How to Draw a Cartoon Lion---Part II the body

Here we are again, part II of my latest project. A book on how to draw cartoons; although the working title is sounding more like. 'How would you like to draw cartoons like this?'(with a very busy and intricate picture below).

At this stage I'm still looking for a look and layout for the book. So please do forgive me if the pages tend to chop and change in appearance.

Also this is a 'back-burner' project. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't consider this project worthy of my every waking second, but time, work and more pressing commissions have forced it into the relegation zone and afforded it its 'back-burner' status.

But seeing as this is a diary of my life as a cartoonist and writer, I will be letting you know about all this project and the many other I have on the go, both commissioned and private; like the New Comic Strip Submission series that I'm running. (part III to be posted on this Friday coming).

So with that explained and out of the way, let's move on into the horizon of a bright new future with the second section on How to Draw a Lion (to enlarge the picture, click on the image and open it, full size, in another pane). This one deals with the drawing of the Lion's body; having shown you all how to draw the head last week.

Have fun, have a go, and send me samples of what you get up to. (For those professional cartoonists amongst you, this is your turn to act all smug and pull out the 'been there, done that' T-Shirt).

Click on image to enlarge

Next Wednesday I'll be showing you the progress I'm making on a new Rugby poster design. I'm hoping to be showing you the background sketches and the process I now use to put these heavily involved pictures together and how my system has changed over the years.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this post. If you did then please share it like a demented sharing person and keep on coming back for more of the same, and a whole lot besides.

Cartoon Experiment

I guess the lifeblood of any business is, as they say, new business. And in a field where the flow of cartoons through the pages of newspapers, comics magazines and the internet is akin to a torrent of water passing through a sieve, it is important to constantly keep ahead of the game; to produce more ideas and never stem the flow of your creative juices.

Of course this is always easier said that done, especially when you find yourself on a cold, uninspiring morning with the rain beating down relentlessly outside as you sit with your cup of tea or coffee and a blank piece of paper with nothing springing to mind.

 'But this is what you do, if you are a creative person,' you tell yourself. You know that your mind has always been this way and that something will come to you; it may not be that diamond mine of an idea that'll make you the billion you richly deserve, but at least it will be something worth showing around my contacts.

So you pull a blank piece of paper out of the pack and start doodling...

At least that's how I do it.

But a while back I was looking for a new idea to send out to the editors of children's comics; something different to what I normally do, yet still maintain the signature 'action packed and lively style' that I've become known for.

Like I said, normally I would sit in a quiet area and scribble away until something new came out from the blinding whiteness of my paper, accompanied, hopefully, by the singing of angels to let me know that this idea was packed to the gunnel's with potential.

But this time was different. For a start I wasn't in a quiet room and scribbling, I was on the sofa chatting with Karen, and it was she who came up with the idea of an Alien that came out from under a child's bed and helped him cause calamity for those around them---especially his bullying brother, Hektor



And I'm not afraid to admit it, the idea struck me as one worth pursuing: kids love fantasy, they love slapstick action and the fascination with creatures--- especially magical ones--- from another planet was just a dream combination.

So I sat down with a sketch pad and the characters just came flooding from my pen, fully formed and needing no alteration.  Normally I have to fiddle with a new characters design at least a little bit until I'm happy with it, but every character I drew for this strip came flowing, unhindered from the end of my pencil.

That was a good omen, right? I sure as hell hoped it was!

And if that wasn't enough, the first story wrote itself too! I've never had this before. Normally I write a script out, play with it and hone it, sculpt it and mould it into exactly what I want, yet here I was, creating characters without seemingly thinking about it and writing a script as though my hand was being guided by another.

To say I was a little freaked out would be to understate my feeling by quite a considerable margin.

But I sat there for a while, looking at what I'd created and the short time that it had taken to do so. What could I say, this was completely alien to my normal creative pattern;  I'm normally quite quick with ideas, and character creation has never really caused me any problems, but this? This was something different.

After a while a spark came into my mind. Do you know what? I thought to myself 'just because its different, doesn't make it wrong, so why don't you just do it and see where it goes, y'know, go with the flow, stop trying to analyze it. Just accept it for what it is'.

Now I'm not here to say that I sent it out and a huge check came flying back with hundreds of little noughts on the end, and in truth its already been rejected once, but just as an experiment into the theory of 'the gut reaction', I'm letting you know about this little episode in my creative life and I will keep you updated as to its progress.

Below are the first three pages.

Enjoy my friends

If you like my blog and the things that I say and do, please tell your friends; mention me on Facebook, Twitter and any of the other fine social media networking sites you use. I would love to have my work reach a much larger audience and although I could no doubt eventually get there under my own steam, I'll get there a lot quicker with your help, so please, please spread the word.

Thank you

My First Children's Book Project

Seeing as its World Book Day, today, I thought it would be a perfect time to announce that I've just started a children's book. A book that was initially meant as a Christmas present for my grandson, Ryan, but is now going to be a birthday present instead. But the other good news is that I'm so happy with it I'll be offering it up for sale through LuLu.com

Some of you may know that I've been limbering up for a big Kindle launch on my novels--- and I'll be talking more about that as the glorious day approaches--- but for today I'm just happy to announce that my first children's book---written and illustrated by myself---will be due for publication, and therefore purchase, around the middle of next month.

