Brighty's Bloggage

Hairy Apologies...

2012-02-15T11:46:00.006Z

Huge apologies to anyone still habitually visiting this blog. I've neglected it for some time due to... well, too many reasons really. I hope to get back to updating it a bit more often soon, but for now, I want to post a message to go with the long-overdue latest page in the Hairy Steve online comic. It goes like this...

Dear Hairy Stevite,

After a seriously long delay, the newest page in the Hairy Steve comic is now up on the site. As ever, we hope you enjoy it.

Below the previous page is an apology and explanation for the slowdown in the project coming to fruition. Unfortunately, the obstacles appear to have increased over the past weeks rather than cleared, and this latest page has taken an eternity to complete as a result. Things definitely look more settled on the horizon, although I don't anticipate being able to return to the page-per-week rate any time in the near future. These pages take me between 2-3 days to turn around, which is obviously a significant chunk of my working week. When we started publishing Hairy Steve online, that working week was far less frenetic than it is now, which was great for the Hairy Steve project, but less great for my family's living standards.

The funding from our backers has been invaluable to get things off the ground, and the monies are firmly in place for the fulfilment of all pledges once the pages are all completed. But they were never intended to be sufficient to fund the entire project. And whilst profit (or breaking even) has never been on the agenda with this, we still have to finance its creation, and that is done through our time and love for the job in hand covering the losses. Other work, properly paid work, has to be a part of that, and lately, thankfully, that has increased significantly, and has to be given priority for the time being. The last thing I want to do at this point, with only a handful of pages remaining, is to rush the project or cut any corners in quality. I hope you'll agree that is not an option.

So the only alternative is continued patience on everyone's part, and I thank you all in anticipation of that. We're edging ever closer to the climax, and although I don't even know how it will all end myself (I've asked Jamie to feed me the script one page at a time), I know it will be worth waiting for, based on everything Jamie has ever written in his life before (no pressure, Mr Smart!). And I want to do that justice, to the best of my own abilities.

Thank you, once again, for your patience.

Steve, the drawing guy.

Hair we go...

2011-11-09T09:58:00.002Z

Having recently uncovered the secret of creating time-lapse videos of work unfolding in Photoshop, many of which I've admired in the past, I thought I'd test it out for myself on my entry to last weekend's Caption Competition. The challenge was the "anything goes" category, on the theme of 'Hair', and once I'd come up with my idea, I turned on the recording software and lost myself in Photoshop, finally completing my cartoon forty minutes later.

The result was then dropped into Windows Live Movie Maker, and speeded up by x16, music and closing credits added, et voila, one animated short, charting the process of a drawn gag from start to finish. And although it subsequently caused a little controversy over the legitimacy of posting an entry to the competition this way, it still managed to poll enough votes to win, for which I was surprised and delighted in equal measure.

I hope you enjoy it. I'll certainly be recording and posting more if you do...

Your Last Chance...

2011-10-20T08:04:00.002+01:00

As I write, there is literally only 24 hours left for you to claim any of these great perks by supporting the Hairy Steve Campaign. It's been wonderfully successful and inspiring so far, and I can't quite believe it's already nearing the end, and I'll soon have no more Hairy Steve enthusiasts to 'Zombify'.

The hard work really starts now, with a race to continue bringing you the remaining pages of the comic on schedule. I hope you'll be forgiving and understanding if our target ever falls a little behind - the last thing we want to do is rush things, sacrificing any quality in order to hit self-imposed deadlines. That said, it won't be for want of trying if we have the odd hiccup.

Meanwhile, as I've said, if you'd like to grab yourself any or all of the above, and give us a last-minute push, you have less than one day in which to do it. By the time you next have breakfast, it could be too late. You don't want to have your porridge sprinkled with regrets, do you?

Do you?

(please note - some things in the picture above are approximations. i.e. the comic hasn’t been printed yet, obviously, so this is just a mock version, but everything else is real, three-dimensional, and waiting for you. PLUS, every single contributor gets their name in the comic credits, on the 'Thanks Page'.)

Badges already...

2011-08-17T12:52:00.004+01:00

These are so exclusive and hot-footed from Badgeland that not even I have any of them... yet! But we've had them specially made as a thank you for the fabulous support so far for our Hairy Steve campaign , and they will added to the goodies that all funders who have contributed over $20 receive. Jamie's got them all securely stored in his safe right now, and I'm waiting to find out if I have to actually make a donation to the campaign to get mine. He's thinking it over.

Meanwhile, more zombies have escaped from my drawing board, and made their brain-sucking way to the Hairy Steve Gallery. This one will be joining them soon, along with several others. The Army mobilises...

Hairy Steve - the continuing story... um... continues!

2011-08-08T10:21:00.005+01:00

Page 3 is now up and running! Well, more falling than running, if you know what I mean. If you don't, then have a look at the latest page.

Meanwhile, the latest in our Zombie funders has now emerged from the shadows. We shall be publishing more of these very soon on the campaign website, and it's not too late to walk among them, whilst becoming part of this exciting project, and receiving lots of other stuff into the bargain, including original artwork by Jamie Smart and me. All details HERE.

Heeeeeeere's Jimmy!...... (with permission)........

Page Two of Hairy Steve is up... EARLY!!!

2011-08-03T11:08:00.005+01:00

We couldn't wait. www.hairysteve.com

And here's the very first of our Zombified backers. Step into the light, Cathal...

Hairy Steve unleashed...

2011-08-01T12:43:00.004+01:00

That's it - after a short delay caused by the unexpectedly rapid outburst of enthusiasm, good will and financial support, Hairy Steve has today been officially launched to the world, and you can see the first page at hairysteve.com . Up above, you can see me trying to look mean and moody alongside the beast himself (no contest!).

After five years since the first page was drawn, it's a tremendously exciting moment for both Jamie Smart and me, and not a little nerve-wracking, since I still have two thirds of the comic to draw, along with a whole heap of artwork for the 'perks' people have generously contributed to in order to help fund this thing, and be a part in its creation.

So the pressure is on, but with the warmth and encouragement that has enveloped Jamie and me like a warm blanket, it's good pressure, and a challenge I'm really looking forward to, every line of which I intend to enjoy to the max.

And it's not too late to play your part if you want to get on board. We may have reached our initial target already, but so long as people are happy to contribute, we'll be more than happy to work on those perks, and are already thinking up new ways to keep this whole fun hairball rolling along, gathering as many others into it as we can. The enthusiasm we've garnered so far has been addictive and a really positive force for moving forward. I can't stress enough how vital that has become.

I'm particularly going to enjoy turning some of you into zombies as one of the perks of funding process. Below is an example of just how I'll be doing this. If you'd like that to be you, the Hairy Steve webcomic will tell direct you to how to go about it, or you can head straight to our Campaign HQ for the full details of all the different ways to join in.

Thanks again to everyone who has done so this far, and I hope the fun keeps rolling along!

Day Four in the Hairy Steve House...

2011-07-25T16:14:00.004+01:00

Jamie Smart and I have been absolutely blown away and humbled by the early reaction to our Hairy Steve campaign. Not only have we had numerous messages of support and good will from loads of lovely people, but we've been staggered by the level of contributions, which saw us reach our publication target within four hours of going live on this three month campaign. Not only that, at the time of writing, we are just over three days in, and forty dollars short of our overall target for the project.

