Chewing Pencils

NAME: Chris Cox
AGE: 27
LOCATION: Totternhoe, Beds. UK
SITE URL: http://www.tenfootgerbil.co.uk/

How long have you been drawing cartoons?

I really started when I was about 10, copying cartoons from comics I liked, and making up my own.

What made you start to think more seriously about making some money out of it

Well, after university I wanted to set up an animation company with one of my friends, but I found it faster and easier to move into illustration. On my honeymoon I had an archery lesson with a guy about my age who was recently married himself, and had only just been able to work full time as a landscape photographer- it was interesting because I’d been looking for a new job for months, and he was proof and encouragement that with persistence you can achieve your goal. Also I’ve read about if you’re gifted in something, that’s what you should be doing. Has been difficult to reconcile that with the need to hold down a ‘normal’ job to earn a living.

Have you had any formal training? If so, what and where?

I did a short introductory course in drawn animation at Central St Martins School of Art in London, which was fantastic, then an Animation degree at Surrey Institute of Art and Design, which was mostly about filmmaking and developing ideas, pushing your ideas and storytelling. The life drawing really helped me improve!

Where was your first cartoon published?

An anti-litter poster I designed in a school competition which got made.

What materials do you use to create your work?

Paper, hb pencil, a calligraphy fibre tip type pen, a thinner ink pen. Animation pencils too, they give a really soft and smooth line, so you can get some good sweeping shapes in your work. It sounds weird, but they help get the basic shape and movement right.

What hardware and software do you use?

A mac mini with a good stash of memory and a dvd burner, a scanner, with Photoshop for colour, tweaks and getting rid of mistakes.

From where so you draw your inspiration?

Silliness, really! I like surreal humour and things that are incongruous, outlandish solutions to problems… having a laugh with some good mates churns up all sorts of ideas.

What are some of the resources you’ve found most helpful?

Seeing anything arty that’s by people at the top of their form– Brad Bird at Pixar, Chuck Jone’s ‘Chuck Amuck’ book… www.artisaninitiatives.org is particularly good if you’re a Christian artist. For animation, the Animator’s Survival Guide by Richard Williams, life drawing… 

What is the best piece of advice you have EVER been given? The worst?

Best: Work for yourself, then you’re not chasing jobs with studios with loads of others. Try and go for the job or career you’d kill to do, your mission… Worst: um… 

Take us through the process you use to create one of your drawings:

I do a rough small sketch to get the idea down, then do a rough pencil version getting everything in the right place, ink in over the pencil, rub out pencil, scan, and colour if necessary. There’s usually a cup of tea and some sort of distraction in there too….

How long does it generally take to create one piece?

1 or 2 hours for a single frame black and white picture— it depends how much detail I need to add really.

What do your friends and family think of you being a cartoonist?

That it’d be nice if I could draw for a living I guess. Some find my sense of humour odd. My wife’s wondered how my brain works.

What do you think is the best part about being a cartoonist?

Being able to come up with silly ideas and your own worlds.

What has been the standout post on Chewing Pencils for you? Why?

Your top ten tips on how to be an earning cartoonist– in particular the extra hint on making time for the family. You’ve got to get the balance right with work/church/family, and its easy not to get first things first.

Anything else you’d like to say….

Thanks! Its great how you devote time to helping other cartoonists, it’s easy to just do stuff for your own benefit, so thanks for being willing to be a resource.

My pleasure Chris! Thanks for being part of our little drawing circle…