In Jeff Gum’s PIONEERS, two shipwreck salvagers from the year 3861 P.G.B. get more than they bargain for when they uncover the remains of an “ancient” NASA space vessel. Jeff and his classmates in illustration II are all pioneers of sorts. They all are making individual zines, or mini-comics to share at MOCCAfest 2013 inContinue reading “Kutztown U artists heading to MOCCAfest in NYC”
Category Archives: cartooning
North Carolina’s Monster Man
Bill Fick wrote the book on printmaking. Actually, he co-wrote the book, with Beth Grabowski, Printmaking: A Complete Guide to Materials & Processes. He is a part of the group known as the Outlaw Printmakers. Bill Fick draws monsters. He is a nice guy. I met him one rainy night at the Atomic Cowboy barContinue reading “North Carolina’s Monster Man”
Cartooning: Philosophy & Practice
Ivan Brunetti’s Cartooning Philosophy and Practice is published by Yale University Press. Brunetti combines a lovely spare drawing style with an occasionally overwrought writing style. I do dearly love this little book, but at times find his writing style infuriating. Brunetti’s prose slips into and out of quotation marks, parenthesis, often for no clear reason. I felt IContinue reading “Cartooning: Philosophy & Practice”
By the Books: How to Make Comics
There are a handful of good books that will help the motivated student succeed at becoming a cartoonist. Drawing Words and Writing Pictures may be the best of the lot. This is an ideal text for a 15-week class in comics. It also has guidance for starting an informal collective class. It includes DIY suggestions forContinue reading “By the Books: How to Make Comics”
Comics MFA? There is an alternative… No Joke.
Back in the ’80’s, when I told my pal Putka I was getting an MFA in illustration, he laughed, “What’s next? -a Phd in Wallpaper Hanging?” What’s Next? Looks like the answer is Advanced Comics… Stanford is a great university with one respected graphic novel class. But suddenly, universities across the country are offering completeContinue reading “Comics MFA? There is an alternative… No Joke.”
funny things art spiegelman said about the funnies
“I’ve been called the father of the graphic novel, but I demand a paternity test!” -art spiegelman. I caught art spiegelman’s “What the %@&*! Happened to Comics?” at Lehigh University. One of the most influential artists of our time, I knew him before he won the Pulitzer for his graphic novel, Maus. Even though we areContinue reading “funny things art spiegelman said about the funnies”
When Museums Cohabitate.
I was sorry to hear of MoCCA’s near-death experience. I’ve met some interesting people at the Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art in lower Manhattan. I ran into Prof. Bill Foster there, the expert on the portrayal of African-Americans in comics. He came to Kutztown to share his presentation, “Looking for a Face Like Mine.” Last summer MoCCA went broke andContinue reading “When Museums Cohabitate.”
Nate’s New Graphic Novel is Free, but You Can Buy It!
Pittsburgh cartoonist Nate McDonough’s graphic novel Don’t Come Back is quite interesting. It is nightmarish and convoluted in a good way. There are falling angels, dogs peeing in a cemetery, and one screaming chicken demon in the pizza box. There is death and resurrection. Don’t worry about me spoiling the ending. I’m not sure IContinue reading “Nate’s New Graphic Novel is Free, but You Can Buy It!”
Mr. Fish Will Not Get Tenure
Mr. Fish recently came to the Kutztown University’s Rohrbach Library. He also visited my illustration class. Students are lucky to have visiting artists like Mr. Fish in the classroom. His topical artwork savages our social system. Biting social satire is not the sort of thing a tenured professor (like myself) is likely to get awayContinue reading “Mr. Fish Will Not Get Tenure”
5 questions about illustration for Matt Phelan
Matt Phelan is coming to Kutztown this weekend for the 2012 Children’s Literature Conference. Even if you can’t make the conference you might go to the KU bookstore to pick up his books at a discount. He is a prolific and popular illustrator. He writes as well. A piece of Matt’s original artwork from hisContinue reading “5 questions about illustration for Matt Phelan”
Illustration Concentration 