Draft:Shawn Dickinson

Shawn Dickinson (1980 - ) is an American cartoonist and illustrator from Southern California. He is mostly known for his cartoon illustrations and paintings, which imitate the style of rubber hose cartoons.

Early Life
Dickinson was born in 1980, and grew up in the city of Los Angeles. At a young age, he had an affinity towards surfing and drawing cartoons. Before his career in cartooning, he studied art at Antelope Valley College.

Early Career
Dickinson began his start as an artist when he created an underground comic book series called Untamed Highway. This comic book showcased his ability to capture the kustom car scene of the 50 - 60s. Afterwards, he did commissions and freelance work for various surf, garage, rockabilly and punk bands, and radio stations. Much of Dickinson’s art has been displayed in kustom kulture magazines, band t-shirts, album covers, and gig fliers.

Art
Dickinson got a lot of his inspiration from 1930s cartoons by Max and Dave Fleischer, and other early cartoons by Bob Clampett and Tex Avery. He also gets a lot of inspiration from the 1950s - 1960s, an era that highlighted the kustom kulture of cars, bikes, and music. He admired many artists like Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Rick Griffin, Basil Wolverton, Jack Davis, and Harvey Kurtzman. Some of Dickinson’s more familiar works are his cartoon paintings and illustrations, especially those that feature his character Schitzels Der Cat. Art galleries such as Kustom Lane Austrailia and Gasoline Gallery California have featured some of his many pieces.

His work is done traditionally, using tools such as ink and brushes for drawing, and acrylic paint on canvas or wood. Some of the depicted themes in his cartoons are pin-up, hot rods, caricatures, rock n' roll, and grotesque imagery.

Illustrated

 * Cuphead Volume 1: Comic Capers & Curios (August 11, 2020)
 * Cuphead Volume 2: Cartoon Chronicles & Calamities (September 21, 2021)
 * Inks, Drinks, and Catfinks! The Custom Cartoon Art of Shawn Dickinson (August 11, 2015)