So where do you get your ideas from?

If there is one question that all cartoonists get asked more than anything else its 'where do you get your ideas from?' and frustratingly enough its the one question we really don't have a concise, go-to, answer for. So we tend to roll out stock answers every time the question arises.

Well I've decided that is a bit of a cop out and today---and quite possibly for some time to come---I aim to answer that question as best as I can, and the way I'm going to do it is by example.

I still wont be able to give you a stock answer to the perennial question, but what I can do is show you a cartoon I've already done and talk you through the process from blank page to finished cartoon. Like I said: it's not a cover all answer, but with every example I show you, you will probably get a better viewpoint as to how these mystifying little things get created. And if it turns out to be popular enough feature, here at the Diary of a Cartoonist & Writer, I may very well seek out guest cartoonists to take you through their gag writing process.

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Lets move onto our first one.

This cartoon is from a series of single panel gags provisionally titled 'Noodlepates' ( a medieval word meaning, daft, crazy or not quite all there; a very good description of my mind and the crazies that inhabit my cartoon world).

This cartoon came about from a discussion with a lady friend of mine. We were going over the fertile ground of the battle of the sexes and how women have a harder time than men, I countered with Man-flu and she hit back with giving birth.

Now this is a subject over which we men have no real point of reference, so generally they have us stumped. But when she went on to say, 'and it's not just the giving birth it everything associated with it' my ears pricked up and I asked her to elaborate. And that was when she started talking about pelvic floor exercises.

Now I didn't need that explaining to me, so my eyes rolled back, my expression became vacant and the creative ideas began to form in front of my minds eye.

The best way I can describe this part of the process is 'images'--some fully formed, others not so fully formed---fly around my head in gyroscopic formations, while all the time words and phrases start to develop; coalesce; and when a phrase or saying meets with an image they crash together and I have the idea, or the germ of an idea.

In this cartoons case I thought that if the elasticity of childbirth can cause such problems for women who have on average 2.5 children, imagine what it must be like for a creature that does it for a living...like a hen.

Once the concept was sorted I created the first idea which had two hens discussing how they just didn't have a chance to work on their pelvic floor exercises before the next egg came along. Although it was a fun idea it lacked something; It lacked impact, and if there's one thing I want in my cartoons--- at every available opportunity---its impact.

When the word impact came into my head I saw an egg splattering against the wall and every thing started flying into place like a giant tetras game and then wham! The idea above.

Next I put the cartoon up on my Facebook page and got a lot of positive feedback, mainly---I am delighted to say---from women. And when I get that kind of response I just know I have a winner. So much so that this particular gag is now available on a mug from my Redbubble site

Like I say, I have no 'go-to' answer for my gag writing and the ideas I get, but if this helped in any way at all I will gladly do more and add this to the growing list of regular and semi regular features I produce here on the Diary of a Cartoonist & Writer. 

As always, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask or just leave a comment below---it's how I know you're all paying attention.

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

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.