This post concludes the collection of cartoons I contributed to U: magazine…during my tenure as a member of the academic staff of the Design Faculty of the University of Technology, Sydney. This, plus my three previous cartoon posts, forms part of an online gallery of my single panel satirical work.
As always, my thanks for the excellent advice, artistic assistance and cartooning expertise from the wonderful Countdown artist Louise Graber. Other posts of my cartoon based material include:
Continuing the profiling of my art postcards…here are some recent examples of on various themes. These cards are hand-printed, created from a combination of drawing and printmaking in low print run editions. Once I finished a session it meant the end of that particular batch. I would not repeat the design or reprint it. Cards in an edition are all original prints…similar in design but classified as mono prints as there are no exact duplicates. They fall within the standard postcard size dimensions of 10cm x 15cm or a near approximate. More information about this project can be found on the four previous POSTCARD posts…see the links below at the bottom of this post.
It’s been a long time between bowls of milk and plates of fish for my cat characters…in my occasional series of mini-profiles…that I have created in my comics! So, in this overdue post…I am focusing on the two animal characters of my own creation…Busch and Cohl, the pair of cats from my comic Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics. Cohl is a cat of French origin who absolutely loves reading comics…not to mention draw, especially with pen and ink…on quality art paper. Although he favours bande dessinée, the Euro-Comics, and more Marcinelle than Bruxelle School…he has somewhat reluctantly been prepared to read some manga…and is finally beginning to find it quite appealing. Mon Dieu!
And now to the other cat in the comic…Busch, of German origin, who loves to eat…mostly meat and seafood…and to occasionally read comics…and even to draw, with a pencil or crayon on whatever paper is to hand…even if it already has an image on it such as a newspaper or magazine page or shopping receipt. He will generally expect that drawing results in the awarding of a snack. Busch can eat and Busch can dance…and sometimes he goes hungry, gets seasick, goes shopping, dresses up and has tantrums.
This post continues the profiling of the collection of my cartoons published in U: magazine, or related magazines, during my tenure at the University of Technology, Sydney. These cartoon posts will contribute to the formation of an online gallery of my single panel satirical work.
As always, my thanks for the excellent advice, assistance and cartooning expertise from the wonderful COUNTDOWNMagazine cartoonist Louise Graber. Other posts of my cartoon based material include:
This post features the second instalment of cartoons I created during my academic tenure at the University of Technology, Sydney…and that were published in its magazine U:. These examples focus on the University’s Tower Building on Broadway near Railway Square. Labelled an example of “brutal modernism” despite its designer’s denial of it being that style…it is a monolithic stack of 27 storeys in concrete and glass… somewhat softened by the arrival of the newly constructed vertical garden clad Central Park building opposite. It was fun playing around with it as a satirical subject in these cartoons.
Fictitious merchandise in a non-existent shop in the foyer!…the Information Desk reported some enquiries as to the shop’s location after publication of this cartoon.
Originally I proposed using Nokia University of Technology but the sign on the tower would read NUTS! The University said “NO WAY!” to that…but the Virgin ad was O.K.!
I did an alternate version of the building relaxing on a banana lounge on Bondi Beach reading a novel…but the Vice Chancellor thought it was “A bit silly!” He preferred this one.
As always, my thanks for the excellent advice, assistance and cartooning expertise from the wonderful COUNTDOWNMagazine cartoonist, Louise Graber. Other posts of my cartoon based material include:
In this series of posts I profile a collection of my published cartoons. They currently total 30 in number. I am starting with those I contributed to U: magazine whilst working at the University of Technology, Sydney. These CARTOONS posts will help me to grow an online gallery of my single panel satirical work.
The “theorists” cartoon was put together hurriedly one afternoon. An academic design theory journal was being delayed at the printers awaiting a cover illustration which had failed to arrive. I received a panic phone call from the Faculty office along the “could I possibly please be of assistance” lines. I grabbed some images from old comics which I had in my office…invented some names for theories…and quickly collaged these elements together…all in an afternoon…and they published it!…on the cover!
How the cartoon looked on the cover of the journal.
Form follows function was based on an incident at an end-of-semester design student party. This was held on the roof of the Design Faculty building. There was a semi-abstract modernist sculpture that resembled a large scale bottle opener mounted on the roof. I saw a less than sober female student tentatively approach it with a capped bottle of beer. After a short struggle she managed to open it despite the marked difference in scale between it and the bottle. It is quite amazing what Industrial Design students can do. Then I heard this comment from one of the two onlooking Industrial Design students: “Form follows function.” Yes, I really did hear that comment and observe that action…and salute that theory…and subsequently designed this cartoon!
And this is how the cartoon appeared in the magazine…the art director just couldn’t resist that trendy layout technique of chopping it into segments…and altering the colour, texture and proportions!
My thanks for the excellent cartooning assistance from the brilliant COUNTDOWN Magazine cartoonist…Louise Graber. Her Pop Music illustrative work made her an amazing manager of short notice deadlines…with an acute fashionista’s eye drawing perfect pop portraits, Michael.
