Inversion - What If The Opposite Is True?

What if doing the opposite ended up providing the better way of going about a problem?

What if you were to flip a situation and look at it completely differently?

German mathematician Carl Jacobi liked to tackle difficult problems by applying the strategy: ‘an muss immer umkehren’ or for those of us who don’t speak German, ‘invert, always invert’

It is sometimes not enough to try to solve a difficult problems one way, it is better to address them both forwards and backwards. By doing so, it can reveal hidden beliefs about the problem, and different approaches to resolving them.

Here’s an example. Say you want to become more productive. You could spend a lot of time and money buying books and courses, or countless hours on YouTube trying to figure out how to be more productive.

Or you could look at in reverse and ask what is it right now that is stopping you from becoming more productive, which might be as a simple as a messy and unorganized desk.

Over To You…Some Questions To Ask Yourself

  • What if the opposite is true?

  • What if doing the opposite ended up providing the better way of going about a problem?

  • What if you were to flip a situation and look at it completely differently?

Extreme Dishwashing

You might have heard in passing of extreme ironing, which combines the danger and excitement of an “extreme sport” with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt. It combines an exciting and dangerous experience with one often considered dull and boring.

It got me thinking about what other less desirable chores could be spiced up a bit with an element of danger….

And so extreme dish washing came to be…

Think exaggeration..Think extreme..

Cartoons thrive on exaggeration, in fact sometimes getting an idea across demands. As cartoonists we’re given a lot of license to exaggerate.

Over To You…

The challenge today is to come up with an ordinary, everyday task or chore…and to jazz it up by adding a large dose of extremity!

What tasks or chores come to mind? Take a moment to come up with some.

Here are a few suggestions.

  • Vacuuming

  • Walking the dog

  • Polishing shoes

Can you think up three more?

  • Here are three templates you can use.

Summary

So take something mundane and make it extreme…who knows, you might even end up organizing a world championship around it as happened with Extreme Ironing in Germany, 2002.

Have fun!

We Remember Things that Stand Out

In 1933, the German psychologist Hedwig Von Restorff conducted a series of memory experiments using word lists. She discovered that when an isolated item is placed in a list of otherwise similar items would be better remembered than if the item was in a list where all the items were similar.

red blue YELLOW green

The words could be longer, a different type face, font, language etc.

Thus was born the Von Restorff (or isolation) effect or to put it in a nutshell, we remember things that stand out.


How can we use this?


Make sure that what you want people to notice and remember stands out against a homogeneous background. You could do this by using:

  • Colour e.g. an orange sign-up button on your site.

  • Style e.g. the use of humour in your information.

  • Shape e.g. a different design on your page.

  • Contrast e.g. an offer that offers way more value than others.

How can I help?

You don’t have to resort to images of irate giant beetroot to grab folk’s attention. I can create cartoons that are unique to you and your business that will help to get you noticed.

Cartoon Clinic - Felix and the Pelicans

Some Points to Improve

  • The checkerboard design makes it very difficult to focus

  • With the four white birds, there are too many points of focus, too many areas for the eyes to dart between

  • It is unclear what the main point of focus is

The New Version

The changes I made:

  • I switched out the checker plane for one with a dark blue solid colour.

  • I lost all the birds except for the one with the hat. I also added some darker tones to the bird to make the brighter areas stand out more.

  • I toned down Felix and his scarf by adding some grey and black, so there wasn’t so much orange left.

  • I muted the aircraft marking right down.

Over To You

Take a look over some of you own cartoons. Is there one that you really like the idea of, but doesn’t look quite right? Look over the following three points and see if they help you to identify points to change. It may help you to make notes from your drawing, as I did previously.

  • What is the main point of focus?

  • Are there any areas of colour that distract away from the main point of focus?

  • Are there any elements the distract away from the main point of focus?

Cartoon Clinic - The Fishy Gift

Here’s cartoon that I drew back in 2016. I still like the idea of it, however, I thought the drawing itself was long over due a reworking. So today I’m going to look at how I can make a better version of the cartoon.

Some Points To Improve

  • Alter the direction of her eyes, they’re not quite on the fish

  • Attention should automatically go to the fish. Although it has a red ribbon, there are two many bright colours competing.

  • Make the fish brighter

  • Dull down the green suit/red coat or change their colour entirely

  • Find a fish reference to use, instead of drawing it from memory

  • Alter his eyes, it’s as though he’s looking past her. His hair looks a little off as well

The New Version

The changes I made:

  • I changed their clothes to grey, so that the only colour was on the fish

  • I gave the fish brighter colours, and also added some white highlights on the red ribbon

  • She’s now looking directly at the fish

  • I altered her posture. I wanted her to look more puzzled

  • I gave the man glasses, but you deliberately can’t see his eyes so as to make him a bit odder

Over To You

Take a look over some of you own cartoons. Is there one that you really like the idea of, but doesn’t look quite right? Look over the following three points and see if they help you to identify points to change. It may help you to make notes from your drawing, as I did previously.

  • Could the characters pose be different to help get the idea across?

  • Are there any areas of colour that distract away from the main point of focus?

  • Could you use a more realistic reference image?

Ideas For Cartoons - The Platform

Today we’re going to generate some ideas for cartoons using the setting of a train station platform.

You’re welcome to use the above background to try out your own ideas with.

Some questions to ask

Here are some questions you could ask about the situation.

  • Who’s on the platform?

  • What are they waiting for?

  • If it wasn’t a train, what else could it be?

  • When is it? Time of day, time of year, time period?

  • Who else is on the platform?

  • Have you ever encountered an eccentric commuter/fellow passenger? Maybe you’ve seen something on TV.

  • If the person is happy, why are they happy?

  • If the person is confused, why are they confused? Etc

  • What unusual/strange object could be on the platform

  • What could happen next?

  • What happened before?

  • What could go wrong?

  • Any interesting/funny/strange experiences of your own on a train platform. Anything you’ve seen online/on the news/on TV/in a film etc

Some ideas of my own

Over To You

Here’s the background again. How about copying it and trying to use it with some of your own ideas?

Coffee and Cartoons

Have you ever wanted to draw your own cartoons?

It sure would be a lot of fun to do….but is there actually any point to drawing cartoons?

Sure! You could draw cartoons to give to friends and family, to have some time out for yourself, and to let loose your creative expression.

However, perhaps you think that drawing cartoons is reserved for people with natural artistic talent, or that it would take too long to learn.

Or maybe some mean old teacher way back in school told you that you can’t draw…

But what if you could learn to draw cartoons quickly and simply?….no natural talent or endless hours of practice required…

Sounds fun?

There’s a lot of interest now in AI generated art, but nothing beats the satisfaction of producing something yourself. And absolutely everyone LOVES receiving something handmade.

Soon you can be doodling happily away….knowing that this is something you’ve created yourself.

You could produce birthday cards for friends, doodles of your favourite animals, or perhaps even illustrations of meaningful quote and sayings. Everyone loves to receive something unique and handmade - there’s a huge Wow! factor to it. You’ll take away a card you can give to someone right away.

During this relaxing and fun workshop, I’ll show you how to draw some different characters and to give them a range of different expressions. And the cherry on the top is you get to do this with other people.

Here’s a taste of what we’ll get up to…

We’ll start by creating some super-simple faces with a variety of different expressions…

…we’ll then them some more detail…

…even draw some animals…

…and in no time at all you’ll have created a bunch of different characters…

…which we can then use to create some super-simple cartoons!

You can use your own cartoons to…

As well as that, the workshop is a great opportunity to…

Interested?

Contact me for further details.

Cartoon Clinic - The Charleston King Charles Spaniel

The Charleston dance craze was one of the most memorable and notable features of the roaring twenties in America. At the height of the dances popularity from mid 1926 - 1927, it seemed as though it was not just every other person who was joining in on the dance, but also quite a few dogs as well. Due to the widespread popularity of the dance, it was difficult to turn a corner and not see it going on, dance hall promoters thought they could introduce a new twist to the dance by having a dog dance along with the usual flappers. With it’s long ears, swishing about along with the strings of pearls, the Charleston King Charles Spaniel was an instant hit.

In this cartoon clinic I’m going to look at a cartoon I drew previously and see where I can improve it.

Possible Changes

  • More life in her hair

  • Have more movement in the pearls

  • Can I get more movement in her body?

  • Needs more variation in tones

  • Make the dog look a bit more manic

  • Ears to move more

  • Dog looks a bit too static

  • Tail too straight?

The New Version

Here are the changes I made.

  • I changed her dress from white to pale blue, as I wanted the focus to be more on the dog, and white catches the eye

  • Instead of drawing the pearls, I dotted them on

  • I added more variety in tones

  • I recycled a stage background from a previous cartoon

  • I made the dog’s eyes cross-eyed!

Over To You

Take a look over some of you own cartoons. Is there one that you really like the idea of, but doesn’t look quite right? Look over the following points and see if they help you to identify points to change. It may help you to make notes from your drawing, as I did previously.

  • Could the character be in a more dynamic pose?

  • Is there enough variety in tones?

  • Is there a way you could put more energy or life into your character?

Why Drawing Quicker Gets You Momentum To Overcome Resistance

If you were to paint a supertanker by hand, you’d stop before you even started. In fact you’d stop way before then, after you first contemplated it because the mere thought of it would stop you in your tracks.

Now while it’s unlikely that you’re going to be painting a supertanker any time soon, or even a mid-sized freighter, you’ve probably attempted to draw something complicated only to never really get started due to the sheer size of the task.

Attempting to paint a supertanker from the get-go, and failing to do so, can also prevent us from painting a whole fleet of vessels way smaller whether they’re ferries, yachts, or just a plain old rowing boat.

But what if we started off with something far smaller and simpler?

What if you could get drawing straightaway, wouldn’t that make a difference? So many potential images are left on the drawing slipway.

So instead of a huge supertanker, how about the simplest boat possible? And of course, substitute whatever it is you’re trying to draw - but try to doodle the simplest possible form of it.

A cartoon is about an image and and an idea, so you often need the simplest possible form of the idea to get the point across. Also, the sooner you get the simplest possible form of the idea down on paper or onto your drawing tablet, you’ll be a bit happier because you’ve actually drawn something.

Over To You

What is a cartoon that you’ve been putting off starting?

What is the absolute simplest version of it you could draw? In fact, don’t think draw….think doodle instead. So pick up a pen and doodle something right now.

Cartoon Clinic - Improving A Cartoon - The Galapagos Marine Cat

I’ve had tremendous fun thinking up ideas for new creatures. Recently a friend was drawing a marine iguana, the bizarre and fascinating coastal-dwelling lizard that if you haven’t checked out already I highly recommend doing so. As a result of this, I showed my friend the above picture that I drew a few years ago.After doing so I realised that I could so a better version of it.

Points To Improve

I thought it would be useful to start off by making a few notes about things I could change and improve. Here’s what I came up with.

  • The cat’s face looks a little too dog-like!

  • The cat is below the horizon line, I also think the rock to the right of it is unnecessary and distracts from the cat.

  • Although there are some bright colours on the cat, the marine iguana is also quite colourful and catches attention away from the cat. As the iguana is not the focal point of the cartoon, it could be made duller.

  • I think the cat blends with the sea a little too much, so I want to make it stand out more.

  • I’m not sure that looks like a marine iguana!

The New Version

Here’s the new version of the cartoon I came up with. I went over the following points.

  • I moved the cat above the horizon line. I also had it perched more on the top of the rock.

  • I removed the rock that was originally to the right of the cat so as to give the character more room to stand out.

  • I added some brighter, concentrated colours to the cat, and also some darker tones to add contrast and also to help the brighter ones to really catch the eye.

  • I dulled down the marine iguana considerably. I also used a reference image when redrawing it so that it looks more realistic.

  • The body of the iguana is now pointing towards the cat.

  • The cat looks more catlike.

Over To You

Take a look over some of you own cartoons. Is that one that you really like the idea of, but doesn’t look quite right? Look over the following points and see if they help you to identify points to change. It may help you to make notes from your drawing, as I did previously.

  • Could the character be in a better position?

  • Is there enough contrast between dark and light, bright and dull colours?

  • Is the attention going towards your main character, or is something distracting the viewer’s eye away from it?

How To Keep Your Large Shaggy Dog Cool In Hot Weather

As the weather starts to get increasingly hotter, owners of large shaggy dogs are no doubt starting to wrestling with the annual problem of keeping their pet cool in warmer weather.


There are practical measures, such as giving it a haircut, or new dangled doggy cool coats to wear. However, these are sensible solutions and today I’m going to look at three unconventional and somewhat less sensible alternatives.


1. The Porto-fan

2. The pooch sprinkler

3. The cooling projector

The Porto-fan

What better solution than a cooling breeze to follow your pooch around wherever it goes?

With the special safety feature of a wire mesh that ensures the dog‘s tail doesn’t get tangled up in the fan.

The Pooch Sprinkler

Most dogs love sprinklers and hoses, the canine sprinkler provides such refreshment wherever they wander.

The Cooling Projector

New for this season, this latest cutting-edge innovation projects images of cooling scenes onto the screen which easily slips over the back of the owner.

Over To You

Here’s one more shaggy dog, and now it’s your chance to come up with some novel ways to keep him cool.

Here are a few questions you could ask to generate some ideas:

  • What could you use to cool the dog?

  • Where could the dog go to cool down?

  • How could you use an everyday object in an unusual way to cool the dog?

  • Who could help to cool the dog?

How Using A Timer Steamrolls Resistance To Drawing

The writer Steven Pressfield described resistance as a force of nature that will do anything to get in the way and prevent you from doing meaningful work. It’s like the terminator or alien, you just can’t reason with it.

But what if a simple little timer could help you to battle this powerful force?

Let’s look at three ways using a timer will help you to sitting down and drawing.

1. It’s only five minutes
2. I don’t know what to draw
3. You’ll have actually drawn something


1. It’s only five minutes


Sometimes it’s the thought of having to sit down for an hour, or thirty minutes or whatever that puts us off in the first place. We just don’t have the time, or we don’t want to stay at the blank canvas of doom for that length of time. However, with the timer you only have to sit down for five minutes. Then you can get up. Of course you can set it for longer than five minutes, but keep it short at first.

2. I don’t know what to draw



Don’t even start thinking ab0ut drawing, instead doodle. Whatever comes to mind, start doodling it. Don’t look for something witty or funny, or try to draw realistic forms, simply doodle. Once you’ve got started doodling you may find that ideas come to mind or that you’ve started to do more complex drawing.

3. You’ll have actually drawn something

After the timer has gone off, you’ll have actually drawn something. You may think that it’s only a doodle, but it’s more than you’d drawn before starting. You may not realise it, but this will give you a little boost,mpart of you now knows that you’re completed something. And if you’ve done it once, you can do it again.


Summary

So grab your phone, or an egg time if you want to go old-school and let’s give it a try. Here are the three points again as a reminder.


1. It’s only five minutes
2. I don’t know what to draw
3. You’ll have actually drawn something



The Last Pug Standing

Why is the pug supping a pint?

I’m a member of Norwich Kitty Business Networking, a very friendly group that meets every month in various pubs in Norwich.

In May it was the turn of the ‘Last Pub Standing’ to host the meeting.

To help promote each networking event, I draw a series of cartoons using the exterior of the host venue as a backdrop. Here’s the background featuring the Last Pub Standing that I’m going to use for the series.

As soon as I’d started playing around with the name of the pub, I came up with the ‘Last Pug Standing’ idea. I’m not sure what this particular pug has been supping, but he’s obviously got a stronger constitution than the rest of his pack.

I really liked how the pug turned out, so I thought I’d play around with further ideas featuring him. Here’s one I came up with.

As the meeting was due to be held on May 4th, one of the group members pointed out that this was in fact International Star Wars cartoon, which sparked the above idea.

If you’re in or near Norwich, then I highly recommend checking out Norwich Kitty.

https://www.norwichkitty.co.uk

Drawing Felix stuck in the field

Huskies to the rescue!

Felix here has been forced to land his plane in a muddy field. He rarely seems to make it back to the airfield…

To help pull the plane out of the mire, he’s enlisted a team of huskies.

In this article I’m going to show you how I went about creating this cartoon.

Recycling previous images

Felix the flying fox

I chose to recycle a plane I’d used previously, see above, and also a pose of Felix, see below.

Felix the fox pose

Outline of the background

Background outline

I sketched a quick outline of the background. I wanted a barren, muddy farm field effect. As though he had landed in the middle of a big farm in the countryside.

Adding the plane

Airplane in field

I’ve now added the plane. I’m going to later add some mud to overlap the wheels. You’ll notice that the plane has suddenly gained a colourful tail and a lighter shade of grey compared to the example I was recycling from. I copied this one from a different layer. It’s an easier enough fix, so I’ll change it before I complete the cartoon.

Adding Felix

Fox and airplane

I’ve now added Felix. I’m going to paint the tail of the plane grey as I don’t want it to distract attention away from Felix. Felix’s coat is going to the only bright colour in the cartoon so that he’ll instantly catch the viewer’s eye.

Adding the huskies

Adding huslies

I thought huskies made sense because people associate them with working as a team to help pull something. I’m not quite sure where Felix managed to find them. He is quite resourceful, even though he’s not the best pilot…

Colouring the huskies

Colouring the huskies

The muted colours of the huskies worked well, as I wanted the only bright colour in the finished cartoon. I’ve still got to get around to altering the plane colour!

Colouring the background

Colouring the background

I wanted the background to be quite drab so as the make the characters, and Felix especially stand out.

Almost finished now, I just have to add some shadow, a bit more mud, and to change the plane colour.

The finished cartoon

The huskies help Felix

Over to you

What steps do you take when you work on your own cartoons?

It can be quite useful to take a few minutes to think about your own cartooning process. There might be something you can change to make it more efficient or help you spot mistakes.

Do you want some more cartooning tips?

I put out a Cartooning Newsletter every week featuring tips and ideas to help you with your own cartoons. Add your details to the box below to signup.

Help Your Character To Stand Out

Felix was in the middle of one of his aeronautical jaunts when he started to feel a bit peckish. He decided to put his seaplane down by a nearby coast and to catch something for lunch. While balancing on a float and attempting to get a fish to bite, Felix’s tail proved rather tempting for a nearby crab…

Introduction

After finishing the first version of the cartoon, the one appearing above, I knew immediately that it didn’t really work and needed some revision

In this article I’m going to look at how I improved the cartoon and show you a few ideas how you can help your character to stand out.

Here’s what we’re going to cover:

  1. Overlapping

  2. Above the horizon

  3. Colours competing for attention

  1. Overlapping

You can see here that both Felix and the crab, the two main key elements of the gag overlap the seaplane.

I needed to give both Felix and the crab more room to breath and to move them away from the seaplane. This led to the next version below.

Above the horizon line

Although Felix’s head was previously above the horizon line, in this version I’ve moved his entire body not just over the horizon line, but also above the cliff line. I’ve also moved the crab so that it’s also above the horizon line, with it’s eyes over the cliffs.

3. Colours competing for attention

I felt that the red nose of the seaplane was competing for attention with Felix and the crab, it was also merging too much with the crab. At first I thought I’d change the red to a green, however the green was still a little too bright and attention grabbing.

So I went for a uniform grey for the seaplane, leaving the orange of Felix and the red of the crab as the only bright colours. I probably could have toned down the blue of the sky a bit to rally help them the characters to stand out.

Here’s what we covered

  1. Overlapping

  2. Above the horizon line

  3. Colours competing for attention.

Over to you

How could you apply these ideas to one of your own cartoons?

Why not have a go at revising a cartoon and see how you can make your character stand out.

Interested in more cartooning tips?

If you found this article useful, then sign up for the Cartoon Newsletter which will provide you with some weekly tips and ideas for your own cartooning. Simply fill in the form below.