Bloghorn is very pleased to be able to publish an interview with David Lloyd, artist of V for Vendetta and co-founder of Cartoon Classroom, a free resource to connect artists and people who would like to learn how to draw.
How do you think the Cartoon Classroom and its list of expert teachers in drawing can help young people who do think in images?
Well, we’re not just for young people and we don’t specify anywhere on the site that we are. Anyone can make use of cartoon workshops or teaching in that area of art if they want to, and they already have in the past. Are water-colour weekends just for young people? There’s a tendency to think ‘ cartoons? ah, young people ‘ . This is a misperception from a Disney/comics train of thought, I guess. The work I helped with at The London Cartoon Centre in the 80’s and 90’s was just for young people, because it was specifically meant to help the young unemployed.
So, the classroom is a non-profit learning resource for everybody?
Cartoon Classroom is intended to be a resource that anyone can dip into for exactly what they want by having as many institutions and artists as possible register with it. We must get that spread of involvement in the site, otherwise it will fail in its task.
David, personally, what does drawing mean to you?
A pleasure and a pain. I love being able to draw and create but it often hurts because I’m striving for the best and can’t always get there.
Why do you think you feel that way about it?
Because I’m cursed with ambition.
Many creative people seem to spend a lot of energy trying to define why they do what they do. Do you? Did you?
Never had the choice. This was all I could turn into a living when I left school. But I have answered a similar question in interviews by saying I loved to draw and loved to write stories, and loved movies and tv, so it was natural I worked in strip art because I could do the things I’m naturally good at and enjoy making things that are like movies and tv at the same time.
Bloghorn will be publishing some more details about Cartoon Classroom over the new year.