It is what it is.

OK..so you remember the days when you grabbed the Sunday funnies or your cereal and headed for the television to catch your Saturday favorites? I sure do....on both counts . Cartoons and cartooning have always been a huge part of my life. Cartoons are about how one perceives a situation and how to relay that to the reader No matter how you define it, one thing stands alone. It's an art form unlike any other and I'm proud to say I practice every day.It is what it is.

Ink Slingers.......our gift to every artist who just wants to create.

Hey all, yes...I'm finally back with yet another insightful post to my blog. As it stands now, my friend and partner in crime. Johnny Hamm and I are coming up on our first year anniversary of our Facebook page. ' Ink Slingers '. We have been surprisingly successful in our combined efforts to create a place for artists from all mediums to share their works without deadlines...critiques...judgements...or rules in play that govern their work or how it is displayed. The ONLY rule we enforce is that it be done with a modicum of good taste. We do have a couple of young members and knowing full well that young children do visit our page makes us very aware that we need to maintain this standard. With that said....I would like to invite anyone who may be interested in what we do... to go to facebook and look up our Ink Slingers page. The are no pre-requisites to join, nor are there any skill sets required. All we ask is that you love to create. Johnny and I are very proud of the circle of members we've managed to have join our group and albeit the numbers are small in comparison to other art related groups, I truly believe we have the best of the best. With that said.....please visit our page. check out the posts and read the comments. Heck, ask other members what they think. and if you feel it is the place for you......join us. Remember......Zero judgement....TOTAL encouragement. Its what we are all about. Thank you

Sometimes, ya' just gotta.........go for it.

Hey everybody...or should I say the one or two of you who follow this blog. Good thing it wasn't set up to be a money maker or I'd be selling pencils from a tin can instead. Today's short but sweet blog entry comes on the heels of my most recent post. As of now, I am still having some issues with the posting of my hand-drawns, but the digi's are in abundance. Go figure. Anyway, in light of this...I'd just like to give a quick shout out to Johnny Hamm and Coleman York for their tips towards the use of digital art in all of it's forms....as a means to create when hand drawing isn't getting it and creativity is stymied by ideas zero, zero and zero. I'm a long way from digi-tooning the kind of pics I believe I can make, but.......and this may be hard to take for most of you, but having to rely solely on the mouse on my laptop as an only means to "draw" has actually disciplined me in ways I never would have foreseen and it has helped me broaden my understanding of what I can do when left with little choice. That, I think has made me a better cartoonist.I sure as hell know it's made me a more patient one. So, with that....if you'd kindly look to your right, my latest facebook posting is here in all of it's experimental glory.

Social networking

For whatever reason a person uses a social networking site, it is presumed that he or she does so with the intent on making a connection with those who share a common interest. Whether it be music, cars,hobbies in general,the expectation of communicating with others who are into the things you are is a very real need and practice. Albeit not a topic directly concerning cartoons or cartooning, it needs to be addressed. Years ago when I began my search for those who shared my interest in drawing, I found a site called 'Planet Cartoonist' message board. My very first visit opened my eyes to a plethora of like minded people , who loved to 'toon. This forum gave me confidence in my own abilities by way of conferring with other 'tooners. Some pro....most not. After each visit , I would come away with a little more knowledge....a little more insight into an industry I really knew nothing about. For the next few years, I would 'meet' others who ,like me needed that extra bit of help.Generally, most were only too happy to help with tips....do's and don'ts....critiques of posted work and just to be there if needed. That aspect alone was one I valued highly and sought it out every chance I got. Over time, I 'met' some really great artists, who were there for much the same reason and even though the site fell victim to hostile attitudes and poor administration,I did benefit positively from it. The site is still up, but will NEVER be what it once was and even though most of the artists who frequented the site are all off doing their thing, I do feel fortunate enough to have been a part of what I still consider the best site of it's kind to ever have graced the internet and will always be missed.It's a safe bet that had I not become a member of that board, I would not have 'met' my partner in crime at Komik Strip Kartoonz, Mr. Johnny Hamm, who went by J.L. in those days. And It would not have been likely that I'd 'meet' Karl Zoworski, who is the very successful creator of 'Church Mice'.Pastor Karl helped my craft in ways even he wouldn't understand. I also 'met' a very talented cartoonist who is the creator of a very popular web comic,HUGO.... Mr. Coleman York , who has graciously given me insight to what was otherwise a one sided view on the uses of tools I had been opposed to.I had an 'Old School' attitude about cartooning and still do to an extent, but Coleman opened my eyes to those opurtunities I would have ignored and in using that information, I have become better at my craft and for that, the support of Johnny Hamm and all the other cartoonists that I've been priveledged to 'meet' since then.....I say...Thank you.

