Last Flying Cow

Do “they “really care what you draw?

#lifelessons [1] (for artists) – A Few thoughts about “them.”

Do they really care what you draw?

The short answer to the question above would be “no”?
“Do they care how you draw something?”
No, I don’t think so.

We can debate who “they” are for a while.
“They” are the artist’s audience.
Some of “them” are faceless, some are nameless.
Some of “them” might be regular visitors, some could even be friends and family.

Make no mistake, they will often criticize you.
But then again only because they can.
Some will compliment your work.
This still doesn’t mean that they care per se.

They will “care” if you are creating a commissioned work for them.
Then they will really “care” to such a degree that you wish you hadn’t taken on the damn job.
Keep in mind that “nit picking” still isn’t “caring.”
When they pay, they will expect their pound of flesh.

You, the artist should care what you create.
I would like to believe that artists love pouring passion into their craft.

Care enough to enjoy what you do, and care enough to put your best work out there.
This way they might end up enjoying your work.
I do believe the universe resonates with positive energy.
If you had fun creating something, it should find some appeal somewhere.
That is what art should be about…
When you manage to place a pleasant, enjoyable, interesting or though-provoking work in from of them.
Care enough to try and achieve that, whenever you can!

– TLR 2018

This is an old cartoon from a few years back.
I originally did it for myself, as a reminder to myself that I don’t need to worry about doing only “one style” of cartooning.

Stepsisters

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Mermaid on the edge

#lifelessons [0] (For artists)

Before you start drawing cartoons remember to BEWARE of the blank canvas, or the blank piece of paper.

The blank white sheet on your desk can be intimidating, laughing at you, saying, “You don’t know what to draw.”
Conquer the blank page!
You will have achieved a great victory even before you sketched a single line.

I believe it is important to understand where a drawing lives.
Any work of art lives inside your imagination, inside your mind.
The paper is merely a place where you “store” or showcase your art for others to see.

A big mistake I still make is to get seated at a desk, staring at that pesky blank sheet.
Especially if I’m in the mood to create I feel dejected when inspiration hides somewhere.
When the Muse hides I walk away from the desk and the blank paper.

Start thinking about everything you want to do, that is all there is to it.
Before you touch a pencil, first decide what you find interesting.

The paper won’t be my master, therefore I “messed it up” a bit to show it who was the boss.
I added a rough border just to get a feeling for the pen.
My coffee cup added a “stain” which I turned into a pool from which a friendly octopus emerged.
The mermaid found a spot on the edge of the sheet.
I “folded” a sheet of paper, made a plane and punched a hole in the paper, just to show the paper is never in charge!

Even though I draw mostly on a tablet these days the concepts above remain the same.
The tablet or computer screen is a virtual piece of paper.
All the drawing principles are very similar to creating art the “old fashioned way”.
Your imagination still overrules the screen, the drawing tools, the paper or the paint.

Next time we chat about art and especially drawing cartoons, have a few ideas ready.
Think about the stuff that intrigues you.

Mermaid on the edge

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The whale and the stars

#Lifelessons [00] (For Artists)

words can inspire, and guide you, even before you’ve drawn a single line

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
― Pablo Picasso

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
― Pablo Picasso

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
― Andy Warhol

Over time quite a few people have asked me to teach them the basics of drawing cartoons.
So let’s do this.
Let’s create some fun art!
But…
For quite a while I’ve been pondering a good starting point.
Do I wish to start with “light and shadow”, “basic shapes” or “selecting the right tools”?
Nah, let’s see what other artists said, they’ve been around the block… these famous guys.
The first “lesson” is not what you expected, I know!
But check out the snippets of wisdom from those who have already done it!
Their words can inspire, and guide you, even before you’ve drawn a single line.

Ok, so I’m a sucker for quotes.
But these three favorites I pasted above always encourage me to draw a couple of lines.
What did I get from these words?
1. You’re never to young to start drawing, you’re never too old to carry on drawing whatever you wish to draw.
2. If you don’t enjoy drawing, if you don’t enjoy creating, then don’t. Only draw when you need to feed your soul, only draw when you want to, whenever you want to!
3. You are your own “audience” first and foremost, you need to like what you do. If you’re happy with your work, then you’ve succeeded! When you share your stuff, always remember the third quote!

“The whale and the stars” Original cartoon 2018 03 20 © TLR

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2015 03 [More from txtoons.com/”txtoons.gone”]

I will continue to sift through the archives and pick the cartoons from the now defunct “txtoons.com” to make them live again, here in a new home.

“Supergirl” was the last of the “Embarrassing Superhero Moments” I did.

Who knows, perhaps there might be more some day.
One thing here I would’ve improved was really setting that cape alight and adding much more burn marks to the fashionable lass.

One thing I’ve learnt after revisiting the old stuff is just how eclectic my styles and interests where.
No wonder I mostly succeeded in confusing my audience.
Ok, I’m doing it again, but this time I hope I’m picking the better ones from the vast multitude of comic fodder I created.

Now in retrospect I would’ve made the Coffee-Break girl’s eyes a bit smaller and the boots a bit more fluid and defined perhaps. But then again, this is now historical and I’m also learning a lot from perusing my old “succesful favorites” and definitely from the mistakes as well.

“Butterfly Girl” was sketched on paper and subsequently inked and then scanned.
She was drawn in in 2013 and then re-published in 2015 when I moved the site between hosts.
I actually still like this one despite the obvious way in which my cartoons aged.
And yet, there it is… the ubiquitous coffee cup! Cheers

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!
TLR

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The demise of a website [txtoons.gone]

Why would anyone voluntarily kill off his own website?
This reminds me of the gossip I heard the other night, “Why did she leave him, they looked like a perfect couple?”
Why does anyone leave a job, a lover, a country?

I will leave you to ponder these questions.
Perhaps a bit of mystery is a good thing?
Because I figured the reasons for ditching the old site would make no sense without a long and boring discourse.

I did decide to revive some of the art I featured on the old site.
I’m older, and not necessarily wiser, but I have changed.
Much of what was posted on the old site was no longer “me”.
At least this method of “reposting” is one way of rediscovering myself as well.
You learn quite a bit about yourself when you revisit your old job, your old school, your old artwork.
So yes, I “decluttered” a bit while getting re-acquainted with some of my older artistic experiments.

What I repost/recycle will be the stuff that I still like personally.
I sincerely hope you do as well.

Today’s “Oldies-revisited” is a spoof I did of the X-Men’s Kitty Pryde and X-23.
Kitty has the mutant ability to phase/walk through walls and solid things.

X-23 is like “Wolverine”, except for having two Adamantium claws instead of three.
(Just check out the Marvel Wiki online if all of this is confusing. Apologies to all those who don’t really read comics).

“Kitty Pryde Unphased” was quite a popular drawing.
I would do the face completely different now. Here I can definitely see how I changed in terms of rendering features.

The cartoon is playful at least, and despite the urge to redo it I will sit on my hands and think of something new to sketch.
Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at my cartoons.
TLR

kitty_pryde_unphased