Quickdraw McGraw and Baba Louie

[handrawn]

you could try starting to break these down into their two main cartooning elements Eric:

lines of action
block shapes

see the attachment

for me line of action comes first, then block shapes, then more detail in as many stages as necessary, and then the final drawing

at each stage it is a process of refinement - each stage is redrawn on top of the other [if not done digitally this invloves colored pencils and light box]

so you can practice these stages through to final, without relying on having the image underneath once you get the hang of it

make as many rough sketches as you need, everyone does this

darwing a stroke is a bit like riding a bike, yes - go too slow you wobble, maybe even fall off

[Albacore]

Steve I can't get that to work for me when drawing a cartoon! I've tried it cos that is how I draw but using a pencil. I find it far easier to work in pencil scan and import but might trace after the pencil sketch with a pen and then import. What really I am trying to say is I am hopeless using a tablet.

[Psaumure]

I love the post that you have been doing of the old-time cartoons. This comes from the days when cartoons were fun and you had to use your imagination. Great job on re-creation. Excellent work.
Thanks for sharing.

[handrawn]

I am hopeless using a tablet...

so was I when I started - I think its common, unless maybe, you have one of those fancy screen tablet that Zeb uses to such great effect

if I can stretch my earlier analogy - its not actually necessary to look at the tablet whilst you are drawing, any more than it is to look at the ground whilst you walk[or ride bike] - as long as you can see where the line is going all is fine, you just need to get used to it

well it works for me - needed a few months practice, I'll admit

[bcire68]

I have to agree with you on that one, Steve. Last night when I was working on this drawing, I used my TV as a monitor and sat on the sofa with the tablet on the arm of the sofa. The only time I looked at my tablet was to press the set function keys on it.

Also thank you very much for the cartooning tips. That is a very interesting way of thinking about things. I will have to digest that and play around with it. It will also help me to analyze the cartoons that I'm working on a bit more. Damn, work is boring today...I wanna go draw.

[ontos]

Your cartoon drawings look great. I have a question on the tablets, I bought a Wacom, Bamboo Fun tablet a couple of years ago and haven't really used it. I guess you might say I'm afraid of it Is it a good tablet for using with Xara? What kind of tablet do you use?

[bcire68]

Hi Merv,

I have a Wacom Intuos 4 medium tablet. This is the very first tablet that I have ever used. I've had it since tuesday.

I think that with the new pressure sensitivity enhancements in XDP6, I think that using a tablet with Xara products is great. I've really enjoied using the tablet so far. There is no harm in tryit it out, espically if you already have a tablet.

[handrawn]

mine's a wacom graphire 3 - I've had it 7 years or so

a bamboo should be fine - other member use them, they have been mentioned...