Post by Dreyfus on Nov 12, 2006 14:43:29 GMT
www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/features-1/11633177369490.xml&coll=6
'Practice,' cartoonist tells kids who like to draw
Sunday, November 12, 2006
By Lori Cook
The Grand Rapids Press
Get an idea, visualize it, draw it.
That's how cartoonist Tony Benedict likes to work. Benedict is an animator, writer, producer and director known around the world for his amazing cartoon creations.
Benedict has worked for Disney Studios and as a storyboard artist and writer on such cartoons as "Yogi Bear," "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," "Sesame Street" and "The Pink Panther."
He recently talked with students of digital animation and game design on the Grand Rapids campus of Ferris State University.
As we sat and chatted, he doodled a few of his classic cartoon friends. In only seconds, he turned a blank piece of paper into a work of art with images of some of my favorite characters, such as Barney from "The Flintstones" and Astro from "The Jetsons."
Even though he's been drawing for more than 65 years, Benedict still has a passion for creating cartoon characters.
"I started when I was around 5 years old, and even though many discouraged me from drawing, I just kept doing it because it was fun," he said with a smile.
His long hours of practice paid off big.
"When I was in the military, I worked as a cartoonist and illustrator for the base newspaper," he said. "One day I decided to send some of my work to Disney Studios."
The Disney people liked what they saw. "They offered me my first job once I was out of the military," Benedict said. "There were no animation studios back then, so I learned from a master animator.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
By Lori Cook
The Grand Rapids Press
Get an idea, visualize it, draw it.
That's how cartoonist Tony Benedict likes to work. Benedict is an animator, writer, producer and director known around the world for his amazing cartoon creations.
Benedict has worked for Disney Studios and as a storyboard artist and writer on such cartoons as "Yogi Bear," "The Flintstones," "The Jetsons," "Sesame Street" and "The Pink Panther."
He recently talked with students of digital animation and game design on the Grand Rapids campus of Ferris State University.
As we sat and chatted, he doodled a few of his classic cartoon friends. In only seconds, he turned a blank piece of paper into a work of art with images of some of my favorite characters, such as Barney from "The Flintstones" and Astro from "The Jetsons."
Even though he's been drawing for more than 65 years, Benedict still has a passion for creating cartoon characters.
"I started when I was around 5 years old, and even though many discouraged me from drawing, I just kept doing it because it was fun," he said with a smile.
His long hours of practice paid off big.
"When I was in the military, I worked as a cartoonist and illustrator for the base newspaper," he said. "One day I decided to send some of my work to Disney Studios."
The Disney people liked what they saw. "They offered me my first job once I was out of the military," Benedict said. "There were no animation studios back then, so I learned from a master animator.