Disaster! (Or 'Final Crisis' for all you DC fans)

I tried to put up this post last week but something went wrong with it so I forgot to put it up. Anyway, I've been meaning to post this for a month or so, but uni stuff got in the way. So here it is at last...

Last month I lost my entire portfolio of cartoons: over one hundred and fifty drawings gone and without a 'Rose Tyler back from her parallel universe' return, which, I think you'll admit, is a bit of a kick in the crotchal region. Unfortunately all the new 'Life in the Fridge' stuff went with it, meaning that that page has also suffered a major setback before it even got off the ground. Anyway, I could try and re-draw them again, but right now I'm not in the mood - too much crap going on elsewhere - so for the time being there aren't going to be any new cartoons for either site. I might write from time to time but there'll be no lovely pics for you to look at, except for the archive of past posts. Do enjoy the archived stuff though - that's what they're there for - and feel free to leave a comment on anything that you like/dislike.

So, for now, farewell 'toon fans. And I leave you with the words of Descartes' illustrator: 'I ink, therefore I am'.

ROB

Life in the Fridge

There's a new cartoon series in town...

It's called 'Life in the Fridge' and after a 3 year hiatus it's back. There's a lovely link on the right that'll take you straight to its new home (although as its just got started there's not much there at the minute, but keep checking back 'cos new stuff will be coming over the next few days...). Over the coming months me and a couple of people will be doing the writing and artwork for it, so it won't just be my stuff on display, and hopefully it'll provide a bit o' variety for the series. Whoever's writing/drawing for it, I can guarantee it'll be funny*.

Rob

*(Did I say 'guarantee'? I meant, 'I think it'll be funny'...)

Illustrating a Point (Part 2)...

Just to hedge my bets in case I can't write about a tap-dancing giraffe (becasue a dancing giraffe already exists and I don't want to accidentally copy anyone else's work), I've changed the protagonist of my story to a tap-dancing zebra. The illustrations aren't much different: just a shorter neck and a different pattern.

Illustrating a Point...

I love it when I get the chance to combine two things I love in one project...

I haven't had time to draw any 'Too Close For Comfort' cartoons lately, what with the sheer tonnage of work that has hit me. However, as part of a story I'm doing for my 'Writing for Children' course I've decided to include some illustrations, not because it'll get me any more marks, but because I'm really attached to the project (more so than I originally thought) and I never miss an opportunity to draw animals. Above are a few of the illustrations that are going in. Let me know what you think...

A Frosty Reception...

Snowman Muggings...

Owing to the way I do cartoons, speech-bubbles get put in last and in a different programme to the one I ink with. This one does have a speech-bubble to go in it, although I was ALMOST tempted to leave it alone (I'd be interested to see what you all think)

Choo, choo!

'After being fired, Thomas' life soon went off the rails...'

Something fantastic happened today. I was rooting through some dusty old files and found a stash of cartoons that I did years ago and forgot about. They'll be up on the blog all in good time, but I inked this one and posted it first because it made me chuckle. Thomas the Tank Engine was the stuff of my early childhood and so when it came time to do an 'Off the rails' joke, I decided to use him. Of course, for legal reasons he's not called by his full name: he's just a blue engine called Thomas. Oh, look at the coincidence! ;)

Making a locomotive look dishevelled is hard work indeed, but with the bleary eyes and stubble I think I pulled it off. Originally I wanted the tag-line to be 'After becoming addicted to coke, Thomas' life soon went off the rails...', but that was too obscure (he runs on coal y'see, and coke is a by-product of coal) and I didn't like the idea of people thinking I was portraying my favourite tank engine as a drug addict.

Anyway, what do you think?

Another Dinosaur Cartoon...

"Well it's taken us 165 million years, but at last we've evolved to cope with the Ice Age. Once again the mighty dinosaurs can rule the Earth, and nothing but a sudden warming of the globe can stop us!"

An example of one that needs a lot of work in every area. Come to think of it, I'm not sure why I put this one up: I'm not happy with the pic for some reason (I think it looks a little bland), and the tag-line is waaaay too clunky. There's a reasonable joke in there somewhere, but it needs to be sanded and polished. If you've got any suggestions, then do let me know.