Interview With Illustrator Patrick Harrington

Patrick Harrington is an all around creative person whose artistic interests range from singing to sketching. His passion for visual art began when he was a small boy and continued to develop as he grew older.

A native and resident of Philadelphia, PA, Patrick studied art and graphic art at The Antonelli Institute. He’s worked for Toll Brothers, Inc., ISCA and started his own business, Harrington’s Live & Studio Caricatures and Cartoons.

Now that I’ve introduced you to Patrick, let’s get to know him a little better.

Hello, Patrick, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.

Thank you for having me.

What inspired you to be an illustrator?

I’ve always loved drawing. As a little kid I was mesmerized sitting on my father’s knee while he drew cartoon characters from the Sunday funny comics.

When I was in school, I would draw my classmates, teachers and some of the nuns. This got me into a lot of trouble and was a lot of fun! When I got older, it was more Mad Magazine and Heavy Metal Magazine. Then political cartoons and editorial illustrations. And now 2d Animation. 

Is illustrating your full-time profession?

Yes. Mostly Live caricature Entertainment at various events: Weddings, Mitzvahs, Tradeshows, Graduations, etc . 

Traditional (paper and marker), Digital, and Animated services. But I am also getting a lot more kids book illustration and animation projects. 

How long have you been illustrating?

Pretty much from the day I was born, so I would say @50+ years? Doing live caricatures since 1980.

Have you won any awards?

The first political cartoon contest I ever entered I won the grand prize, first place & third place. It was called the Homer Davenport Days Political Cartoon Contest. Cash total of prizes was something like $400.

I was blown away by that experience! I won a portfolio excellence award in art school and I won a couple Caricature awards too.

Photo courtesy of: Patrick Harrington

What types of media do you illustrate?  

I’ve done kid’s books, Business book spot & interior cartoons and book covers,

Whiteboard animations, explainer videos, coloring books, board-game & game card designs, trading card sets, joke books, comic books,

Album covers, character designs for iPad apps and game apps, cartoons for customer calendars, invites, save the dates, etc., and I do a lot of flash animation cartoons for various clients and sites.

I work in many styles to meet clients needs.

Photo courtesy of: Patrick Harrington

How many books have you illustrated?

@20 or so

Some projects larger than others, some for clients personal use only and self-published. Some published work and soon to be published work and links below.

2 Hercules coloring books Kappa

2Bad cats kids

Fair Thee Well comic

3 business books cartoons-

Adventures in the sea of complexity

Jokebooks 

Are you Indian? Publisher Bad swami 2012

Bageltoons comics and Animations

Hamish McLogie and the worlds biggest Boogie -kids (est @June 2020)

That’s not Chocolate, Nigel kids-@Feb 2020

Oh Dear Dudley -@June 2020-kids

Libby’s Magical Garden kids

Mr RobiNson kids

iSammy suitcase app

https://www.backatchabooks.com/apps-cjn9

Senior v Zombies app

& my most intense project to date –

Ms Love’s Mystical Island Adventure kids book & animated iPad app

Photo courtesy of: Patrick Harrington

Which genres do you illustrate?

Just about everything.

Mostly humorous and fantasy, also dark and gritty.
I prefer comical and exaggerated characters but I work in different styles to suit clients needs.

What do you find most challenging about illustrating?

Working with different clients of different mindsets. Some have seen a certain piece of work I did and want something in that specific style. That makes it easier to know how I will approach that project.

Some that say they love my work and give me full and total creative freedom. I love when that happens! 

Then there are some who have very specific visions they want me to realize, they are laser focused on what they want and not looking for too much creative input from the artist. Those are the hardest projects to deal with.

Sometimes it comes down to I’m really only using my talents for that project and not my full creativity. I have worked with and I am fine with all types of clients and art directors. It’s the client I am aiming to please.

And sometimes the client is pleased with something I am not entirely pleased with. And if given a little more creative freedom, I feel I could have made better. 

The projects where I use my imagination and creativity are the ones I am closest to and proudest of. 

What are you working on now?

Another music video animation using flash and aftereffects.

A fun little kids book geared around growing up wanting to be a player for the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, but we have to call them the Green Beagles because of copyright.

An animated Caricature template for an upcoming Mitzvah, 

A bug race animation for a birthday party gift, and another book trailer for Ms. Love’s Mystical Island Adventure

Photo courtesy of: Patrick Harrington

Where do you find inspiration for your characters?

