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Q: Do you have any hot technical tips?

A: Learn to use computers! It is still possible to earn a living in this field without one, but computer knowledge is becoming more and more essential all of the time. Most publishers that I work with use computer generated or enhanced art files to print my work, so if I can provide them with such files I greatly improve the odds of getting more freelance work from them.

The most commonly used programs for printing are Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Quark. I usually scan my black and white art into Photoshop, touch it up a little, then use a program called Streamline to convert it to an Illustrator File. I apply color in the Illustrator Program, touch up my work a little bit more, then save it as an .eps file. It can then be placed into a Quark file if it is part of a book project.

I also use the Internet constantly, searching for information related to my business as well as looking for new markets for my material. I found my book publisher during an Internet search. I e-mailed them directly from their submissions page on their web site, and within a few weeks we had signed contracts to work together on a series. I've done eight books now in about a year and a half.

Q: What equipment and materials do you use?

A: I start out with the basics. I have lots of number two lead pencils in my studio, a great pencil sharpener and several kneaded erasers (which are lots of fun to play with when you're goofing off!). I also own a variety of color pencils. My personal favorite is a brand called Prang. I keep tons of paper around. I do a lot of my rough sketches on cheap multi-purpose printer or copier paper. I usually just buy whatever is on sale when I go to the store.

Most of my finished work is done utilizing a light table. I have a large drafting board sized light table. I do my rough sketches on cheap paper, then ink the final drawing by placing better paper over it on the light table and tracing it. When you are first starting out you can find inexpensive small plastic light tables at a variety of stores and web sites. Some people just build their own light box at home.

I usually use permanent black india ink for my final drawings. My favorite pen is a Speedball B-5 nib. They take a little bit of practice to get used to, but I still love the line that they make. There are tons of different pens that are also very good. There are even pocket pens out there that work like a felt tip pen but are filled with permanent black india ink. The lines hold up for years and don't fade.

For finished cartoons I use a nice smooth finish bristol board. It's flexible enough for my customers to scan it using a drum scanner if they need to, but it holds up well for many years. My ink settles on it and dries fairly quickly, so I don't end up smearing something I've just spent hours working on.

If I need to use a straight-edge (a ruler to draw straight line boxes around the outside of comic strips) I prefer to use a beveled triangle. They are great because they also don't smear the ink as it is drying. The little beveled lip on the edge helps protect my work.

I also own an I-mac computer, an Agfa scanner and an Epson color printer. I actually just got this set up a few years ago, and it has already paid for itself many times over. It gives me the capability to scan proofs and send them to editors electronically so that we can iron out all of the little details before I do the finished piece.

Page 1 - Meet Steve
Page 2 - A Career in Cartooning
Page 3 - Technical Tips
Page 4 - Going Pro