I Drew This Thing #1
Escape from Illustration Island is extremely thrilled to introduce a brand spankin’ new series of editorial cartoons, called I Drew This Thing, created by the great Mark Kaufman. We’ve enlisted Mark’s help in rounding out the resources here with his visually witty, and all-too truthful take on what it means to be an Illustrator. You’ll find a new edition right here at EFII every Wednesday until you demand that we stop.
Better yet, we’ll let him introduce the series in his own words:
Illustrators. You know them. You love them. You’d like to hire them, but, you know…
I Drew This Thing is my feeble attempt to delve into the illustration game and those brave souls who practice the craft. Like actors, writers, and sad clown paintings, illustrators lay bare our souls for all to see, and what do we have to show for it? Besides superior hand skills and a second job? Creativity, passion, and a misplaced sense of insecurity and self-doubt.
Say it loud. Say it proud. I’m an illustrator dammit! And I also teach.
Who is Mark Kaufman?
Mr. Kaufman is a partner at Vivitiv, an issue oriented design firm providing creative services for organizations involved in housing, technology issues, education, the environment, the arts, and more.
The illustrations of Mark Kaufman have appeared in publications nationwide including The New York Times, The Progressive, The Stranger, National Lampoon, Willamette Week, Sasquatch Books, Creativity, Portland Monthly, and The Oxford American. Mark writes and draws the comic strip American Affairs Desk.
He has served on the executive boards of AIGA Seattle, The Seattle Show, and the 2010 Into the Woods Conference, was co-chair of AIGA Seattle Design Camp, and was a jurist for the Creativity 38 awards.
His work has been awarded certificates of merit from the Society of Publication Designers, Print Magazine, Graphic Design USA, American Corporate Identity, Creativity, and the Art Directors Club of New Jersey among others. Mr. Kaufman’s work has appeared in Critique Magazine and was featured in the book Thinking Creatively by Robin Landa. Mark’s illustration work has recently been included in the books The Best of LCD: The Art and Writing of WFMU, Magnificent Marvelous Me, The Big Book of Green Design, Creativity Magazine, and DesignTaxi.com, and has been exhibited in galleries in Los Angeles, Seattle, St. Louis, and London. Mark has also been interviewed on the Escape From Illustration Island Podcast. Mr. Kaufman and partner Jacqueline McCarthy have been profiled in Step Inside Design Magazine.
Awesome! I’m looking forward to this series! :)
HAHAHAHA this is awesome, great post, I keep thinking I am the only one, but everyday I get remainded of the truth about being an Illustrator, THAT I AM NOT ALONE!!
Looking forward to the series!!!
Thanks folks. Glad you like the new series. We’re excited to bring another voice to EFII to express some of the challenges and experiences of the life of an Illustrator. Lots more to come!
Love it!
So much truth, it hurts…in a motivational way.
I wish I was the only one – then I’d be in demand.
Illustrators are probably other illustrator’s greatest fan base so this is good stuff.
I’m liking it so far!
I know how you feel! Same internal argument here. Just slightly different in my case, though not much. I wonder if other professions have this feeling too: I’m an accountant (scratch that), financial wizard (scratch that), business development specialist (scratch that), recorder of transactions (really scratch that!), tax expert, etc. You think? Anyway, I’m looking forward to the series.
Thanks for all of the nice (and perceptive) comments, tweets, likes and Diggs. Much appreciated.
‘Till Next Time.
What a heaving sigh of relief, to behold an artist being him self.
Is this not what Artists are supposed to do? Be ‘an axe, for the frozen seas of our souls?”
to paraphrase Franz Kafka.
Thanks for sharing, Mr. Mark, and Mr. Thomas, something to look forward to!
I understand, I understand…