Category Archives: Interviews

R. Crumb in Conversation with Francoise Mouly

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R. Crumb in Conversation with Francoise Mouly

Author Discussio
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The famed illustrator discusses his work with the art editor of The New Yorker, including his new book, an illustration of the Book of Genesis, from the Creation to the death of Joseph.
Friday October 23, 2009 7:00 PM

Barnes and Noble Union Square
33 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003, 212-253-0810

R. Sikoryak and Isabel Samaras at APE in San Francisco

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One of the country’s most popular and vibrant alternative comics shows returns to its San Francisco home, The Concourse Exhibition Center, for another two big days of fall fun this October. APE, the Alternative Press Expo, rolls into the city by the bay on October 17 and 18, 2009.  Parsons Illustration Alums R. Sikoryak (also adjunct faculty!) and Isabel Samaras will be appearing at APE for a Pop Perversity event, and Bob will be doing signings of his new book, Masterpiece Comics.  Here are the details:

Saturday, October 17

11:00am APE Opens
12-3pm Marc Signing
1-3pm R Sikoryak Signing
3-5pm Anders Signing
7:00pm APE Closes

Sunday, October 18

5:00–5:45 Pop Perversity: Parody in Comics and Art—Isabel Samaras (On Tender Hooks) and R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics), parodists from the worlds of art and comics, show their work and describe how their sharp, sly images blur the boundaries between the popular and the profound, the propagandistic and the profane. Parody is a familiar part of our culture, but when done right it can still shock and awe, revealing deep truths while it makes us cackle.

The APE programming room is located adjacent to the Exhibit Hall.

11:00am APE Opens
12-3pm Marc Signing
1-3pm R Sikoryak Signing
3-5pm Anders Signing
6:00pm APE Closes

The Concourse
620 7th Street
San Francisco

http://www.comic-con.org/ape/ape_prog.shtml

Comics History/New York History events

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The New York Center for Independent Publishing presents:

Comics History/New York History

New York City was the birthplace of the modern comic book, and the city has had a starring role in some of the greatest and most influential work the medium has produced. The New York Center for Independent Publishing will be presenting a series of events looking at the rich history of Comics and the City. Join us at our historic building at 20 West 44th Street as we explore the city through comics, from Riverdale to the Baxter Building, from Dropsie Avenue to Forest Hills, to untangle the relationship between the world’s greatest city and the comics that chronicle its history. Visit  www.nycip.org for more information!

New York Comics as New York History
Tuesday, October 20, 6:30 pm

Comics historian Kent Worcester will explore the connection between the city’s familiar streetscapes and the development of the comic book from the 1930s and 1940s to the post 9/11 era – looking at the ways comics history has mirrored the ups and downs of the quintessential American metropolis.

Cartooning and New York City Politics
Tuesday, November 3rd, 6:30 pm

Boss Tweed may have been the most powerful man in the City, but he was still tormented by Thomas Nast’s biting cartoons. Parsons Illustration faculty member Bill Kartalopoulos will host a panel exploring the interaction between political cartoons, New York City politicians, and the public.

New York, the Super-City
Tuesday, March 9th, 6:30 pm

New York served as the model for Gotham City, inspired Will Eisner as he created the noirish adventures of The Spirit, and became a recurring character during the 1960s resurgence of Marvel in comics such as Spider-Man and Iron Man. ForeWord Magazine contributing editor Peter Gutiérrez will moderate a talk on the relationship between superheroes and their favorite hometown… and on how comics culture has promoted potent and memorable images of New York to readers worldwide.

“Carousel” in New York

Tuesday, April 20th, 6:30 pm

The series closes with a multimedia presentation hosted by R. Sikoryak, Parsons faculty member and author of Masterpiece Comics. This event will feature work and performances from some the of the top comics artists working in New York.

Admission is $15, $10 for Members, and $5 for students.

Poems for Pictopia featuring Parsons Illustration folks!

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The 2009 Pictoplasma Conference at the House of World Cultures in Berlin brought together character designers and enthusiasts from around the world.  “Poems for Pictopia” is a short glimpse of some of the highlights of the conference and the accompanying exhibition “Prepare for Pictopia”. This rad video ALSO features our very own program chair Steven Guarnaccia, plus Alumni AJ Fosik and Motomichi Nakamura!

