I hated it when people asked me to create caricatures. Catching the likeness could be quick or a protracted nightmare that would see me staring down at the deadline with dread!. 80th Birthday caricature commissioned by the Harborough brass band (UK) for Mark Stamp Freehand caricatures can be a nightmare! I can’t do a quick […]
With plenty of cheap options online to have gift wrapping paper printed at a reasonable price, the temptation was irresistable. I have a brass band cartoon web site nezzyonbrass.com with a cartoon marching band motif – six cartoon Bandsfolk. I decided to create a repeat pattern using the motif which is easy to do on […]
Creating cartoon designs for a new web site is great fun but frought with dangerous challenges. The client wanted a mole surfacing in a garden wearing a world war two pilot’s helmet and goggles. And it had to be studying a paper map of the garden! Easy right?… Wrong! I discussed the ‘look and feel’ […]
Getting a permanent cartoon spot in a magazine in a genre which is your also your hobby is a dream come true. That happened to me back in 2002 when I sent a letter to the editor of Brass Band World Magazine with a cartoon to spice it up. He published the letter with the […]
I was recently asked on the procartoon.com Podcast Edition 4 if it would be better to pencil rough a cartoon first then ink over, or to dive in and just use ink. When I first started cartooning I always thought that the top cartoonists could draw a perfect cartoon without roughing it out with a […]
With the awful Covid-19 Pandemic causing lockdown globally it is easy to get swept along with the gloom and doom that surrounds it and not be creative. But…and this is a big but! You will never get a better chance to be creative if you look at this as an opportunity. Normal life is full […]
Drawing cartoons in one thing but creating really good caricatures can be one of the most difficult aspects of a cartoonists skills to master. I have avoided caricatures like the plague until recently as I didn’t know how to draw caricatures efficiently until I discovered a short cut. I decided to face my fear and […]
What is perspective in art? It’s a method of creating the illusion of depth and space on a flat surface and there are several types of perspective in art that can be used. Sounds easy, right? Maybe. For some of us, we need a bit more detail. A simple explanation of the perspective drawing definition […]
As an artist, you need to know best place to sell art online that will promote your artwork and products without eating into your profits. The term “starving artist” was coined because it’s sometimes harder to sell your art than it is to create it. You could starve waiting for someone to buy it. It […]
Photoshop and Photoshop Elements Layers take the pain out of line thickness! When you have been using photoshop and Photoshop Elements layers for years you often go on autopilot and don’t even think how you just made some adjustment or created something weird using a filter. I read the Jester this morning which is […]
Great ways I discovered to teach me how to draw cartoons without having to think too hard! For the professional cartoonist finding fun things to draw is easy if you just want to copy a cartoon or use some other cartoonists ideas. Getting ideas for great original cartoons and fun things to draw can have you pulling […]
Finding cartoon ideas and more topics to integrate with your ideas can have you scratching around aimlessly unless you have a definite plan or method. I have tried several ways to generate ‘new’ cartoon ideas and they all seem to work to varying degrees of success. Here are my top methods which I use regularly […]
I illustrate several web sites with my own original cartoons. Some are my own web sites and others are commissions. Illustrating blog posts with original cartoons has many benefits both to myself and other web site owners. Images for blogging and any other article is essential. If someone clicks on a page and sees […]
A list of stuff to draw is something I find useful sometimes when my creative drawing idea generator packs up. Sometimes called ‘artists block’ it’s the most frustrating state of mind when the artistic well is temporarily empty. A list of stuff to draw is one way that you can find ideas and I have […]
5 Highly rated lightboxes for drawing and tracing As an artist, you may need to create duplicates of a particular drawing. An easy and accurate way of making a copy of an existing drawing or pattern is to use a lightbox rather than re-drawing it from scratch. What is a lightbox and what can a […]
I have long admired Lynne Chapman’s beautiful children’s book illustrations since my children were first encouraged to read. She has illustrated 30 children’s books spanning over 17 years with characters filled with emotion that jump off the page letting the reader totally feel the story. Lynne Chapman – Expressive Picture Book Characters Course […]
Creative journal ideas can be the most valuable asset an artist or cartoonist can have. Artistic inspiration can appear at any time, any place with any person. A journal can be used to capture that fleeting idea before it evaporates into the ether of your subconciousness – gone forever! Art Inspiration Generator In addition a […]
Stuck for a topic or perhaps have a topic but not the right angle? My drawing ideas list might give you the sparke that you need. Sometimes it is random subjects and words that get your brain fired up and searching for that idea. Try this out and see what you can come up with. […]
Staring at a blank sheet of paper… what should I draw? My thoughts drift to the kitchen. Perhaps another cookie will help my blank brain. Why can’t I think of that hilarious, rib-tickling idea that other cartoonists seem to do with little effort? The truth is that most cartoonists have these moments which soon pass (and come […]
One thing I used to miss about good old pen and paper was the scratchy not quite perfect look that adds magical character to cartoons. For those of you who are totally digital getting that feel of the hand drawn look into your work can be a pain in the neck. Digital art lets us […]
Online drawing tools can be enjoyed by users of all skill levels. Artists, engineers, graphic designers, and teachers use online drawing to express their creative ideas. With all the free drawing applications available, users can practice drawing on their own or collaborate with others in real-time. Some online drawing applications form a sort of chat […]
Easy drawing warm up to keep your creative genius supercharged! Top athletes work really hard to keep their bodies and minds in peak condition. plenty of exercise and mind preparation. Professional and aspiring artists are no different. Your artistic muscle needs to be exercised and prepared for action and simple drawing warm up exercises can […]
If you are a cartoonist wondering ‘how to improve drawing skills’ – try this easy cartoon exercise Athletes exercise to keep their bodies in tip top shape so what do cartoonists do to exercise their creative muscle? The brain needs to be continually challenged artistically to enable you to improve your drawing skills and capacity for […]
Not all sketch pads are created equal. Some sketch pads are designed for a specific purpose. Paper weight, surface texture, and binding all play a role in determine what makes the best sketch pads for an artist. Spiral binding makes it easier to hold as you draw and gives the option of laying the pad […]
‘ Creativity is intelligence having fun ‘ is one of Albert Einstiens most famous quotes and I cannot think of a better quote for artists and cartoonists. Artistic creativity is a wonderful feeling for an artist…most of the time. Occasionally it can become a curse particularly if you rely on the magic tap to turn […]