A recent podcast by the Webcomics Weekly crew about an article in the Economist has created a rather heated conversation in the webcomics community. The debate on the Daily Cartoonist revolves around the question, "What is a cartoonist?"
This got me to consider the craft of cartooning and what is important to me. There are lots of cartoonists on the web I enjoy who don't display enviable drawing skills, but I get a lot out of their humor and their point of view.
Here's two examples of the same cartoon I did back in the nineties. The first image is my original finished drawing. This was ready to be printed, but something wasn't 'complete' for me. I liked the idea, but thought the final gag lacked visual punch. Because it seemed cluttered, the joke took too long to 'get.'
The second image was my final thought. The artwork stood out on the page much better with the solid blacks dominating the picture. This particular cartoon was a turning point in how I looked at my own work and trying to figure out how the audience saw it also.
As for the online debate, I try to stay out of circuitous arguments. There's merit to both sides, but the upside is, the conflict made me think about my craft, my presentation and what I value when doing my own work.
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