Sunday Mailbag- Art School?

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 your portfolio and your work anyone cares about. I’ve never been asked by a potential client where I went to college or if I have a degree. If you find the right school it is worth the time and money, but only for what it teaches you, not for the degree/diploma that it imparts at the end.

Thanks to Grant J. 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!