Thank you. and I feel for young students wanting to go into the same field I have. It's been wonderful way to make a living. I used to teach at some small local art schools and colleges, but I don't know if I would know where to lead a student now. I used to advise parents when they asked how their child should approach art school as a career, but not any more except to say - if they have serious talent with working with technology it may still be a viable course. All the best to your son.
Because when I submitted a packet of cartoons to them i couldn't even elicit a rejection notice from them ... nor a phone call. I have a cartoonist friend who call it the Closed New Yawk Cabal ...
Ugh. Your work is so much better than what they’re putting in their pages. I sometimes wonder if it’s just harder to laugh these days. And it probably is. But it turns out that’s not it. What’s would be your ideal vehicle for getting the work seen?
Any chance Trevor Irvin is related to the late Rea Irvin, the graphic artist who was a co-founder of -- and frequent contributor to -- The New Yorker? (Wikipedia says he created the Eustace Tilley cover portrait and the New Yorker typeface. )
I agree with Trevor in that AI is here and is now a fact of life. I would like to make it mandatory that AI be marked as such. Not all people can distinguish AI from reality. (Some don't want to, but that's a different issue.) The concept would be to the damage.
I absolutely feel for Trevor Irvin. I’m married to another talented artist whose living is threatened less by AI than it is by corporate greed, dead comic strip artists whose work continues without them and the impending death of most daily newspapers. Trevor is remarkably even-handed about it.
I had first thought that the one way that original/human artists will differentiate themselves is through the media they work in. Original paint, original pencil, -- non digital! But then I thought about 3-D printing and I decided that it wouldn't take long for AI to conquer other media. I think we'll lose something important when fine art is reduced to being AI-generated.
There was a time when oil paints were the new thing and the older artists poo-pooed it thinking that fresco (painting on fresh plaster) was the only way to go ... the only constant is change...
A true Luxardo maraschino cherry is amazing, so that’s what I voted for. But if we’re just talking about standard candied cherries with red dye, then I’d go for the jerky.
Donut would have had the same level of caveat — a fresh fried glazed donut like a Krispy Kreme would be strong competition for the jerky. But lots of other things sold as donuts, not so much.
I was exactly the same: Luxardo first, then jerky. I am two days in to my annual dry/no sugar January so was tempted by Oreos and donuts, but looking back at my actual eating habits my top choices stand.
Trevor, I’m in love! I started out wanting to be a commercial artist but quickly realized I didn’t want to be a starving artist. Being young and female in the late sixties, I didn’t see much future in that. I am in awe you managed to make a living at it for so long. And yes, I guess it’s like the buggy whip manufacturers. They are still used for show horses but they are at the top of their game in making whips. Good luck to you and I hope you invested wisely with your income and can retire comfortably. Your artwork is terrific!
Trevor, do you sell signed prints of any of your existing work? That parody of a TIME magazine cover looks like something I could see hanging in my home office.
Why yes I do. I could have one printed and sign it. Or if you don't need the worthless signature you can buy one off one of the sites that sell my art. Here is a link and I just uploaded the Time Cover to it. The Time cover should be on the front page. But there is lots of other art as well.
You bet I love this discussion. I began my career as a writer and I’ve since hired a lot of writers, graphic designers, photographers and videographers. All of us and, to an even greater extent, musicians don’t like AI because it does NOTHING original. It draws upon (steals) the work and talents of actual human beings. It’s devoid of heart and soul. And most of it isn’t very good. Musicians are better organized in fighting it and Sheryl Crow even wrote a song about it. (See Fan Alliance and Evolution.) AI is yet another thing the tech bros don’t want regulated. Use AI for medical research or space exploration. But stop using it to replace artists and plunder energy resources. Like everything else, we allow the greedy oligarchs to use it for evil.
Cartoonists are important. I am sad now that Ann Telnaes has announced her resignation from the Washington Post. I hope you and she both do well with your drawings. Please keep needling the powers that be.
I'm honestly surprised she wasn't one who left in October after they failed their readers and themselves by not endorsing a candidate. They've shown themselves to be craven cowards..
Speaking of people with sharp minds and pens, the estimable cartoonist Ann Telnaes has now followed many of her former WaPo colleagues out the door after her first cartoon was spiked. A link to it follows.
Absolutely wow! Yeah, you’re right, loved this. And pretty much lost my breath seeing Coltrane.
Yeah, that image of Coltrane is seriously good.
My son is trying to go into the same profession as Irvin. Things are not looking great for him.
Thank you. and I feel for young students wanting to go into the same field I have. It's been wonderful way to make a living. I used to teach at some small local art schools and colleges, but I don't know if I would know where to lead a student now. I used to advise parents when they asked how their child should approach art school as a career, but not any more except to say - if they have serious talent with working with technology it may still be a viable course. All the best to your son.
T
Omg what a gift!!!! I’ve been SOOO bored with the New Yorker cartoons over the past year. Why aren’t they using Trevor???
Because when I submitted a packet of cartoons to them i couldn't even elicit a rejection notice from them ... nor a phone call. I have a cartoonist friend who call it the Closed New Yawk Cabal ...