Conversational Comics–Lines on Paper: Drawing and Cartooning

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The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund proudly presents Conversational Comics: a new summer speaker series taking place on three separate Saturday afternoons at Union Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Please join us for lively panel discussions with artists currently changing the face of comics, all moderated by comics critic (and Parsons Illustration Adjunct) Bill Kartalopoulos. Then stick around to get a book signed, hit the taco truck, and sip a summer drink with our featured cartoonists.

The event takes place at 2:00 pm in the back room at Union Pool. Union Pool is located at 484 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211, one block from the Lorimer-Metropolitan G and L stop.

August 15 @ 2:00 pm
Lines on Paper: Drawing and Cartooning

Austin English (Windy Corner, Christina and Charles), Lisa Hanawalt (Stay Away From Other People, I Want You), and Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button, Bodyworld) will discuss the relationship between image-making and drawing for comics. How do pictures work differently in comics than they do on gallery walls?

Suggested donation is $5. All proceeds go to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Bill Kartalopoulos
teaches classes about comics and illustration at Parsons. He is a Contributing Editor at Print Magazine, where he frequently writes about comics.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community.

For additional information, donations, and other inquiries please visit www.cbldf.org

Frank Olinsky and his work with the Smashing Pumpkins

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Illustration Adjunct Faculty Frank Olinsky was recently interviewed about his extensive design work for Smashing Pumpkins.  He talked about his interactions with the band, his influences, and the outcomes.  There are also some really great sketches included that show the creative process.  Here’s a little snippet:

You’ve been involved over the years in several Smashing Pumpkins projects, the first of which was under the role of art director for the band’s double album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. For those of us who aren’t very familiar with the graphic design world, what exactly does that entail?

FO: The art director is responsible for the overall “look” of a project. The process begins with an initial concept and proceeds in stages to completion. Sometimes the concept comes from the art director, sometimes from the client, and sometimes out of a dialog between them. The art director may seek out appropriate pre-existing images or suggest creative talent to execute new images. He or she then orchestrates the creative process through final production, working with photographers, illustrators, designers, or other visual artists to achieve the desired result.

How did you come to be involved with the band? Did you work alongside the band on the art, or was it mostly through their record label at the time?

FO: The band had creative control over the package. That basically meant that I interacted directly with Billy and passed the results on to the record company. I was first contacted by someone who worked closely with the Pumpkins. They called me up and asked if I would be interested in designing the band’s forthcoming album package. I was already a Smashing Pumpkins fan – in fact, I was listening to Siamese Dream when I received that preliminary phone call. Of course I said yes.

A short while later, I got a call from Billy. He described the music on the album Mellon Collie as ‘psychedelic music played by a heavy metal band from the 1920s’. Pretty good description don’t you think? I figured that if I were going to be working with him closely over a long period of time, it would be helpful to know why he had chosen me for the project. He said he owned quite a few CDs that I had art directed/designed and he liked that I didn’t have one style that I imposed on all my projects. Rather, he felt that each was a good design that fit the particular recording. Besides being flattered I thought that here was someone with a keen eye who knew exactly what he wanted. I felt we could collaborate on some great things, and that turned out to be true.

Make sure you peruse the whole thing here.  You can see more of Frank’s work on his blog and his official website!

Alumni Update: Isabel Samaras in the press for her new book

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Illustration Alum Isabel Samaras has been catching a lot of press lately in the wake of her very first monograph, On Tender Hooks.  Here’s a little portion of an interview conducted by the fine folks over at Juxtapoz magazine:

How would you describe yourself? Your art?

Gee that’s hard, um, goofy redhead painter?  They say you can’t ever really have a clear picture of what kind of person you are but you can get some idea from looking around at your friends.  They’re an absolutely terrific lot, so maybe that reflects well on me.

I think of my art as lush, visual storytelling (I’m usually either going for a chuckle or a sympathetic sigh) but I have no idea what other people think!

What’s the first piece of art you remember?

My mom put Gaugin prints up around my crib when I was a baby; honestly, I don’t remember that, but I think they probably fed my love of color.

What part of your personality helps you to continue to produce art?

It sure isn’t the hopeless procrastinator part!  I think I’m a fairly solitary creature and that lends itself well to going into troll-mode in the studio and hunkering down for hours.  I’m really happy to spend big chunks of time by myself—as long as I know there’s some social interaction coming along eventually.  That’s what’s so nice about openings — a chance to scrape off the dust and paint, get out and see people.