That is simply mind-blowing for us. In fact it has caught us on the hop so much that we are now having to apologise for not actually being ready to launch just yet. The artwork is ready to unleash, but poor beleaguered Jamie hasn't had time to build the website for it yet. This will be done as soon as possible, and we're really, really looking forward to unleashing Hairy Steve on the world the moment it is done, even more so after the enthusiasm we've been bombarded with over the past few days.

Naturally, we're not going to be too upset if we go over our target , but we are already looking at ways to use any surplus funding to keep the Hairy Steve campaign alive, fun and rewarding to our family of contributors. We're all in this together, and that, for me, is what excites me most. The support of people who are happy to play a part in this project is fabulous and very inspiring.

Above is a small taster panel from one of the early pages, and below is the original pencilled cover I drew five years ago...

Hairy Steve goes live...

2011-07-22T13:35:00.004+01:00

Very excited about this!

If you click here, you should hopefully be transported to news of a scary new (well, we actually started it five years ago, but it scared us so much, we shelved it until now) venture for fellow comic artist/writer, Jamie Smart, and me.

It's all explained when you get there, so I won't go into it again here, other than to say we really hope you like what you see, and that you can help (yes, you can help) by spreading the word, or even becoming a part of it yourself.

Jim Broadbent caricature...

2011-05-27T11:48:00.007+01:00

Marvellous British actor, Jim Broadbent, was the 'victim' of this month's Cartoonists' Forum Caricature Contest, producing an excellent array of entries once again, and a close-run contest, with fellow Scottish Ozzie** exile, Malcolm McGookin, eventually triumphing by a mere 3 points over Noel Ford, who in turn pipped Pradeep Rajguru to second place by a single point. As usual, I don't enter the contest since I moderate proceedings, but I can never resist the challenge (see above), and my interpretation shows Jim Broadbent in one of his best-known roles as Professor Horace E. F. Slughorn, potions master and head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, in the Harry Potter movies.

At the time of writing, we are still waiting to hear from Malky who he has chosen for next month's contest, but if you fancy having a go, sign up here (it's free!). Details of Contest Number 12 will be announced very soon.

(**Malky's Oz being Australia, whereas mine is Oswestry... but he's got funnel web spiders and other assorted beasties to contend with - we've just got cows)

Happy Birthday, Coalition...

2011-05-17T22:44:00.002+01:00

...I'd say "Many happy returns", but I don't want to be a hypocrite.

One is not amused...

2011-05-04T19:00:00.006+01:00

As well as the monthly Caricature Contest over at the Cartoonists' Forum, we do a weekly Caption Competition, open to all members of the forum, in which we reverse the traditional format of a magazine caption contest, and instead of inviting all-comers to come up with a caption for a 'blank' cartoon, the caption is all we start with, and every cartoonist who enters has to come up with their own take on it.

The winner gets to choose the challenge for the following week (there are a couple of other variant forms they may also choose from - a completely wordless gag on a given theme, or a theme where anything goes - you get to decide if you want to add your own caption or not), and there is a 24-hour 'posting window' for all gags, from Noon on each Saturday, after which we all vote for our favourites. I'm probably making it sound a lot more complex than it actually is, but if you fancy joining in the fun, sign up to the forum (it's free, and easy), and get doodling!

Last week's challenge was "I think you left one off.", and after several abortive attempts to come up with a half decent gag, I was ready to give up on it late on Friday evening, when, after being inundated with imagery from the Royal Wedding throughout the day, I started to scribble the face of the Queen. It then all just seemed to gel, and out came the following, which I managed to get finished just before the deadline last Saturday. It just goes to show what desperation and adrenaline can do, because much to my astonishment and delight, it finished first in the race for the line, by a goodly furlong.

The caption I set for this week's competition is: This was to have been Hillary's greatest moment...

Come and have a go!

Drawing God...

2011-04-29T19:44:00.004+01:00

When you're faced with the challenge of drawing a man who has taken on the roles of Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and God (twice!), you perhaps treat the task with a little more reverence than usual. When that man is one of the most loved, respected and recognised actors in the world, with a voice as famous as his face, the scale of the challenge reaches epic proportions.

And so it was this month, with the charge of capturing the physiognomy of Morgan Freeman given to the caricaturists on the UK Cartoonists Forum. The results were, as always, impressive, and especially the triumphant work of Pradeep Rajguru, who lifted the gold medal this month, followed very closely by John Fisher in second place, and Helen 'Scotty' King in third.

Pradeep has chosen British character actor, Jim Broadbent, for this month's challenge. If anyone fancies a go, you can sign up for it here...

Meanwhile, here's my own take on Mr Freeman...

The many faces of Steve Buscemi...

2011-04-01T23:55:00.003+01:00

In fact, when I chose Steve Buscemi as the subject for this month's Caricature Contest, there were more than a few retorts of "Who?", until a quick search of Google images ended up with pennies dropping all over the place. The name may not be on the tip of everyone's tongue, but the face is one that has appeared in many, many films graced by this marvellous American actor.

And what a face it is! Some very fine interpretations from entrants to the contest were followed by one of the closest results in the history of the contest, undecided until virtually the last minute of the two-day vote, when Helen 'Scotty' King eventually triumphed over very strong challenges from John Fisher and Paul Newman in joint second place, just a single point behind, with Pradeep Rajguru in bronze medal position. Great stuff!

As her reward, Scotty has chosen Morgan Freeman for next month's challenge, and I can't wait to see what everyone makes of that. If you haven't tried your hand at the contest before, and you fancy giving it a go, entries are welcome from anyone who has signed up to the forum, no matter how experienced you might be in this particular field of cartooning. You need not be a professional or published cartoonist to join in. Full details here.

As the Moderator of the contest, I choose not to take part in the competition, but that doesn't stop me having a go at the 'target' each month. This was my effort for this month...

Who Put The Win In Winehouse... ?

2011-03-06T23:48:00.004Z

...That'll be me then.

After last month's Pete Postlethwaite caricature managed to claim second place in the CCUK Caricature Contest, this month I managed to go one better with the help of the enigmatic Amy Winehouse, and all the very nice people who voted for my submission. I was, it is safe to say, highly chuffed!

As the traditional prize, I have chosen marvellous character actor, Steve Buscemi, to be the subject of next month's contest. I have also taken over the administration of the competition once again, after the current custodian, Shaun Raven (aka Hypervox ) had to step down due to changes at work. Therefore, I will no longer be entering the contest myself, so it's particularly nice to quit while I'm ahead. I'll still be posting my version of Steve Buscemi after proceedings have closed however - the challenge of such a great face is impossible to resist.

Meanwhile, here's Amy...

The Best In The World...

2011-02-02T19:52:00.005Z

"The best in the world!" was how one who is often argued to be likewise, Steven Spielberg, once described the recently departed British actor, Pete Postlethwaite. I've no reason to doubt he meant it at the time, and that is some accolade from the producer of many of the finest movies ever to grace the silver screen.

There's no doubt that the premature passing of Pete Postlethwaite is a very sad and significant loss to his profession, and I had long since joined his growing band of admirers for the qualities he brought to each role he took on.

He also had one heck of a face, and so there was no better choice for me this month than to pick Pete Postlethwaite as the subject for the latest Caricature Contest on the Cartoonists Forum website, having gained the privilege to do so after winning last month's competition. How could I resist?

My offering is below. The others can be seen here...

Lost virginity...

