Who is Curtis D. Tucker, what’s up with those cool sneakers and how did he become a world famous cartoonist? Read onward..
I was a neck tie, dress shoe wearing advertising director that woke up one day and decided I wanted to become a full time cartoonist. That journey began in 1998. Before that morning I had been the Director of Advertising for a drug chain for almost ten years. I was looking for something that was a bit more creative.
I had always dabbled with cartooning and had a small side business going in which I created logos for local companies. I had tried the magazine submission process at one time and like thousands had failed miserably. I do have my great collection of rejection letters though. I’m sure they’ll make the museum some day.
In May of 1999 I decided to give the magazine submission process one more try. It was the only way I could think of to make money at cartooning that seemed feasible. I started drawing cartoons and writing gags. Once I had created a big batch of cartoons I was ready to push the send button. This was right about the time that the Internet was taking off and people were learning that they could have their own websites.
I got this wild idea that I might be able to publish my cartoons online. So, in 1999 I purchased Curtoons.com, a mix of my name and the word cartoons. I had used this as my business name years before. It was now time to post my cartoons online in hopes a publisher would see them and I would become a rich, world famous cartoonist.
I knew a local web designer and asked him to build me a website in return for a cartoon logo. I created the logo but he never had time to build the website. After a bit pf prodding he handed me a very clunky software and told me I should be able to figure it out. And as a matter of fact I did! I had my own website up and running within a week.
Of course things never work out the way you think they will, but along your path serendipity throws you a bone that you never see coming.
I Got Googled
The bone that serendipity threw me was a tiny little search engine called Google. I don’t even remember how I discovered it for the first time but I quickly gave up Alta Vista and become a Google convert. Without even knowing it I had been building a huge link base with fellow cartoonists and webmasters wanting to use my cartoons online. Little did I know that the world famous Google “algo” was going to love me!
I wasn’t getting any editors to see my cartoons but I was learning about banner ads and how to market a cartoon strip to attract merchandise sales. As any added bonus to my website I added an About Me page and a Portfolio page. The portfolio page had cartoon logos which began to attract some attention. That page also got me indexed into Google as number one for Cartoon Logos. As far as I know, I have been at the number one spot for Cartoon Logos ever since Google became a search engine.
In an instant I was also at the top of Google for pretty much every other cartoon keyword. And before I knew it I was the “go to” guy online for cartoon logos worldwide! As my portfolio grew, so did my business. I was flying by the seat of my pants.
It only took a job or two of not getting paid for me to figure out I had to have a 50% deposit before I’d work on anything. As time went by I had to create many other aspects of my business like dealing with payments, file types, number of logo alterations and so on. There were no rules to follow and I was making things up as I went.
Entrepreneur
Being the premiere cartoon logo studio online allowed me to eventually quit my job and open my own creative studio. I was making more money from the Internet than my day job so it was time to jump ship. It was scary at first but the work has never stopped. As soon as I think things are going to slow to a stop I get hit with more work that I can handle.
I decided to become legit by creating a “real” company. My entrepreneurial business is called Shaggy Duck Studios and is made up of many smaller niche companies, web sites, blog’s and directories. Much of what I do online is centered around cartoons.
I began working from home, mothballed the dress shoes and began wearing my trademark sneakers. I was looking to brand myself and thought what a better way than to create a character that wears sneakers every day. I routinely work in a white tee, blue jeans or shorts and my sneakers. I call this my “Fresh Squeezed Lifestyle” and it has become my brand and the brand I am here to share with you.
I’m not the best cartoonist and I’m not the best logo designer, but I’m pretty darn sure I could be one of the best cartoon logo designers. I created a niche for myself and turned it into a business. If I did it anyone can do it! I will be posting tips, ideas, samples and examples of what I do and how I became successful. Please enjoy the site and return often.
…
Cartoonist
This is where I’ll be showing you my skills…
Curtis Who!?
Who is Curtis D. Tucker, what’s up with those cool sneakers and how did he become a world famous cartoonist? Read onward..
I was a neck tie, dress shoe wearing advertising director that woke up one day and decided I wanted to become a full time cartoonist. That journey began in 1998. Before that morning I had been the Director of Advertising for a drug chain for almost ten years. I was looking for something that was a bit more creative.
I had always dabbled with cartooning and had a small side business going in which I created logos for local companies. I had tried the magazine submission process at one time and like thousands had failed miserably. I do have my great collection of rejection letters though. I’m sure they’ll make the museum some day.
In May of 1999 I decided to give the magazine submission process one more try. It was the only way I could think of to make money at cartooning that seemed feasible. I started drawing cartoons and writing gags. Once I had created a big batch of cartoons I was ready to push the send button. This was right about the time that the Internet was taking off and people were learning that they could have their own websites.
I got this wild idea that I might be able to publish my cartoons online. So, in 1999 I purchased Curtoons.com, a mix of my name and the word cartoons. I had used this as my business name years before. It was now time to post my cartoons online in hopes a publisher would see them and I would become a rich, world famous cartoonist.
I knew a local web designer and asked him to build me a website in return for a cartoon logo. I created the logo but he never had time to build the website. After a bit pf prodding he handed me a very clunky software and told me I should be able to figure it out. And as a matter of fact I did! I had my own website up and running within a week.
Of course things never work out the way you think they will, but along your path serendipity throws you a bone that you never see coming.
I Got Googled
The bone that serendipity threw me was a tiny little search engine called Google. I don’t even remember how I discovered it for the first time but I quickly gave up Alta Vista and become a Google convert. Without even knowing it I had been building a huge link base with fellow cartoonists and webmasters wanting to use my cartoons online. Little did I know that the world famous Google “algo” was going to love me!
I wasn’t getting any editors to see my cartoons but I was learning about banner ads and how to market a cartoon strip to attract merchandise sales. As any added bonus to my website I added an About Me page and a Portfolio page. The portfolio page had cartoon logos which began to attract some attention. That page also got me indexed into Google as number one for Cartoon Logos. As far as I know, I have been at the number one spot for Cartoon Logos ever since Google became a search engine.
In an instant I was also at the top of Google for pretty much every other cartoon keyword. And before I knew it I was the “go to” guy online for cartoon logos worldwide! As my portfolio grew, so did my business. I was flying by the seat of my pants.
It only took a job or two of not getting paid for me to figure out I had to have a 50% deposit before I’d work on anything. As time went by I had to create many other aspects of my business like dealing with payments, file types, number of logo alterations and so on. There were no rules to follow and I was making things up as I went.
Entrepreneur
Being the premiere cartoon logo studio online allowed me to eventually quit my job and open my own creative studio. I was making more money from the Internet than my day job so it was time to jump ship. It was scary at first but the work has never stopped. As soon as I think things are going to slow to a stop I get hit with more work that I can handle.
I decided to become legit by creating a “real” company. My entrepreneurial business is called Shaggy Duck Studios and is made up of many smaller niche companies, web sites, blog’s and directories. Much of what I do online is centered around cartoons.
I began working from home, mothballed the dress shoes and began wearing my trademark sneakers. I was looking to brand myself and thought what a better way than to create a character that wears sneakers every day. I routinely work in a white tee, blue jeans or shorts and my sneakers. I call this my “Fresh Squeezed Lifestyle” and it has become my brand and the brand I am here to share with you.
I’m not the best cartoonist and I’m not the best logo designer, but I’m pretty darn sure I could be one of the best cartoon logo designers. I created a niche for myself and turned it into a business. If I did it anyone can do it! I will be posting tips, ideas, samples and examples of what I do and how I became successful. Please enjoy the site and return often.
…