We had so much fun interviewing designer Paul Biedermann that we decided to interview another talented graphics professional today. It’s my distinct pleasure to introduce you to an experienced digital artist and illustrator Mr. Daryl Slaton! I met Daryl on Twitter, and I was immediately impressed with his unique portfolio. Daryl’s work expands across media platforms, and he’s heavily into print as well as animation. It just so happens that Daryl agreed to lend his talents in a special greeting card giveaway just in time for Christmas. So read his thoughts below, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
Q1) Please give a brief rundown of your career.
My whimsical quest to match animals to new story ideas started in childhood when my favorite “splurge” was a ten cent Surprise Bag that contained a small toy, three pieces of penny candy, and another little surprise. From that magic came an active imagination for stories that later came alive with art and theatrical training. Then came a career in commercial art and digital display that paid bills but just wasn’t that much fun. My life partner and soon to be wife, publicist Louise Glickman was also looking to re-kindle her energetic spirit when we found each other. We will be married on Nov. 30.
Q2) Do you prefer to design for print or then web?
I have no preference. My mind is so fertile that I first think of a story and then develop characters that “tell” the story and can be used in print or on the web.
Q3) You call yourself a multimedia artist. Do you see a distinction between art and graphic design?
I am a multimedia artist who has created illustration, animation, character design and display for many of America’s Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller businesses and nonprofit organizations. Tails of Whimsy developed through my passion for animals and then the fanciful.
“Form follows function” is the mantra for my artistic adventures. Characters come alive along with their intended uses for stories, whether they be for print or animation, 2-D or 3-D, for ads, galleries, display or publicity purposes. The collection or story idea always comes first.
Q4) Do you always begin a project with hand drawings?
Yes. This is a skill I developed in childhood while visualizing my own tales. I read extensively and still do enjoy classic tales from Alice in Wonderland to Dracula. My daily routine includes newspapers, comic books, news and political commentary, cartoons on-line and print, and movies (especially Turner Classics.) Travel also impacts my stories and drawings. A good example is Wispenwood Whimsies that developed on a trip to Ireland (faeries and gnomes) and Northern England (home of Beatrix Potter).
Q5) What’s your preferred graphics software program?
I use Flash for both animation and drawing. I transfer hand drawings into Flash with a stylus and digitizing pad. Flash art is then exported and opened in Photoshop in order to enhance it.
Q6) What made you expand your site beyond animal art?
Our company name delivers our message: Tails of Whimsy. It forces people to ask, “Tails” vs. “Tales?” While the Whimsies or Santa Collections (State Santas and Santa Rides) focus on whimsical human figures and tell a story (tales), there is always an animal present (tails). Focusing into the future with branding opportunities, “The Art of Slaton” increasingly accompanies the name, “Tails of Whimsy.” It’s the name of our LLC.
Q7) What inspired your State Santa collection?
My ideas almost always develop in a context of learning. As a volunteer, I once helped children learn to read. I feel that the “magic” of the written word should provide an opportunity to communicate and that visuals reinforce these learning opportunities.
The first State Santa took “flight” in my studio in Asheville, North Carolina. The state symbols are embedded in the design and a legend accompanies the art. My partner Louise and I test marketed the State Santas at art fairs and some retail shops around North Carolina and found that parents and teachers turned the greeting cards into a guessing or learning game. Who knew we had a state “fruit?” Answer: the Scuppernong Grape!
RAZ Imports produced 24 State Santa images into glass ornaments this holiday and they may be found in retail stores nationwide. Also, glass Military and Service Santas are available honoring the four branches of the military, police and firemen.
Q8) Tell us about the exciting commercial projects you’re working on.
At Licensing Expo in Las Vegas in June 2013, Tails of Whimsy introduced five properties for publishing, animation, and products for the marketplace. These “groupings,” all with developed story lines, focused on children 2-12 and women, and included more than 150 images in collection format. The common thread is wildly colorful images all whimsical and fun but with varied styles of art. Utilizing illustrations, cartoon and photographic techniques, the range is so varied that licensees initially mistook Tails of Whimsy as a licensing agency with a stable of talent rather than the work done by one artist.
Some of this art is currently being licensed for holiday ornaments and Halloween dolls, over 36” high, and full of detail. Storybooks, retail products, and video and film projects are currently in negotiation for 2014.
Q9) How is social media helping your design business?
My partner Louise Glickman is concentrating on social media along with coordinator Tina Wolfe. There’s been a big learning curve to establish our brand across many social media platforms, but the response has been positive, and our followers are building.
My book agent J’net Smith (All Art Licensing) has helped us focus on opportunities for the BrokenHeart Pets, a story about the humorous and touching escapades of Scooter and Boots, a homeless and lovable dog and cat. The more followers we build for Scooter and Boots, the more likely our book will be published and produced as a series. In creating a fan club for Scooter and Boots, they will soon have their own fan page. Watch for cartoons and videos on YouTube.
Q10) Do you have any advice for young designers?
Yes. Find what you want to do most and a way to pursue it early. Building properties and collections to license takes years of time. Like most artists raising families, dreams get way laid because a good salaried position needs to take precedence between the ages of 20-50. It has taken a strong commitment to get into art licensing. On the other hand, our years of experience in meeting art deadlines and understanding art marketing has helped us build a strong following in a reasonable amount of time.
About Daryl Slaton
Daryl Slaton is an artist, designer, illustrator, and animator at Tails of Whimsy in Biltmore Lake, North Carolina. Connect with Daryl on Facebook, Twitter, and follow his blog.