than the stuff I can do for the newspaper.
When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?I became fascinated with drawing in junior high. There was a kid there who drew the Rat Fink-type drawings and I thought that was so cool, so I'd try to draw stuff like he did. He grew up to be a preacher.
I spent most of junior high and senior high doodlin' when I should been skoolin', but never thought of taking any art classes. Then I floundered through a couple of years of community college, took two drawing classes, not having any idea what I was gonna do for a job or career. I had no idea that illustration could be a career.
So after two aimless years of community college, I took a night job at UPS, loading and unloading trucks, working on my
cardboard-drawing technique (lots of cardboard boxes there!) and occasionally mailed out my drawings to magazines.
After a few years of that, and getting some drawings published in an East Coast surfing mag and Easy Rider (groan!), I went to The Miami Herald with my drawings. Out of pity, I guess, they hired me as a freelancer to do one illustration a week for a features column.
Then one day, one of their staff artists got fired on the spot for refusing to do a locator map and they offered me a part-time position.
So I basically learned about graphic design and illustration on the job. And how to make locator maps.
I spent a few years at The Miami Herald using pre-historic tools like Rapidograph pens and X-acto knives. I moved to the Melbourne area in the mid-80s and was hired at Florida Today as a staff artist to do illustrations and infographics. We were just getting started on Macs, mostly for maps and charts.
Around the same time, I became more involved with page design and joined the Society for News Design
http://www.snd.org/Then one day, one of the tech guys at the newspaper brought in a copy of Photoshop. I was like the one of
the apes in 2001: A Space Odyssey, y'know?, when they approach the monolith? I approached it cautiously, loaded it into my Mac, jumped back in awe at the tools palettes, tried some of the brushes, scratched my head, jumped back some more, and began banging the mouse against my drawing table until an illustration emerged.
Who or what inspires you?Everything, everything. People-watching. Movies. Looking through illustration annuals, illustrators Websites, magazines. Collecting examples of graphic design from my travels in Central America, the Caribbean and Europe.
Music: Underworld, NIN, GrooveSalad on Soma-FM, ambient, trip-hop.
Architecture by Frank Gehry.
Movies by Pedro Almodovar, Tim Burton, Danny Boyle, Robert Rodriguez,
Guillermo del Toro.
Artists: Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Frieda Kahlo, Mark Ryden, Bob Dob, John
Hersey.
Graphic designers: David Carson, Milton Glaser.
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?Self-taught. Totally. In one nude-model figure drawing class I took in college, the instructor said "Man, you just can't stop doing caricatures, can you!" and I thought I was drawing realistically. So, so much for that .
How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?For graphic design, I look at a lot of magazines and Society for News Design annual. For illustration, I'm constantly looking at a lot of different artists, in books and on the Web, to see what they're doing, and to incorporate what I see into my illustrations.
What are some of your current projects?I've been working on a series of
GothGirl illustrations that I hope to market as bobblehead toys, postcards, calendars, t-shirts, etc.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why? I'm most proud of my personal projects, because they're the most fun and they give me the most pleasure. Then if I can sell a personal piece, then so much the better.
I recently did a
series of illustrations for The Good Life, a slick monthly mag published by The Asbury park Press in NJ.
Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?Since all my work is digital, I wanna do something to get my hands dirty. I wanna throw some paint. I wanna scavenge electronic shops and junk yards and do some found-art montages.
Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?
For the novice illustrator: Develop your own style. Don't quit your day job. Wash your hands. Use sunscreen.
What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?
If I'm satisfied with it. If the art director is pleased with it. If I get a positive comment from a reader (or the writer of the story I'm illustrating.) If it makes someone wonder how the illustration was created. If I get paid within 30 days.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?Fortunately, I don't have that problem. There's a party going on in my mind all the time. The only problem is getting that party to quiet down when I'm trying to sleep. I also carry around a sketch pad, keep one next to my bed and save all my doodles.
