I’m Clint Kadera, and I’m a senior Illustration major. In the summer of 2015, I interned under Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher. Kal is a world-renowned political cartoonist. This year, he won the Herblock prize, Grand Prix Press Cartoon of the Year, and was a Pulitzer runner-up. Along with other freelance, Kal works for The Economist and The Baltimore Sun. I’ve always appreciated Kal’s cartoons, and reached out to him last year. We talked for a month or so, and Kal offered me a paid internship.
During the internship, I archived Kal’s cartoons over the past decade. These cartoons will be donated to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. This facility has the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of original cartoons. I was able to see a ton of Kal's original artwork in-person. As I sorted, Kal did freelance, and we’d discuss illustration, marketing, politics, and sports.
Kal also assigned me different prompts. He taught me how to incorporate brushwork into my cross-hatching. I've always had two different approaches: my gestural life drawing and my detailed illustration. With brush, I've been able to combine these two aesthetics and get the best out of both. I used to use ballpoint pen, but have since switched to fountain pen. If needed, I can paint over the top with wet acrylic, something else Kal introduced to me. Lately, Kal has pushed me into more watercolor, but that’s still a work-in-progress. I plan to use these new techniques on my thesis as well. I’ve been able to bounce thesis ideas off Kal, and I feel confident with where I’m at. He has also offered to help me throughout the year.
