Chewing Pencils

This week’s Feature Artist prooves that you’re never to old to become a cartoonist. His work touches on one of the most important issues facing Australian society today, reconcilliation with our Aboroiginal brothers and sisters. He helps bring into focus just what we need to be striving for. Sit back and enjoy the work of Bill ‘Wilf’ Lumley…

NAME :- Wilfred Lumley
AGE :- 70 Years
LOCATION :- Mooroolbark, but soon relocating to Shepparton, Victoria, Australia.
SITE URL :- www.thelumleys.com

The fact that he lives within a stones throw of my place has nothing to do with him relocating to the country…MG 

How long have you been drawing cartoons?

Drawing cartoons off and on since childhood but only with real direction since 2000.

What made you start to think more seriously about making some money out of it?

Now retired would really appreciate extra income.

Have you done any formal training? If so, what and where?

Cartoonist Correspondence course - Late 1900s - Uncompleted.

Where was your first cartoon published?

Unpaid — Over three weeks in 2000 for the “Shepparton News” Regional newspaper for Goulburn Valley, Victoria, population 60,000, in recognition of “Reconciliation Week” - Shepparton Reconciliation newsletters - Rumbalara, Shepparton aboriginal football club, newsletter - Retirement Village Mooroolbark newsletter - Shepparton Park community news letter.

What materials do you use to create your work?

Started with pen and ink, then biro type pens now use pencil then shade with pencil after machine duplicating - then save to computer - so I am able to offer a hard copy and disc, for publisher.

What hardware and software do you use?

Duplicating machine - Computer for recording and emailing cartoons - are at present experimenting with compiling cartoons from existing drawings recorded in computer.

From where so you draw your inspiration?

Inspiration comes from my enjoyment and immense admiration for the newspaper cartoonists that are able to, daily, entertain and make us stop a moment to perhaps think of our world from another view point.

What are some of the resources you’ve found most helpful?

The recourses I find most helpful are from reading and from the humour of family, friends, the general community, but some of the ideas I’ve enjoyed the most have come from friends within the Aboriginal community especially from the Rumbalara (Aboriginal) Football and Netball Club in particular their supporters.

What is the best piece of advice you have EVER been given? The worst?

The best piece of advice I have ever been given was from my father ( unfortunately a rather absent father ) was that “Ideas are valuable—If you have an idea act upon it - If the idea has no value it will fail and vanish—BUT if the idea has merit and you stay with it you could not only improve the well-being of you and yours but perhaps improve the well-being of your extended community.

Take us through the process you use to create one of your drawings:

To process a cartoon—firstly and most importantly have a “DEAD LINE” - I then look for the laugh or message I wish to convey - decide if it is to be a strip or single frame - then draw my characters either directly to a pre-printed strip blank or as at present I scan my individual characters to my computer and arrange them to a strip or single frame template - then using “word art” I insert word balloons and script - I take quite some time to organize the script to my satisfaction - finally check with Lynne, my wife, to see if she “Gets the message” - then print a hard copy and copy to a disc both for the publisher.

How long does it generally take to create one piece?

Once I have decided on the laugh or message the actual drawing would take on an average one or two hours.

What do you find the hardest to draw?

In reverse I enjoy drawing heads the most.

What do your friends and family think of you being a cartoonist?

Most people are appreciative especially from the Reconciliation groups - My wife is very supportive and kindly laughs at the appropriate times.

What do you think is the best part about being a cartoonist?

I appreciate the opportunity to raise a laugh or a smile especially if I can get a message across at the same time.

What has been the standout post on Chewing Pencils for you? Why?

I’ve only come across “Chewing Pencils” very recently, but I believe you have a “Good Idea” and I wish you and yours every success with its concept.

Thanks for being our Friday Feature Artist Bill!