	AllExperts > Drawing/Calligraphy/Cartooning
	Search

About Elgin Bolling
Expertise
Can answer questions about basic sketching and drawing, caricature drawing, and cartoon character creation and techniques. I cannot answer questions concerning 3D character creation and modeling.

Experience
Professional cartoonist, and caricature artist since 1990.

Organizations
Member of the National Caricaturist Network

You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Visual Arts > Drawing/Calligraphy/Cartooning > Drawing pictures and cartoons

Cartooning - Drawing pictures and cartoons

Expert: Elgin Bolling - 11/3/2009

Question
Hi,

Please can you give some advice. I am interested in pictures and would really like to be able to draw very basic drawings or cartoons to place on a website that I can earn an adsense income from. I've noticed that people are searching for cartoons and pictures online.

I hope you will reply.

Thank you

Answer

Self Caricature of Elg

Andrea, In answer to your question on cartooning, let me first give you two excellent resources

Big Book of Cartooning
Bruce Blitz
Blitz is a pioneer in cartoon publishing. One of the very first to come out with a successful series of books on the subject with an easy to understand step by step approach. Ive met Bruce on several occassions since we are part of the same caricature organization, the ISCA (International Society of Caricature Artists) and he is an excellent cartoonist, caricature artist, and an accomplished pianist! You would do well to have his book in your collection.

Cartooning The Head and Figure
By Jack Hamm
Hundreds of examples of cartoons drawn in various styles/ You will definitely find a style that matches your particular "vibe" This is one of the first cartooning books I purchased when I started drawing years ago, and it helped me tremendously in finding my own style. Hamms book has chapters on how to draw clothing and folds , how to draw cartoon figures of men women and children, editorial cartoons, sports cartoons, caricature drawing. The book is an excellent foundational resource.

Both of these books are"dated" in that they feature cartooning styles from the 60's and 50's and 40's in Jack Hamm's case, but this is precisely the beauty of these books. Many instructional books today, I find focuses more on what the individual author can do, or has done , or is doing, than helping the student who is trying to learn. Many of the skills that freelancers enjoy today were learned from the old skool masters anyway, so it's best to go to the source.

Now it's time to get on my soapbox so listen up.
If your interest in cartooning is purely to make money, and trust me, I understand the need for income, as I myself, "draw for money" as a professional illustrator, character designer, and caricature artist ( my work can be viewed at www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com and also at caricatures4u2.blogspot.com ) then you are going to have a difficult time doing cartooning and may even lose interest. Cartooning, like all forms of art, is something that really has to be "IN" uyou. Cartoonists who have as much drive to get their message and vision across to an audience as the quote, "serious gallery painter" whose work costs thousands. As a cartoonist, you must first possess a "point of view" that you continuously express through your art. It may be a whimsical look at the world, it may be sarcastic and critical, but you must have that voice FIRST in order to infuse your work with passion. Ask yourself this question, "would I or DO I draw carttons even though no one sees them?" I DO . Ask yourself, "DO I DRAW CARTOONS FOR THEIR OWN SAKE AND NOT FOR MONEY?" I do. and every successful cartoonist DOES. The work comes out of us. Its something that "MUST be done. On my desk right now I have at least five things that are unpublished that Im trying to complete as if i have a deadline that I have to meet. THIS is the passion you must have. Once you develop THIS the technique you use to express it will come. In order to be a good cartoonist you must really be able to draw. Dont be fooled even the simpliest drawing is a result in intense study in foundational drawing first. I dont say this to discourage you, in fact i WANT you to follow your vision, if you have one. I just dont want you to get the wrong impression and think that "this is NOT WORK" that you have to do. Creative work is some the the hardest work you will ever do, so get off the internet now and start doing it! LOL! good luck to you. I hope Ive helped you more than scared you!

Add to this Answer Ask a Question