Mailbag
June 11th, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: My question is about how you decide to exaggerate the body movements on your caricatures. In the most recent MAD you have Chris Hardwick having his neck stretched way beyond what any human could possibly do, in some other parodies I have seen similar cartoony images. Does the art director decide when to have this or is it a personal choice. A: Here’s the panel in question: No, that’s up to me as the artist to decide when something like that is appropriate. Some written action or jokes in a parody demand “physical comedy” in the visuals to help “sell the gag”, and sometimes… READ MORE
June 4th, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: What do you think you’d be doing for a living if you were not an artist? A: I get this question now and then, but I’ve never really had a good answer for it because all I’ve ever want to be was an artist. However, I was thinking about that subject while walking the dogs the other day (all great thinking is done either in the shower or while walking the dog) and it occurred to me I do have an answer: I’d want to be a writer. A novelist, short story or kids book author, TV or film script writer…I wouldn’t be picky.… READ MORE
May 28th, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: How important is it that I go to art school if I want to be a cartoonist? A: I wrote a lengthy blog post about this not that long ago. Check it out for a longer answer, but the short answer is your art education is only as good as what it actually teaches you and how it develops and improves your skills and art. Only in rare circumstances does having a degree in art from some college matter to a client or employer (certain animation houses recruit from schools like Ringling or Cal Arts, for example). 99.9% of the time it is only… READ MORE
May 21st, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I read one of your blogs from a longtime back (Caricature and the Right of Publicity – August 15, 2006) about Right of Publicity issues with caricatures on products. I wondered if you have any additional insight into these ROP issues? I am looking at producing some novelty items of political satire using caricatures of the current President and his administration and I am finding manufacturers of my intended products declining any reproduction of the President (even political satire caricatures) for fear of retribution by his team of lawyers. I have read a bunch of the case law on the subject and I understand… READ MORE
May 13th, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: How do you do all the traveling you do and still get all your work done? A: With great difficulty. I’ll also sometimes make up fake mailbag questions with two sentence answers to save time. Thanks to A. E. Neuman for the question. If you have a question you want answered for the mailbag about cartooning, illustration, MAD Magazine, caricature or similar, e-mail me and I’ll try and answer it here! READ MORE
May 7th, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Can just anyone learn how to draw caricatures, granted they have some artistic talent in the first place? A: I guess that depends on at what level of success you consider needs to be reached before the artist in question can “draw caricatures”. Art is subjective. Anyone can pick up a pencil and move it around on a piece of paper and that’s drawing. Mastering drawing, or any art form, is a different story. That’s a lifelong pursuit. Caricature is an artform and anyone can learn about it, study it, and practice drawing them. Study and practice hard enough and, with your caveat of… READ MORE
April 30th, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Is there a book you can give credit to being the one that inspired you as an artist? A: No, not really. Not an art instruction book anyway. I was more inspired by comic books than art instruction books. If I had to pick my favorite art instruction book of all time, I think it would be Jack Hamm‘s “Drawing the Head and Figure”. The art in it is horribly dated now (originally published 1963) but it’s amazingly complete and concise with nothing but great information on drawing people. A must have in your library IMO. Thanks to Michael Klen for the question. If you… READ MORE
April 23rd, 2017 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: You charge only $30 for a pencil sketch caricature at your booth at comic con but they start at $150 on your website. What gives? Why can’t I email you a picture and have you do it for $30? A: I get this one sometimes after I do a convention and people who see me there then email me and ask me to do one of the con prices commissions through the mail, which I will not do. The ones I do at comic cons are my live caricature style quick sketch caricatures like I do at theme parks. I take a little more… READ MORE