2011-01-27T11:27:00.003Z

Considering I've been a professional cartoonist for nigh on 28 years, to only just have drawn my very first desert island gag is faintly ludicrous. However, that's what happened last week when the theme of 'Desert Island' was chosen by previous week's winner, Roger Kettle, to be the subject for the Caption Competition over on the Cartoonists' Forum.

For those who are not avid gag cartoon fans (how very dare you?!!), I should explain that the desert island gag has become one of the major cartoon clichés over the years, so it was quite a challenge to try to come up with anything remotely original. Thankfully, it was a challenge that the forum appeared to relish, with one of the biggest turnouts in recent months, and a wonderful diversity of gags ensued. Truly impressive for such a restricted setting.

I chose to go down the 'in-joke' route, making the cartoon cliché itself the object of the gag. The sense of release after 28 years is hard to describe...

Had Blair been Long John Silver...

2011-01-19T13:34:00.003Z

...who would have been his parrot?

According to Northern Ireland's First Minister and DUP Leader, the Reverend and Right Honourable Ian Paisley, that dubious privilege fell to Her Majesty, The Queen, when she endorsed (as was her duty) the Belfast Agreement of 1998. Paisley was not a happy bunny, resulting in the uncharacteristic outburst against the Monarch he normally professed great loyalty to.

This in turn resulted in the following cartoon; not exactly biting political satirical commentary, but it was fun to draw none the less...

My Royal Debut...

2011-01-13T23:04:00.003Z

Forgive the pixelated look of this one - it's rather old, and I found the jpeg lurking at the bottom of my sock drawer, not having seen daylight for many a year. I reckon it was drawn around 1995, and it is almost certainly the first cartoon I ever made involving our beloved Royal Family.

I've heard that Prince Philip is a keen collector of Royal cartoons. He's never been in touch...

Right Royal capers - part 1...

2011-01-09T00:38:00.005Z

Well, well - my Prince William drawing very narrowly won this month's Caricature Competition, and so in jubilation and celebration, here, as promised, is the first of a select few of my editorial cartoons from the past, featuring our beloved Royal Family.

This is one I really enjoyed drawing, having been given the editorial all-clear to draw it unusually early in the day, thereby giving me loads of time (perhaps too much) to pencil and ink it to completion before the 6pm deadline. As you can see, in the absence of Photoshop back then, I over-indulged in plenty of cross-hatching.

This was drawn in 1998, after Princess Margaret suffered a mild stroke. The caption appears mildly prophetic now, with both Princess Margaret and her mother passing away less than four years later, within seven weeks of each other, the former departing first, aged 71, followed by the Queen Mum, after a cracking innings of 101.

As a Scot, I have never felt any great affinity with Royalty. Indeed, quite the opposite through much of my young life. These days, with age, I have warmed a little more to them, and for all the material they provide for editorial cartoonists, I'm even grateful, even if none of it is intentional.

Ring In The New...

2011-01-06T10:15:00.006Z

Happy New Year to one and all!

Yes, I know it's already nearly a week old, and I've broken Resolution No. 27 by not posting a new bloggage every third day, minimum (at least that one lasted a couple of days longer than all the others), but sometimes things don't quite go to plan, "sometimes" being at least 50% these days. I hope you've all resolved to comment more on my blog - good luck with that one!

So, here I am, and there you are (hopefully) - let's kick off 2011 (how are you going to pronounce that by the way? Two thousand and eleven, or twenty eleven?) with my latest offering to the Cartoonists' Forum Caricature Competition, currently under way over here.

I blew any minute chance of ever getting a knighthood many years ago, whilst working for the Daily Record in Scotland as their editorial cartoonist. Scotland is not renowned for its Royalists, so I had a fair bit of fun at the Windsors' expense back then. That's a bit like shooting fish in a barrel, I have to say, but it was all done with a degree of affection, and never the tiniest bit of envy. And certainly at the time, the tricky part was trying to make one's (how regal!) cartoons more outrageous than the real life exploits of the Royals themselves.

I'll dig out and post a few of my attempts from the late 90's over the next week or two, but meanwhile, here is the very latest nail in the coffin of my knighthood, as we were challenged this month to draw the heir to the heir to the throne (deliberate repetition there - or was it?), Prince Wills...

Flying home for Christmas...

2010-12-21T20:09:00.007Z

...What could be nicer?

No rotund, scarlet-clad philanthropic benefactors were harmed during the making of this cartoon. So, chill!

Hey, Wayne (but not by Constable)...!

2010-12-09T00:48:00.004Z

Thought I'd take a break from the UCC designs for the moment, and post my entry for the recent Caricature Contest over on the Cartoonists' Forum.

Poor Wayne Rooney - he's not had a great time of it lately, and this probably won't do anything to lift his gloom. But I had fun with it.

Offensive linebacker...

2010-11-28T14:09:00.001Z

Not sure what's upset him, but I'm just glad it wasn't me...

The Grim Hoodie...

2010-11-25T14:24:00.003Z

Hoodies get such a bad press, don't they? I'm not sure this goes any distance to redress the balance, but it was another fun design to draw for the U.C.C. cause. I guess I'll get back to the 'funnies' eventually, but these are most enjoyable to do, and after more than 30 years in the comics biz, rather cathartic. Another one soon.

Oh, I nearly forgot. I wasn't 100% happy with the scaling on the 'biker' design I posted the other day, so I made a few changes to balance the bike with the rider. In the bad old days, this would have meant starting from scratch with a complete redraw and inking. Today, by the wonders of modern technology, it took about five minutes using Photoshop. Whether you love or loathe these new methods, that's pretty impressive in anyone's book. Here's the 'fixed' version...

Now, if there's a smile upon my face...

2010-11-22T09:56:00.004Z

...it's only there trying to fool the public.

Somehow though, I doubt if the tears of this particular clown are his own. Another U.C.C. design, available soon (I'm assured) at a website near you.

Queasy Rider...

2010-11-17T10:49:00.002Z

Yes, yes, I know - he's not wearing a helmet. Are you gonna tell him...?

Back...

2010-11-15T14:39:00.003Z

Apologies for Bloggage Neglect just recently - this was due to circumstances almost entirely within my control (sloth, lethargy, etc.), coupled with an exceptionally busy spell and an unexpected bit of poor health, now all on the mend.

I've been enjoying a few more of these U.C.C. challenges throughout though, so I make no further apology for bunging them up here. If you're enjoying them, look in over the next couple of days, and I'll post more.

More Muscles...

2010-10-25T14:51:00.006+01:00

Another three approved Unapproved designs for U.C.C.......

Muscling in...

2010-10-24T00:24:00.008+01:00

The first couple of decades of my career were moderately predictable, with little deviation from a select few paths (kids' comics, newspaper editorial cartoons, and feature illustrations just about covers it). However, for the past few years, through increased use of the Internet and my website in particular, I've discovered many more cartooning opportunities than I ever gave any thought to beforehand, and I love the diversity of new challenges that regularly come my way as a result.

The latest of these has been unfolding over the past couple of weeks after I was contacted by the head honcho of a new Internet-based clothing company, soon to be launched, supplying gear specifically aimed at the body-builder market. I was initially asked to draw one design (above), but it was so well received, and so much fun to do, that before we knew it, my one design had become half a dozen, with more to come.

