Dan is a veteran illustrator and cartographer with a vibrant punk aesthetic. He was kind enough to answer some questions for me.
Question. Talk about your artistic inspirations. What style do you prefer working in? What is your favorite medium to work with?
Answer. Everything inspires me, from outsider art to advertising art. But beep down, I am a comic book guy. Kirby, Kane, Windsor-Smith, Cardy, Anderson, the list goes on, each had a hand in molding me. I draw in various styles... that is a strength (can do most projects) and a weakness (I am not always instantly recognizable.). Life is too short to be confined to just one style, when you love them all!
I work in all mediums (lyrics, scripts, photography, I don't limit myself.) my wife thinks my painting is my strongest medium, and I rarely have a chance to do it. Mostly, pen and ink is my most used form of expression.
Q. How do you like to work with clients? Is it best for people to give you broad strokes, detailed direction, or something in between?
A. All artists work best when they are allowed to do what they do. If you say to me "I want 2 gladiators fighting" you will get the best of me. If you say to me, "One gladiator wears this and that and had a bad childhood so he is doing this, blah, blah", you will get your hand on top of my hand while I am drawing and although it will be fantastic (!), it won't be my best work. it's harder to draw with someone's hand trying to guide mine. I hope that you hire me because you like what I do and not as a funnel for your specifics.
Q. What are you working on these days?
A. Everything. I have a long list of clients that put out Kickstarters constantly as well as my collaborators that I do stuff with. (Smif and Woodrums home brew game supply/Smif Ink Games/Fishwife Games on Drivethru) I do stuff for Planet X games, Scientific Barbarian, Third Kingdom Games, Steve Jackson Games (INWO online), 3,2,1, Action, so many, it's a blur. (A good blur!)
Q. What's the best way for potential clients to reach out to you?
A. I'm on facebook. I don't usually promote as I really don't need to, my pedigree is great for keeping me busy (FASA, White Wolf, SJG, I.C.E. etc.). A PM will get my attention.
