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.

Oops, did I spoil the cartoon? For Illustration Friday: propagate is the challenge. And chickens do that.

This is an easy idea to tinker with, if you’re good with words. The ending to Which came first, could be anything, and I think I’ve come up with half a dozen gags over the years. But politics has been a big part of my life this last year, working for Slate, so these hens have that on their mind, too.

I’ve been thinking recently about New Yorker cartoons vs Editorial cartoons – which I’m spending most of my time doing  now. New Yorker cartoons are easy, so easy that anyone can do it, and they can and do, with the little caption contests. I haven’t looked at the contests in years, but there are many clever entries, I’m sure.

“But I can’t draw,” they sigh. That’s what she said.

That’s what I said. I wanted to write them, not draw them, but I sent ideas to a couple of New Yorker guys, they said they didn’t buy gags, and I gave up on just writing right away. I’d have to learn to draw. Sigh.

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they RENEWED them. Or they used to. When they read them hardcopy.

I drew this in my minimal phase. One of my favorite cartoonists in the New Yorker was Ross. Herbert Ross? Don’t know, he only signed his last name. When Bob Mankoff became editor, this guy was kicked out. (Tell me, has the New Yorker gotten better or worse the last 15 years? There you go.)

Anyway, this is for Illustration Friday, subject Renewal. Forget spring, rebirth, all that hokey – lets  be practical, and think about renewing magazines, newspapers, and friendships.

Cartoon caption: Hello, Customer Service? Longtime subscriber, first time caller!

I barely get this cartoon myself, so I’m sure readers need an explanation. :) I’m a big fan of talk radio, and I can’t tell you how often call-ins to a show say, “Longtime listener, first time caller!”

That didn’t get too old, did it. Anyway, I switched it to magazines.  Eh.

Don’t lies involve prevarication, entanglements, and just plain trouble?

Especially when you lie about the food! Fortunately for this excellent waiter (who reminds me somewhat of the excellent and rather erotic waiter I had recently at Mimi’s – yeah, I know, Mimi’s?!) – he tells the truth!

From my Daily Special restaurant cartoon series – especially for Washington’s birthday.

And today, perfect for Illustration Friday’s assignment: entanglement.

Cartoon caption: I cannot tell a lie. Forget the cherry pie.

I included this cartoon in my chocolate book by adding: Cherish the chocolate cheesecake. Cartoonists are like that!

Time for a new cartoon! Actually, although the color is new, this is quite  old – one of the first cartoons I ever did, and part of a series I did with coffins. I was surprised, death is a fairly common topic with cartoonists – I heard Bob Mankoff, cartoon editor of the New Yorker, say that he gets a fair number of dead cartoons each week.

Raindrops keep falling on my head...coming from a coffin under a tombstone

Don’t get me wrong – I hate this song. I don’t like songs in my head, or humming the same one for days. I can’t remember who sang this…Neil Diamond? Someone will know. And it rains a lot where I come from.

This cartoon is for Illustration Friday’s topic, unbalanced.  Nothing like a coffin cartoon to prove I’m that! This is from my morbid collection, which I only bring out to show special guests. And you.

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Thin people look younger. Take heed, Los Angeles.

Topic for Illustration Friday: skinny.

This is also Wordless Wednesday, but forget that idea right now. I will never be wordless. Back when people designed stationary I designed some for editors that said at the bottom, …because pictures speak louder with words. A cartoon is not an illustration, and vice versa!

In a good cartoon, the words and pic work together, and one without the other isn’t so funny. If the gag doesn’t work, it’s just stupid. But if it’s a good gag, you need to up your drawing to keep pace with it, and make it even better. There’s a background, a time and place and future in a good cartoon. It’s your stage, so use it wisely.

I did this cartoon for my 2nd book, Love Me or Go To Hell: True Love Cartoons. One of my great cartoon contributors, Stephanie Piro, had thought up the first part of the title a few years ago, and offered it for this project. I added the 2nd part, to make sure readers knew it was a book about loving men, not hating them!   Read more »