Do you use particular paper or board?
I still work in the same format I wave worked in for the last 26 (or more?!) years and that is with a standard 81/2 X 11 inch piece of typing paper. I used Bristol board before, but it's too heavy and your typical 20 lb. cotton fiber typing paper still offers a nice backing to a pen line.
Do you have assistants or do family members help out?
No, I don't have any assistants, I am pretty much the "chief cook & bottle washer", although it would be something I should consider because it does get a bit time consuming trying to be not only creative and then run through the entire gamut of bookkeeping, making follow-up calls, cataloging specific images and recording those, when they are submitted to who, when and what date etc. it can get very heavy at times but then in a way, I know in my mind that I have "complete control"...and I'm not saying that from being on some sort of power-trip, it's just that I know what's out there, where a certain record book is and so forth. I think to hire a secretary now would take more time out to show her all the stuff I do, what is to be done etc. so I am always looking at time being a factor.
You have a huge body of hilarious work to your credit, Dan. How do you keep continually inspired?
That's probably the trickiest question there is. I have always had a hard time putting my finger on what inspiration really is but I really think you need to be "creative" at heart. It has to be something inherent and within you from the time you were born or realized you had some sort of "artistic destiny". Having said that, I think you will always be inspired and not have to really look for it. Inspiration is always around us as part of the reality we live in. Without being too philosophical, it's a bit like each of our respective karmas so-to-speak. Aside from that, people give me inspiration & ideas!
Are there many pitfalls to freelance cartooning?
Not really! If you choose this as your path & stay focused on certain aspects of cartooning, you can pretty much achieve specific things along the way but personally, I see TIME as a basic pitfall...if you freelance in this business, and spread yourself too thin and start acquiring lots of clients, it can be a bit daunting. You need to segment your time to focus creatively for each respective client; especially your contract clients who are your bread & butter.
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