EARTHQUAKE!

Last September 19, a 7.7 earthquake hit parts of Mexico, including the area where I currently reside.

Since I was drawing a cartoon at the time, I felt slightly distracted from my duties due to the tremors and oscillations which impeded me from achieving any kind of straight lines. Bummer!

(Of course I could've stopped drawing and waited for the quake to stop but that wouldn't be funny, right?)

THOSE MAGNIFICENT FIRST YEARS AT THE DRAWING BOARD!

As I was preparing some materials for an interview, I came across several items that made me go back in time and recall those very first years when I started my career as a cartoonist.

Back then, during the early 1970s, where there was no internet, there were no scanners, no Photoshop or any other digital means to aid artists in their creations, you had to depend on the more traditional tools of graphic design.

Essential instruments for my work were the Gillott nibs, the wooden handles, the indispensable Pelikan Black India Ink, the erasers, the HB pencils and my paper of choice, the vellum cardboard.

And of course, another very useful item to complete the package, was me at the drawing board!

(That's me, in about 1976 or 1977.)

I really do not miss those days for I actually thrive using every digital assistance available today.

However, I do miss that long-gone comic book era, when BEEP BEEP, THE ROAD RUNNER and THE PINK PANTHER occupied my creative hours!

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE DRAWING BOARD.

 

                                                                          August 15, 2020

Very Sad News: MORT DRUCKER is gone!

Mort Drucker, master of caricature passed away today at 91 years of age.
His work made my days happier and his art was my inspiration. He will certainly be missed, although he had pretty much retired in recent years but his fine legacy will stay forever with us.
I used to buy MAD magazine just to see his masterful artwork and celebrity caricatures which were imitated but never equaled by other Drucker-hopefuls.  His style has an undefined quality that makes his caricatures rise above everybody else's.
I won't go into many details about his work but you can read what I wrote here:
                         https://ferllera.blogspot.com/2019/03/mort-drucker.html

So long, Mort! Someday, we'll all be eventually meeting on that big drawing board up above!

You can read more about Mort Drucker here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mort_Drucker

How Cold Is It?

It's so cold I just saw a squirrel microwaving its nuts!

POLITICALLY CORRECT CARTOONS!

MY NEW WACOM INTUOS TABLET!

Early this year in January I bought a Wacom Intuos Tablet to try and start drawing my cartoons digitally and, after three months of practice, I won't say it's been an exercise in frustration...but it has. I just can't seem to get the hang of it. No matter how hard I try, my lines are squiggly, crooked or shaky and I just can't get the same control and feel I get from drawing directly on paper.  But it's been a nice experience and I'm sure I'll keep getting much joy and satisfaction from my new Wacom Intuos Tablet the next time I use it which will be early in January of 2051 I think!