Good Friends Are Priceless

Today, my good friend, Nick Meglin, longtime editor of MAD Magazine, gave me some Jack Davis originals from a MAD publication. Jack probably influenced every cartoonist alive with his work, not the least--me! He presented me with my second Reuben award from the National Cartoonists Society, which is a special treasure for many reasons. What a thrill to have his original work which so influenced me! Nick and I are going to do a book together. I am excited! To work with talents such as Nick is a rare privilege in our profession. They are labors of love. And I've found, from my years in this business, they are the projects that are most satisfying irrespective of financial gain. It's an opportunity to work with a fellow artist and produce something wonderful as a collaboration! What a great occupation!

Rough to Finished Art

I'm uploading this rough-to-finish sequence to show the development of an illustration. This was one in a series of pieces done for a Wildlife article on cockroaches.

In some ways, the sketch has a charm all its own that could serve as a piece of finished art. I think illustrators often like our sketches better than the finished art for their looseness and spontaneity.

Illustrations copyright J. Pittman, 2008

You can see the sketch, of course, is pencil, while the finished art is pen and ink. The color, in both cases, was done digitally in Corel Painter. The finished art's color was made a little more intense and using blue reflected light for more contrast. The background was changed to be more of a vignette. Either drawing would have probably worked, but the whole series was done with pen and ink with crosshatching to complement the color washes.

The Animated Sitcom That Never Was

Yowza, it's been some time since I blogged! Easy to get behind. I came across these images in my files recently of a treatment I worked on for an animated series that was pitched to Fox several years back when there were rumors "The Simpsons" was in its final season. This concept, "The Wasbands," was kind of an "Odd Couple-squared," featuring four middle-aged divorced guys who shared the same apartment. The foursome featured a shameless womanizing nightclub owner, a finicky Harvard professor, a good ol' boy redneck, and a neurotic marriage counselor who experienced a failed marriage himself.

The concept was interesting and had much potential for the humorous interaction among the lead characters--it's a shame it never got into production. But every venture is great practice, and you never know how the experience will be woven into your career to give you skills for a different project on down the road. For example, the years I produced a comic strip were helpful in giving me a good sense of sequencing and pacing necessary for the work I've done on storyboards for numerous TV commercials.

One of the great things about being self-employed is being able to create projects like this one that really interest you. Some fly and some don't, but the practice contributes to the advancement of your career.

It's the Economy, Stupid

You know, there's a lot of doom and gloom in the news economically. I emphatically believe, if people would turn off their tv's and radios to the doomsters, ignore the politicians who have an agenda to make you dependent on them to fix the economic mess they helped create, and just go about business as usual, thankful for the opportunities that abound and creatively seek where you have talents and goods to offer, the economy would fix itself.

So much of Wall Street is just plain guesswork, gambling on what may or may not be. Just the rumors of wars or shortages bring a decline. And it's not real-- it's a perception that causes the fluctuations.

Have faith in your talents and abilities. Be creative. Look for needs to fill and offer your services at a competitive rate. This is still the land of opportunity.

During the Great Depression, some businesses thrived. What were they? Entertainment that met a need for people to escape. Breakfast companies (who could do without Ovaltine and oatmeal?) that provided a good start to the day to tackle life's problems. And information sources that people scoured to find opportunities.

If I may be a little bit religious, the Bible says God knows your needs, even before you ask. Ask. Trust. In good faith, do.

Cartoon Cavalcade

When I was a child, my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Howard, gave me a cartoon anthology compiled by Thomas Craven called Cartoon Cavalcade. I still have it today, though the spine has long since worn off due to my numerous perusings over the years. It covers cartooning by the decade, starting with the late 1800's through the 1940's. It's a great overview of many of the early comic strips, gag panels, and even a few Disney stills are included.

I can still feel that rush of excitement that I had as a child whenever I open the book. It was my first exposure to early masters like Charles Dana Gibson, Gluyas Williams, Rube Goldberg, and Charles Addams. The idea that there were grown-ups in the world getting paid to draw funny pictures was a thrilling idea for a fourth grader. And it's still an amazing concept to me today.

It's hard to measure the impact that book had on my development as a cartoonist, and I am so grateful my teacher had the insight to give it to me. I notice the book is available on Amazon today from various used booksellers. I could probably get a fresher copy, but it's kind of like a badge of honor to have my worn-spine version. It's a reminder of how dedicated I was to learn my craft.

The Glass is Half Full

A couple of cartoonist friends of mine got the bad news of being laid off at the newspaper where they've worked for many years. I started my career working at the same paper, but left there 25 years ago to free lance from my studio at home. I can imagine how distressed I'd be if I had stayed at the paper and given them so many years of my life, only to be let go.

