Mojtaba Heidapanah born in April 1990 in Abadeh. He is student of the last year in BA of painting in Yazd University.

He is cartoonist and he also works in painting, illustration and animation. He has won lots of prizes!

What was your first satirical cartoon?

I've read " Gol Agha" children's magazine from my childhood and I was drawing all the time.

I can say that these drawings were my first satirical cartoons! Although there were artworks that I felt satirical. It was near year 2000.

When did you start your professional works?

I've started my professional work from 2007. The time that I worked with cartoonists of " First Step" and Isfahan House of Cartoon and I've been participating in their Annual Exhibition and I still participate in them.

What was your first published artwork?

My first published artwork was in Jiazing Contest in China in 2010. My artworks has been published in many other places that I don't remember now, but this one that I mentioned was the most important one!

What was your first prize?

2nd prize of Pro vine Festival in 2008 by the subject of " Bread and Art" that has been organized in Fars Province ( this artwork shows an sculptor that scrapes a stone in the shape of bread and the birds are eating it's pieces.)

My first international prize was the first prize in the " Labor and Strive" International Cartoon Contest that has been organized in North Khorasan 2010 ( the artwork of Wheel Chair and Steps).

What was your last prize?

I recently won the International Honorable Mention in in ACCES society of Homodiva Romania Contest for the artwork ( Persepolis Pillars and Book) and in National Prize I can't mention my last prize because it is not still announced!!!

Where do you find your new ideas?

I find different ideas in different ways. Some of them comes in to my mind immediately that are complete and ready to perform. some other ideas are in the shape of sketch and I think about them for a time and make them ready to use. sometimes It can continue for 2 years for finding conclusion!

I sometimes research for finding an idea. I read essays, see films, cartoon collections of different cartoonists or look at photograph collections and eventually I picture my information.

Sometimes I write whatever comes in to my mind, even if it's unrelated, because I know that I'll use them in future in the shape of perfect ideas.

Most of the time I try to find new ideas that has been used by nobody. The ideas that are not handy. Most of the time I show my sketches to some people to become sure that it is not similar to any other artwork. Then I search in best cartoon.net that any artwork is not similar to mine. Then I review it again to find the last performance.

What's your idea about Inevitable Similarities?

It can happen to any artist. Even me or any other artist can have similar artworks. I think in collection of all artists you can find similarities and it's not just in cartoon field. It can be seen even in painting, graphic or even photography. More handy artworks can be changed it's elements more easily and other elements can replace them. Unfortunately when we find an idea we decide to perform it, but I think such an easy ideas can suddenly come in to mind of all artists.

What's you idea about plagiarism?

Unfortunately we see plagiarism in Iran very often because we don't have copy rights. This plagiarism have bad effects.

I want to give you an example. I've seen an artwork that was really copy of the other artist's artwork, it was exactly the same without mentioning the name of the first artist. Even a film has been made of it!

Now you imagine the artist is watching TV that he sees his own idea and artwork is shown in a film! Imagine this artist? He sees that he can't do anything. He can't even complain anywhere! He will lose his temper! I know this artist!! He is wrath by art now... It's very simple, this artist doesn't work any more and he fades away!

Do you think who is the best Iranian Cartoonist?

We have many Iranian cartoonists but master Derambakhsh can't be compared with any other artist. It's the real master of cartoon in Iran.

Do you think who is the best foreign cartoonist?

There are lots of good foreign cartoonists such as: Quino, Pavel Constantine, Brad Holland, Mordillo and many other cartoonists.

What's the best cartoon you've ever seen?

A cartoon from Massoud Ziaei that I've seen in Golagha Magazine and I can't forget it.

What are your tools and techniques?

I work in two techniques of Digital and By Hand. In my hand working I usually use acrylic. Most of the time I work at first by digital but most of the time it looks like handy artworks, so most of my works takes one or two days. Sometimes I do my hand works from my digital work that it's more interesting. We shouldn't forget that digital work will not be as like as handy artworks.

What software do you use?

Photoshop & Procreate.

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What is your advice to your colleagues?

They must advice me!!!!

Have you ever had problems with your cartoons?

No, fortunately I never had problems with my cartoons because they will be filtered before publishing.

What was your best cartoon?

I love one of my cartoons that won the second prize in Aidin Dougan contest that shows a book that has an ancient cave in it's head- band.

Have you ever made immediate cartoon?

I can't say it was immediate but I can't say that I draw cartoons when I'm thinking about them and I think part of my idea finding is in this way.

 What's your idea about caricature?

A caricature can be mentioned as a good caricature that in spite of face exaggeration and good technique deliver a message.

Have you ever had cooperation with another artist?

I'm thinking to announce the name of one of them, but I don't remember.

What's your idea about Irancartoon website?

The first time I connected to internet in my life I immediately visited Irancartoon web site.

It's ever green website and I visit it every day.

If you born again which job do you select?

Without doubt I'll select art, specially cartoon art. Although I have to experience other arts, pass hard times and at last I don't earn enough money. But I'll never change the art with any other job.

 Do you think what's the border between cartoon and caricature?

Cartoonists play with events or accidents and say something at the end, but caricaturists work with people's faces. Sometimes they become one together and their borders becomes pale.

 Do you think artists by drawing cartoon and caricature can earn enough money?

It's very hard. If an artist work for a magazine or a periodical he can earn good money but not enough and he has to do more work to earn a little more money!

But in other countries the story is different.

Once I asked Pavel Kozhinsky from Poland that: " Do you have any other job in spite of Cartoon?"

He laughed at me and said: " Drawing Cartoon is my job and it's my life. Why should I do other work?"

What's your description about cartoon?

It's a world full of information and it's very very big that a satirical hand comes out of it and tickles people's brain!

Who's your favorite artist except in cartoon world?

Rene Magritte.

What was the last book you've read?

The story book of " A Saltbox Full of Grave Dust" by Hossein Gesami and I'm now reading the book " The Art of Modernism" by Sander Becula.

Do you think satire can be taught?

I think it depends on the person, his creativity and his love to satire, but learning can be a good help too.

What's your idea about black humor?

Expressionist cartoons, a bitter satire, by black cover, that comes out of heart and gives biting and poisonous words.

Do you think who's the best Cartoonist in black humor?

Topor from France and Ardeshir Mohases from Iran.

What was your last artwork?

The most poetic: The last works that I draw before death.

The most real one: This poetic artwork of cloud and drought!