I am beginning this post with a progress report. Issue 4 of my artist book/comic Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics is not yet complete! I still need about another month to finish this issue. I do think that this is the penultimate report though… and further more,…due to its increasing length, I think I shall now start referring to it as a graphic novel.
The cats go to Germany with Doctor Comics’s big stash of comics related books, mementos and research materials. They meet a canine character who kindly assists them in arranging their affairs. Beer is drunk, comics are consumed and a plan devised.
The black cat, Cohl, sorts through Doc’s research materials. He reflects on some of his deeds including one that involved Belgian comics. Cohl also begins to emulate Doc’s art practice. This involves making sketches, playing with art materials and doing some drawing and printmaking. The other cat, Busch, who is not black, enjoys German beer, fish and fun. Both cats and their canine companion find enjoyment from the eating of chocolate.
More developments and an update on progress will be posted on this blog in around a month’s time. After I bring this chapter to completion we move to Japan, the setting for the next chapter.
More visual developments and an update on progress will be posted when I near completion. See you in Japan, so to speak…the setting of the next chapter, Michael.
Here is the next report, first one of the year, documenting production progress of my artist book/comic/graphic novel…Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics…Chapter 4-Beer, Chocolate and Comics. The story continues with both cats arriving in Hamburg in a shipping container on a freighter…and ends with them, seemingly accompanied by a newly acquired canine friend on another freighter bound for Tokyo Bay! However did that come about? Well, Japan is the setting for the subsequent chapter…as long as this scenario is not altered in the coming weeks.
I am continuing my graphic experiments with ink and paint on paper that is printed then torn and drawn upon…and sometimes collaged, to create documents, scenes and settings as well as thought and voice balloons for the characters.
The following quick sketches were made on my previous travels in Germany. They were kept in notebooks till it seemed they had some relevance and resonance for this project…and now I am finding ways of working them into this chapter.
More visual developments and an update on progress will be posted on this blog in three or four weeks time…as I continue to close in on completion of the comic.
UPDATE 20 JANUARY 2015: In response to a query in the comments…(see below)…I have added examples of how I intend using the abstract landscapes as backgrounds…or graphic expressions.
More visual developments and an update on progress should be posted on this blog around the end of the month…as I near completion of the comic…and, as always, your feedback on my blog is most welcome.
This is the second report documenting the production of the fourth issue of my artist book/comic…Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics. The new chapter Beer, Chocolate and Comics…deals with the feline characters recovering from the demise of their patron…and their subsequent travels in Germany to visit the world of European comics.
Continuing the turnaround of events and forward momentum that the above image from Chapter 3 illustrates…my feline leading characters start to get on top of things…taking control of circumstances and their situation and expressing their true character whilst on their travels abroad. Tail wagging. indeed!
I have been exploring the notion of a beer label collage project…derived from Belgian and German bottles, and have come up with this character. I expect others will follow. With the European theme and setting I am also considering including some bilingual content, probably English and German…and there is also an option of doing a combined issue #4-5!
In addition to collage there were some abstract ink and paint images that serve as backgrounds, settings…or sometimes mere graphic expressions of a characters’ thoughts.
The art work also features several words and images made with pen and ink…including some quick-sketch location drawings from previous visits to Hamburg and Hanover and more recently to Berlin.
On location drawing trips I carry a small leather bag of art tools and sketch books. It carries some smaller leather bags and a tin of colour pencils that fit within the larger bag. (see photo below, taken on the carpet at home, before departure)
More visual developments and an update on progress will be posted on this blog in the New Year. As always, I would love to hear any responses to this post…plus any comparable comments about your own experiences of drawing on location.
Cheers for a Happy Comics and Graphic Novel Xmas and New Year…and Seasons Greetings to all comics art fans and followers!…Michael.
This is the first report documenting the production of the fourth issue of my artist book/comic…Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics.…it continues from posts on the first chapter/issue The Ingurgitator,…the second chapter/issue A Blot On His Escutcheon…and the third chapter/issue The Chthonian Turn: The Cats’ Revenge (see links to posts #1-36 below). The new chapter Beer, Chocolate and Comics deals with the cats’ recovery from the demise of their patron, Doctor Comics. It also covers their travels in Europe and their contact with the world of European comics. Printmaking is again involved in the production of this issue…with woodblock, linocut and the use of rubber, bakelite and wooden stamps. There is also drawing, handwriting and some cartooning. The intention is to produce a comic in an artist’s book type format. I hope to have it ready for publication early next year…but we’ll have to see about that…just as we will also have to see if my long term plan of combining these four separate issues…and subsequent issues into a full length graphic novel comes to fruition.
This issue has a marked European flavour…no surprise perhaps following the careful research into Belgian and German chocolates, comics and beer…that I undertook on my recent trip there…Michael.
Doctor Comics 