Laughter is nature's best medicine and cartoonist Randy Glasbergen has no trouble keeping his viewers laughing. Randy is one of America's most popular cartoonists. More than 25,000 of Randy’s cartoons and comic illustrations have been published around the world. I met up with Randy via online interview, where he shared with me some of the experiences that got him into the cartoon profession.
At what age did you start drawing?
I’ve been drawing all my life, just for fun as a kid. I became interested in cartooning as a career when I was around 14, that’s when I got my first cartoon published... it was in a magazine called New York State Conservationist.
How did you get started in cartooning?
I drew some cartoons like the ones I saw being published and put them in the mail and somebody bought a few. I’ve basically done the same thing over and over for 30 years, gradually branching out into different media outlets and markets.
What obstacles, if any, have you encountered along the way?
Discouragement, frustration, a changing marketplace, supporting a family during the lean years. Most people get ambitious faster than they become accomplished... that can be very frustrating.
What was the hardest technique for you to learn as a cartoonist?
Color work was always a challenge for me. I like using my computer to colorize now — it lets me make changes easily until I get it the way I like. With traditional media, you couldn’t correct an error or make a change so easily.
What cartoonist has inspired you the most?
Magazine cartoonist Henry Martin was widely published when I started out. He was a big influence, mostly on my humor style and writing.
What equipment and materials do you use?
I draw with a cheap Flair pen on heavyweight typing paper and do everything else on a Mac with Photoshop.
Where do your ideas for cartoons come from?
I get my ideas by thinking about topics that I think people are interested in, family, work, health, diets, kids, pets, etc. People like to read about themselves.
What's your favorite part of being a cartoonist?
As a freelancer, every day has the potential to bring in something new and exciting. Each e-mail has the potential of great opportunity. Plus I don’t have to deal with office politics or any annoying coworkers. I work alone in a studio in my home (the third floor of a big old Victorian house in a small town). I have two enormous guinea pigs in my studio to keep me company; actually, they look more like baby panda bears.
What impact has technology had on your work?
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