The October 2007 issue of Reader's Digest Canada Magazine is now available at bookstores and newsstands. This month, one of my gag cartoons is published in the Laughter, The Best Medicine department on Page 35 ... If you're not a subscriber, I highly encourage you to pickup a copy of the magazine!
In the spirit of the month, I've included a few little "treats" that show the evolution of this particular cartoon, from rough sketch to the final published version ... Enjoy!
"Cardiovascular" in Reader's Digest Canada Magazine (October 2007).
Whenever I rough sketch a cartoon, I tend to work pretty loose and lightly, so I've bumped the contrast so you can see the lines clearer. As you can see, I like to put a little more detail around the faces to help me get the expression correct in the final inked version ...
Rough Sketch - Facial Details.
The original drawing for this cartoon was done on a piece of Strathmore Smooth Bristol board (total size 11"x7"). Ironically, it was a "scrap" piece that I had trimmed from a different project. I guess the lesson here is to never waste!
You'll notice that my original rough sketch had a set of weights off to one side ... Unfortunately, these made the final cartoon a little too wide for it to be suitable in the magazine. Part of me also thought that they were a little unnecessary for the gag.
On the other hand, the clock was a subtle enough decoration ...
Rough Sketch - Full Size.
I find inking with a traditional dip pen to be a lot of fun. The following image is the unaltered scan of the inked cartoon. You can see a little hint of the rough pencil work where the weights were (and at the bottom where my caption notes were) ...
Inked Cartoon.
I'll provide a few more snapshots in an up-coming post. In the meantime ...
Stay TOONed!
- Mike Cope
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