Of course, being a fitness fanatic myself, and having the body of a bronzed Adonis, certainly helped, along with a full-length mirror for reference purposes. Oh, all right - it's one of those fairground mirrors that sucks stomachs in and puffs chests out, and my exercise regime involves lifting heavy sandwiches, pushing my luck, and stretching the truth, but I got the job done, and here's the proof...

If you want to find out more, and if you have a Facebook account, drop in on U.C.C. (Unapproved Clothing Co.) for upcoming news of all their gear and the impending launch.

Karacktiteshure (bless you!)...

2010-10-08T11:06:00.004+01:00

We've just had the latest Caricature Contest over on the Cartoonists.co.uk forum, with none other than the face of TV football, Adrian Chiles, providing the inspiration for this month's sport. I thought it was an inspired choice, and a gift for caricaturists. You can judge for yourself, but there was no doubt about the runaway winner this week from Hugh 'Shug' Raine, who left all the others trailing in his wake, with a huge 50 point tally.

Thanks to Scotty, my co-admin on the Competition forum, I intend taking part in next month's challenge (Sir Alan Sugar is Shug's choice), so I'm looking forward to that. Normally, because I get an advance viewing of the entries, I exclude myself from competing, but I still enjoy taking on the challenge in the background. Scotty has decided not to play this one, so we'll change things around a little this month.

Here's this month's effort...

Glad Tidings...

2010-10-04T13:48:00.003+01:00

Okay, so here it is - the moment you've all been eagerly awaiting for the past twelve days. We have reached December in the Sheep Calendar, and the caption that has given rise to speculation and eager anticipation throughout the globe...

Okay, so Martin guessed it with the first go. I didn't promise you Mastermind, did I? Here it is...

DECEMBER

Congratulations, Martin - a signed print shall be winging its way to you presently, in time for you to flog it on ebay before Christmas (good luck with that :-/).

And thanks to all who kept it alive with their guesses. There were some highly entertaining suggestions (for a variety of reasons), including a good few I received by text and email. But for me, in the end, when all is said and done, at the end of the day, taking all into consideration, and any other cliché I've missed, I have to award the prize for the most amusing alternative to Jim Barker for his suggested scene of an old sheep celebrating the New Year 'Bells' with a young sheep, and the caption of "A Ram, A Lamb, A Ding-dong". That was truly inspired, Jim, and a print shall also be in the post to you shortly.

Thanks to everyone for looking in and taking part. I hope to have more silliness anon.

Almost there...

2010-10-03T14:18:00.002+01:00

Here we have it - the penultimate in the Sheep Calendar series. Tomorrow, the great anti-climax will be revealed when December's image takes the stage, and I announce the winners of signed prints for guessing its title, and also for the funniest guess. We actually do have a winner for the first category, but the second one is still in the balance, if you'd like to post a suggestion before tomorrow's reveal.

Okay, here's November, meanwhile...

NOVEMBER

Olé...!

2010-10-02T20:01:00.002+01:00

Day Ten in the sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I'm also offering the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be November tomorrow , but for now...

OCTOBER

Ram Already...

2010-10-01T13:10:00.002+01:00

Day Nine in the sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I'm also offering the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be October tomorrow , but for now...

SEPTEMBER

Woolly Wails...

2010-09-30T09:41:00.003+01:00

So - we're now passed the half way mark in the daily sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I'm also offering the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be September tomorrow (okay, so if I'd timed this better, it would have been October), but for now...

AUGUST

Mean Meh-chine...

2010-09-29T11:50:00.003+01:00

The sixth in the daily sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I'm also offering the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be August tomorrow, but for now...

JULY

Balloony Tunes...

2010-09-28T08:37:00.002+01:00

JUNE

All Greek to me...

2010-09-27T13:57:00.003+01:00

The fifth in the daily sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I'm also offering the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be June tomorrow, but for now...

MAY

On reflection, I think we missed a potentially much funnier "Lamb Baa Da" with this one, but as the competition suggestions roll in, I can see there's great potential for a few years of follow-up calendars here.

Woolly Wheelies...

2010-09-26T15:51:00.001+01:00

The fourth in the daily sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I'm also offering the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be May tomorrow, but for now...

APRIL

Armitage Sheep Shanks...

2010-09-25T15:04:00.002+01:00

The third in the daily sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I'm also offering the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be April tomorrow, but for now...

MARCH

Day Two in the Sheep Shed...

2010-09-24T15:27:00.002+01:00

The second in the daily sheep calendar series. Don't forget, I'm offering a signed print of December's image, all glossy and everything, to the first person to guess what the title of that month's image might be. I've now also decided to offer the same for the suggestion that makes me laugh most. It'll be March tomorrow, but for now...

FEBRUARY

Feeling sheepish...

2010-09-23T16:50:00.006+01:00

Apologies to anyone who has been popping in recently, only to discover the same old rubbish that's been here for the past couple of weeks. I have no real excuses other than lethargy and... well. that's about it really.

BUT... I hope to make amends, and in as much as anything you believe on the Internet is concerned, I pledge... yes, pledge... that I'll post a new bit of rubbish every day for at least the next twelve.

And I'll even throw in a theme - the following is the first of a set of fun drawings I did for a calendar. It was a private commission by friends who have a healthy(ish) affection for sheep, and the ideas were conceived over several bottles of... well, see below...

JANUARY

I thought it might also be fun to have a little competition running alongside this, and so the first person to guess what the title of December's image will be (clue: it's the only one that's actually relevent) will win a signed print of that image, providing they're happy to trust me with their postal address. You'll hopefully get the idea of the thought process behind this over the next few days. Keep guessing - I won't say if anyone gets it right until the end, and if no-one does, I'll award the prize to the one I like best anyway.

Kerrikachoors...

2010-09-11T00:21:00.003+01:00

Well, how do you spell it? It's possibly the most commonly misspelled word in the business, mostly by prospective clients, but I've also seen quite a few caricaturists seemingly having problems with spelling their own product, which surely can't be great for business. Then again, if so many clients can't spell the word, maybe it doesn't matter that much?

Anyways, as promised, I can now reveal that the two pen and ink charactertures in my last blog, were indeed the first and last ones, as John Fisher correctly identified... eventually! The second and third were produced entirely using a Cintiq, from start to finish. I'm glad it wasn't too obvious, and I'm not sure what it proves other than both methods can yield very similar results in terms of line quality. And that, I guess, is what I wanted to show. I love using my Cintiq, but I can't and won't say that it produces better results than pen and ink. It does have many advantages in my opinion, but a god pen and ink drawing will always be a joy to behold and produce.

And while we're talking caracatures, the second Chracerature Contest over on the cartoonists.co.uk forums has just ended, with some truly splendid interpretations of this month's 'target', the flamboyant Gok Wan. Go have a look, and if you fancy joining in the next contest, feel free - you have until 11pm (UK time) on October 5th to email me with your entry. Full details here. This month's winner was a first-time poster on any of the forums, so it's anyone's game if you feel like taking part in the fun.

I enjoy organising the thing, and so I don't take part in the contest itself, but that doesn't stop me from having a go. Here's what I came up with this month...

Old versus New...

2010-09-08T10:31:00.008+01:00

The digital revolution began for me about 15 years ago, when my kid brother practically forced a proper computer (I'd only ever possessed an Amstrad word processor up to that point) on me that he had 'built' from spares. He actually drove nearly 300 miles to hand it over, so I felt obliged to at least let him set it up and switch it on, even if I was as convinced as I had always been up until that point that there was nothing a computer could do that would improve my life. I was a card carrying Luddite, and fiercely proud that I was using practically the same tools of my trade as those whom I followed for at least a century before me.