Read the full interview and also check out 20 Questions with Isabel.  Keep up with her work via her blog and official website.  Also, Isabel will be participating in a panel at this year’s Comic-Con along with friend and fellow Illustration Alum R. Sikoryak.  The subject will be “Pop Perversity: Parody in Comics & Art.”  We’ll post more information about the panel when it is is confirmed!

Dan Yaccarino interviewed on Fresh Fiction

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Illustration Alum Dan Yaccarino was recently interviewed by Jen Vido for Fresh Fiction.  Here’s a little clip from their discussion:

Jen: It’s always so fascinating to hear about the “before publication” story of an author because it gives the reader some insight as to the driving force that led him to where he is today. Please tell us a little bit about your educational and professional background. And, in what way did it prepare you for a career in publishing?

Dan: Looking back, I realize that the one thing I really enjoyed doing was telling stories. I made comic books, wrote short stories and scripts, made super 8 movies, etc. I majored in illustration at Parsons School of Design and very soon after graduating I began illustrating for magazines. After a few years, I showed a children’s book editor my portfolio thinking I’d get a manuscript to illustrate, but he instead asked if I had any picture book manuscripts I’d written, which I didn’t, so I said yes and went home and wrote my first book, Big Brother Mike. Through that experience, I learned how to put together a children’s book and I really enjoyed it!

Jen: I think your story is unique in its own right because you wear more than one hat.  You’re an author and an illustrator. Let’s start by talking about your artwork. First of all, you have worked with many prestigious authors such as Kevin Henkes and Margaret Wise Brown. How did that facet of your career evolve?

Dan: Like I said, I illustrated for magazines, which meant that I was visually depicting someone else’s ideas, but in my own way. Illustrating a book is just a more elaborate version of that. I love to work with other author’s stories and enjoy the challenge. I’ve illustrated books written by Jack Perlutsky and Naomi Shabib Nye as well.

Jen: Not only have you collaborated on many books, but also you are the creator and producer of the animated series Oswald. In addition, you designed the characters for The Backyardigans on Nickelodeon and created Willa’s Wild Life. Approximately how much of your time is spent working in television? And specifically, what aspect of your involvement in TV is most fulfilling from an artist’s perspective?

Dan: The most important thing I learned from working freelance was how to organize my time. I’m able to balance books, TV, and film work because I know how and when I work best. I usually write in the morning, my afternoons are spent working on TV projects, making phone calls, having meetings and a variety of other things and in the evening I paint.

During the early stages of a TV series, I tend to spend the majority of my workday on it in order to get everyone on board with a singular vision. Once that’s established and I’ve assembled the right team, then my role becomes more of an overseer to make sure the show stays true to the creative vision, which requires less of my time.

I look at a TV series as a different way to tell stories. It’s remarkably fulfilling, but in a different way from books. With books, it’s mostly just myself, the editor and designer putting it together, but with a series, it’ll take dozens of people, each responsible for a small aspect of the whole, to put it together. I think of it as the difference between playing a musical instrument solo and conducting an orchestra. I really enjoy doing both.

You can catch the whole interview over at Fresh Fiction’s website and, of course, you can see more of Dan’s work at his website and pick up his latest book, The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau, here.

Thanks for keeping us updated, Dan!

[illustration by Dan Yaccarino]

R. Sikoryak’s new book–Masterpiece Comics

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Adjunct Faculty and Illustration Alum R. Sikoryak has new book coming out in September and Time Out NY gave a sneak peak slideshow awhile back. Above and below are a couple of choice visual excerpts and here is the official description of the book:

Masterpiece Comics, a new book that reimagines classic literature in the style of well-known comics (including Shakespeare’s Macbeth in the style of old newspaper strip Mary Worth)

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You can see the whole slideshow here–it’s worth it!  Additionally, Bob was interviewed on WFMU back in April  You can listen to the podcast over in the WFMU Speakeasy archives.  He talks about his new book as well as his work with Carousel, a ongoing series of cartoon slide shows & other projected pictures presented by a glittering array of artists, performers, graphic novelists, & other characters.

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Congratulations, Mr. Sikoryak–can’t wait for the book!