Andreas Eikenroth is based in the town of Giessen in western Germany. In March 2010 he began publishing his daily”Chronicartoons” on toonpool.com. For an future English edition they should probably be renamed “Chronicletoons” to avoid confusion. For now, “Chronicartoons” works just fine. German version of this interview on page 1.
Andreas, can you tell us more about you work on the “Chronicartoons”?
Well, in the beginning all I had were ideas for a few days. I think it was the one about the moon-landing and the one on Mount Rushmore. I kept asking myself if it would be possible to do an entire year of these.
Before I started drawing, I searched libraries and wikipedia for events that were suited for gags. Then started to develop these gags. It was only after I had collected 365 that I started to draw. The whole thing would have been pretty useless had there been a single day without a matching gag.
I am trying to draw these cartoons one or two weeks in advance. Sometimes I will rework the gag. Then I will ink the cartoon, scan it and add captions and colors in Photoshop.
Did this change your perception of history?
Humm.. Unfortunately, I don’t remember all the dates. But I think that by now my chances on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” would be somewhat better.
I could imagine that sometimes it’s hard to find an event that fits. Does the opposite happen as well? Having to decide between potential gags?
Yeah, some days aren’t too great in terms of events suited for a cartoon. On the other hand, it doesn’t always have to be the funniest joke in the world. If there are several possible gags, I will pick the one I like best and keep the others. Who knows, there might be a second year.
You also do other strips, e.g. “Gelle Gießen”. Do you work on a fixed schedule, say: “9 to 11 AM it’s ‘Gelle Gießen’ then two hours of ‘Chronicartoons’, then I usually have a coffee break..”?
It always depends on which strips are due. I usually have some ideas ready for each of my series. My strip for the “Gießener Anzeiger” is due once a week. The ones I do for a tattoo magazine only once a month. Then there are others that are due only every other months or even every three months. When all of this is done, in the gaps, so to say, I will do the strips I don’t get paid for. Yet.
Apart from your drawing style, I also think that the colors you use are highly recognizable. Can you reconstrue how you arrived at your palette?
Gerrman expressionism and East-European illustrators from the 60s and 70s. I am really into that stuff and probably adapted one or two things.
Any examples?
As for illustrators, there are Herbert Leupin and Alain Grée. Admittedly, neither one is from Eastern Europe. But their works look as if they were. Then there’s Fjodor Chitruk who did the Russian – and far greater – film version of “Winnie the Pooh”. And Walter Trier. People might know him from the cover illustrations for Erich Kästner’s books. Once again, not an Eastern European, though. Maybe I should replace “Eastern European” with “30s to 70s”.
Among the Expressionists, I especially like Kirchner, Müller, Beckmann and Grosz.
Last question: Why did you put Mickey Mouse ears on your avatar?
Oh, that one. I really should do a new one. The ears are mostly a symbol for slick, clean mainstream art. I put in my own scowling vaguely-independent-but-neither-rich-nor famous face for contrast.
Thanks for your time!
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© toonpool.comTags: Andreas Eikenroth, Chronicartoons, Gießen
good job!