Its going to be called Ryan's Dinosaur Dreams and will, through 22 vibrant, action filled full colour illustrations, depict what Ryan dreams about while he sleeps at night.

Ryan, my grandson, is absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs; he has every toy, model, video and book you can imagine. At the age of two he could name at least twenty species (I kid you not, we would all be left open mouthed as these highly complicated Latin names came tripping off his tongue), but could also tell the subtle difference between an Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex.

So when it came to writing a book for him there could only be one subject: Dinosaurs.

I've added my first illustration as an exclusive to you, my loyal readers, and will whet your appetite over the next few weeks by posting a few more; then when its all complete and uploaded to LuLu, you will be the first to know!

Page 12 from Ryan's Dinosaur Dreams

I'm hoping for it to be a 24 page book, size 7 x 9 inches (landscape) and retailing at around £8.99, although the price could change.

So with a regular weekly updates of my ever popular webcomic, Brabbles & Boggitt, plus news of my new children's book, Ryan's Dinosaur Dreams, tutorials, humorous tales, the introduction of my Kindle novels--- and short stories projects--- plus all my usual posts about what I'm working on and developing, you'd be crazy to go anywhere else for your insights into the mind of an oddball cartoonist and writer.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the next mad cap installment of Brabbles & Boggitt in the Goldilocks Affair

Cheers

If you like my blog and the things that I say and do, please tell your friends; mention me on Facebook, Twitter and any of the other fine social media networking sites you use. I would love to have my work reach a much larger audience and although I could no doubt eventually get there under my own steam, I'll get there a lot quicker with your help, so please, please spread the word.

Thank you

A Big, Big Thankyou!

I'd like to start this post  by saying a very big, and a very humbling, thank you to everyone who read the Brabbles & Boggitt cartoon last week. I'd also like to thank those of you who linked the page through to their Facebook and Twitter accounts; also to those who shared the post once they'd seen it and a big thank you to everyone out there who discussed it so favourably on their blogs.

Singularly though, I'd like to thank Karen who is and always has been my rock. She has stood by and urged me on through thick and thin and never failed in her belief of me and my work. You are the greatest Karen and I feel blessed, not only to have known you, but to be lucky enough to be with you.

That said, and everyone thanked, I really couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the Google analytic ratings for Brabbles & Boggitt; within two days it had become my second most popular post and the fastest growing one in this blogs history. You certainly seemed to have taken them to your hearts.

Also, I suppose this would be an ideal time to remind you that Brabbles & Boggitt's second page will be posted tomorrow around midday. Also I'd like to announce that from week three (January 4th 2013) I will be giving the story its own archive page--- on the menu bar up above--- so you can simply hit the link to re read or catch up on what they've been up to.

Finally I'd like to bring to your attention the very talented Steve Beckett who has offered to run Brabbles & Boggitt on his blog, or more to the point, on the comics section of his blog.

Steve runs a very entertaining site called Steve Becket Design which he uses, as I do, to show case his thoughts and ideas; its well worth the trip just to see what this top comics artist and illustrator is about.

But the other point---the one about Brabbles & Boggitt---is that on his blog he runs an online children's comic called Crumbs Comic and it is there that he'll also be showcasing our little oddball twosome.

Also, cartoonist Lew Stringer, who's site can be found here, has been very kind by running a write up on our very own Brabbles & Boggitt, thanks Lew, you are very kind. Besides running himself ragged, producing top notch material for comics like the Beano, Viz, Toxic and many many more, Lew also runs a very informative and excellently written fan blog for the comics officianardo; which is well worth a look.

Well that's me catching up on the weeks comings and goings, all that's left to say is: Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the next weekly installment of Brabbles & Boggitt.

See you then.


If you like my blog and the things that I say and do, please tell your friends; mention me on Facebook, Twitter and any of the other fine social media networking sites you use. I would love to have my work reach a much larger audience and although I could no doubt eventually get there under my own steam, I'll get there a lot quicker with your help, so please, please spread the word.

Thank you

Another update

Just to let you know, I've posted a few more pieces of art to my Deviant Art page, but just in case you can't be bothered to go and visit it, I've made it easy and put them on the Portfolio page to.

Also as my 50th birthday rapidly approaches--- Jan 7th for all those who need to know---I still have plans to launch a new webcomic. Its not a definite, as my previous post will amply explain, but I've still not given up on the idea.

The probable reason why I want to pursue this project with such vigor is A: I've always wanted to produce my own comic strip as its been a dream of mine since about the age of seven and B: I'd like to mark my half centuary with something other than too much alcohol. And also for every birthday, from this point on, to be a double celebration.