That all went out the window with that first boot-up, and I've never looked back since. It's taken most of those fifteen years, but these days I am now fully transformed into a digital cartoonist. Gradually over those years, I have put aside my coloured inks, my black ink, my mailing tubes and my address labels... and now, even my pencil and paper, as I use a laptop PC, a Wacom Cintiq tablet, and the Internet, to provide me with everything I need to create and supply work to practically anywhere that wants it, faster than I'd ever have dreamed possible just fifteen years ago.

I love the doors this has opened, and the extra dimensions it has given me with which to ply my trade. And I'm happy to evangelise these benefits to all who will listen. There are some who won't, for a variety of reasons, and I fully respect that, having been where they once were, and still retaining a love for those tools of the trade I've left behind, but will never totally abandon. But I do believe that in order to stay alive in this business, you need to be able to provide what today's clients want, and that really boils down to quality merchandise (as always), but in digital format, and instantly delivered.

Occasionally, however, you do come across the attitude that what you're producing in a digital format can't possibly be as good as the 'classic' tools of the trade. That somehow using the new tools dulls your edge, or can't deliver the same quality. Of course, there will always be those will produce work on a computer that completely backs up this viewpoint, and I've seen many flat, horrible examples that taken in isolation would put me off digital artwork for life.

But like most innovations, these 'new tools' take a little time to master, and with time and knowledge, can prove not only a match for all the old ways, but provide infinitely more possibilities thrown in. Leaving the latter aside for a moment, and concentrating on the "match" claim, above and below are four caricature commissions I have worked on in the past few years. All are coloured using Photoshop, but two were initially drawn on paper using a pencil, followed by dip pen and ink, whilst the other two were drawn entirely using digital technnology (I resist using the term 'hand-drawn', becasue they were all hand-drawn - new tech replaces the tolls, not the artist).

See if you can tell which is which (comments welcome - answers when next I blog)...

Who... ?

2010-08-27T14:36:00.014+01:00

Over on the Cartoonists Forum, we recently enjoyed our very first monthly Caricature Contest, where all-comers are challenged to caricature a well-known figure, and the results are voted on by the forum members. The first 'victim' was Matt Smith, the latest actor to take on the role of the eponymous hero in the BBC's Doctor Who series.

As you can see here, the contest produced a very healthy response, and a terrifically diverse range of caricatures from all who entered. The worthy winner came from the pen of Hugh 'Shug' Raine, beating Paul Mahoney into second place, with Steve Ward and Rich Skipworth sharing third. We're currently building up to our second contest, with the subject of Gok Wan having been chosen by Shug, as is the previous winner's prerogative. If any budding or established caricaturists fancy participating, then have a look at the contest guidelines, and join in the fun.

Since I am currently organising the contest, and that involves receiving the entries before anyone else sees them (they are all posted more or less simultaneously after the deadline), I have banned myself from taking part. But I couldn't resist joining in the challenge, and this was the result...

It wasn't wasted however, as I'd been asked to contribute a cover for the PCO (professional Cartoonists' Organisation) magazine, 'Foghorn'. So, with a little addition here and there, the latest copy hit the virtual shelves recently looking like this...

For the uninitiated, 'Foghorn' is a truly splendid bi-monthly production, featuring the produce of some of the best of British cartooning talents. And guess what - it's completely FREE to view online. You can even subscribe to receive proper high-quality printed issues should you prefer a more tactile, sensual experience. Details available here.

Hysterical historical Williams...

2010-08-21T12:48:00.000+01:00

And that's enough Willies for now. We move on, next time...

Billbo Baggings...

2010-08-18T16:36:00.000+01:00

Hague's Comfort Zone.

Little Willy won't..

2010-08-16T12:03:00.000+01:00

...go to the Hamilton by-election.

His own party told him not to. One of the better thought out Tory policies, I thought. This one also features another cartoonists' favourite, the enchanting Ann Widdicombe, prior to becoming a blonde bombshell...

Just William!

2010-08-14T19:09:00.001+01:00

As promised, more Hague memoirs... (another soon)...

I've no recollection of what this was about, but I'm sure he paid paid dearly for it.

Another tearful farewell...

2010-08-12T08:49:00.003+01:00

Here's a bit of self-indulgence I somehow managed to persuade my erstwhile employers at the Daily Record to publish in 2001. Again, similar to the John Major scenario, I was probably one of only a handful of Scots sad to see the resignation of William Hague as leader of the Conservative Party following his General Election defeat in 2001. He was great fun to draw and provided loads of ammunition for cartoonists, and I knew I was going to miss him.

This was further rammed home by his bland successor, Ian Duncan Smith, whom I later heard the great Gerald Scarfe somewhat bitterly describe as the only politician he could not draw. I'll dig out some more Hague cartoons later, hopefully, but here's the one I drew on that 'sad' day he was lost to the cartoonists' pen (he's back now, of course :-) )...

Blue Peter...

2010-08-09T19:42:00.004+01:00

For anyone outside the UK, I have to explain that 'Blue Peter' is one of our longest-running and most popular children's television programmes, so old that I used to watch it as a kid back in the 60s. It's a kind of a magazine programme for kids, with pets and 'how-to-make' items, interspersed with various features that the good ol' BBC deem of interest to, and suitable for, this nation's children.

Naturally, having run for so long, It has gone through a goodly amount of presenters over the years. Most 'grow up' and move on to present more adult TV programmes, some just move on and are never heard of again. But every now and then, the show would be rocked by 'scandal', usually involving the misdemeanour's and private lives of its presenters.

The following cartoon was drawn in 1998, after one such presenter was caught using cocaine, and dismissed. The BBC decided to air an excruciating 'explanation' to its younger viewers by its Head Of Children's Programmes at the time. The cartoon uses one of the show's most loved catchphrases as its caption.

Blue Peter survives to this day, as does the presenter in question, Richard Bacon, currently hosting a weekday afternoon radio show... for the BBC.

Thick Skin.

2010-08-06T15:19:00.006+01:00

I've had a lot of mileage out of this one, although none of it for financial reward. It was conceived as a very quick (10 minutes max) response to a debate on a cartoonists' forum revolving around the sensitivities of cartoonists, and what upsets us. It has had many outings since then, usually in personal emails to colleagues who are in need of a comforting word and a little reassurance, having been at the wrong end of criticism that some people seem to think is fair game when it comes to dealing with cartoonists, using language they probably wouldn't dream of using towards most other professionals.

It's not that we're a vain lot, though some undoubtedly are, as in any field. Nor are we above criticism. And what doesn't help us is that our focus is almost always on making people laugh, so actually a client being merely "pleased" (for most professions, the ideal outcome) probably isn't good enough for us deep down, and a client actually being displeased can come as a double blow to our pride and professionalism. Nothing short of a bout of hysterics followed by astonishment that you'd done the job so much better than they could have imagined will truly suffice.

But inevitably, we usually have to settle for a little less, and develop these thick skins. Normally, they're only needed at home, and are worn in relative privacy at the other end of a critical phone call or a disapproving email. But those of us who swim the shark-infested waters of live caricaturing gigs need to wear ours in public. Live caricaturing can be the most rewarding of jobs for many cartoonists in terms of instant laughter and praise from a live audience, sending one's ego through the roof. But even the best of the best will, at some point, encounter adverse reactions, and I have to say that on the rare occasions this has happened to me, it has always been from the female of the species.

