Free Animation & Cartooning Seminars by Nat'l Cartoonists Society
SE Chapter of National Cartoonists Society Offers Free Seminars on Humor and Illustration
“The Toonists Take on Tune Town” when the National Cartoonists Society’s Southeast Chapter brings legendary film and magazine illustrators – including MAD Magazine alumni Nick Meglin and Angelo Torres – to Nashville for their fall meeting November 2-3. Watkins College of Art, Design & Film will host the cartoonists for several open-to-the-public seminars on humor theory, satire, caricature and animation on Saturday, November 3. The National Cartoonists Society is the world’s largest and most prestigious organization of professional cartoonists, with more than 500 established professionals.
On slate for Saturday’s free seminars in the Watkins Theater are several nationally acclaimed cartoonists representing multiple disciplines within the cartooning field. Former Disney animator and “Veggie Tales” director Tom Bancroft will open the day’s events at 11 a.m. with an hour-long session on animation. Bancroft’s work with Disney includes “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” “Mulan,” and “Brother Bear.”
After a lunch break the seminars will resume at 1 p.m. with MAD Magazine editor emeritus Nick Meglin and Southeast Chairman and humorous illustrator Jack Pittman speaking on humor theory. The duo will present different aspects of humor illustrated by examples of Pittman’s work, ending with a brief presentation of Pittman’s procedure in putting together cartoon maps for the various amusement parks he illustrates around the world.
At 2 p.m., Meglin will team up with long-time MAD illustrator Angelo Torres (their association with MAD spans five decades) in a retrospective of Torres’ work for MAD, EC, and various comics he has drawn over his career. Torres is especially well known for the film and television satires he illustrates. This seminar will segue into a session on caricature at 3 p.m., which will include Torres, National Cartoonist Society President and MAD illustrator Tom Richmond, and editorial cartoonist Dwane Powell. The trio will speak about their approaches to caricature with live demonstrations by each.
There will also be a silent auction of original art from the cartoonists (concluding after the seminars). Proceeds will be divided between the National Cartoonists Society’s Milt Gross Fund and Watkins College of Art, Design & Film.
The National Cartoonists Society (www.reuben.org) was founded in 1946 with Rube Goldberg as its first President. Its members have a long history of public service with USO tours, visits to military and children’s hospitals, and a variety of charity benefits.