Caricature offers a wealth of inspiration for cartoon design. Who are your fave caricaturists?
Ron Searle recently made my list. I'm especially fond of his St. Trinian girls:
What also fascinates me about him is that his other sketchwork at first sight seems to be the exact opposite of his good-naturedly nasty depictions of human nature.
BRILLIANT!
Al Hirschfeld his work had so much style and elegance.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/hirschfeld/
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
I've recently discovered Ernesto Cabral's movie poster art, and was floored by it, so he'd have to be on the list. His work has a vitality any animator can learn from. I also look at a lot of Jack Davis-- especially his early EC work. His people are just always so seedy!
Along with both Hirsfeld and Searle, I also really love Ralph Steadman http://www.ralphsteadman.com/, Chris Riddell http://www.artistpartners.com/portfolios/chris_riddell/, Gerald Scarfe
www.geraldscarfe.com , Peter de Sevé (although this last one is more of a character designer) http://www.peterdeseve.com/ , amongst many many others
"check it out, you know it makes sense!" http://miaumau.blogspot.com/
Let's not forget Bill Mauldin. He was so young and working under fire so to speak. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ARTmauldin.htm
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
I love this guy like a brother...maybe becasue he is my Brother.
He is an Illustrator, master origamist, paper artist and religious iconogrpher. He wouldn't say he's an animator too, but I would. He's the guy who turned me onto Flash; If my "little" brother can animate in Flash- well, so could I, I thought.
Caricaturing is what he really loves and spends his weekends working parties and stuff:
http://www.lartist.com
I like most of the guys above, but I've always been really big into Jack Davis. I never really liked the caricature work he did later on quite as much as his spookier work and the earlier work he did for EC. He designed Mad Monster Party, and I wish he could've done more character design for animation, he had a talent for that few possess.