Cartoon Silhouettes

I'm not sure how many of you have made it over to my group blog, Creative Juices, but I just posted on something that I thought most of you would find interesting. I had a little theory that I wanted to test. Which is that most if not all memorable cartoon characters can be reduced to a silhouette, and still be immediately recognizable. It was an extremely pleasurable exercise for me, as I think about shape, form, and positive and negative space when I design my own characters. It's so much fun to investigate character design at this level. Here's the direct link to the post.

ARGH! #4

Issue #4 of ARGH! is hot off the presses; 48 pages of black, white, and green comic bliss! If you head on over to the ARGH website, you can see the list of contributors (and artwork samples) by clicking on the "autores" link. Distribution is underway in Spain, but for everyone else, all four issues are available for purchase at the ARGH! online store (5 euros each). I will be posting my 2-page comic in the next couple of weeks. Until then, enjoy Félix's cover art (above).

Follow the arrows...

I was just sketching away at my drawing table when I noticed both of the things I'd drawn had arrow-shaped appendages. Two of the things I love to draw, devils and squids, either have a arrow for a head or an arrow for a tail. It never occurred to me until just then, and it was completely subconscious that I decided to draw either of them. Though, pointy things are usually cartoon shorthand for monsters. Hmmmm...it's odd that I take pleasure in these things. Anyway, here's another devil and squid to add to the collection!

Menace

I'll admit this guy's a strange concoction. I actually drew him from the bottom up, which I rarely do. I had this idea of cloud-like arms coming out of a trunk....and then he grew from there.

Who you callin' a chump?

A donkey and a crocodile

Sloth

I was sitting on the couch, doodling away in my sketchbook, when I noticed that the 11:00 news had switched over to sports talk, and I started imagining this specimen of a sluggish man...angry about a recent trade, dribbling beer and nacho cheese all over himself.

Seated

I couldn't decide which way to go with the color.
You decide.

Green Strut

I hadn't done a walk cycle in awhile, so I thought I'd bring my little green guy to life. This is a 10 frame cycle (at 15 fps). I'm planning to switch into animation mode soon, and a walk cycle is a perfect short exercise.

Happy Valentine's Day