Orphan Work Amendment explained...

I found this website the other day about the Orphan Work Amendment. The conversation is between author Steve Heller and illustrator Brad Holland. If you have any questions about the O.W.A. and what it means to copyright and the protection of our work, this conversation should answer many, if not all, of those questions. It sure turned on the light for me.

NCC Memebers at TOON Exhibit

This spring and early summer several NCC members are taking part in an exhibition of cartoon art done by young, aspiring cartoonists. Organized by former NCC chairman Ken Alvine, The TOON-Ed organization will be hanging an exhibition of student cartooning artwork for consideration for the Annual TOON Award at the Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji, IA. Toon-Ed is dedicated to educating the student of cartooning and provides a chance to showcase students cartoon art that are enrolled in post-secondary schools, colleges, art schools, and universities. Cartoon art students are invited to participate in the annual TOON Award.

College students and artists 18 years of age and older are welcome to submit up to 3 pieces of their original works of cartoon art to the Pearson center by March 15th, 2009. There is a $10.00 entree fee. More details here.

The work will be judged by a panel of professional cartoonists on April 24th, 2009. The panel includes:

• Chris Browne of "Hagar the Horrible" website


• Tom Richmond of "Mad Magazine" (Hey... that's me!)


• Oliver Christenson (Revilo) of Hallmark Cards website


• Buck Jones - Humorous Illustrator website


• Paul Fell- Editorial Cartoonist website


• Ed Baker -Emmy award winning storyboard animator

Categories include magazine cartoons, greeting cards, comic books, political cartoons, illustrations, manga and anime, comic strips and animation. You can download the registration form here.

On Saturday there will be several workshops on cartooning by professional cartoonists:

• Dave Carpenter, Magazine cartooning


• Jim Allen, Dissecting a Cartoon


• Ken Alvine, Cartoon Ingredients

NCS- Landstuhl Germany USO Trip

I just got back a few days ago from a trip with 7 other NCS members to visit wounded soldiers and military hospital staff in Washington D.C. and in Landstuhl, Germany. It was a very inspirational trip. You can read about our time with the troops on my blog.... links above via the location names.

Bringing Drawings to Life

Here's a great few pages about improving the figures in your drawings. I have no idea what book this comes from -- if anyone does know, please comment. I'd like to read more by this author.

I know, it looks like a lot to read and you're busy today. But at least glance through the remarks beside the examples for Stage 1 and Stage 2. I've never heard the term "twinning" before, but I'm guilty of it.

Bringing Drawings to Life

What's Mike doing...?

Development of a character for a pitch....

My complaint

Why does every photo of me make me look like some wino who just wandered by? Who can I complain to about this? I think it's about time photos of me started looking handsome and intelligent. Someone has really dropped the ball on this.

more Toonfest photos to thumb through

Hey guys got some more photos from Toonfest here...
Had a great time! :)

more Toonfest photos

Disney Toonfest 2008

All the fun of the Toonfest and a few of the unsung heroes working behind the scenes.
Thanks guys and gals.

Toonfest 2008 Chapter Meeting

We had a small but enthusiastic group of NCC members show up in Marceline during Toonfest for our fall meeting.

North Central Chapter members (L to R): Mike Edholm, Me, Cedric Honstadt, Ted Goff, Paul Fell, Eric Scott, Scott Holmes

Our meeting was very productive. We raised the following issues and voted on each:

• Our annual meeting will be switched to March of each year to accommodate voting on the division we are assigned for the Reubens
• This year's meeting will be in Lincoln, NE
• A new officer post was created "Executive Vice Chairman"
• The Executive is responsible for providing all alcohol for future meetings
  
• Bucky Jones was voted into permanent office as Executive Vice Chairman

The Toonfest folks were very hospitable as usual. All the NCC members were invited to the private parties and functions where we were fed and watered until we could eat no more. What a great time. Special thanks to Mike, Paul and Bill (who couldn't make it) for helping organize the whole thing.

I have published a blog post detailing the Toonfest event and our participation in it. Check it out.

Toonfest 08

I enjoyed meeting and visiting with everyone there.
Look forward to the next meeting.

Eric