Hy Eisman was my lettering teacher at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Inc. in the mid-1990s.
One day, he saw me drawing my Fleischer Bros animation inspired version of Popeye, and he had me get up, sat at my desk, and drew a signed drawing of Popeye for me in his own comic strip model style. He also gave me lots of tips & pointers in how to use the dip pens he insisted we learn. I took to the Speedball B-6 so well, that when he saw my classwork pages, Hy assumed I was cheating and using the Rapidograph® tech pens (which I actually despised). He expressed genuine pleasure when I assured him I was using the B-6 as instructed, and he went out of his way to give me additional tricks & tips for my tool kit. I took this success at my first time using the Speedball B-6 as a sign that cartooning was indeed my calling, and not just a stubborn wish I held onto. This experience was very precious to me because the viciously anti-cartooning attitude of my undergrad illustration teachers contrasted absurdly with Hy's demonstrated loving-kindness in teaching me the skills of my chosen medium.
Hy was very old school in his approach, and believed in the 'drilling-to-mastery' teaching style of the classic schoolmarm. I had zero problems with his class, nor with him, and genuinely appreciated every moment.
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