Men are very difficult to insult in terms of their looks, and consequently (generally) much more fun to caricature. If you're a smart caricaturist, you learn very quickly that the fairer sex are a completely different kettle of fish. Sometimes, you have to capture their smile within a nano-second, as they sit grim-faced and terrified at what you're about to do to them. Many will openly ask you to "make them look beautiful". My stock answer is usually that I can't improve on what God has already done, which occasionally gets a blush, but more often than not, a "blow it out your ass" wry smile. Either way, it helps to ease the tension a little.

I learned at my very first gig, a wedding at Banbury Cross, that you can be too 'honest'. One 'woman of a certain age' sat for her caricature with a beautiful smile throughout, and was utterly charming, relatively relaxed, and quite chatty. Consequently, I took a little longer to complete her picture, but I was quite pleased with the result. The 'reveal' is usually the best part, and most people take it in very good spirit, and are generous with their appreciation. This lady maintained her lovely smile ("Result!", thought I), then followed it up with, "Wonderful - it looks just like my mother!". I zipped up my thick skin and contented myself with the fact I had at least captured the family resemblance. But that pivotal early moment taught me that for some sitters, the removal of ten years and ten pounds will gain you a friend for life... or for at least long enough to make your escape at the end of the night with your fee. A valuable lesson indeed!

So - now you know all my secrets, if you would like to hire me for your event, drop me a line or give me a call. More details on my website (see my 'lynx' on the right).

I am an Animator...

2010-08-04T11:28:00.002+01:00

See?...

Okay, so it ain't exactly Disney, Pixar or Aardman, but it's my very first effort having been nursed into the process using Photoshop's animation facility, and I was well pleased that I got it to work.

The cartoon was originally drawn as a static gag for the Cartoon Caption Competition, but having had my initial animation lesson the day after I drew it, I thought it would be ideal to practise on, and so it eventually ended up as above. I couldn't resist posting it in its animated format for the competition, and despite it causing a fair bit of controversy (it was the first time any animation had been used), it actually won, which I was delighted and astonished at in equal measure.

My first feature-length animated film starts tomorrow...and probably always will.

Hair today...

2010-08-01T01:30:00.001+01:00

We've all been there, haven't we?

Haven't we...?

David Wasting Paper

2010-07-31T00:29:00.002+01:00

David Paccia is an American cartoonist who runs a blog mainly comprised of interviews with cartoonists from around the world. He sends out the same set of pertinent questions to each cartoonist, and publishes their replies along with a few samples of their work (like the one above), and a brief biog of each subject.

I'm delighted to be David's 149th victim, and the latest to be included on his blog, which you can find here, sitting proudly on top of my good friends and splendid fellow Brit cartoonists, Matt Buck and Noel Ford. There are some other very notable scalps that David has bagged over the past year, and if you're at all interested in what makes cartoonists tick (and who wouldn't be? :-P ), then it's well worth a trawl through when you have some time to kill.

Thanks, David!

Another oldie...

2010-07-28T19:09:00.002+01:00

I expect Her Majesty fantasises about this a lot...

Random oldie...

2010-07-27T20:57:00.003+01:00

First in an occasional series of random favourites from my editorial cartooning days...

Princess Margaret taken ill...

If ever there was even a glimmer of hope that I'd some day be on the Queen's Birthday Honours list, this (among many others) would have put paid to it. The world's most famous dysfunctional family have always been excellent pickings for editorial cartoonists however, and for that alone, I have a very soft spot for them.

Hot Stuff...

2010-07-23T09:07:00.005+01:00

This was one of the most enjoyable commissions of my career so far. When Nick Moore from Dr Burnorium's Hot Sauce Emporium initially asked me to envisage the character to front his business, I came up with the above sketch to hopefully satisfy his search for a malevolent travelling salesman type. I always have enjoyed the opportunity to draw malevolence, having been largely (though not completely) denied it throughout my career in children's comics, so I was very keen to have a go at it. However, from experience, I'm always aware that what the client asks for and what they actually want are not necessarily the same thing, and so I tend to hold back on drawing anything to extremes for a first draft.

I was reasonably pleased with the initial offering, and the hint of a darker side to the character, hoping that Nick wouldn't think I'd pushed it too far. He replied with fulsome praise for the drawing, but a passionate plea for much more evil, and his quite brilliant and inspiring vision of how to achieve it. This was music to my ears, and I didn't need to be asked twice - Nick left no doubt that he wanted me to really go for it, and I enjoyed every second of the project from there on in, as did he.

The result was the following three stages of the evil Doctor, who you can find fronting the Hot Sauce Emporium website at http://www.hotsauceemporium.co.uk/ (warning - site does contain some colourful language). Nick was the kind of client cartoonists like me love to deal with - enthusiastic, hugely appreciative, focussed, driven, clear, and above all, mad as a hatter! He also sent me samples of his wares... his catchphrases of "Let's get out there and melt some faces!" and "Your Pain Is Our Pleasue" are entirely appropriate.

Pencil...

Ink...

Colour...

Some corner of a foreign field, that is forever England...

2010-07-20T20:27:00.006+01:00

The tragically short-lived poet, Rupert Brooke, most certainly had a very different location in mind when he wrote 'The Soldier' back in the early 1900s, but for me, that corner of a foreign field that is forever England, henceforth will always be the corner spot of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where England's national soccer team camped out for the last three minutes of their game with Slovenia, desperately determined to hold on to their 1-0 lead, enabling them to claw their way into the Round of 16, and their ultimate humiliation at the hands of the German national squad.

For me though, those final three minutes were the true pinnacle of that humiliation, and even as a native Scot, it gives me no pleasure to recall it. Up until that moment, I had done my level best to will my English cousins to greatness, despite the inordinately poor performances over the three matches leading up to that point. The media triumphalism that immediately emerged from what ought to have been a moment of great relief and self-reckoning however, having only just managed to scrape past the least-fancied and smallest nation in the World Cup Finals, finally put paid to my new-found allegiance. That and the fact that England's next opponents were to be my mother's national team, Germany. Which meant I needed no other excuse to abandon all wafer thin hope of England progressing any further in the competition, along with my rapidly diminishing support. To be honest, that was my own turn to experience great relief and self-reckoning.

I have to admit that throughout the game against Slovenia, I was drawing the following piece, knowing that if it wouldn't be relevant immediately after that particular game, that it almost certainly would be at some point during the following week. And so it was.

I won't pretend that I didn't enjoy its creation, far more than the game itself, and I do hope my good English friends will forgive me for it.

How was it for you... ?

2010-07-19T09:03:00.005+01:00

Now that new UK Chancellor, George Osborne's first Budget has had a little time to bed in, what's the verdict from those of you who live upon these Sceptred Isles? Pleasure or pain...?

More Major...

2010-07-15T01:07:00.011+01:00

I've had a number of requests which I'm going to completely ignore, and post a few more John Major cartoons regardless...

Major feeds German Chancellor Helmut Kohl British beef at Downing Street visit in an effort to persuade him to support the lifting of the worldwide British beef ban. It didn't work. He ate the beef, then beefed about being put on the spot...

New Year's Eve, 1996. Plotting...

