Daniel Swartz

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted? (Email, Webpage)

dan@daniel-swartz.com

www.daniel-swartz.com

What type of tools or media do you use?

All of my pieces start out as natural media drawings.  Depending on the project I use varying degrees of either Prisma-color markers or just good old #2 pencils.  I find it best to really hash out my designs by hand where I can really work back and forth (addition & subtraction) and have a kinetic connection with the work.  I can get a better flow and rhythm to my characters and spaces when I sketch it out first.

After I get my finished underdrawing to a point where the design is complete I scan or digitally photograph the drawing and drop it into Adobe Illustrator as a top layer on Multiply.  From there I work to follow the initial feel of the sketchs as I build up layers of flat color, gradient and texture.

 

I also create my own textures either through combinations of filters, collected reference that I modify or my favorite: getting dirty with paint and finding new tools to apply it with and creating textures that I love and give a more 'hand crafted' look to my spaces.

Where is the place you would like to work or be an Intern if you had a choice?

Well Pixar is always at the top of everyone's list.  Just for the incredible team they have assembled of artists and creatives...it would be invaluable to rub shoulders with and learn from their experience.  Other than that, there is a design studio called  Invisible Creature.  Their work is beautiful and they do a lot of work where stuff is brought into digital, then printed and they work on top of that and back and forth.  Great stuff.

Who do you think are the top character designers out there?

I would have a really hard time narrowing it down.  I love the work of several animation and advertising studios from the 50s.  A couple more contemporary artists I enjoy would be: Alberto Cerriteno, Bob Logan, Mike Casal and Robin Rosenthal.

What are some of your favorite character designs which you have seen?

Although they are a totally unrelated style to mine, I really enjoy the designs from the Final Fantasy video games.  Dennis Jones does great work that is very energetic.  Mary Blair's concept work for Disney is beautiful.  

What is your most favorite subject to draw? And why?

I think above all I enjoy drawing the human figure more than any other subject.  There is a beauty and a rhythm and flow that is both challenging and enlightening.  As I continue to improve my life-drawing skills I watch my illustrations and character designs become more complex and unified.  I really feel that they both build upon each other to such a great degree.  

What inspired you to become an Artist?

It started off with the fact that I could draw just slightly better than the other kids in 1st grade.  Since then my inspiration and reasons have changed a lot.  I used to be very inspired by 'beating' everyone else at drawing and art.  However that has changed dramatically.  I work very hard not to pit myself against other artists now unless it's to learn from them and find weaknesses in my own work.  Now I try to create great work because I believe it's the fulfillment of who I am.  I believe we were all created to do something great with our lives and to better the world around us.  So now my inspiration is to utilize my God-given talents to their fullest...anything else would be a waste. 

What are some of your favorite website links that would be relevant to this Blog?

I visit www.Drawn.ca religiously.  You should too. :)





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Margherita Premuroso

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted? (Email, Webpage)

mmeghy@mac.com   and me webpage is www.margheritapremuroso.com.

What type of tools or media do you use?

I use pencil draw to scketch, and laer I use Photoshop and Painter.

Where is the place you would like to work or be an Intern if you had a choice?

I prefer work by home in my studio

Who do you think are the top character designers out there?

the top characters design are Wndlings Claire , and David Colman

What are some of your favorite character designs which you have seen?

My favorite characters are pixar's characters

What is your most favorite subject to draw? And why?

My favorite subjects are people , that I saw on the underground.It 's the best place to find new type of face deformation ...I like people because are more expressive ..

What inspired you to become an Artist?

I like draw , it give me freedom , It' a great grace....

What are some of your favorite website links that would be relevant to this Blog?

wwww.margheritapremuroso.com

http://alcornstudios.blogspot.com/

http://jacanimation.blogspot.com/

http://www.aldogagliardi.blogspot.com/

www.animationmentor.com

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Jonathan Miller

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted? (Email, Webpage)

seppo@videotron.ca or www.millertoons.blogspot.com

What type of tools or media do you use?

Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, pencil, pen and ink

Where is the place you would like to work or be an Intern if you had a choice?

I think I would love to intern at Hallmark and/or American Greetings studios. I've been inspired so inspired by so many artists and designers they have working there. Their is such an abundance of styles there, that I would continue on a daily basis to not only learn from some great talent, but to be inspired to push myself to be greater at my craft and excel in areas where I never thought I would be good at. When you see other work done by illustrators you admire, or styles you love to see, it inspires me to work and draw even harder.

Who do you think are the top character designers out there?

Most people tend to think that all great character designers only work in the animation world. I agree that animators are incredibly talented and have skills that are second to none. But artists at small companies that we've never heard of, or large ones, like a Hallmark or American Greetings, have such a pool of talent, where they can design from the simplest of characters to the most complex.

What are some of your favorite character designs which you have seen?

Mike Adair, Miah Alcorn, Nate Wragg, Johnny Yanok, Bob Staake, Steve Mack, Anna Chambers,Leo Espinosa...the list is really endless

What is your most favorite subject to draw? And why?

I have been in the children's publishing business for 6 years now. And as much as I love to draw humans and animals, it tends to get a bit repetivive at times. I adore kids, and recently have been doing work for the baby/toddler industry and fell in love with that style. I love coming up with cute little animal characters and icons, but not in typical pale baby colors, but more of a bold and vibrant feel. I think artists like Bob Staake and Johnny Yanok are great examples of artists who's style's and illustrations are not only great and unique, but the colors are so vibrant, you instantly are drawn and love them

What inspired you to become an Artist?

I can't say for certain what inspired me to be an artist. I've always had a love for drawing since I was in kindergarden and eventually made a career out of it. There was no one in particular that inspired me to become a cartoonist, it was just something I continued to do every year and eventually made a decision that it would be the career I wanted to do.

What are some of your favorite website links that would be relevant to this Blog?

http://www.mikeadair.blogspot.com/

http://www.drawger.com/bobstaake/

http://www.alcornstudios.blogspot.com/

http://annachambers.blogspot.com/

http://www.spotillustration.com/

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Eric Guzman

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted? (Email, Webpage)

My email is Worldsfinest81@gmail.com and my webpage is www.worldsfinest.deviantart.com

What type of tools or media do you use?

I use mechanical pencils with 2H lead, col erase pencils various colors, and photoshop 7.0 with a wacom tablet.

Where is the place you would like to work or be an Intern if you had a choice?

I would like to work for any animation studios as a character designer (preferably warner bros. or Cartoon Network).

Who do you think are the top character designers out there?

There are many great artist out there in which i am greatly influenced by, ranging from american animation and japanese animation.

What are some of your favorite character designs which you have seen?

Some of my favorite designs come from a lot of the 80's cartoon era (He-Man, Thundercats, GiJoe,Silverhawks etc.).

What is your most favorite subject to draw? And why?

I like to draw people because of the variations in structure that can go into creating a character is always fun and challenging.

What inspired you to become an Artist?

What inspired me to become an artist was growing up i was always fascinated by the look and feel of characters in animation. 

What are some of your favorite website links that would be relevant to this Blog?

www.wizarduniverse.com

www.daredetectives.com

www.stevegordon.com

www.animationinsider.com

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