The cartoon strip will be called 'Tales from 'Toonsville' (sample above) and is based largely on my observations on life. I will have regular characters that pop up from time to time; characters like: Granny Apple, the long suffering octogenarian, Bib, L'Enfant terrible, Damien, the archetypal child of Satan and bane of all those who come into contact with him and his ideas, Chairman Meow, the worlds unluckiest black cat, plus spoof send ups of all the latest movies, books, fads fashions and things old and ancient.

Brabbles

Boggitt

Also, as from this Friday 14th and every Friday afterwards, I will be running an entire graphic novel--- that I wrote and illustrated---  page by page, week by week. The story is from my Brabbles and Boggitt graphic novel. It's about two little misfits I created for the European market and sold  through my Dutch publisher--- primarily for children--- but which adults also enjoyed. 

The stories are set loosely around well known fairy tales but were given a modern day twist. For example, The little old lady who lived in a shoe who had so many children she didn't know what to do, became a big brother type story that had the subjects of the Land of Once Upon a Time voting the children out, one by one.

But this first tale is based loosely on Goldilocks and the three bears; more of which I will not say, I'll just let you enjoy. So come back Friday for the first installment; I'm looking forward to seeing you then!

Well that's that for now. Hope to see lots of you coming back and please, please, if you like what I do, tell your friends about it, post my articles on your Facebook, Twitter and Stumbleupon pages, plus any other sites you are a member of. 

The more people see what I do, the happier I will be and the happier I am, the more tutorials, crazy stories, free cartoons and oddball stuff I'll post here on my Diary of a cartoonist.

Cheers for now.

Drawing a cartoon vulture

Aaaaaand here's the second post as promised. I know I'm not always the most trustworthy of people when it comes to giving you a second post on the date I promised it, but today, I am that 'trustworthy' person.

Okay so this is it, in today's tutorial I teach you how to draw a vulture...that's it. Simple really; not much else I can say; so I'll shut up and let you go grab a pencil and impress the hell out of yourselves.

Colouring the Caricature

First off you're gonna get two posts this week..BLAM, BLAM! That's two; not one...TWO. One's going to be a tutorial and the other isn't.

The one that isn't is this one. Its not a tutorial but then it could be seen as a tutorial. It shows you how I did a caricature, or the process I went through to colour it.

It's not about how to do a caricature as to be honest, I don't know how I do it; To be absolutely and brutally honest, I just look at peoples' faces and think: Big nose, fat lips, big ears, weird hair, etc. But if you do glean anything from this piece then it will be---for you at least---a tutorial. If you can also understand any of the above drivel then please award yourself a beverage of your choice and sit back and enjoy the nice free pretty pictures from a blog post I called 'Colouring the Caricature'

Pretty uninspiring I know but it was 1:30 in the morning and I was very tired.

1.First thing your going to need is watercolours...lots of them (well it is a watercolour picture and if you were thinking of bringing oils, well quite frankly you're probably enough of  a worry to your family and shouldn't be allowed objects that you could poke yourself in the eye with)

I use Daler Rowney Gouache and water colour tubes and daylon brushes. The mixing dishes below are for the large background washes

 2. Now I add the rubber based masking fluid to the images. I do this as I still can't be trusted to paint around the lines. That and the fact that the next stage is to wet the whole page with a natural artist sponge (not to be confused with the one you use in the bath for your hands knees and private bits)

3. The reason why I dampen the paper is when I place the background layer---in this case blue--- it covers the page a lot more evenly and you can get some pretty terrific gradient effects...not that I used any here, but take my word for it, you can

4. When the background is well and truly dry, peel off the masking fluid.

From here I usually work on the face first as this is the obvious focal point to the picture. I start with a basic flesh tone and build up the layers; in this case I used Naples Yellow and darkened it with a bit of blue and red mix for a nice shade of wine.

*A good point. When producing shadows, most people just use a darker version of the colour they are using, but a top tip is this: Mix a nice wash of ultramarine blue and red to make a soft wine pigment and place this over any colour you care to name and it will automatically look like the natural shade of that colour. Its an amazing fact and the chameleon like qualities of these two colours never ceases to amaze me.

5. After working on the flesh I normally put a base washes down for all the colours I'm going to use. This gives me a good look and sense of how the colours are going to balance off against each other.

6. Having laid down the washes I begin to build up the layers. Always decide where the light is coming from at the very beginning of the painting and adhere to it with every colour you lay down.

7. Once all the shading is completed and the paint fully dry, I go around the outer edges of the character with a No.1 Brush. I do this because when I go in later with the much thinner dip pen, there will be a noticeable contrast in the lines and this gives the final picture a pleasing effect.

8. The point I made above should now be very evident, as I render the rest of the painting with my Gelliot 303 nib and Windsor and Newton Black India Ink.

9. I then sign it, remove the masking tape and the caricature is now completed.

Hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into my working methods. If you did, come back for more, and don't forget tomorrows video tutorial on how to draw a cartoon vulture.

If you like my blog and the things that I say and do, please tell your friends, mention me on Facebook, Twitter and any of the other fine social media networking sites. I would love to have my work reach a much larger audience and although I could no doubt eventually get there under my own steam, I'll get there a lot quicker with your help, so please, please spread the word.

Thank you

Karl