Chewing Pencils

Tip 2:- Develop your drawing style.

Yes, I know this seems to fly in the face of some of the things I said in tip 1 but at some point we must admit that a large chunk of being a cartoonist means knowing how to draw. But it is also important to remember that cartooning is an art form, and what might appeal to one person might be considered trash by another.

Some might say that Australian editorial cartoonist Bruce Petty can’t draw. His style is messy and all over the place. Often it’s hard to even distinguish what the picture is supposed to be. However, this is his style, and it is unique. His storytelling ability (see tip 1) is well developed and he is popular amongst the Australian public.

At the other end of the scale, Australian Cartoonist of the Year for 2005, Peter Broelman, has a very polished style. His line work, perspective, use of colour, storytelling and overall sense of composition is, in my opinion, superb. Peter is just as popular amongst the Australian public.

Some might say that while Broelman can draw, Petty couldn’t to save his life. The reality is though, that both can draw. They just have very different styles.

Having a unique and consistent style is important. It might seem to make more sense to be comfortable with a variety of styles to appeal to a wider audience. There is some truth in this, but as your work becomes more widely known, your style will become recognizable. The more successful you become, the more people will look for and request that style. If you become really, really famous, your style will define cartoons for a whole segment of the market - I’ve lost count of how many clients have asked for “Something like Larson…”

Here’s a few tips to help you develop your drawing style and take a few more steps towards becoming a money-making, professional cartoonist:

Get some art training.

I don’t mean doing a full-on fine arts degree at university, but taking a drawing class at the local Arts centre or society or perhaps doing some night classes at the local college. Like writing, there are rules associated with good drawing technique. These rules can be broken, but it’s good to know what the rules are so they can be broken properly.

If you’re really keen, life drawing classes are a great way to learn how to draw the human body, but it does involves a bit of nudity!

Read some “How to draw” books.

Even if you can make it to an art class, and particularly if you can’t, reading about the skills and techniques others have successfully used is always good. Of particuar note is the famous Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards - this is an essential addition to a cartoonist’s library. I’ve also found the work of Chris Hart and Bruce Blitz to be helpful.

Study the styles of other cartoonists.

As a kid, I used to cut cartoons out of the paper and then draw them myself over and over again. I don’t recommend ripping off other artists’ work, but studying the techniques of others is a great way to develop your own style. Look at, for instance, how hands are drawn or where speech balloons are placed or how movement/action is drawn. You might find that a technique somebody else uses might help you overcome one of the problem areas of your own style.

Visit galleries.

Again, to study the techniques of great artists. And you will find that as you develop your own style, your appreciation for great drawings and paintings increases dramatically. Suddenly you realise just how much skill goes into producing such amazing work.

Experiment with different tools and media.

Some styles can be enhanced by using particular media, so be bold and try as many different things as you can get your hands on. Pencils and markers are the obvious choice, but even within this field there are lots, and I mean LOTS of choices. Charcoal produces some great results, as does pastel, nib pens, air brush and even your kid’s crayons. Experiment and see what you firstly feel comfortable with and then what you like the results of. With the computer age, drawing digitally is also an option.

Experiment with different styles.

Don’t be scared to try a few different styles from time to time. Even if you’ve been drawing for years, try something new. Looking back over my work from the last ten years, my style has changed gradually with time. Much of this has happened without me consciously aware of it, but other times I’ve played around and hit upon something that I have liked, incorporating it into my style from that point on.

If you’re a “big nose” cartoonist, have a go at some more realistic, anime or comic book style drawing. You may never use it professionally, but your experiments can add some useful things to your unique style.

Define your audience

Your style will, in some ways, dictate what sort of audience will best connect with your work. We can never really be sure who will be reading our stuff, but if we take some time to work through who we think our audience might be, we can save ourselves a lot of potentially wasted energy.

For instance, if you think your main audience might be children, the messages you seek to send and the style of drawing you employ will be child friendly. Over time, with this audience in mind, you will find yourself thinking more and more of your audience as you produce your work.

Other potential audiences could be teens, single mothers, football players, quilting groups and so on. If you can manage to find a niche audience and draw specifically for them, you’re in a great position to generate an ongoing income.

Seek honest feedback.

When it’s all said and done, your audience will tell you if they like your style. If you’re submitting to a publication of some sort, the editor is the one to please. In either case, you’ll get people who love what you do, and others who will screw their noses at it. Don’t be offended - just get used to it. That’s the nature of the business.

But don’t be scared to show people your work to seek their feedback. Sometimes we get so ‘close’ to our work, we can’t see some obvious areas for improvement. The story or message might be clear in our minds, but it’s not until we show it to somebody else that we know if we’ve communicated it properly. Feedback is a powerful, and sometimes painful, way to develop your style.

Feel free to leave any other tips in the comments section. Click on the little speech balloon just below the title of this post.