Jason Adam Katzenstein is not just a cartoonist but also a comedy writer. His work has been featured in well-known publications like The New Yorker, The New York Times, MAD Magazine, and on Cartoon Network.
Katzenstein's love for drawing and creating comics started when he was very young. His parents were very supportive and enthusiastic about his passion. They enrolled him in art classes, bought him drawing books, and always told him that he could have a career as an illustrator or comic book artist. "I kind of always took it for granted that I would be an illustrator, a comic book artist."
When it comes to inspiration, Katzenstein says he views his creative process as finding inspiration rather than just coming up with ideas. He feels like he is discovering the cartoons instead of inventing them. Creating each cartoon is a mix of common ideas everyone understands and the unique perspective of the cartoonist.
Katzenstein begins by thinking about what has been true for him that week or what is happening in the world. "I need to start with something true. What’s on my mind this week? What’s happening out in the world? From there I try and marry my specific experience to universal touchstones. " Then, the artist tries to link his personal experiences to things everyone can relate to.
A famous animator from Warner Bros, Chuck Jones, once said, "Every artist has thousands of bad drawings in them and the only way to get rid of them is to draw them out." This idea resonates deeply with Katzenstein. He believes that mistakes and bad drawings are not a waste of time but essential steps in creating artwork he can be proud of.