The latest querry on 'toons. three versus four?

Hello again and welcome back. The latest question it seems, from what I've gathered from a few scant posts on Facebook is a poser I've often thought of but never really addressed as to the true reason for.....3 fingers vs. 4 ? Why is it that 98 percent of cartoonists, animators,and comic strip artists draw only 3 fingers and the thumb on a characters hand as opposed to 4? From the responses of those in the know to those who think they know to those who have no idea....the consenus is that it all involves the 'look' of the hand and the time saved involved with drawing in only 3 as opposed to the 4. If you look at two examples of a cartoon hand, each drawn in their respective three or four fingered glory....the overall look of the three fingered one has a better appearance than that of the four fingered. I myself have always tried to render my characters using the 3 finger method for no other reason than I happen to like the way the hand(s) look. What I want to do is hear from anyone who has used this method and why or anyone who opts for four and why? Any pros out there wanna take a stab at this one? Anybody who knows when this practice began and why ...is welcome to reply to this post and set the record straight. Who was it that decided that drawings with the missing digit would in fact better the artwork? Was it some big shot in the industry? or some head honcho animator somewhere who favored saving time which equaled saving money? Or perhaps it was just some lazy cartoonist somewhere who thought.." Hmm...who's gonna notice ? ". So..c'mon people...chime in on this one. Lets hear from you. That's just about all I have for today, but I'll be back with what I hope to be more insightful topics.

Welcom back...

Yep, four months, then BAM...internet i don't have walk to the corner for. Who knew ? I've been 'netting' on my phone for so long now, I almost forgot how to open my laptop. With that said, I'm back once again. I have new work either finished or in process thereof.For those of you who have been on edge as to what my ascerbic sense of humor will provoke me to do next, I say just wait and see. In the meantime......Welcome back.

Well, guys...it's time.

Hello and welcome back to another installment to this blog. Since it's inception, I've tried just about everything I know to increase the readership and/or commentary of topics I post. Then, it dawned on me as to what the problem may be. I have to up the amount of social media I use to put my material out there. I now have begun that very task and in time, there will be so much of my artwork out there, that you people will have to visit and/or comment on my blog just to shut me up. Are you up to the challenge? We'll see... in the meantime......just 'toon.

Go ahead....give it your best shot.

Well gang, it's time for another post by yours truly. I have made considerable strides in my learning curve for using the 'paint' program that came with my laptop. Over the last year or so, I have stubbornly begun to come to grips with the possibility that technology can indeed assist me in delivering a much better product at a more advanced level than that which I had done strictly by hand. One of my very first posts to my blog was that of someone who stood his ground at his opposition to this technology-based world we live in. It was a friend of mine, who is in his own right, a phenomenal cartoonist....who commented on this particular post. In that reply he made it very clear that ,that in this fast paced world with the dying off of certain media..which for now I won't touch on, that I had..and I'm going to paraphrase here..." Get my head outta my butt and get with the program"..or I would deny myself the edge that seemingly everyone else in this industry has managed to benefit from. That bit of advice did not fall on deaf ears as I have already started to take advantage of the tech side of cartooning. Albeit in no way, am I fully adept at doing an entire cartoon via my 'paint' program or any other.....I have been aware of just how much time I can save if only just by using these tools on the editing portion of my 'toons. I have even created a few CGI's, if you will and have utilized them in various ways throughout the design of my ever changing blog....and ever expanding display of art from myself as well as some very unique 'toons from a buddy of mine. Those 'toons will increase in number over time as well. There is even a collaboration between us that will stretch our 'boundaries' and I believe aide in improving both our skill sets. However, details regarding this is not something I want to touch on at this time. What I trying to say here is....never be afraid to expand your limits and try that one thing you've always told yourself you couldn't do...and do it anyway. Yeah, the possibility of a 'crash and burn is real and yeah...those who try the risky stuff sometimes fail. But, you have to ask yourself..."What if I had never tried at all?" or " Could I have made a go of it ?". Nobody but you will ever know the outcome if you hide behind the ' Why even bother ?' or ' I'm too scared to try ' excuse. Remember, there was that one time that this self- taught cartoonist, who swore up and down that old ways were the best way....took advice from someone else who had 'walked the same walk", and took a chance on himself. Not only did he surprise himself, but he plans on surprising alot of other people in the near future...and he will never again have to ask himself " What if I had never tried at all ?"