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?Marge Helgenberger as Catherine Willows on CSI.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marg_Helgenbergerhttp://tvdramas.about.com/od/csi/ss/csiphotos_3.htmRecent Work:
KELSEY SHANNON
I'm Kelsey Shannon. I've been a professional illustrator and designer for the last 10 years. In that time, I've been lucky enough to work on something like 40 comics for various companies, including Marvel and DC, on titles like Batman Adventures and X-Men Unlimited. It's also been my pleasure to work briefly in animation as a concept designer and storyboard artist on Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (The movie) for DNA/Nickelodeon/Paramount and G.I. Joe: Spy Troops for Reel FX/Hasbro. I've recently returned to comics in hopes of working on those sweet high profile type books.
When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?I always drew pictures as a kid, but it was mostly cars and trucks. It wasn't until high school that I discovered how cool comic books are and from then on I made a concerted effort to improve my artistic skills.
Who or what inspires you?My inspirations are vast, and thanks to the Internet, they have become endless. Starting out, I loved Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld. Their work was easy to pick apart to see how they were doing it. I quickly found Marc Silvestri and Whilce Portacio, Todd Mcfarlane, and Dale Keown. Pretty much all the original Image crew. It was flashy and exciting. Perfect for me at the time. It's also important to mention how much Mike Mignola has inspired me throughout the years. Since his work on the graphic novel, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, he has amazed me with his totally compelling simplicity. He can deliver so much mood and atmosphere with very little effort. Well, it seemed that way. He probably struggles as much as the rest of us. From there I started to branch out to classic illustrator's like Norman Rockwell. It was with him that I started to understand the value of storytelling. Rockwell could accomplish so much story within one image. Also during this time, the work of the Gaijin Studios crew came to my attention. Brian Stelfreeze, Adam Hughes, Cully Hamner, Tony Harris, Karl Story, Dave Johnson, and Jason Pearson. There style and storytelling abilities were always so much superior to those of mortal comic book artist. But that level of detail and finish comes with a high price in comic book land. It takes a long time to do things right and comics is just not a place for doing things that way. Only on occasion, for special projects.
Honestly, I could write a book on what inspires me. What I've just mentioned was the beginning. There's also film and animation such as the work of Steven Spielberg, Hayao Miyazaki, Don Bluth, John McTiernan, Katsuhiro Otomo, David Fincher and many, many others. I'm also very inspired by music from artist like Dan The Automator, Mike Patton, Jerry Goldsmith, Ministry,
and DJ Shadow. Like I said, the list is endless.
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?Completely self-taught, but I've had a lot of guiding influences. Most notably is Brian Stelfreeze. Like he has with so many others, he taught me the value of story and how everything your doing as an artist can aid in that goal. Color, layout, acting-virtually everything you do can and should be used to create story. After all, that's what we are really doing here. We're telling stories.
How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?I don't know how or if I manage to stay "Fresh" in this business, but I study, study, study. New and old film, artists in comics, animation, music, and illustration are all key. Japanese manga and anime are great and contain some of the best design ever created, and the French are hot on their tails. It's important to stay on top of what's current and how we got there. I think it's silly when some of these guy's settle. For example, some artist's latch onto Alex Toth and it stops there. They are denying themselves of a world of possibilities and it makes me sad.
What are some of your current projects?I'm working on a mini series with Greg Thompson, called Atomic Chimp. It's a fun and fast, Looney Tunes kind of thing, not to be taken seriously. Just enjoyed. I just finished my contribution to a book on storytelling process that should be out next year. I don't know what it's called yet, but it's being put together by John Lowe and includes super talented artist like Mark Shultz and Chris Brunner. It's going to be a hell of a book. I'm working on a card set for Upper Deck and there's also a possibility of working at Marvel again, but it's too soon to say for sure. I'll post updates on my blog about new things.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?I'm very proud of Bastard Samurai; a book that Mike Oeming, Miles Gunter, and I did with Image a few years ago. That really ushered in a new stage in my work. Color. It's the first time that I really started to take control of what it was I wanted to accomplish. It's rough, but a lot of fun. Image is releasing the trade again, with a new cover by me. I'm also very proud of the work I've contributed to NYC Mech, another book at Image by Ivan Brandon, Miles Gunter, and Andy MacDonald. It's a high concept book, with a lot of balls and bite. I think it's been one of the best titles on the shelves over the last couple of years.
Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?Nope. I've done it all. At one time or another, I've written scripts, penciled, inked, colored, lettered, and designed comic books. The only thing that I haven't done is to execute a long run on a big title such as X-Men. That's always been a dream of mine, and it's something that I'm working hard to do.
Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?Learn to do it all. There's nothing like being able to do a complete piece on your own. If you're able to do that, then there is no stopping you from accomplishing your goals. And never settle. Study, study, study!
What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?STORY! It doesn't matter what it is, it has to tell a story. Even if it's just a character standing still, you could be telling a story about that character. Is he or she hot or cold? Are the happy or mad? These are the very basics. You need to figure out first what it is that your trying to say with your' drawing and then figure out how to say it.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?I study! I browse the Internet and look at books. I read novels and watch movies. Seeing all the cool things that are happening around me makes me jealous and it makes me work harder.
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?I don't really watch TV, but LOST is the one thing I make time for. If you want to see great story in action, then all you have to do is watch LOST.
Related Links:http://dagriz.blogspot.com/Recent Work:
MIKE CRESSY
Detroit bred but love the west coast. I've played the guitar (I have 4 of them.) and some other string instruments since I was ten. I compose music in my spare time. I've been a freelance illustrator most of my life and have taken full time jobs when need be, like Sierra Entertainment for 4.5 years.
So I've worked in the computer game industry for 12 years while working on 8 children's picture books and doing illustration for magazines, companies, advertising agencies and design studios. I'm currently working on many of my own projects and doing paintings and drawings every week while trying to keep warm and toasty in Seattle.
When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?Well,... it could have been when I was a little kid and being sick with my Mom putting a stack of paper and a pencil in front of me as I drew the cartoon characters I saw on TV. Or it could have been when I was a teenager and getting high and drawing my own cartoons and comic strip. Perhaps it was when I moved to Los Angeles (from Detroit) and worked in animation (the old school way.) and was getting sick and tired of drawing the same thing 12 to 24 frames per second...
Yeah, I think that was it. Then I hit the pavement and took my new portfolio door to door at Advertising Agencies, Magazines, and Newspapers. I soon got work in all those areas.
Who or what inspires you?
I've been a big fan of many artists over the years. I collect art books and have a huge collection. I pour over new art books at book stores whenever I can. I can name many famous artists but the list would be too long. However, when I was starting out I had a huge opportunity to join a studio collective known as Group West in Los Angeles. There were about 7 Illustrators who were anywhere from 20 to 45 years older than myself. They taught me a great deal about the business end of art and inspired me with their great talent. Their names will forever be in the forefront of my inspiration. They were (In no particular order) Ren Wicks, Nick Galloway, Larry Salk, Bill Robles, Neil Boyle, Mark Morrisette, and Fred Hatzer.
These guys were also some of my best friends. The only ones who are still alive are Bill Robles and Mark Morrisette. Bill and I are in touch weekly.
I am also inspired by what I see around me constantly. Everything from my wonderful girlfriend Holly, My family, things that happen in Seattle, the people I watch, the events that happen in the country and the world. Nature is a big inspiration too,... even though I tend not to represent it much in my work. I feel that I can't compete with nature. It's too beautiful and horrific all at once on it's own.
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?
I'm totally self taught. I enrolled in The Famous Artist school when I was a kid and paid for it with money from my paper route but very soon dropped out. I couldn't handle the pressure. I'm not an academic. I don't do well in classroom situations. I have lectured and spoken to classes and I'll be doing that again next month at the UW extension.
