Rejection selection

A decent drawing can't save an unfunny gag, whereas a funny gag can get away with having a poor drawing. With the following cartoon I really liked the drawing, but it didn't sell. Looking at it now I see that the caption is a bit clunky- too long- not that funny either I guess. I still like the drawing- but hey, you know what they say- self-praise is no praise!

It's my own fault for messing with the memory of the artistic genius of E.H. Shepard- he was responsible for the original drawings for Winnie the Pooh. That's the style I was trying (not very successfully) to evoke here, rather than the flaming awful Disney version.

Every winter I go to the Illustrators exhibition at the Chris Beetles gallery in St James's, London. Should you have deep pockets you can pick up original artwork by cartoonists and illustrators- be warned though, an original pencil sketch of the Bear with Very Little Brain by Shepard might set you back 20-30000 quid or so...(my version I could let you have for a bit less than that)

A Summer drought

Nope- By 'drought' I don't mean the weather (in the UK Summer is not really known for its sunshine). I'm referring to the times when hardly any of your cartoons sell. That happened last month, and it wasn't pleasant. Thankfully the spuds I planted earlier in the year came up OK so I didn't starve too much.

I've made a few sales recently- such as this one in The Oldie- so perhaps the drought is over for the moment at least.

With this one I thought I'd try some 'bubblegum' type solid colours, rather than a watercolour effect- it seems to work.

Last chance saloon

I haven't posted a cartoon lately, so here's one from the latest issue of Prospect. I thought that someone must have already done a gag based on 'Death, where is thy sting?', but decided to send it off on the rounds anyway. It appeared that it might have been a waste of time, as one by one each mag rejected it, until at its last port of call it got accepted. Lesson learnt- never assume things have been done already, and also don't write off a cartoon until you really have nowhere left to go.

(it's probably fallen down inside the sofa)

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand dare sieze the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art.

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,

And watered heaven with their tears

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Practice time

I have quite a few gag ideas written down ready to be drawn- however, I always think the final drawing never looks as good as the version in my head, so I'm procrastinating by having another go at drawing caricatures instead. This is supposed to be Michael Schumacher- not for any great reason other than him being in the news recently. Shame you're not fit enough for the next GP, Mike- would have been fun watching you and your superior driving skills, such as driving into any British driver who happens to be in front of you...ahem.

It's not a brilliant effort (looks a bit like Stan Laurel maybe?)- I think I've got his chin and funny sideways mouth OK, but there is something about the eyes I'm not happy with. And perhaps next time I'll add a body and some background. Ok, now that's done I'd best do some cartoon drawing! Hmm... the sun's out- would be a shame to stay indoors on a day like today.

Knowing your markets (again)

This one was used by the Oldie- I guess it pressed the correct demographic buttons.

Be afraid. Be very afraid

Doodle time- what's going on with that bull-headed woman with angel wings?!