Hey gang...as promised, I made some improvements to my blog in design...layout and new 'toon inspired creations that I've been tinkering with. My laptop came with that complimentary 'paint' program, which I'm determined to use to my benefit. I have always been...well...I should say....not inclined to use digital assistance where my cartoons were concerned, save for any cleaning up and / or editing. After coming to terms with the idea that 'help' of this nature can and often is a huge plus in the finished pieces, I gotta say....I may be a bigger proponent of utilizing tools that are big on saving time and even bigger on producing a much cleaner piece with an even greater sense of that ' Professional' look that the big dogs crave and that makes your work possess that 'stand alone' quality admired by everyone. With that, and comments left here by a friend of mine,who is a great cartoonists in his own right...my mindset is changed and in the scope of things, I will be taking more advantage of these tools that do so much so much quicker and so much cleaner. Ok, so much for that and I'll end todays installment by saying this " Never say never.".

I wanna take this time to......

Welcome back to my seldom viewed, rarely read, and even scarcely commented on blog. Albeit, I have made every effort to command some semblance of a readership...it behooves me to stray off course just a tad. In doing this, I'm actually staying within the realm of what it is I'm trying to achieve. Some years ago, possibly a decade now, I was fortunate to stumble upon a message board represenative of cartoons and the cartoonists who created them. I, myself was but a "greenhorn" if you will, in the knowledge and skill sets those who 'toon utilize in the craft they hone. After some time as a regular visitor to this forum, I began to amass a better understanding of the how-tos, what-fors, and why-is -thats. Ok...fast forward to the part where this new awareness begins to pay off in the guise of associations. During what seemed a rapid fire succession of posting 'toons, getting critiques ( good and bad....but most times, they were really good ), some associations were more profound than others. Case in point...a mutual appreciation for the work of another cartoonist was normal and expected . After countless visits to this message board to cull as much needed info as possible,... a following of sorts would give way to e-mails and favorable critiques of the work of another. Ladies and the rest of you...I would like to introduce the much overdue work of a guy I "met", and knew only as JL. The message board, however was met with an untimely demise,in that it became overrun with spammers, and those who sought to undermine this forum and what it was intended to do. That was ...to present a platform in which we ,as cartoonists,illustrators and artists in general...could be used as a way to display and receive input on their work. Now..what?..almost a decade later and this guy I knew as JL tracks me down and we did some catching up. I have recently seen a little bit of his most current work and as luck would have it...it falls right into that obscure little niche' I like to call 'outside the box_ism '. Ok.....so I sorta made that term up..but you get it, right? Anyway..as of a few days ago..he has given me permission to post some of his work right here on my ever illustrious, can't look away , crave it night or day blog. Hey...somebody's gotta amp it up in here...might as well be me. My plan is to show some fresh, never before seen ( ok....maybe few have seen it.) cartoons that don't exactly stay in the lines... This material is unique in that it is unlike any toon I've seen....and let me tell you, I've seen tons of 'toons. So..without further delay.......May I introduce to my readers( yeah...that one guy in the back )Mr.Johnny Hamm. The single panels to your right were done by Johnny Hamm and are some of the most unique I've seen to date.His style of cartooning is exactly the kind of artist submissions I would love to begin featuring here at Komik Strip Kartoonz. As his time permits, I would like to feature more of his work. Here's to you, JL.......your talent now has a home.( um...sort of ).

