Cartoon Crusade
By Denise M. Baran-Unland (2000)
ARTIST: Michael Foster
MEDIUM: cartooning
As a 4-year-old, Foster was obsessed with drawing cartoon characters, especially Charles Schulz's "Peanuts," an obsession that continued into both elementary and junior high school. "I was a nerdy kid; I related to them," Foster recalls. "I was nicknamed Linus in the fourth grade because I was always so philosophical. I didn't have a blanket, though."
In high school, Foster gave up parties and football games for evenings spent in his room drawing. At 15, he was drawing for a restaurant chain in Texas. "I was down there visiting my grandma," said Foster. "I was looking at the children's menu (at this restaurant) and said, "I can do better than this” the manager asked for some drawing samples and foster was hired to draw their children's menu and activity book.
For the last ten 10 years, Foster has worked on a cartoon called "Space Age." Several years ago, DreamWorks demonstrated some interest in the strip. "They looked at it, liked it, and it sat on their shelf, I guess." Foster reworked "Space Age" into "Popsicle Toes," inspired by a song by the same name.
Attempts to syndicate that strip were unsuccessful, but Foster feels the effort was good experience. He knows far more about the cartooning business now than he did at the time. Foster is working on a new strip called, "Sticks and Stones," as well a working as an illustrator for a publishing company in Tinley Park.
ABOUT HIS ART: After "Popsicle Toes" failed to become syndicated, Foster took a hard look at his style. "I stopped drawing, the re-taught myself," he said. "I found that as I grew, the characters kind of changed. They became more personable, less flaunty." Some of the elements of "Space Age" have survived all three of Foster's comic strips, most notably the character, Larry, who is an alien. "Space Age" was originally set in the future, but Foster discovered that the theme "did not fly." Therefore, he created some small town, junior high school characters that live in the present. "I named it Popsicle Toes because it reminded me of my own cold feet in junior high," said Foster. There are about 10 main characters that deal with a variety of relationships.
Larry is the person who the kids run to for advice. He owns an ice cream/coffee shop and, being "20-ish," he is an "older brother" type character. "He's the character I relate to the most," said Foster.
For "Sticks and Stones" Foster changed the looks of his other characters. Gone are the big eyes that are reminiscent of such strips as Garfield and Fox Trot. Foster's new characters are "very sketchy, more earthy types of people." Larry's back, of course, joining a collection of new 12-year-olds. The most important change that Foster has made in his work is trusting his instincts. "Whenever I would get a great idea, I would always tone it back, make it more user-friendly," he said. "Now when I have a great idea, I stick with it 100 percent and do what I want to do."
WORDS OF WISDOM: "Keep at it and make it your life. It (success) is not an unreachable goal, but it definitely takes years. It rarely happens overnight."
By Denise M. Baran-Unland (2000)
ARTIST: Michael Foster
MEDIUM: cartooning
As a 4-year-old, Foster was obsessed with drawing cartoon characters, especially Charles Schulz's "Peanuts," an obsession that continued into both elementary and junior high school. "I was a nerdy kid; I related to them," Foster recalls. "I was nicknamed Linus in the fourth grade because I was always so philosophical. I didn't have a blanket, though."
In high school, Foster gave up parties and football games for evenings spent in his room drawing. At 15, he was drawing for a restaurant chain in Texas. "I was down there visiting my grandma," said Foster. "I was looking at the children's menu (at this restaurant) and said, "I can do better than this” the manager asked for some drawing samples and foster was hired to draw their children's menu and activity book.
For the last ten 10 years, Foster has worked on a cartoon called "Space Age." Several years ago, DreamWorks demonstrated some interest in the strip. "They looked at it, liked it, and it sat on their shelf, I guess." Foster reworked "Space Age" into "Popsicle Toes," inspired by a song by the same name.
Attempts to syndicate that strip were unsuccessful, but Foster feels the effort was good experience. He knows far more about the cartooning business now than he did at the time. Foster is working on a new strip called, "Sticks and Stones," as well a working as an illustrator for a publishing company in Tinley Park.
ABOUT HIS ART: After "Popsicle Toes" failed to become syndicated, Foster took a hard look at his style. "I stopped drawing, the re-taught myself," he said. "I found that as I grew, the characters kind of changed. They became more personable, less flaunty." Some of the elements of "Space Age" have survived all three of Foster's comic strips, most notably the character, Larry, who is an alien. "Space Age" was originally set in the future, but Foster discovered that the theme "did not fly." Therefore, he created some small town, junior high school characters that live in the present. "I named it Popsicle Toes because it reminded me of my own cold feet in junior high," said Foster. There are about 10 main characters that deal with a variety of relationships.
Larry is the person who the kids run to for advice. He owns an ice cream/coffee shop and, being "20-ish," he is an "older brother" type character. "He's the character I relate to the most," said Foster.
For "Sticks and Stones" Foster changed the looks of his other characters. Gone are the big eyes that are reminiscent of such strips as Garfield and Fox Trot. Foster's new characters are "very sketchy, more earthy types of people." Larry's back, of course, joining a collection of new 12-year-olds. The most important change that Foster has made in his work is trusting his instincts. "Whenever I would get a great idea, I would always tone it back, make it more user-friendly," he said. "Now when I have a great idea, I stick with it 100 percent and do what I want to do."
WORDS OF WISDOM: "Keep at it and make it your life. It (success) is not an unreachable goal, but it definitely takes years. It rarely happens overnight."
