Mayra Amaya (Theatre)
Tony Carrillo (Art)
Rachel Eskandari (Art)
Michael Healy (Film)
Molly Kirwan (Dance)
Korbi Adams (Music)
Lucas Mariacher (Film)
James Williams (Music)
Student Stories
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Tony Carrillo BFA in drawing, 2004 Art Alumnus |
Tony Carrillo Channels Drawing Skills into Successful Comic Strip
People are my favorite thing to draw. Being able to capture people's personalities and expressions on paper not only is fun, but also challenging. As I approached high school graduation, I realized drawing was what I wanted to do with my life - but what I didn't realize was where my interests in drawing eventually would take me.
As I approached my junior year, I answered a job advertisement for a cartoonist for The State Press, ASU's student newspaper. I got the job and created F Minus, a comic strip that celebrates failure by making light of the awkwardness of life. In 2004, I entered mtvU Strips contest, which offered a six-month development deal with United Feature Syndicate, home to comic strips including Peanuts and Dilbert.
With more than 200,000 online votes, F Minus won the contest. After the six-month development deal, F Minus was selected for syndication. It was introduced nationally in 40 newspaperson April 17, 2006. Now my comic strip is published daily in more than 100 newspapers around the country, including The Boston Globe, The New York Daily News and The Houston Chronicle.
Just as choosing to pursue my interest in art came naturally, choosing a university came in the same fashion. With the potential to become a third-generation alum, I always knew I would go to ASU. I was eager to enroll in the drawing program at the Herberger College School of Art.
The Herberger College allowed me to practice my artistic skills, and my professors provided me with the guidance I needed to achieve my goals. I formed close friendships with other students that share similar artistic values. It was always motivating to see the work being produced by my peers.
My first book, a compilation of the first year of F Minus comics, debuted in September 2007. F Minus can be found every day in newspapers across the country.