Comics Appreciation Questionaire (Best Coolest)

1.Outside of school and your comics, have you written any fiction or non-fiction? Do you like to read prose fiction or non-fiction?
-Yes, I have written both fiction and non-fiction. Reading fiction is my preference.

2.Would you say you have a good awareness of the history of American comics?
-I would say I have a "fair" awareness of their history, but I wouldn't call it "good."

3.Off the top of your head, could you name 5 artists who worked in comics before 1980? Do you have a favorite?
-I could probably name one or two, but I wouldn't be able to identify the name of my favorite artist without researching again.

4.Could you name 5 artists who work or worked in newspaper comics?
-Yes. I regularly read the funnies sections of newspapers, and I always stop to read the cartoons that people or teachers post outside their offices or by their studios. Gary Larson, Jim Davis, Charles Schultz (these are probably the same as Chad's, aren't they?) and a couple mroe I just can't place right now.

5.Could you name any contemporary cartoonists from Europe? Do you have a favorite?
-I cannot name any European artists off the top of my head.

6.Could you name any contemporary manga artists from Japan? Do you have a favorite?
-No.

7.Do you read European comics?
-I read a comic or two of "Asterix and Obelix" (a French comic that's been around forever).

8.Do you read any manga?
-No.

9.Do you regularly draw in a sketchbook or write in a journal?
-Yes. Mostly the former.

10.Would you say you have a good working ability to drawing with brush and ink? If so, how long have you used a brush? What types?
-I would say I have a good grasp of working in ink. I usually prefer to use a dip pen over a brush, but that is currently the kind of work I have been doing most frequently in my artwork.

11.Which magazines or websites do you regularly read in order to get comics news?
-I read IGN a lot for comics and/or media updates.

12.Which magazines or websites do you regularly read in order to get news of current events?
-I don't read printed newspapers or visit their website equivalents very much. Sadly, most of what I know from current events comes from my friends' facebook updates. It's a little sad.

13.Do you go to comic book conventions or festivals? If so--which ones?
-I've been to comic stands and stores before, but never an actual convention.

14.Have you ever sat through a portfolio review with a professional editor? If so, could you briefly sum up their message for you?
-Yes. He was an editor and art director with Deseret Books. He interviewed everyone in my Business for Illustration class last year. He gave me good feedback--very little by way of criticism--and encouraged me to start putting my stuff "out there." He was one of the people that have encouraged me to pursue my current style in art (pen & ink with washes).

15.Have you ever had your work published? If so, where?
-Technically, no. I did however illustrate a family's book about two years ago (20 illustrations) that they had printed. It was small, I didn't get paid a lot, it was very hard and frustrating, and I don't know if I want to do it again, but I did learn from it.

16.How long have you been drawing?
-I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I think Ninja Turtles, Sonic, Garfield, and Looney Toons (the Roadrunner specifically) were my muses at the time...

17.Do you like to go to museums? Do you have any favorite "fine" artists, either living or dead? Film directors?
-I love going to museums and galleries. I don't think I have a favorite artist, as I tend to focus more on the art itself and less on the names attached to them. There are a lot of old masters I'm drawn to though. Carl Bloch is one of my heroes (and this was WAY before they did an exhibit on him in the MOA). And a lot of the "Golden Age" illustrators like J.C. Leyendecker, Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, and Maxfield Parrish are definite inspirations to me. Some contemporary artists at work today that I admire are folks like Jillian Tamaki, Scott McKowen, and Jack Unruh. I really like the directing ability of Francis Ford Coppola ("The Godfather" movies). Christopher Nolan is on the top of my list too ("Memento" blew my mind). Joe Wright is also great (he directed "Pride & Prejudice" and most recently "Hanna"), as those films he works on are some of the most beautifully shot pictures in recent memory.

18.Would you think it could be useful or beneficial to watch a film or films as a group and discuss it afterward as it may relate to comics? Do you have a recommendation for such a film?
-I'm obsessed with films, so YES! I love looking at the superhero genre of films and their relation to comics. But that's kind of too easy. Shyamalan's second film "Unbreakable" is great in my opinion, and provides a very interesting take on the comic book itself.

19.What ethnographic background do you have and how confident are you in acting as an expert of resource of that background?
-Ethnographic? Well, I'm Italian. I'm aware of a lot of my ancestors' (seedy) history. I think it's fascinating. I'm not an expert yet, but I could become one.

20.What comic or book or movie have you read/seen at least 5 times? And 10 times?
-I've seen way more movies than I have read comics. "The Lord of the Rings" is a must. "Indiana Jones," "Star Wars." I love sagas. I've stopped counting how many times I've seen them. And "Monsters, Inc." is probably my favorite animated film ever. So far.