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I feel like a cliche saying that “I always knew” I wanted to seek a creative profession, but it’s somewhat true. People pointed out my ability to draw at age seven when I was hospitalized for an extended period, much of it bedridden. I had suffered a stroke followed by multiple clots due to complications of an unknown-to-us blood disorder, and drawing was one of the few things I could do from my bed. My parents and other adults started noticing that my drawings were more advanced than that of your typical first grader, and I loved to create. Throughout my early childhood, I continued heading toward some sort of future in the visual arts, but without knowing it.

When I was in junior high, I got an abridged-for-children copy of Preston Blair’s Cartoon Animation. That book opened up a world of cartooning and animation as a career path that I had never realized was a thing. I could grow up to make cartoons. My woodworker grandfather even built me the animator’s light box that Mr. Blair diagrammed in the back pages. I still use that light box to this day, and the unabridged version of the book would later become required reading in my college animation classes.

When I was in high school, my parents took me to meet former Disney animator, Walt Stanchfield, at an art exhibit. I brought my portfolio, he gave me feedback- told me to draw people and life as much as I could- and gave me generous words of encouragement. I was floored meeting him. This guy had worked on films in my favorite era of Disney Feature Animation. I wanted to do what he did.

In college, I took character animation and life drawing classes- first locally, then at an art school. By the time I was at the art school, I was having more severe complications from the medical problems that had started all those years earlier. This time, I was dealing with chronic pain so badly that I was missing classes and not keeping up with assignments. After speaking with one of my teachers, and getting his encouragement that my skills were strong, I made the tough decision to leave school. I was able to focus on my health more while continuing to be creative on my own. I continued developing an idea I had come up with in a character design class. Some close friends and I flushed out the story, but knowing an animated short would be a huge undertaking, I shifted gears to make it a comic book. Outside of having some training in storyboards, I really didn’t know much about making comics, but I started making one. It was something that was cartoon-adjacent, and that’s what I wanted to do. It took quite a while, but with the support of my future wife and the help of inker and colorist friends, I released my comic at San Diego Comic Con in 2006.

Over the years, I’ve worked on comics, card games, a children’s book, graphic design, contributed to art books, etc (mostly while working a day job, until I physically couldn’t anymore). I’ve even gone back to animation a little bit. Each time, I say, “I want to do that!” I know this really didn’t answer the exact question of “the first time you knew…” I sort of feel like each of these moments was a different first-time realization that led to where I’m at, and I’m still having similar firsts with every new gig I take on. The main gig now, however, is Dad who takes on art when he can manage. Five+ years ago, when I had to leave my day job for disability, I decided that’s what I wanted to do.

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My brand is Pan Blanco Art & Design. Most of my work lives in the realm of cartoony illustration/character design as well as graphic design that leans towards story and concept. I’m originally from the Central Coast of California where I recently returned after twenty years in the South Bay of Los Angeles.

I also sell original art, art prints, commissioned art, etc. With my comics work, I’ve exhibited at SDCC, LACC, LBCC and I’ve spoken on a panel about what I learned through my experiences as an independent publisher.

I was the illustrator and book designer of Sharon Brecher’s “Miserable Mom- The Do’s and Don’ts of Sending Your Kid to College” which was an Amazon #1 New Release in early 2022.

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The best way society can support creatives is through buying, sharing, and encouraging artists. Understand the sweat, tears, and years that went into an artist’s craft before judging their price tag. Credit/tag artists when you share their work online, and please do share. Don’t support art theft- an especially big issue with t-shirt sites and now the expansion of artificial intelligence-created “art”. Find out if the person you’re buying from actually created the piece or has the right to sell it.

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Telling a fun story is the best for me- I really look forward to working on my own stories again, which is something I haven’t done in quite a while. There’s no rush like seeing others affected by what you’ve poured your heart into.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panblancoart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PanBlancoArt