On Tuesday, May 10th, Comic Book Artist Mark Irwin visited the SDA drawing room to talk to kids about what a career in the commercial arts is like and show samples of his work. Irwin has worked with almost every major company in the comic book industry, including Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse. In fact, his first job straight out of college in New Jersey was as Art Director at Heavy Metal magazine.
For the past 10 years, Irwin has been working on Green Lantern comics, and is now starting to do Superman.
“Commercial art is a task. You really have to dedicate yourself to it. It’s hard work, with lots of deadlines, but you can make a great living at it if you love what you do,” he said.
When asked what he thinks makes superheroes so widely popular, Irwin replied “the wide variety. There are superheroes of every color, every power set, and they all have problems just like we have. It’s our fantasy to have more exciting lives than we do, so superheroes will probably always be popular.”
Despite all of the hard work, long hours and rushed deadlines, Irwin always feel rewarded by fan recognition and the power to inspire people everywhere. For anyone that wants to pursue an artistic career, Irwin says, “Be dedicated, be disciplined, and always be smart about your money and the way you deal with clients.”