T
Ugh. Your work is so much better than what they’re putting in their pages. I sometimes wonder if it’s just harder to laugh these days. And it probably is. But it turns out that’s not it. What’s would be your ideal vehicle for getting the work seen?
Any chance Trevor Irvin is related to the late Rea Irvin, the graphic artist who was a co-founder of -- and frequent contributor to -- The New Yorker? (Wikipedia says he created the Eustace Tilley cover portrait and the New Yorker typeface. )
Not that I know of ... but he sounds Rea good. Most of my relatives are incarcerated or in hiding ...
T
Thanks for the info!
Mmmmm....donuts.
I agree with Trevor in that AI is here and is now a fact of life. I would like to make it mandatory that AI be marked as such. Not all people can distinguish AI from reality. (Some don't want to, but that's a different issue.) The concept would be to the damage.
Yes, each AI image should contain the words, 12 artists and a small child have been killed in the making of this image.
T
I absolutely feel for Trevor Irvin. I’m married to another talented artist whose living is threatened less by AI than it is by corporate greed, dead comic strip artists whose work continues without them and the impending death of most daily newspapers. Trevor is remarkably even-handed about it.
Whatcha gonna do ... life is still good.
T
You’re a good sport. Glad life is good for you.
Loved this column. And the artwork!
i can't speak for Gene but thanks from me.
Great interview with Trevor! He’s quite talented. I’m sorry AI will steal jobs away. Glad he’s going to persevere!
I was just looking at the safety cards on two Delta flights yesterday. It's very cool to hear from the dude who created them.
I had first thought that the one way that original/human artists will differentiate themselves is through the media they work in. Original paint, original pencil, -- non digital! But then I thought about 3-D printing and I decided that it wouldn't take long for AI to conquer other media. I think we'll lose something important when fine art is reduced to being AI-generated.
There was a time when oil paints were the new thing and the older artists poo-pooed it thinking that fresco (painting on fresh plaster) was the only way to go ... the only constant is change...
T
A true Luxardo maraschino cherry is amazing, so that’s what I voted for. But if we’re just talking about standard candied cherries with red dye, then I’d go for the jerky.
I totally agree with you, except, if it's not Luxardo, I'd go for a donut.
Donut would have had the same level of caveat — a fresh fried glazed donut like a Krispy Kreme would be strong competition for the jerky. But lots of other things sold as donuts, not so much.
You are my soulmate. I voted the same way, for the same reasons.
I was exactly the same: Luxardo first, then jerky. I am two days in to my annual dry/no sugar January so was tempted by Oreos and donuts, but looking back at my actual eating habits my top choices stand.
Jerky was my second choice as well. I wonder if it would have showed much better with ranked choice voting.
Trevor, I’m in love! I started out wanting to be a commercial artist but quickly realized I didn’t want to be a starving artist. Being young and female in the late sixties, I didn’t see much future in that. I am in awe you managed to make a living at it for so long. And yes, I guess it’s like the buggy whip manufacturers. They are still used for show horses but they are at the top of their game in making whips. Good luck to you and I hope you invested wisely with your income and can retire comfortably. Your artwork is terrific!
Thank you and I invested heavily in paper clips, I think they are going to catch on ...
T
I really dig this conversation. The artwork rocks.
Trevor, do you sell signed prints of any of your existing work? That parody of a TIME magazine cover looks like something I could see hanging in my home office.
Why yes I do. I could have one printed and sign it. Or if you don't need the worthless signature you can buy one off one of the sites that sell my art. Here is a link and I just uploaded the Time Cover to it. The Time cover should be on the front page. But there is lots of other art as well.
https://pixels.com/profiles/trevor-irvin
The art work can be printed on all kinds of things.
You bet I love this discussion. I began my career as a writer and I’ve since hired a lot of writers, graphic designers, photographers and videographers. All of us and, to an even greater extent, musicians don’t like AI because it does NOTHING original. It draws upon (steals) the work and talents of actual human beings. It’s devoid of heart and soul. And most of it isn’t very good. Musicians are better organized in fighting it and Sheryl Crow even wrote a song about it. (See Fan Alliance and Evolution.) AI is yet another thing the tech bros don’t want regulated. Use AI for medical research or space exploration. But stop using it to replace artists and plunder energy resources. Like everything else, we allow the greedy oligarchs to use it for evil.
Cartoonists are important. I am sad now that Ann Telnaes has announced her resignation from the Washington Post. I hope you and she both do well with your drawings. Please keep needling the powers that be.
Ann Tellanes is one of the masters, she will survive. But it was the Post that should have resigned.
T
I'm honestly surprised she wasn't one who left in October after they failed their readers and themselves by not endorsing a candidate. They've shown themselves to be craven cowards..
Speaking of people with sharp minds and pens, the estimable cartoonist Ann Telnaes has now followed many of her former WaPo colleagues out the door after her first cartoon was spiked. A link to it follows.
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F185b68c6-9dba-4d15-9282-28cc9dc6aba8_1725x2100.jpeg
That’s pretty stunning. The cartoon isn’t even that harsh, in my opinion.