One of the attributes that tends to make creators achieve success (besides great talent) is their willingness to pitch for themselves, which makes sense. If YOU don’t believe in yourself, why would anyone else? Such was the thinking of talented artist Dan Dos Santos. He combined his artistic talent with his personal drive to secure work with companies such as Disney, Universal Studios, Activision, Scholastic Books, Upper Deck, and many more.
Clover Press is currently showcasing the incredible talent of Dan in their latest Marvel Collection, “The Marvel Art of Dan Dos Santos,” which has just launched its Kickstarter campaign. Just as in previous books, Clover Press is offering a large selection of Dan’s art in various exciting offers. You can find it here.
Before the campaign launched, we had the opportunity to speak with Dan about his artistic journey and his readiness to showcase his talents. Additionally, we discussed this amazing collection of art from Clover Press. Please join us in welcoming Dan Dos Santos to GVN Talking Comics.
Creative Roots
GVN: Thanks for joining us, Dan. Since this is our first conversation, let’s begin with your creative roots. When did you first become interested in art, especially comic art, and was painting always your preferred way to express your artistic vision?
DAN: Thanks for having me. I’ve honestly had an interest in art for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I didn’t live near a museum or anything like that. So most of my exposure to drawing and painting came from cartoons on television and whatever comics I could find at the corner market. It was those comics that really informed my early interest in the genre and still inspire me today.
Pitching His Talents
GVN: During your successful career, you have worked with such companies as Disney, Universal Studios, Activision, Scholastic Books, The Greenwich Workshop, Penguin Books, Random House, Upper Deck, Wizards of the Coast, and DC Comics. How many of these opportunities did you pitch your work, and how many approached you and your talents?
DAN: Early in my career, I was quite good about pitching myself. It’s essential to finding new clients, especially nowadays. I’d mail postcards to Art Directors, I’d go to shows to do portfolio drop-offs, I even put flyers under windshield wipers when I was first starting out. But the biggest irony in this industry is that the best way to get a new client is to do work for a competing client. Every new book on the shelf is essentially an advertisement for the artist. After a few years, and several best-selling covers, the dynamic shifted and new clients started approaching me instead.
Upper Deck’s Marvel Masterpiece Card Set
GVN: In 2022, you were enlisted to be the official artist of the Upper Deck Marvel Masterpiece Card Set. How did you approach creating over 135 traditional paintings for the Marvel Masterpieces set, given the intense timeline?
DAN: Honestly, just one at a time. The sheer amount of work was incredibly overwhelming. At first, I tried to do batches of paintings, shoot groups of references, and tried to juggle a few paintings at once thinking it would lighten my burden and streamline the process. But that really just made things worse for me because it forced me to think about ALL the paintings I still had to do, and that was soul-crushing. In the end, the only thing that really helped me keep my sanity during the process was to keep my head down, and focus on just the ONE single painting in front of me at the moment, and ignore absolutely everything else. When that painting was done, -then- I could worry about the next.
The Marvel Art of Dan Dos Santos
GVN: Speaking of Marvel, the good folks at Clover Press (in collaboration with Marvel) has tapped you for the ninth book in their popular book series: The Marvel Art of… with “The Marvel Art of Dan Dos Santos.” How did this opportunity come about, and how excited are you to be featured in this successful collection?
DAN: Actually, I pitched them! This is the first collection of my art, and I wanted it produced by a Publisher I really respected. I was already an avid fan of Ted and Robbie’s work back when they were at IDW, so their new venture, Clover Press, seemed like the perfect fit for me. I had already bought some of their other books, so I knew the quality would be top-notch. I reached out to them, and was fortunate that they were just as enthusiastic about the project as I was.
Selecting the Pieces for the Book
GVN: Considering your cover art and Marvel Masterpiece projects, how did you choose which paintings would be featured in this book, and how much influence did Marvel have on the selection?
DAN: 200 pages is a LOT of work, so at this point, I’m pretty much putting every Marvel thing I have in there. Very little has been cut, and what has been left out is only due to licensing reasons. Rather than dilute the vision of the book, we decided to keep this one strictly Marvel, and simply create additional books for preliminary sketches and other published work. More on those soon!
Balancing Creative Vision with Established Look
GVN: Speaking of your great paintings, when it comes to capturing Marvel’s iconic characters, how do you balance your own artistic style with Marvel’s established visual identity?
DAN: Surprisingly easily! I grew up on Marvel, so a lot of my artistic sensibilities have already been informed by the Marvel Universe. I certainly put my own spin on characters whenever I could, but I think fans will appreciate the respect I tried to pay to the authentic origins and backstories of these heroes.
Kickstarter
GVN: As is usually the case, Clover Press will be bringing this exciting collection to Kickstarter. What might fans of your work find when they visit the campaign besides a spectacular art book?
DAN: Oh man, so much! The team at Clover really killed it with some of the rewards. There are sketchbooks, portfolios, puzzles, stickers, and even a chance to acquire some original art. Honestly, I’m just as excited about some of the merch as I am about the book!
Advice for Up-and-Coming Artists
GVN: Thank you once again, Dan. Finally, as a well-renowned artist, what advice would you give to young illustrators hoping to break into comics or fantasy art?
DAN: Diligence is key! It’s easy to get distraught over exposure and followers in this digital age. But never forget that ultimately, it’s all about drawing. Just keep doing what you love, and don’t worry about anything other than getting as good as you can possibly get! After that, I promise the rest will fall into place.
If you love Marvel art and especially Dan’s creations, this campaign is a must-see. There are plenty of exciting pieces to choose from, along with another fantastic Clover Press art collection.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