I'm naturally curious and love to read. Sometimes too much.
Working with and having my studio at Group West when I was starting out was my real training. On the job training.
It really helps to be curious about the world and everything that entails. It took me a while to warm up to the computer art thing but that was 14 years ago and once I got into it I loved it. I still do most of my work traditionally but I've worked at plenty of computer game studios over the years. Electronic Arts Seattle, Microsoft off and on,... sooo many contracts, 4 1/2 years at Sierra Entertainment... I keep up on everything. I love Apple computers so they keep it sexy and cool for me and everyone. How can you stay away from things like that.
Keeping up on the news and events help me come up with ideas too.
What are some of your current projects?
The main one I can't talk too much about because I might jinx it. A friend of mine that I worked with at Sierra and I are doing a very cool project that we hope to finish soon and make a pitch but that's all I can say about that one. I'm also working on several children's picture book ideas and pitching them to publishers. I have a ton of ideas for kids books. (I've illustrated 8 so far and most of them are still available on Amazon.com and other on line book stores.) I just have to find the right publisher. I'm also working on a graphic novel that I hope is not like most of the others. It has a specific philosophy and keeps the violence down to almost nothing. I've really gotten quite fed up with the whole love of violence in entertainment thing. I prefer thoughtful progressive ideas in my entertainment and rally against anything that would stop me from thinking the way I think.
Then there are all the paintings and drawings I do all the time. I've got a ton of sketches from all my sketchbooks that I use for paintings and I try to draw a bit in my sketchbook every day. You can see some of my LIVE sketchbooks through my website
www.mikecressy.com.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?This is a bit corny but I did a painting for my girlfriend for Xmas and it's from a sketch that I did in one of my old sketchbooks. She loved it and as of this past week is hanging on her living room wall.
Other than that, I'm usually very proud of whatever I'm working on now and I'm working on a ton of things so I guess I'm proud of it all.
I was very proud of the work I did at Microsoft this past summer. Not every manager at Microsoft treats the artists with the same respect as the programers but we deserve the same because we give their products a look that normal people can relate to,... otherwise their products wouldn't sell as well. They need to acknowledge that.
Some results of my proudest moments are available for viewing on my website (
www.mikecressy.com) and available as posters at
http://MikeCressy.imagekind.com/MikeCressyAre there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?Actually there is one that I refuse to use because I have tried it and hate the way the programs are set up for use. If I could work at one of the companies that make products like Maya or Studio Max I would fight for a way to make it much easier to use 3-D programs and make them more intuitive. I started working on them back in 95 and they haven't changed much except to be more complicated. I hate that. I love Photoshop, Painter, After Effects, to a lesser degree Flash, and totally love all the Apple programs that have come with OSX but those 3-D programs suck for the user. I don't think you'll ever see me working on special effects programs for movies. I'd hire someone before doing it myself.
Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?My advice for graphic designers and art directors is to stop relying on other images. Be creative with your own originality. I guess that would apply to illustrators as well. I see too many people copying each other. We each do that to a certain degree but you have to make it your own and put your own spin on it and take it from there. Really my beef is with art directors at magazines and advertising agencies. They only do photos now a days. There is so many very talented illustrators out there. Stop using photos. THEY ARE BORING!!! Especially ones of celebrities!!! (Sorry for the rant.)
What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?That depends on a lot of things. Ultimately an artist can be horrible but if the art that they just finished works,... then it works. Enough said. If you are said artist, examine what went right with what you've just done and try to do that with the next piece. After some time of doing this you will improve. When you improve the way you work, your art will improve and the degree of success will increase with each piece of art. (Unless you get lazy.)
