Dan Lietha FAQ

After Highschool I attended and graduated from the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. The school is located in Dover, New Jersey. It is a 3 year course and ALL my classes were on cartooning or drawing. I attended from 1984-1987.

Have you been inspired by Charles Schulz and Johnny Hart, whom both were Christians, too?

If yes, what did inspired you about them?

Yes, both provided much inspiration for me as a young cartoonist. I used to copy both Peanuts and BC cartoon characters as a kid learning to draw cartoons. Both produced top quality, funny cartoons. I have many, many Peanuts and BC books on my bookshelves today. Johnny Hart continues to inspire as his strip continues. He is a supporter of AIG. I hope to meet him some day. Mr. Hart is a cartoonist that doesn't shy away from having a cartoon with a Christian message in it from time to time. He knows some will not be happy because of this and he doesn't flinch. He is a brave man to not worry about what others will think of his Christian message. THIS is really an inspiration!

How long you have been with Answers in Genesis?

I have been doing artwork for AIG since early (Jan - Feb) 1995.The first 2 years was mostly volunteer work along with my very first large project for them (not volunteer) which was illustrating the children's book, A is for Adam.

How did you get connected with AiG?

I had been aware of a number of Creation ministries for quite some time. My interest in Biblical Creation really grew as I was introduced to a video tape series featuring Ken Ham and Dr. Gary Parker. This was around 1988-9. At that time Ken Ham was working for ICR (The Institute for Creation Research) in California. That video series lit my fire and I began to collect as much information on Biblical Creation as I could. I viewed many videos, read lots of books and listened to lots of cassette tapes. Through it all my favorite creation speaker continued to be Ken Ham. As a direct result of Ken's Creation Evangelism message, I started a comic strip in 1994 called, "CreationWise". This was my little personal home project to try to get the church to start thinking about the importance on the book of Genesis. The comic strip was produced every week or two as I was able. It was used by my church and a local Creation group in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. A small start, but it was a start. Later that year, I found out Ken Ham was going to be speaking less than two hours south of where we were living at the time (we lived in the Minneapolis area). In preparation to meeting him, I sent samples of my CreationWise comic strips to his ministry in Kentucky (He moved on from ICR in 1994). I received a phone call from his ministry (then called Creation Science Ministries) in early 1995 requesting information on my availability to work on a children's book project. I illustrated the book, A is for Adam for them and continued to volunteer my art services for Ken Ham for about 2 years. In 1997 Answers In Genesis hired me full time as their staff cartoonist/illustrator.

What made you decide to start publishing After Eden?

The AIG web site offered new possibilities for ministry. I saw that other web sites had been using cartoons to attract viewers to their sites. I thought this was something I would like to try. AIG wants to be a ministry that appeals to the family and a cartoon feature could be popular. It would also be another tool for Christians to use in their churches and ministries and at the same time increase the awareness of the AIG web site because the AIG web address is on each cartoon. In late 1999, we announced the new feature on our web site and began running the new weekly cartoon in January 2000. After Eden provided an opportunity for me to try some humor. My other cartoon, CreationWise, was funny at times, but is not necessarily to be funny and After Eden is to be funny. Both cartoon features are to remain Biblical, but they have two different purposes. (Read the about After Eden section on the AIG web site.)

Do you consider After Eden your ministry to the lost, or do you do other activities concerning them?

Actually, neither of my cartoons are primarily aimed at the lost. If they reach some lost people, that's wonderful, but I would say they are aimed more at the church. I want Christians to return to believing the foundations of their faith and these cartoons get these issues and topics in front of their faces. Once the church starts believing the Bible like they're supposed to, then the church will be more effective in reaching the lost. The end goal is reaching lost people. I hope to affect Christians to get out their and live a dynamic, logical, believable, defendable, solid faith in the world they live in. If they do that, lives will change.

Any advice for young artist who want to make a career in Art?

With all the computer technology around today, it can be easy to get caught up in all the neat "special effects" that a computer can do for you. Don't think the computer does art for you. It is ONLY a tool that an artist can use. Learn the basics of art first. Then apply that knowledge to the computer. Computers are very important in the art field these days, just don't rely on neat programs or powerful computers to "create the art". I have seen too many people out there who think they are creating art and would be totally lost without a computer to rely on.

The best art advice is to practice and practice a lot. Never think you are "good enough" as an artist, because you will stop improving. ALWAYS be willing to learn and take criticism. It will help you now and in the future when you become a professional artist.

Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.