Name: E. K. Weaver
Astrological Sign: Libra
Blood Type: O
Likes: extremely spicy Thai food, thunderstorms, the word "butt"
Dislikes: almond extract, squealy brakes, the words "leverage" and "pro-active"

Brief Bio:
I was born in 1977 and grew up in Huntsville, AL - the cradle of engineering and governmnent contracts. Went to Berry College for my bachelor's degree in Studio Art. In the summer of 2000, I escaped the Bible Belt and made Austin, TX my home. I live in a tiny old house with my wonderful husband, Brett, our dogs Dini and Bob, and our cat Bumpus.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

How long have you been drawing?
I've loved to draw for as long as I can remember, although I decided I wanted to become an artist when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I've been working in graphics since 1996.

Have you taken any classes, or are you self-taught? Can you recommend any art schools?
I took art classes both in and out of school from about first grade on. In college, I declared a Studio Art major during my freshman year, and took at least one art class each semester. Additionally, I continued to draw constantly outside of these classes. Since leaving school, I've learned more from independent life drawing, anatomy books, and interacting with other artists.
I'm not very familiar with art schools, though some of my friends have attended SCAD, CalArts, Ringling, SFAI, and Sheridan, and are better qualified to answer this question.. All I can say is to make sure your school is fully accredited, that the facilities and courses meet the needs of your field, and that the faculty value discipline and classical training over "expressing your heart".
When you enter the job market, what really matters is your portfolio, not your degree.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists or cartoonists?
Just two things: 1. Draw every day, even if it's just nonsense doodling, and 2. Get a solid foundation in figure drawing before concentrating on cartoon work!
I learned this the hard way. In high school, I blundered around with anime/manga style art while ignoring the basics, and I'm still making up for the damage years later. Don't sabotage yourself like I did!
Take life drawing classes as often as you can. If none are available, carry a sketchbook with you and draw the people and animals you see in your everyday life. Once you have a grasp the structure and shape of the human body, you will be better equipped to draw appealing cartoons.
Back in 2000, I had the good fortune to share an evening with and Mr. Koichi Tsunoda, who has worked on many anime features including Mazinger Z and Sailor Moon. He and I talked (through a translator) about our respective portfolios - and when he opened his, it was filled almost entirely with life drawings, sketches of Greek and Roman statues, and quick doodles done from life. "The first thing an animation studio looks for in an artist's portfolio," he whispered, "is whether the artist can draw hands and feet."

What is your favorite medium? What tools do you use?
As convenient as digital formats are, I vastly prefer working with natural media. There's no barrier between your hands and the artwork that way. Even when a piece's final destination is a digital file, I do as much of the work as possible on paper, then do any corrections and colour in Photoshop.
When working on Bristol, I prefer to use a drafting pencil (a very hard lead, about 5H or 6H) for the initial sketch - for inking and colour I like Pigma pens, Copic markers, and Speedball inks applied with a very small brush. On canvas, I use acrylic paint. It's not as refined as oil, but the mess is easier to clean up, and the faster drying time and compatibility with water let me layer washes nicely.
For digital work, I use Photoshop CS and Illustrator CS, and a 9x12" Wacom Intuos2 tablet. I currently work in Windows XP on an older machine, but I hope to purchase a G5 soon.