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?I used to be motivated mostly by money and to a certain level I still am. However on a day to day, hour to hour basis, everything stimulates me and helps to keep my motivation alive. It's something you either have or don't. I love to sit in a nicely populated cafe and draw based on things I see. Most times the finished sketch doesn't look like what crossed my path and that's because I'm cross referencing things in my head with what I see and the results are a bit unusual. That helps a long way to avoid burn out. It's also good to take breaks from the whole art thing. (The Oregon coast is some of the most beautiful I've seen. You can drive all day and see nothing but beauty!) Even though in the back of my head I'm storing images to use later.
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?There are sooo many bad things on TV it's hard to find something good. I have to say that I find all that reality TV very boring. I want to be entertained and reality tv ain't entertaining, period! I hate it all and wish it would all go away. But it won't and I have to deal with that. So here's what I like to watch. (Some of these aren't prime time.)I'm big on comedy so I dig "My name is Earl" because I know there are tons of Americans like that out there, "30 Rock", "Scrubs" even though it's Jumped the Shark a while a go, "2 and a half men" (Also has jumped the Shark), "Craig Ferguson's rather Late show", "The Daily Show", Bill Maher's "Real Time", "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (Best show to come out of the recent crop!), and anything by Bill Moyers.
Related Links:
DAN PANOSIAN
Hi, I'm a comic book artist that has jumped into the advertising world, living in Los Angeles, California. I still occasionally work in the comic book field but the majority of my income is produced from commercial art. In the past, I worked on books like X-Men, Spiderman, Captain America, Thor, Green Lantern and the Hulk. These days I'll do a cover here and there but most of the projects range anywhere from toy design to video game cover conception.
www.danpanosian.com and
http://urbnbarbarian.blogspot.com/When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?
My father, an art director and illustrator, loved comic books. I think he would of preferred to be a comic book artist or syndicated newspaper cartoonist if he had his druthers. He would buy me those oversized treasury edition comics when I was in pre-school. I was fascinated by them. When I was older he took me to see Conan the Barbarian and after wards we went to a local bookstore/newsstand. He bought me a copy of Savage Sword of Conan. It was a black and white magazine style comic book drawn by John Buscema. From then on I knew I wanted to draw my own one day.
Who or what inspires you? Graphic ideas inspire me. I don't look at anyone specifically. I look at everything. Before I knew much about art I would only look to comic book artists to show me the way. These days, a well done bumper sticker can inspire me.
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School? I was self taught. Surprisingly ( or not in some cases... ), my father didn't want me to pursue a career in art. So I learned from books and by doing. I started a business when I was 14 years old that forced me to draw every day. I placed a classified style ad in Dragon Magazine, a publication that focused on games like Dungeons and Dragons, etc. People would send me their Character Sheets from whatever Role Playing Game they were into and I would provide them with a visual. Practice is the best teacher. Later, I worked for Neal Adams early on in my career and he would take time before work to show me things. Some of the best art lessons I've ever had. I still recall things now that he taught me years ago and apply them. Later, I met Mark Pacella and he opened a lot of artistic doors for me. He showed me a world outside comic books. It took a while to stick, but now I rarely look at comic books when I'm faced with a drawing challenge. I try and approach things from different angles.
How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?Blogs. They're amazing. There are so many talented artists out there doing things that blow me away.
What are some of your current projects?They vary. Generally I work on advertising campaigns that last only a week or two. I am, however, struggling to make time to finish a graphic novel with Mark Irwin.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why? I can't say there is one. My work varies so much in style and subject matter. At the moment it's the Drink and Draw hardcover book. It was a bear to put together but I'm very proud of it. Check it out at:
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=96005
Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?I'd like to paint. I paint with Photoshop but I want to try oils. Of course, I want a 10,000 square foot loft in Manhattan too...
Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?Practice and compare your work to only the best in your field.
What makes a designed piece or illustration successful? Proper composition and color choices. That's it.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?
Luckily, the type of work I do calls for a new illustrative or design approach constantly. I rarely draw or attack a problem the same way for more than a week or so. As a result, it's hard to develop a consistent look but it certainly keeps things fresh.
