Humble Beginnings
We all come from humble beginnings and the same applies to first generation design work. Whether it be tracing from your Peanuts books, like I did when I was young, or finger painting, there is a beginning to every designer’s repertoire. Afterall, everyone had to start somewhere.
I knew I wanted to be an artist after my Dad taught me how to draw a pumpkin around age 3. Despite by age, it was something I strived for, especially after seeing my Grandmother’s paintings. Needless to say I was inspired to persue a career in art and the path from where I was then to where I am now had its ups and downs.
After seeing Randy (a friend from the past) drawing his own comics in grade school, I too wanted to draw my own comics. I can remember that day pretty vividly, coming home after being inspired and checking my house for pieces of paper, lined or not, it didn’t matter. I sat down at the kitchen table and began doodling characters for my “unnamed” comic. I eventually came up with an idea for the story, it would be about a kid in junior high who could warp to other dimensions using his locker. Still, I didn’t have a name and looked at these characters that I created from my imagination staring back at me. The kid, who I named Randy, resembled my grade school friend except for the addition of spectacles and tight green spandex.
It took me awhile, but I finally came up with a rather absurd title; “The Dingleberry Dimension”. Now that the comic was finally titled I brainstormed the layout which ended up being your standard comic layout; 3 rows with 4 boxes across. At first I drew the boxes by hand but tossed that task aside when we got our first computer (a Pentium II 300 Mhz). By serendipitous means, I found out that I could just as easily draw the boxes in Microsoft Paint and print out comic sheets by the barrel.
Over time I would create comics based on my character, Janitor Bob appropriately titled “The Adventures of Janitor Bob” and a comic based entirely on the eraser, Pink Pet. That comic in particular delved into the history of the spaceship, The Pink Pet (I know, stupid name for a spaceship) and its arch nemesis Black Pen.
After I finished a comic book I’d bind it by hand with a little help from the stapler and some tape for touchup. I’d then show them to family, who as you can imagine enjoyed them, and friends, who typically had mixed feelings about the content. I’d hear comments from my high school croonies like, “Why is the story so sappy?” or constructive criticism like “This is confusing, but well drawn.”, and to tell you the truth it didn’t matter. To me, what mattered was that I felt fufilled by drawing these comics and any negative comments I’d hear would go out one ear, and well you know the rest.
My point in all this, albeit an obvious one, is that we all start somewhere and that particular point in time is important for our growth from adolescence towards our lives and careers as adults and professionals. Never forget about where you came from because there is no point B without a point A.
6 Comments, Comment or Ping
Donnie
That’s really funny, I bought a cartoon drawing kit from some hobby shop when I was 10. I realize now what a waste of money it was. It did however provide me with hours of entertainment and a creative outlet for the stories I wanted to tell. Sadly, I cannot remember one storyline from any of my comics.
I was a fan of drawing shoes. Don’t ask why. I loved basketball and the shoes that one must wear to do well.
Sep 9th, 2004
Dad
I still have some of your ‘first comic books’…I’ll give them to you when you come out to see me in January. I’ll also let Grandma know you gave her some credit for your art, she’ll appreciate that!
Check out this link.
Another great animator passed onto or into the heaven of drawings today.
Keep up the imagination, the best is yet to come son.
Sep 9th, 2004
Paul Griffin
Man, I remember similar beginnings from my grade-school years. I did almost the exact same things, printing out sheets of boxes, using a stapler to make “comic books”, etc.
I always drew animals in my comics, starting with a poorly drawn, not-terribly-funny, 3 panel strip I drew in 6th grade called “Cold Cuts and Gravy” about a dog and a cat and their various escapades. It was incredibly lame, but my friends all said that I drew really funny pictures, so I guess it was okay.
It eventually lead to a big, one-frame strip in 7th grade called “Frizzy and Friends” whose main character, a big orange cat that worked as a pizza delivery boy and rode a scooter. It wasn’t very funny either, but did contribute to my barely-existant popularity in class.
Some time around 9th grade, I decided that I could use my drawings to gain more popularity at school, and started drawing throw-away strips of animals finding incredibly creative and horrible ways of killing each other. (A la Bunny Suicides) These were wildly popular and increasigly disturbing.
Eventually, I stopped doing strips in favor of filling up sketchbooks with wierd drawings, a practice I try to keep up with today, as you can see in my sketchbook gallery.
Eesh, I probably should have put all that in a post on my own site. Oh well. Thanks for the quick trip down nostalgia lane!
Sep 10th, 2004
kartooner
Donnie: I had a friend in high school who was obsessed with drawing shoes. His favorite, at the time, was Air Nikes.
Paul: It’s good to know that I wasn’t alone. I like the name “Cold Cuts and Gravy” for some reason, I guess it reminds me of Chicken and Dumplings, which to me is the funniest food name ever. Your comic, “Frizzy and Friends” reminds me of a cross between Heathcliff and Domino’s Noid character (remember the aforementioned Nintendo game?). I should devote an article to that infamous marketing character.
Your sketchbook gallery rocks! I need to set up something similar on here, with Simple PHP Gallery, something I’ve been meaning to do for awhile now.
Thanks for sharing your insight and memories of your “ghetto” comic book creating days.
Sep 10th, 2004
Seth Thomas Rasmussen
I really ought to scan some of my middle/high school comics and write up something about them… you should scan some of your stuff!
Sep 11th, 2004
kartooner
Seth: I think I will, once I retreive them from my old stomping grounds in California. I’ve got a trip planned for January ‘05, which would be the perfect opportunity to get them from my Dad and scan them to display on this site.
Good idea, thanks man.
Sep 11th, 2004
Reply to “Humble Beginnings”