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Some old SpongeBob doodles on a scrap of illustration board

Click on image for full-size SpongeBob doodle

As much as I hate sketching in sketchbooks, I LOVE doing doodles on oddly-shaped pieces of stuff. Anything with a writing surface. Newspapers are good. I also have an old "Voter Information" publication with a lotta sketches inside. I like doodling on newsprint with a roller-ball pen. My current fave rollerball is the Bic 730R. You can get 'em at Staples. Oh, and I'm also doodling in a copy of the expired TAG union contract. So? I dunno.

I prolly drew this during the third or fourth season of SpongeBob. I've always liked drawing SpongeBob...he really makes me happy ^_^ Sketched with a PITT artists Pen - brush tip. One of my favorite drawing tools.

Hope you like it!

Li’l Tomboy by Frank Johnson

Li’l Tomboy by Frank Johnson Charlton comic book scans cartoon girl P00001Here’s an extremely well-crafted kids-comic I never heard of before: Li’l Tomboy by Frank Johnson  Li’l Tomboy by Frank Johnson Charlton comic book scans cartoon girl P00003 Li’l Tomboy by Frank Johnson Charlton comic book scans cartoon girl P00004 Li’l Tomboy by Frank Johnson Charlton comic book scans cartoon girl P00005P00007 Li’l Tomboy by Frank Johnson Charlton comic book scans cartoon girl P00008
Very charming drawings, and great clear storytelling. The mom’s nose is kinda freakin’ me out, but otherwise a delicious-ly drawn comic story ^_^
More on Frank Johnson:
http://lambiek.net/artists/j/johnson_frank_b.htm
http://coa.inducks.org/creator.php?c=Frank+Johnson
…and here’s a little after-comic dessert:
comic book ad miniature dog chihuahua monkey advertisement scan

Felix on the Unemployment Line -– Vintage comics by Otto Messmer

A couple days ago I showed off some photos of the awesome new Felix Book…

FelixtheCat_GreatestComicBookTails
Felix-the-cat-book-inside-back-cover-otto-messmerFelix-the-cat-book-spine-and-coverFelix-the-cat-book-interior-story-pages
Here are some Felix the Cat comic book scans from this same era  -- ones that don’t appear in the book! Story and art by the great Otto Messmer!
Felix the Cat #48 - Page 4 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon unemployment line Felix the Cat #48 - Page 5 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon cop police Felix the Cat #48 - Page 6 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon farmer Felix the Cat #48 - Page 7 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon crows Felix the Cat #48 - Page 8 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon lady washing laundry Felix the Cat #48 - Page 9 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon boarding house men toaster Felix the Cat #48 - Page 10 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon fireflies Felix the Cat #48 - Page 11 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon advertising men
From Felix the Cat #48 – Toby Press Dec 1953
Felix the Cat #48 - Page 1 Otto Messmer comic book scans cartoon chicken rooster eggs nest

...and look...there's MORE! Mykal has just posted a classic Otto Messmer Felix comic on his "Big Blog of Kids' Comics!" Click on the images below to go visit or just hop over to: http://www.bigblogcomics.com/2010/08/felix-cat-in-cat-weather-profit.html

 http://www.bigblogcomics.com/2010/08/felix-cat-in-cat-weather-profit.html

Don Bluth Vs. "Man Vs Art" -- a great new interview

I don't always listen to podcasts, but when I do, I prefer Man vs Art. Raul Aguirre's show has been my companion for many late-night drawing sessions.


Raul Aguirre Jr. has been an animator and storyboard artist, writer, producer, etc for 16 years, working for all the big houses like Disney Feature, Nickelodeon and Fox. And he's got a heart as big as Southgate, CA.
His passion and love and humor shine thru with every podcast he puts out. Now Raul has scored a sweet interview with Mr.Animation Renaissance himself: Don Bluth!


It's a great listen...not the usual cookie-cutter glad-handing puff piece you usually hear when an industry legend gets interviewed. You get these two guys in a room and start talking about the joys of traditional animation...there's no holding them back! Seriously -- Man vs Art is hands-down my favorite podcast (and not because I've had the honor to be a guest), and this episode is a great way for the show to kick of its second season!