What's your choice??

O.k....SO when we were young and started doodling on paper,sidewalks. the walls , or even ourselves, we knew then that it was fun. Well, except for maybe the walls. Chances were mom didn't quite care too much for that one. And....well...maybe not the sidewalks either, mainly because trying to show somebody what you did wasn't as easy as just using paper and showing the first grown-up that would look, what you drew.And....if you were caught drawing on yourself....maybe the response you got wasn't entirely what you expected. Alright,...so paper WAS the popular choice and most likely, pencils.... as the instruments of your newly unleashed creativity. Alot of you, myself included continued with the doodle thing and moved up to 'toons, which are my passion. What as artists, do you use as materials in creating whatever it is that you draw? Are you partial to just pencil? Pen and ink? crayon?? And what kind of paper? Do you gravitate towards the high-end papers or boards, if you will? Is regular printer paper your paper of choice? Are you still using construction paper?( let's assume they still make construction paper )Whichever your preference, creativity should never stop. If you are so inclined, write a comment to this post and tell me what you draw on and what with. Why you choose what you would use would be cool too.

What motivates you?

Just what is it that gets you in a creative mood? For that ONE guy who shows up and actually shows some interest...what gets you wanting to draw..paint...sculpt..or whatever it is that makes you the artist you are ? Do us a big favor and pop in and leave me a brief comment on how you get to the point where you scribble...doodle..sketch...or bedazzle , if you will. I need input from someone other than my shadow.I mean, he's okay and all...but he never says a word and ...you know...just kinda lurks there creeping me out. So, if any REAL people out there wanna chime in...please do, because...sooner or later, a white step-van is gonna show up at my door with a custom fit canvas jacket and two little men who never smile.

The art of Old School Cartooning vs. High Tech Art

Hey all......This is another installment of what I term as my N.R.T.D.T.Y. ( NOBODYS READ THE DAMN THING YET ) blog. But now as i write this,,,ive begun to relize that now i have my laptop as opposed to that cursed phone...I actually have capabilities not present on my phone. Im starting to learn to use some of the editing tools to do things unheard of on my phone. However, it does present to me some material to add to what my twisted mind terms as Old School vs, High Tech Art dilema. If you are one to keep up on whats what in the land of comics and cartooning, chances are you have heard that comics in the newspapers is gradually losing space in what is already a highly competitive market. Cartoonists across the country vie for that ever decreasing spot in the papers and magazines. On the flip side, Technology has increased productivity and the rate at which the consumer gets information, That is without arguement and therein lies the proplem. Far too many cartoonists are slowly losing ground to markets already aimed at profit loses and most, if not all will seek out the most efficient way to garner those profits without losing their consumer base. It does tend to make me wonder just how many cartoonists out there rely solely on the tech part to create their artwork. Its a safe bet that once a cartoon or comic is rendered, it is enhanced by technology from beginning to end, Ok, here is my issue......What would happen if the technology aspect of the creative process were to somehow go away. I mean, if it were somehow possible for our high tech life to suddenly grind to a low tech or no tech speed......who could still draw those comics or cartoons ??. In a world where the very instant you begin to draw, technoloy steps in so you dont have to. I am proud to say that I am old school from point A to point B. I will stop short of saying that i dont entirely denounce a tech aspect of the process, but only at the point where the cartoon is completed by hand do i rely on the tech. In all fairness to my fellow cartoonists who use and rely heavily on technology to do what they do, whatever helps helps. I,on the other hand have always loved that part of cartooning whereby you think...sketch...and build that artwork from the pen to the paper. If a super solar flare or E.M.F. took us out tommorrow and literally tosses us back to the dark ages, life would indeed suck out loud.....but, I would still be able to draw cartoons. For that ?, I dont need the high tech. Old Schoolers never do.