Desperate measures...

Going, going...

...Gone!

Good old John Major!

2010-07-13T16:57:00.009+01:00

Well, to be honest, not many people were saying that in Scotland back in the mid 90's when I first started drawing editorial cartoons for the Daily Record. In fact, there was only me and about five others who'd openly declare it, but I did so with gusto, and on a daily basis.

My reasons for doing so were never due to any political alignment with the former Tory leader or his party however. Any warmth I had for any of them was purely down to the fertile feeding grounds they cultivated for me and my fellow political cartoonists in Scotland, where they were reviled to such an extent that the well of inspiration positively overflowed for guys like me. I dearly loved them for that!

I recall vividly a conversation with the deputy editor of the Record, my left wing paymasters, as it became clear the Tories' days were finally numbered throughout the UK, and Scotland looked like it would at long last get the government it had voted for (how right and how wrong we were, simultaneously). I said it in jest, but it was a very real fear...

"If New Labour win the election, then scrap the Monarchy, and Gazza leaves Glasgow Rangers, I'll have bugger all left to draw."

I needn't have feared as it turned out, but that's for another time. For now, here's just one little bit of fun I had with poor Mr Major in his dying Prime Ministerial days (more later)...

The Heart Of The Matter...

2010-07-10T23:46:00.002+01:00

If men could have babies...

Taking a Liberty...

2010-07-08T16:36:00.006+01:00

I read the other day that Tony Blair has been awarded a Liberty medal (plus $100,000, which he is generously donating to two charities - the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative), for "bringing liberty to people around the world". The medal is to be presented to him in an official ceremony by his old mucker, Bill Clinton.

I make no further comment, but it does give me an excuse to resurrect the following old political cartoon I did for the Daily Record, when the two then-World-leaders met in a summit at the height of the Monica Lewinsky Scandal.

With a few white hairs added, the cartoon might equally well apply to this latest news, only with the speech bubble tails changed around, and any stains more reddish in nature...

On a lighter note...

2010-07-06T23:53:00.004+01:00

The lesson for today is, "Let sleeping cardboard boxes lie.".

Otherwise, you may just stumble across a newspaper clipping in your garage from over 30 years ago that makes you cringe, and your family fall about in utter hysterics.

Against my better judgement, and for any UK comic historians out there, I've decided to share. Just this once. Let's play 'Spot The Office Junior'...

Okay, let's not. I'm the really cute one on the left, 19 years old, and about nine and a half stone (look at that 30" waist! - I played a lot of sports back then). Next is current Beano Editor, Alan Digby, who will no doubt never speak to me again. The young Paul McCartney lookalike is Andy Sturrock, who (I seem to recall) eventually left comic writing behind to take up mussel fishing in the Western Isles. Then there's little Kirsten, whom it is hoped survived the ordeal with no major psychological trauma affecting her adult life. Sitting on the desk is Dave Donaldson, then chief sub editor of The Beano, but who went on to create the Nutty comic with a little help from yours truly. And the imposing figure on the right was, of course, Beano Editor, Harry Crammond, my first boss, and a huge influence on all that was to follow for me.

The door just behind Harry led into the Beezer office, but it was permanently locked, and you had to go the long way round if you wanted to blow raspberries at their staff. You can clearly see our half-hearted attempt to cover up the dartboard for the photographer, and my desk was just to the left of where I'm standing. There were pages and pages of original artwork scattered upon every desk, a very different scene to the virtually paperless, computer-strewn offices of now. Happy days!

Never Hurry a Murray...

2010-07-06T00:21:00.007+01:00

I regularly take part in what has become known as the "Caption Competition" over on the Cartoonists.co.uk forum , mostly populated by cartoonists and cartoon enthusiasts, and where every week a bunch of us (any member can take part, and it's simple to join) all come up with a cartoon to fit either a given caption or theme. We then post our cartoons between noon on Saturday and noon on Sunday, after which all forum members are free to vote for their favourites. The winner gets to choose the caption or theme (themed cartoons are captionless) for the following week.

It started as a suggested one-off experiment from one of the members, and has proved such a hit with the regulars of the site, that next week's competition will be our 50th, and the winners, for the first time, will be awarded actual prizes!

It was all supposed to be a bit of fun, and so it remains, but the standard of entries has been hugely impressive, and seems to get better with each passing week. We have introduced a formal structure to it, with a set of rules designed to make it run smoothly, and so it seems to do.

Entrants are a true mix of experience, with seasoned veteran pros competing in the same arena as aspiring young cartoonists, and with the former by no means dominating the leader boards. It all adds up to a weekly challenge that has caught the imagination of a good number of us, and so far the turnout week on week has been consistently high, and shows no sign of abating. Naturally, some fall away when other commitments take priority, but most will return to play another day.

All of which brings me to the cartoon above, which was my entry for this week's competition, and the caption, "It's Showtime!". I was really struggling for time and ideas this week, with my attention being diverted by both the World Cup and Wimbledon. So in the end, I decided to just try to fit the caption round a caricature of Britain's Number 1 tennis player, Andy Murray, who I really fancied trying to capture on 'paper' (or graphics tablet, if you will).

I started the drawing before he started his semi-final with Nadal, and my hope was that I could ultimately depict him charging onto Centre Court for the final on Sunday. Sadly, it wasn't to be, and I had to hastily change the backdrop to show him exiting this year's Wimbers, one stage too early. He played well, but Nadal was awesome - no doubt even more motivated than the young Scot by the early elimination of Federer. The winner of this game would be easy favourite in the final.

Murray seems to divide opinion within the UK, not always helped by his occasionally brusque manner, and fervent Scottish pride which can come across sometimes as anti-Englishness. But his time will come, and I think he is a quite remarkable young man. Not only for his masterful ability on a tennis court, but also for his single-minded determination and strength of spirit, which puts him above so many of his peers in the game. Remarkable for many reasons.

My eldest daughter is three years older than Andy Murray. Today she is a science teacher in the same secondary school that Murray attended in Dunblane, Perthshire. Fourteen years ago, Andy Murray was a nine-year-old pupil at Dunblane Primary School when gunman Thomas Hamilton shot dead sixteen of his fellow pupils and one teacher, on one of the darkest days in modern Scottish history. The scars of that day run deep throughout the nation and beyond. I can only imagine the depth they reached for those who were attending the school that day. For most, just coming to terms with life beyond that day is a remarkable achievement. To then find it within yourself to become one of the best tennis players in the world is truly staggering.

The Grand Slam titles will come. No hurry!

Born On The 4th Of July...

2010-07-04T23:45:00.009+01:00

July 4th - a very good day for North Americans. The day they parted company from the British some 234 years ago.

July 4th - a very good day for the British. The day North America parted company from... well, we all did okay out of it in the end, didn't we?

On that same day, exactly 201 years later, a nervous 18-year-old boy climbed the outer steps of the headquarters of UK publishing giants, D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd., in Dundee, Scotland, to begin his career in journalism. Little did he know at that precise moment, that the editorial future he had secured himself during a rather bizarre interview ordeal just a couple of weeks earlier, was not to be (as he had thought) kick-started as a cub reporter on one of the company's prestigious newspapers, but rather as the office junior on the UK's biggest-selling and most famous children's comic, 'The Beano'. It would appear that somewhere along the interview line, they decided I was more cut out for kids' humour than adult reporting. I can't for the life of me think why, but "THRRRRRRRRRPPPPP!" to the lot of them, I say!

