Featured Artist: Michael Bartalos

My Background: I was born in West Germany and spent my formative years poring over Dr Seuss books and Mad magazine in New York City's northern suburbs. In the mid 1980's I attended Pratt Institute where I majored in printmaking and began creating pen-and-ink spots for the New York Times. Soon I became involved with limited-edition letterpress printing which encouraged my current graphic style. By the time I moved to San Francisco in 1993, most of my illustration work was done digitally. Since then I've had the good fortune of designing three Swatch watches, two lines of children's mannikins, and a stamp for the U.S. Postal Service among other interesting and varied assignments. I travel to Japan each year for work where I'm reminded that hands drawn with less than five fingers will upset the yakuza.

My Technique: I prefer cutting and pasting hand-made papers if time allows, but tight deadlines usually call for a digital image which I create in Adobe Illustrator by tracing over my client-approved pencil sketch. I enjoy the rare assignment which allows me to paint large-scale murals or use unusual material to create sculptural assemblages.

When I use the computer I paint in Photoshop and Fractal Painter. I try to mimic my painting style as much as possible. I sometimes scan parts of a painting comp or drawing then finish the piece in the computer. I have been able to fool lots of people as to what tools I use to create my work. I think the tool, be it the computer, paint, or whatever, is secondary to the finished piece. All that matters is the quality and success of the image.

My Involvement in the Guild: Member and enthusiastic advocate of the Guild for over 15 years.

My Favorite Client story: Several years ago I was asked by New York Newsday to draw cartoony party hats and noise-makers on a reproduction of a famous 18th century painting depicting George Washington's inauguration. I reluctantly agreed, fully expecting readers to write in to criticize the cheesy illustration concept. Sure enough an extremely irate Long Islander wrote me shortly after publication, but with a far more serious complaint: He actually believed that Newsday had sanctioned me to draw on the original painting itself, ruining it forever. Too ridiculous to answer but too sincere to ignore, I forwarded the letter to Newsday's "Letters to the Editor" page but it was never acknowledged in print... and I'm still blacklisted as a vandal in a certain Long Island household.

All artwork © 2002 Michael Bartalos. Not to be used without permission.