New Book: Otto Messmer’s Felix the Cat 1950’s Comic Book Stories

Felix-the-cat-book-spine-and-cover Another treat for vintage comics fans: Craig Yoe has just put out a gorgeous new collection of Otto Messmer’s Felix the Cat comics from the fifties!

Felix-the-cat-book-interior-story-pages

Over 200 pages of comics and commentary from one of the greatest and most influential cartoonists ever: Otto Messmer. The stories are fun and surreal and very silly and cartoony -- a really fresh change of pace from the complicated comics of today. Otto Messmer's style changed a lot throughout his long career, and toward the end of his comic-book days he really embraced a beautiful kind of simplicity. This stuff is just great!

Check out the endpapers in this book:
Felix-the-cat-book-inside-back-cover-otto-messmer

Felix-the-cat-book-inside-front-cover

I love the eye-catching design of the whole book. I just wish Otto Messmer’s name appeared on the cover.

Felix-the-cat-book-cover-01
Even the back cover looks cool! Felix-the-cat-book-back-cover




Check back in a few days for some
Felix comic scans from this same era…
…ones that don’t appear in the book!
Felix the Cat #48 - Page 4

Red Bloop


"Red Bloop" Digital painting
Line art from a sketch in SketchbookPro - Painted with ArtRage 2.6

It was a very productive weekend. Ahhhh.

PS...here's a look at the work-in-progress:


My first attempt at animating with Toon Boom Animate



My first animation in Toon Boom Animate. I just want to go on record that I have no idea what I'm doing. But my goal was to animate something this weekend -- learn how to use the program -- so I consider this a victory.

Jetsam Joe – Zoo Funnies 1955

Jetsam Joe Zoo Funnies Page 20 Jetsam Joe Zoo Funnies Page 21 Jetsam Joe Zoo Funnies Page 23 

Man, I just LOVE these oddball filler comics!
Look at this wonky style...
The first splash page is my favorite.
------------
Warning: Ethnic stereotypes ahead!


Jetsam Joe Zoo Funnies Page 30Jetsam Joe Zoo Funnies Page 32 Jetsam Joe Zoo Funnies Page 33
…and it all ends with a classic flop-take!
Jetsam Joe backup stories
are from Zoo Funnies #13 1955
Zoo Funnies      c2c   ABPC #13 - Page 1

Say goodbye to Loneliness and “hello” to Fun and Romance

Learn-to-dance-in-your-own-home



“…of course, if you enjoy being a wallflower, this quick easy self-teaching method is not for you.”
-----------------------------------------
You gotta love these vintage comic book ads. Think about what these advertisements say about the target audience for these comics!

girdle for men slimming underwear

it’s the NEW Power-Knit Commander!

girdle for men slimming underwear Zoo-Funnies-slim-and-trim
Zoo-Funnies-slim-and-trim2

Underdog and Joe Harris - The REAL Story Behind a Great Cartoon Hero

Meet the cartoonist behind Underdog and the Trix rabbit: Joe Harris!


I just listened to this amazing in-depth interview for the second time...It's the kind of interview you NEVER get to hear...the unromantic and TRUE story about the way cartoons get made and the REAL life of a cartoonist. All the ups and downs. Genius stuff. One for the time capsule.

The Joe Harris interview is at: 
http://boing.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=440806

Thanks so much to cartoonist and podcaster
Todd Dolce for bringing this one into the world.

LOTS of great interviews
with the giants of cartooning
and animation at BOING! The Podcast

Sherm Builds a Snowman – Comics by Popeye’s Bud Sagendorf



In his 5th appearance (Popeye comics #23 Jan – March 1953) Sherm is once again a Henry-esque bald peanut-head. Art and Story by Bud Sagendorf.

bald cartoon boy builds a snowman
In his 5th appearance (Popeye comics #23 Jan – March 1953) Sherm is once again a Henry-esque bald peanut-head. Art and Story by Bud Sagendorf.
bald cartoon boy shovels snow onto his father
bald cartoon boy builds a snowman
bald cartoon boy builds a snowman
bald cartoon boy builds a snowman
bald cartoon boy builds a snowman
I like that Sherm’s dad is called “Mr.Sherm!”


Previous "Sherm" comics by Bud Sagendorf: