Mmm!....brownies!

wonderstuff-browniecar-cartoon

Here's one I drew forbrownie bar company a while ago.

Nothing like the smell of freshly baked brownies!

Need something drawing?

Drop me a mail - I'd love to hear from you!

The Lady and the Crocodile - strip no. 2

Yesterday's strip was the first time that I'd tried a polyptych, so I wanted to continue with this style today. I thought that I'd keep it fairly simple, as I'm still getting the hang of creating this style, so I based the background on yesterdays, altering a little and adding a church.

As the new idea also featured the two characters still walking along the riverbank, I copied the pose from yesterday and altered slightly. I also drew two different poses of a new character- an angler.

I then laid the characters on a transparency how I thought they would appear in the final strip.

I then added this transparency to the background. After that I put another transparency on top to lay the text onto.

Next, I drew the speech bubbles and filled them in with white.

Almost there...I erased the surplus lines from the speech bubbles.

Finally, I cut the strip into three panels, and added the borders, strip name, and signature.

How I draw Gerald the Goat

Gerald is a very simple character to create and draw, but I thought i'd still talk through how I produce a strip.

In the previous strip I created another one featuring Gerald trying to deal with his nemesis - the bull.

The idea I had for the follow-up strip was to have Gerald floating over the bull with the assistance of some balloons. It would only be in the third panel where you get to see the balloons, the first consisting of just the bull looking up, and the second with Gerald looking down and with some strings attached to his back.

Gerald doesn't change much. Here is the basic pose of Gerald that I used variants of for most of his drawings.

First, where possible, I copied the characters from previous strips. This is partially to speed the process up, and partially to ensure the consistency of look of the characters from strip to strip.

Next, I laid out the characters in approxiamately the final positions I had envisioned in the completed strip.

After that, I added the panel frames.

Finally, I tidied the strip up, added the names and signature.

 

That's it!

Would you like me to create you your own strip?

Whether it's for a business, or as a fun gift to give to someone, I can create a unique strip just for you. Drop me a mail and we'll chat further.

 

How to make a polyptych

One of the assignments in the cartoon course last week was to write down our three favourite cartoons. I was always a huge fan of the Perishers, written by Maurice Dodd and Drawn by Dennis Collins, that used to run in the Daily Mirror.

One feature of the Perishers was that many strips were polyptychs - a single continuous background image divided into separate panels, with the characters moving across it from panel to panel. Here is an example.

I'd always wanted to have a go at creating a polyptych, but had never gotten around to it. Seeing as I wanted to try creating a strip that was more complex than Gerald the goat, I thought it would be perfect time to try this style. For the characters, I decided to use the woman and the crocdile who had featured in several single panel cartoons over the past month. These pictures were drawn in ballpoint, and then scanned in to colour and finish. As there were quite sketchy, I decided to draw some slightly simpler characters based on them using the tablet, so as to speed up the process.

lady-croc-2

First I drew the two characters, and then produced two different sets of poses based on the originals to speed up the process, and keep new drawing to a minimal. This would also ensure that the characters would remain consistent from panel to panel.

I then laid out the characters as they would appear in the final drawing.

I put a transparent layer over the characters and then drew the background, using the characters as a guide for scale.

The characters were then put on top of the background.

lady-croc-strip-1-process-4.jpg

I then flipped the image and colour it in. After that I added the writing, and then the speech bubbles around them. Finally, I broke the image up into three panels and added the border.

Gag writing

First, create a background for your character.

Is it a he or a she?

Where does he/she live?

How old?

Etc

The more you get inside the head of your character, the easier it will be to think up comic situations to put them in.

And don’t forget to give your character a name!

Let’s start by asking the question, ‘What is it the character likes to do?’

 

Write down anything that comes to mind.

Well, goats like to eat….anything….they have a bit of a reputation you know!

Okay, so let’s narrow it down to eating.

 

So let's think of some things they like to eat.

 

 

 

 

Let’s choose flowers. Should be a few potential situations there.

 

Okay, now let’s ask the W and H questions:

Who…?

Where…?

What…?

Why…?

When…?

How…?

 

For example:

 

Whose flowers are they?

Where are the flowers?

What flowers are they?

Why is the goat eating the flowers?

What time of day is it?

How is the goat eating the flowers?

 

Note: note all gags are good gags. We’re not aiming to produce the ‘perfect’ gag (whatever that is) the idea is to generate a large number of gag ideas which you can then choose to develop if you want

Young Frankenstein Cartoon

young frankenstein cartoon

 

 

Recently I've been undertaking the 'Da VInci' cartooning course. I'll write more about this course later.

For one of the weeks, we were given license to draw anything we wanted, and seeing as I had recently watched 'Young Frankenstein' to celebrate Gene Wilder's life, I thought that I'd draw the characters from the film. Each day of the week I drew a differernt character with the intention of putting them together in one scene at the end of the week.

For those of you familiar with the movie, this is based on the 'Sedagive scene'.

I selected one drawing from the various verions of each character I had drawn throughout the week, and then cut and pasted them together. I filled in the body details and then added a bit more cross-hatching. I liked the effect of a wash effect on top of the hatching and felt that it matched the feel of the film.

I tidied up the picture a little bit, but left a lot of the underlying sketch lines. I kept the background very simple to give an impression of the castle, and kept it faint so as not to distract from the characters.

I had a lot of fun doing this, and I have to admit it has been some of the most intense drawing I have done for quite some time.

I haven't forgotten about Elizabeth, and intend to put her in a scene with Igor.

About the Cartoonist


Hey there, my name is Rob Middleton. I'm 'THE CARTOONIST.'


Great copywriters craft words that EXPLODE in your prospects imaginations and lead them to the sale. That’s basically what I do except I use cartoons and humour to engage you with an emotive, childlike fascination that will live on long in your memory.


I pride myself on drawing your pets and other animals. Whether they be to gift another or too memorialize a beloved four-legged, or feathered family member a well-drawn cartoon is the perfect personalised gift to give someone in this hyped-up, photoshopped world we live in.  I draw people and other creatures too!
Oh, yeah... one more thing.


I ALWAYS deliver on time.


I am currently for hire so, if you would like to speak to me directly you can email me by clicking 'contact' below.
Enjoy the site.

Alternative Christmas Gifts

alternative christmas gifts

Alternative Christmas Gifts

This post is told from the perspective of Cindy - recipient of a large halibut.

Well, I have to admit that Eric certainly achieved the element of surprise. I’d heard of people giving smoked salmon, or maybe seen it on TV once, and I think I heard halibut mentioned in Monty Python...maybe they even slapped someone with a large wet one....but to actually present someone with one as a gift....that’s a first for me. I was so taken by surprise that I didn’t think to ask if he had a suitable recipe for it, or a list of candidates who were ripe for a good slapping....I suppose I could think up a few names myself. Must be a law against that you know....It’s an offence to hit someone with a large sea fishin public or something like that.

Well the question now is how can I reciprocate and come up with something equally unique?I’ll start off with a card....hmm....something and related to only Eric himself.

I know!...I’ll get someone to draw a cartoon illustrating the day he fell off his BMX in high school and landed on the porcupine. He’s probably avoided thinking about it for years, so now is the perfect time to bring it up again.

About the Cartoonist


Hey there, my name is Rob Middleton. I'm 'THE CARTOONIST.'


Great copywriters craft words that EXPLODE in your prospects imaginations and lead them to the sale. That’s basically what I do except I use cartoons and humour to engage you with an emotive, childlike fascination that will live on long in your memory.


I pride myself on drawing your pets and other animals. Whether they be to gift another or too memorialize a beloved four-legged, or feathered family member a well-drawn cartoon is the perfect personalised gift to give someone in this hyped-up, photoshopped world we live in.  I draw people and other creatures too!
Oh, yeah... one more thing.


I ALWAYS deliver on time.


I am currently for hire so, if you would like to speak to me directly you can email me by clicking 'contact' below.
Enjoy the site.

 

Original Birthday Cards

 

Original Birthday Cards

To tell you a little more about original birthday cards, the model of one such design, Sleek, is going to tell you about it from his perspective. More details about hand-drawn cards to follow.

'First of all, I want to say that I didn't, obviously, choose the name 'Sleek' for myself. I mean, it's not a bad name, it's simply just not as good as 'Lord Grand Commander of the house and garden', which I feel suits my situation a lot better in my humble opinion.

So how did I end up featuring in a card?

Well, Carol, that's the sister of the human, Shelley, that I live with, thought it would be a nice idea to give her sister a cartoon of me for Christmas. I naturally approved - I mean you can't really get enough cat pictures after all can you?

Carol send a couple of photos to this cartoonist chap, Rob, more about him below, who promptly got back to her with a rough drawing. He even suggested a funny situation based on her idea. After a bit of tidying up, the picture was completed. Carol printed it off, out it in a frame, and presented it with much delight to her sister. Of course I delight her on a daily basis, but now I'm permanently on the wall in the kitchen. Actually, the kitchen is a suitable place to have a reminder of me - wouldn't want anyone forgetting about my meal times and all that.

About the Cartoonist

Hey there, my name is Rob Middleton. I'm 'THE CARTOONIST.'

Great copywriters craft words that EXPLODE in your prospects imaginations and lead them to the sale. That’s basically what I do except I use cartoons and humour to engage you with an emotive, childlike fascination that will live on long in your memory.

I pride myself on drawing your pets and other animals. Whether they be to gift another or too memorialize a beloved four-legged, or feathered family member a well-drawn cartoon is the perfect personalised gift to give someone in this hyped-up, photoshopped world we live in.  I draw people and other creatures too!

Oh, yeah... one more thing.

I ALWAYS deliver on time.

I am currently for hire so, if you would like to speak to me directly you can email me by clicking 'contact' below.

Enjoy the site.

Business networking cartoon

Business networking cartoons

  • -Are you looking to reach out and build some new relationships?
  • -Or perhaps to get back in contact with a relationship you’ve let lapse.

How about really getting their attention by including a cartoon with the mail? (You can even send one through the post if you prefer)

I can draw you a personalised cartoon that really matches the personality of whoever it is you are trying to reach out to.

For sure there are a gazillion different images you can reach for on the net, but looking around for something that really suits is sometimes a little trickier - not to mention time-consuming.

So how about commissioning something unique that gets straight to the point - and makes a quicker, deeper connection?

If you have an idea of what you are looking for already that’s great, if you’re not quite sure then I can help think up some idea for you.

Drop me a line and let’s have a chat.

About the Cartoonist

Hey there, my name is Rob Middleton. I'm 'THE CARTOONIST.'

Great copywriters craft words that EXPLODE in your prospects imaginations and lead them to the sale. That’s basically what I do except I use cartoons and humour to engage you with an emotive, childlike fascination that will live on long in your memory.

I pride myself on drawing your pets and other animals. Whether they be to gift another or too memorialize a beloved four-legged, or feathered family member a well-drawn cartoon is the perfect personalised gift to give someone in this hyped-up, photoshopped world we live in.  I draw people and other creatures too!

Oh, yeah... one more thing.

I ALWAYS deliver on time.

I am currently for hire so, if you would like to speak to me directly you can email me by clicking 'contact' below.

Enjoy the site.