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?I don't watch prime time television, I'm never around during those hours and I don't have the dedication to stay with a show week after week. I do watch a considerable amount of UFC and Pride though...
Related Links:www.danpanosian.comhttp://urbnbarbarian.blogspot.com/Recent Work:
OSCAR GIMENEZ
Born in Barcelona, Spain, Oscar Gimenez was almost genetically forced to be an illustrator. Both his father and uncle were graphic designers/illustrators and worked at home, so he grew up in an unhealthy atmosphere of ink and paint odours, photolithographs and tight deadlines. Although he had always loved drawing, he initially refused to follow in their footsteps and went on a search for a life of stability and fresh air. However, after trying many other unfulfilling jobs and becoming a frustrated artist, he finally decided to follow the call of the blood. No regrets since then. His work is now represented in Spain, France, the UK and the USA and he´s managed to live a pretty healthy life.
When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?My father was a graphic designer and former illustrator and he worked at home. I loved staying with him overnight when he had to finish a commission always due early for the next day. Plus, I had always loved drawing. However, I saw him struggle so hard to get some sort of stability that I decided to follow a totally different and apparently more secure path. So I studied languages, started teaching and did quite a lot of travelling. But the more I taught the emptier I felt and, here comes the pivotal moment, whilst living in London I started frantically drawing again and put a portfolio together. Then I came back to Spain and soon started working for a few magazines. Since then I have managed to live off it and I often try to remind myself how lucky I am.
Who or what inspires you?
Anything I see can be a big influence to me. I look around me all the time taking mind pictures. I flick through books, surf the internet, go to exhibitions and absorb all the available information surrounding me. I do have some all time favourite artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo or Raphael, who were just real masters in more than one discipline. Generally I love artists who can really draw. I think James Jean is one our contemporary geniuses. I find his work very impressive and I´ve noticed he´s influencing a lot of artists right now.
Music has to be also a big inspiration, basically because I can´t draw a single line without it!
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?
Completely self-taught. As I mentioned on the first question, I studied languages so when I decided to become an illustrator I felt too lazy to go back to school! Sometimes I feel it´s been harder to learn things that way but I also believe that our background and our life experience is as important as our education.
How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?
It´s more a need than a deliberate thing. Being a self-taught illustrator has also made me a very anxious one! I always feel I could know much more than I do, so that keeps me on my toes.
What are some of your current projects?Right now I´m working on some big illustrated murals for a bowling alley. I´ve never worked in such big sizes so it´s pretty exciting!
I´m also doing the covers for a series of books on tourism and some t-shirt designs for a new on-line shop just about to open. I´m enjoying all projects very much probably because they require different approaches and styles.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?A series of illustrations I did on famous characters like Oscar Wilde, Mata Hari, Lucky Luciano and Peter Sellers. I did them for a cocktail bar where all sorts of activities take place: cinema, live music, exhibitions, etc. Apart from having total creative freedom, it was a real challenge to try and capture their essence. Check them out here
http://www.oscargimenez.com/publicidad3.htm under Barcelona Rouge.
Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?There are so many things I have yet to try. I´d love to do illustrations for record/cd covers. Regarding techniques, I´d like to find the time to get my hands dirtier. I think I got to trust my computer too much.
Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?Be constant, persevere, experiment, learn, improve yourself every day. Don´t be discouraged by refusal, criticism or if you don´t get inmediate answer to your calls! If you believe in your talent and are willing to work hard enough, your reward will come sooner or later.
What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?It has to convey the message it was meant to convey. I believe that any piece of artistic work (illustration, painting, sculpture,...) has to speak for itself.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?Whenever I get some time off, I set myself a challenge and try new things. I either enter a competition or do some collaborative work where I can have total creative freedom. Later I apply my new found skills to my regular work.
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?
TV in Spain is dreadful. It´s all gossip and talk shows. I rent a lot of DVDs or borrow them from friends.
Related Link:www.oscargimenez.comRecent Work:
