| MATT
WENDT is
a self-taught artist specializing in comics and comic strips since
1988. His powerfully drawn and amazingly rendered artwork has graced
the pages of Image Comics, Dead Dog Entertainment, Pug Dog Comics and
various other freelance projects. “As soon as I could hold a crayon I began drawing,” states Matt. “On the inside of book covers to the interior of my toy chest, I was always sketching and doodling. Then, when I was 9, I discovered a PBS program called The Secret City with Commander Mark Kistler. Kistler was an illustrator who taught the fundamentals of drawing in a fun, imaginative way. It was that PBS program that really jump-started my desire for cartooning.” By junior high school Matt was focusing his attention on comic books. “Comics had always been in my peripheral vision. Watching super heroes on Saturday morning cartoons was an enthusiastic ritual of mine, as well as reading comic books given to me by my uncle. In junior high I was fortunate to find a group of guys with similar interests, and a healthy camaraderie sparked us to develop characters and write stories of our own. For years we created our comic tales, sometimes creating a whole issue over a weekend to impress each other the following Monday.” Matt’s steady efforts began to pay off. “As I matured, so did my art. What began as a hobby became a vocation. My skills were honed at comic conventions, where accomplished artists critiqued my work and gave me useful pointers and suggestions. Each interaction sparked my imagination and inspired me to do better as I set new goals.” Since he began his creative journey, Matt has worked on several professional projects for other companies, but he feels most fulfilled when developing his own self-published comics. Matt is co-founder of Far-Cry Comics and Planet Doom Studios. His published titles include The Void, Baby Ninjas, Peep, and Peep Lite, as well as the yet to be released “Four-Penny One.” Matt finds teaching a fun and exhilarating experience. “I can see my young self in so many of these kids. We have some real talent in our class, and I enjoy being an instructor who works to bring that talent out. And there’s a touch of irony here, too. When I was little I was well behaved; the only thing a teacher would ever talk to me about was that I drew too much. Now I’m encouraging kids to draw more, and giving them the tools to really improve as artists. Life has come full circle: I’m helping some children’s dreams come true.” |
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