Today we’d like to introduce you to Zack Morrissette
Hi Zack, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up loving newspaper comic strips. Peanuts, Garfield, Bloom County and later The Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes were my favorites. I went to art school, but all my work had a humorous slant to it. Which was horribly unpopular in art school, for art is serious. I moved out to LA in the 90s and worked in various places doing graphic design and at night I would go home and draw. Social media has allowed me to share my comic strips with a wider audience.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not smooth at all. Many of the really great opportunities I’ve worked hard for just never materialized. I even had a gig lined up where my contact at a publication was laid off before my contract was finalized. This has happened twice! I’ve learned that you just really need to love doing the work because nothing is guaranteed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love inks and watercolor and those are some of the works I’m most proud of. I did a portrait of Raymond Chandler for the King Eddy Saloon downtown that was hung prominently over the whiskey bottles behind the bar. That piece was actually shared in Zagat’s review for the saloon.
I did a painting for a reading of Nightmare on Elm Street 3 that featured members of the original cast. I did all the ads and visuals for that show and they raised a lot of money for charity.
I’ve recently gotten into digital drawing. I find that it’s easier to line up a single panel comic when you can move the elements around to get the best snapshot of the story you’re trying to tell. I think most popular comics have been a series of one panel gags involving Dracula and his cat, Mister Mittens. The idea that even Dracula himself must contend with the will of a stubborn cat is funny to me. Especially when you read Dracula’s exasperation in Bela Lugosi’s voice.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I use Procreate to draw and I’ve gotten half tone brushes from Retro Supply Company to give me these awesome half tones. I use them to make my stuff look like those old newsprint comics I loved so much as a kid.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zacksploitation.com
- Instagram: @zacksploitation
- Facebook: Zacksploitation Comics
- Other: @zacksploitation.bsky.social