Everywhere, real life, family, friends, strangers, inspired by other artists work, doing a lot of live Caricature events I run into all different people.

A wonderfully diverse and beautifully bizarre collection of shapes, colors, personalities and textures. A lot of times someone will sit in my chair and I will think automatically yeah this guy could be a great inspiration for a pirate or wrestler in my next project.


What has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?  

Continuing to get more work I enjoy creating and meeting interesting new colleagues, authors and clients that inspire me to continue to grow. 

Excited about how much positive feedback and expanding interest our book Ms. Love’s Mystical Island Adventure is getting publicists representation, media and press and plans for future promotions. 

What advice would you give to illustrators just starting out?

Draw. Draw all the time. Love it! Don’t stay in your comfort zone. Experiment. Draw! Have FUN! Learn software programs but don’t let them be a substitute for drawing skills.

Draw-draw something that’s hard to draw that takes practice that you will be proud of when you accomplish it because it wasn’t easy to start with.

Don’t be intimidated, Be inspired… and oh yeah draw some more after you’re done drawing

Is there anything else you’d like your followers to know about you?

Happy to announce that I will be teaching a course in Cartoons, Comics, and Caricature at Mount Airy Learning Tree starting Wed evenings 7-8:30 starting April 24th – check out 

www.mtairylearningtree.org for info registration, etc.

I love Led Zeppelin and sang in a tribute band for 10+ years.

What message are you sharing in your books?

Different books have different messages, or some are more serious than others, usually that is the authors call. But I am working on some stories of my own.

Ms Love’s Mystical Island Adventure kids book & animated iPad app Message is about teamwork and appreciating the differences in each other makes us more valuable to each other.

Who are your favorite illustrators?

Wow! Too many to list. If I start typing now, I won’t be done until The 12th of never and that’s a long, long time…

Different illustrators for different topics and subjects, more added daily. If pressed to give an answer, I would say top 10 overall in no particular order:

Thomas Fluharty

David Cowles

Tom Richmond 

(MAD magazine)

JAN Opdebeeck

Alex Ross

Nate Kapnicky 

Stephen Silver 

Joe Bluhm 

Jason Seiler

What are your favorite movies, TV shows?

Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Sopranos, How To Train Your Dragon, Just about anything animated Pixar. 

When you’re not illustrating where can we find you?

Maybe singing karaoke or playing tennis.

Photo courtesy of: Patrick Harrington

Can you tell us a little about Harringtoons Live & Studio Caricatures & Cartoons?

Traditional caricatures are just a small part of our services.

Harringtoons offers various Live Caricature Entertainment services to suit your budget/ needs. 

From traditional to ipad and digital and animated! For a real WOW factor!

Explained here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s13ysNHWeI

Harringtoons also offers: 

Gift Caricatures from photos, Caricatures used for: Custom Business Cards, T-shirts, Logos, Greeting Cards, Coloring books & Comic Books, album cover art/ designs, animated music videos etc. Pet Caricatures & 3D Clay Caricatures also available.

Do you have a website/Facebook page, etc?

Yes. Keep up to date with my fun and crazy live Caricature antics on social #harringtoon

Patrick Harrington

www.harringtoon.com

www.mslovesmysticalisland.com

harringtoon.blogspot.com

www.caricamation.com

www.iwanttodrawyourpet.com

www.instagram.com/harringtoon/

www.facebook.com/harringtoons/?ref=mf

267 304 3230 cell

215 904 6247 studio

215 964 0841 alt

Where can we find your books/artwork?

Portfolio www.harringtoon.com 

Ms Love’s Mystical Island Adventure kids book & animated iPad app

http://www.mslovesmysticalisland.com/

Fair Thee Well comic

Adventures in the sea of complexity business cartoon book

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=Stephen+wagener&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

Jokebooks 

Are you Indian? Publisher Bad swami 2012

Bageltoons comics and Animations -in process

Hamish McLogie and the worlds biggest Boogie -kids (est @June 2020)

That’s not Chocolate, Nigel kids-@Feb 2020

Oh Dear Dudley -@June 2020-kids

Libby’s Magical Garden kids

Mr RobiNsons class kids

iSammy suitcase app

https://www.backatchabooks.com/apps-cjn9

Senior v Zombies app in process

Thank you, Patrick, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck!

Photo courtesy of: Patrick Harrington