If you are a gag writer (gagwriter) and have written for magazine cartoonists, please leave a comment or email me: pen dot drawing (the dot is a period) at gmail.com.

I gotta say, if gag writers want to,you know,  actually get some more work, they might try getting a website or a blog, or going on Facebook or twitter. Looking online for 45 minutes, I could find only one gagwriter with a  website, and the article about a guy has no email, no site, etc.

Thanks.

More cartoons:

1. The Barack Obama Cartoon Chia Pet.
2. Shout out to the gays, a Time Magazine un-cartoon of the week.

Clever. I think the OP on Youtube calls it the Ultimate Tease. It is!

Here’s my promise to you: if you don’t laugh, I’ll owe you $5. Put it on my tab.

More cartoons:

1. It’s true, a dog always upstages the actors.
2. Nancy and Sluggo-Dogs 2

Sergio Aragones at Carney's Hot Dogs

I’ve known Sergio for many years, through CAPS and NCS when I belonged to those clubs, and occasional cartoon get togethers. He really is a fascinating man – married three times, and was a real ladies man with starlets and others in Hollywood before that. He’s charming, and a big talker – but he has the creds, from MAD Magazine mostly. Of course, those were the days when MAD was monthly, not quarterly, and they took all the contributors (cartoonists and writers) on trips around the world every year! (As well they should, since they have a really awful old-fashioned and stingy Work for Hire contract.)

Anyway, Sergio has a studio up on hot Ojai, which I visited once, on a day spa trip up there. Very fun, and so is he.

I knew from seeing a thumbnail of this that this was one of his early drawings, and so it is – 1978. From the 99Cent Chef Blog, who is a character himself, doing a roundup of hot dogs in Los Angeles.

On a much sadder note,  one of the best editorial cartoonists in our generation, Paul Conrad, died last week. I didn’t know him as well as Sergio – only briefly met him at Impolitic, a gallery in Santa Monica that we both had our work in. Impolitic had great parties, and I think he came to most of them, although he didn’t seem interested in anyone, and just wanted to chat about his cartoons. He was a great talent.

More cartoons:

1. Terrible news: Marty Murphy passed away.
2. Marty Murphy Memorial (and books.)

For Illustration Friday, subject: Perspective.

When I first started cartooning I realized that I knew nothing about perspective. I looked at other cartoonists’ work and was amazed at how they had  several things in the drawing, all the proper size!

I bought (easy) books, asked people, but most of all I practiced, and studied how other cartoonists did it.

Eventually, I realized that it. doesn’t. matter. But that took years! It’s okay to ad lib, and even better to be spontaneous.

I know there are some artists who naturally think in 3 dimensions. Sculptors, maybe painters, those types of people. But not me. Two dimensions all the way. You could call me Flat Donna, and take me with you wherever you go, and I’d be happy.

I think it was Mick Stevens who drew an amazing desk in one cartoon, all trapezoid, where you could see the whole surface and it was extended all the way towards the bottom.

I’m still trying to draw that desk. This was a good try.

Caption: Mrs. Thomas, make me a buddy list.

Remember AOL?  Yeah, that.

More cartoons:

1. When people read magazines
2. Sarah Palin is a five-letter word.