Yakking It Up
With a Ferris Alum
A seven-foot Yak will not fit into a New York taxicab. But he fits perfectly into a mini-newspaper for children. Marty Westman, a 1982 graduate of FSU's Graphic Arts program (now Visual Communication), is the man in the suit who has been mobbed by children around the world.
The Yak character is the mascot of "Yak's Corner," a children's section that began at the Detroit Free Press as a learning tool for area children ages 6-12. "Yak's Corner" is comprised of news and feature stories, puzzles, games and jokes ("Yak Yuks"), celebrity and reader profiles, polls, and artwork from readers.
One appealing characteristic of "Yak's Corner" is that children can make their own eight-page mini-newspaper by cutting and folding the section. Another is Marty Westman.
Westman's official title is "Graphics Artist/Illustrator and Art Director of Yak's Corner." In addition to performing as The Yak, he designs all sections of "Yak's Corner," producing the artwork and creating most of the puzzles. He also designed and maintains the "Yak's Corner" web site (www.yakscorner.com).
Westman handles his administrative duties with aplomb, but his heart is on location with the kids. He personifies fun, and not just when he's in costume.
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