Within a week, I had written my first ever comic script. I was given a free choice by the editor to have a stab at writing, and I chose to go with a 'Pup Parade' story, drawn by Gordon Bell. I loved the pups (Bash Street dogs) as a kid, and it was a real kick to be sitting at a desk in the Beano office trying to dream up adventures for them.

Eventually I came up with something I thought might have a chance. I wrote it out about three times in the morning, left the copy I was most pleased with in the Editor's tray before lunch, and canvassed opinion from my office colleagues in the pub after a lunchtime curry. I was told that it wasn't a bad first attempt, but to be prepared for it to be dumped on a technicality. I had one of the pups impersonating a 'charity' dog statue to con people out of money, by getting them to drop coins in the slot he'd cut into an old hat he was wearing - it was thought that such dishonesty might not be acceptable. However, when I got back into the office, my handwritten script was back on top of my desk with a red tick beside the title. I actually had to ask my colleagues what it meant, not daring to believe my own interpretation. I was pointed in the direction of the typing pool, and told to deliver it there for typing up and sending out to Gordon Bell for drawing. A few short weeks later, it was being read by an estimated half a million people throughout the UK and 'colonies' (in terms of comic sales, they still existed), and I was on Cloud Nine!

I managed to pen over a dozen more before I had my first 'rejection', where I had '2-Gun Tony' threatening to brand his pet dog with an electric iron (the fact he was joking wasn't enough to prevent the axe), and only a further half dozen out of several hundred I wrote in my 18 months as a Beano sub editor failed to make publication. For an 18-year-old lad, whose only previously published work was for the school mag, it was a dream start to what was soon to become my cartooning career.

Happy July 4th!

Unfortunately, I no longer have copies of the early Beano comics that contained the stories I scripted, but one rather apt page was reprinted in a book collection that DC Thomson issued a few years back, written to commemorate Scotland's infamous folly at the World Cup in Argentina, 1978, and drawn by the prolific Gordon Bell. By this time, I had secured the 'Pup Parade' story as my own weekly task, and this would have been written around eight weeks before publication, with no knowledge of the travesty that was about to befall Scottish football during the time of publication...

What's up, doc?

2010-07-02T20:49:00.003+01:00

I've just come across the very first editorial cartoon I ever drew, for the Sunday Times Scotland section (as mentioned in my last post). It's very tall...

Record achievement...

2010-07-01T12:48:00.007+01:00

In my mid teens, I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, other than it would involve drawing. It wasn't the only thing I could do moderately well, and there were numerous other options open to me based on my academical achievements, but none that came anywhere near drawing on the scale of fun things to do for a living. I vividly recall writing that essay, the one where we put down on paper how we intend to spend the rest of our lives earning a crust, and fantasising about my dream job as a political cartoonist for a national daily newspaper. I was never short of grand ideas back then, but even I recognised that as pure wishful thinking, and filed it under 'unobtainable'.

Ten years on, I was very happily drawing comic pages for the Beano and Dandy, already a job beyond my wildest dreams, but I still allowed myself the political cartoon reverie from time to time. Another ten years later, and it 'suddenly' happened.

I had a very brief flirtation with political cartooning (or editorial cartooning, to give it its more usual description) after landing a regular slot illustrating a weekly 'profile' article for the Sunday Times 'Scotland' section (only available in Scottish editions, and bizarrely renamed 'Ecosse' not long after I stopped working for them). I somehow managed to persuade the editor of the section to let me do an occasional editorial cartoon, and I had a handful published before a change of editor resulted in a change of format... and sadly for me, but not unexpectedly, the dropping of the cartoonist.

However, I had been given a taste for political cartooning, and I was instantly hooked. And so a few speculative envelopes were dispatched to a handful of publications, far more in hope than any expectation, containing samples of political caricatures I'd quickly put together. Within a fortnight, I found myself sitting in the plushest office I'd ever seen, in a tower block overlooking the River Clyde in Glasgow, having been summoned to appear before the editor of Scotland's biggest-selling national newspaper, The Daily Record. I don't mind admitting it was a brown trouser moment.

I went with the intention of attempting to persuade Mr Quinn ("Terry" came later) to allow me to draw them one or two cartoons a week. I was greeted with the words, "Where the Hell have you been hiding up till now?", and an offer to engage in a two-week, fully paid, trial run, with the aim of appearing in the paper six days a week. At that point, I was looking for hidden cameras!

I should point out that the editorial cartoons I drew for the Sunday Times were completed on the Thursday before publication, with several days to come up with an idea, and nearly 36 hours to tweak things before the presses rolled if needs be. The Record job required that I come up with 4-5 topical ideas a day, bite my nails while they chose one (if they didn't like any of them, I'd have to offer them more), then work like lightning to complete the chosen one before the six o'clock deadline. At that moment, in that office, I had no idea if I could handle that sort of pressure even once, leave alone six days a week. But I wasn't about to tellhim that!

I did, however, knock him down from six days to five, insisting that I have a proper weekend break. But my legs were literally trembling as I left the office and made my way to the car for the journey home to Perth. 60 miles without recalling a single moment of the drive. I had no idea if I could do any of what I'd just confidently agreed to.

The trial period consisted of me submitting ideas on a daily basis over a two-week period. The cartoons were not intended to be published, but would be judged by the editor as if they were. If I cut the mustard, then I'd be swimming without a float after that. At the end of the first week, I took a call from the editor's secretary to tell me the fortnight's trial was to end there. I was pretty disappointed not to have even made it to the second week, but ready to accept the old maxim that the editor's decision is final, and thank him for the opportunity.

Thankfully, I paused just long enough before delivering my gratitude speech for the Ed's sec to inform me that he loved the work so far, had almost used one of the trial cartoons during the week, and wanted me to start for real in two days time.

This time I was in my own home - no hidden cameras to look for, so I listened out for Jiminy Cricket singing instead...

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Here are two cartoons from the same day on that trial week. One of them is the one they very nearly printed - I think (as I often did throughout the years I worked for them) they chose the wrong one. Maybe you'd like to hazard a guess...

Fancy a blog?

2010-06-30T17:58:00.002+01:00

It's that awkward first time for me - please be gentle!

I've never had a blog before, and now that it's here, I'm still not quite sure what I'm going to do with it. Post pictures for sure, and hopefully they will be worthy of feedback and comment (all welcomed). It would be nice to have access to all the cartoonery I've produced in the 27 years I've been drawing professionally, but sadly, only the recent years have seen me able to use technology in order to save my work digitally, and so much of the early stuff was posted off in cardboard tubes never to return to me. Such were the good old bad old days.

But I've still got a load of works to pick from, and, of course, I'm not quite finished producing the stuff yet. So hopefully I won't run out for a while. And I also hope you'll indulge me if I post the occasional rambling thoughts, reminiscences and notices. Well, if you can't get these things out on your own blog, what's the point of them?

But mostly it'll be my scribblings, I think. And despite my earlier statement, although I have no access to so much of the original artwork from those early years, I have managed to find some evidence of their existence, and what better way to kick off this new and exciting venture for me than to post the very first piece of cartoon artwork I was ever commissioned to draw, way back in July, 1983, at the tender age of 24. It was the cover of a 'Beano Comic Library' for D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. (copyright belongs to them), featuring Dennis the Menace's pet dog, Gnasher...