I am WIGGING OUT!

And it's not because my parents are coming to help me move out tomorrow and I've only packed two boxes. I've never been very cool when it comes to meeting celebrities -- or at least people whom I subconciously deem celebrities -- like the time when I was about seven years old and took my first trip to Universal Studios and met the guy who played the villain in The Rocketeer and got so tongue tied that I'm pretty sure he thought I was an autistic kid, or the time I met Hoobastank right outside my apartment and... well, they probably thought the same thing as the Rocketeer guy. Hell, even when I 'virtually' met Rooster Teeth's Gus on World of Warcraft, I had to conciously make myself not bug him with irrelevant questions.

Anyway, I think that I have some sort of a hero worship complex, or something, because I am downright giddy about the letter I just recieved from Lar deSouza, the artist for Least I Could Do. Last night, I decided that over the summer I would work on a comic strip to submit to USF's newspaper, the Oracle, in the fall. I have a great script, but everything I have draw hasn't impressed me. I'm having originality issues; I think that everything I draw is just a rip-off of Mark Bagley or Scott Ramsoomair. I decided to see how the master of LICD does it, so, today, I wrote him a letter.

Lar actually read and returned my letter in the same day. I thought that if I ever got anything back it would be a month down the road and some half assed, copy/pasted collection of platitudes with a request to buy an LICD T-shirt at the end. But, low and behold, it was the complete opposite. The guy didn't just answer my question, he actually ANSWERED my question. I can't get over it. Just read.

Dear Matt,
Thanks for writing :) I'm glad you're enjoying LICD so much and thatit has inspired you to create on your own. Way to go!!
First off, don't sweat the fumes. Crack a window, yes, but otherwiseyou'll stop smelling them after awhile. I think the toxin sensors inmy nose died many years ago ;)
Style? Oh geez, that's the $64 question isn't it? I've had teachersgo on and on about style and have had discussions through the yearsand y'know what? I think it just happens. Not very helpful I know,but there's just no way to NOT be influenced by the art around you.That's part of being artistic. It all goes into the pot, as it were,and some of it comes back out in your work. I think the thing is tobe sensitive to those influences and not let them dominate you so thatyou don't evolve your own distinctive work.
When you decide you like something, try to look at it critically anddecide *why* you like it and then decide whether or not what you likeabout it fits your way of working.
I love a fine oil painting of a landscape but I'm not inspired topaint one. So I just enjoy them. I doubt I take anythinginspirational away from those :)
On the other hand, I love the work of Al Hirschfeld, the renownedcaricaturist. That flowing lyrical line and sense of design. Use ofline is totally good for me as a cartoonist so I worked at creatingthat flowing line and eventually succeeded to some extent by usingsoft fine brushes and ink (and now Photoshop). Years later, Idiscovered he builds up his lines using old fashioned dip pens. I*hate* dip pens. I've never ever been good with them. However, Iswing a mean brush. Instead of slavishly trying to copy his methods,I'd found my own way to create something I can be proud of.
It may be that you don't care for the art in a comic but like thewriting. Again, ask yourself why. Is it the subject matter, thecomedic timing, the development of characters or portrayal of themes?Keep those things in mind for the next time you write and just enjoythe rest.
You don't find a style, you evolve one. And it continues to grow asyou do. Stop throwing away your art and LOOK AT IT instead. Look atit like someone else did it and figure out where it works and where itneeds improvement. Art is more about eye/brain co-ordination thanhand/eye coordination :)
I hope this helps answer your question. It's not a simple questionand is probably one you will continue to ask yourself even after folksstart telling you "Oh yeah, I knew that was your work. It just lookslike your stuff." and then you'll realize you've got a style withouteven trying.
Thanks again for writing. If you want more feedback, why not postsome of your work in Teh Art Forum. Lots of good folks hanging outthere.
Good luck :) Later!
Lar