I hope they find another employer soon. They're really quite talented, award-winners, both of them. Understandably, economic downswings require companies to look for ways to pare back expenses. But it's a shame that the management couldn't appreciate their value to growing and keeping readership, and do other things to pare back expenses rather than release such important assets. My prediction is the paper itself will eventually fold when it doesn't understand the very talents that helped it thrive.

Being self-employed for 25 years, I have seen many ups and downs in the economy. However, challenges like the ones my friends are facing can be catalysts to actually improve their careers. I think creative people have an advantage in transitional situations because they are forced to devise creative solutions to adapt to the change. One day, I hope they will be able to look back on this time and see it as a blessing that jump-started them to better opportunities.

Frank Frazetta Tribute

On Saturday, August 30, the NCS and friends, admirers, and colleagues of Frank Frazetta met at the private Frazetta Museum in East Stroudsburg, PA, to present Frank with a special Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award. This event was moving on many levels. We had a touching overview of Frank’s life in art by longtime friend Nick Meglin, the actual presentation of the Milt Caniff Award by NCS President Jeff Keane received by a moist-eyed Frank Frazetta, and a presentation of the scrapbook by event organizer Jack Pittman containing art and congratulations from various cartoonists and artists honoring Frank. The celebration was attended by several NCS members, a few non-NCS cartoonists and illustrators, and even producer Edward Summer of “Conan the Barbarian.”

The setting of the private Frazetta Museum, with turret and tile roof, has a picturesque backdrop of a lake dug by Frank himself, and adorned with sculptures across the grounds. Upon entering the museum, one is immediately awed to view the numerous original works that are such familiar icons of illustration. The Death Dealer, Vampirella, Conan the Barbarian, and various other fantasy works illuminate the halls. As is typical for illustration, the details that you see in the originals are so much richer than the reproductions.

After viewing the works of art, the group met for an Italian catered lunch adjacent to the museum and lake. It was an inspiring landscape and easy to see how it would contribute to the creativity of such a master as Frazetta.

John Reiner with "Conan the Barbarian" Producer Ed Summer

Upon returning to the museum, the presentations were underway. Nick Meglin opened the ceremony with a talk on Frank’s career in art, and remarked how Frank was so gifted athletically, he could have easily been a professional baseball player which was one of his first loves. Lucky for us he chose art, for which he was equally if not more talented.

Longtime MAD Magazine Editor Nick Meglin speaks on Frank's career

National Cartoonists Society President Jeff Keane presents Frank
the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award

Next, Jeff Keane presented Frank with the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award, noting the few giants in our field who have been so recognized. Frank Frazetta is not one easily moved by accolades. For all of his illustration accomplishments, contributions to the imaginations of other illustrators and motion picture directors, and creation of images engraved in our psyches, he has always first and foremost considered himself to be a cartoonist. So this was a most cherished award by him, and it was telling in his tears.

Frank admiring his Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award

Finally, I presented Frank with a scrapbook collection of art and congratulations from the likes of former NCS President Frank Springer, John Reiner, Don Orehek, Bill Janocha, Mort Walker, Angelo Torres, Mike Grell, Adrian Sinnott, Mike Lynch, the Marcus Hamilton/Ron Ferdinand “Dennis the Menace” team, Michael Jantze, Jack Pittman, and 2008 Cartoonist of the Year Al Jaffee, to mention a few. Al’s art was so fitting in that it recognized Frank as “the best baseball player I ever saw.” The cover for the scrapbook was designed to look like a wizard’s tome, by motion picture art director Heather M. Morris with intricate gold-embossed heraldry icons and leather adorned with leaded embellishments.

I present the scrapbook to Frank

After a wonderful day of viewing Frank’s masterpieces, sharing a good time with one another, and seeing the master himself, this particular cartoonist couldn’t help but notice after all the guests had left, a smiling Frank Frazetta returning to his home with the face of one who at long last had realized what he wrote while in his thirties in a 1960’s NCS bio:
Ambition:Someday get just a wiff [sic] of the sweet smell of success.

Last but not least, I want to thank my children--Jay, Jon, and Joy--for helping with the lunch, contributing to the scrapbook, and being such gracious hosts to everyone. As my good friend Nick Meglin put it:

"I met the other Jack Pittman Saturday...This one not only pulled off a nightmare event at Frazetta Museum in East Stroudsburg, PA, he showed us all what a good father can be. His kids are terrific -- worked their tails off, pleasant as could be, no indication of anything other than we're here to help our dad do a ridiculously tough job and make it come out perfect. And that they did. Thanks, Jack. And thank your brood for all of us."

Yep, I'm proud of my kids.