#36: Pleasing, deceiving, and believing
Hello sailors,
It’s been a big few weeks, so here are some small cartoons.
This week, we have a working dog, an unexpected deception, and a bar room folly.
Getting the next round,
Chris
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Caption: “The work is fine; it's the people pleasing that takes the toll.”
We ask so much of dogs.
But, what would they say about us? Would they be happy with what their owners ask of them? Or, should they come across a wolf, their ancestors, would they complain about the work? I’m betting on yes.
It’s a just a lot of pressure, isn’t it?
A little artist’s note: This is one of those cartoons where I just don’t quite remember where it came from. It just sort of burst into being.
The challenge with this, and anything that isn’t expressly human, is working out how the heck to draw it. This was less of an issue with the dog, I kind of have a look worked out there, and a lot to do with the wolf he’s talking to. Does he actually look like a wolf? That’s kind of the challenge, and I’m not really sure I was successful. I definitely looked at a lot of reference photos of wolves, but will people instead think it wolf, or just is a fancy big dog?
What do you think?
Thankfully, the joke kind of works fine if you just think it is a dog but, you know, a wolf would add an extra dimension to the whole thing.
Caption: “Same time next week?”
What if granny and the Big Bad Wolf had a thing going?
You know, on Sundays, granny would go frolic with the wolves, while the Big Bad Wolf would live it up at grandma’s house. And it would all go so well, until granny’s grandaughter arrived unannounced.
I’m pretty sure if Red Riding Hood is ever rebooted, this is how it will go.
A little artist’s note: This one has been rattling around in my mind for a while.
I actually attempted to draw it a few months ago and the results were, well, bad. Let’s just go straight to bad. I just couldn’t get the look right, and my style was not evolved enough to be able to create the sort of strangeness that this cartoon required. And so, the idea just kind of sat there, sitting in my to-do pile until I found myself looking at it again and wondering: Could I do this now?
The short answer is that I think I can. And, I think I did. The bigger question is: Was the joke worth it? I don’t really have that answer, but I am happy that it is done.
Caption: “How about I get this first round, then I eyeball you both until you get the next rounds, and then we do it all over again?”
It’s drinking season!
The time when we catch up with old friends, often at the pub, and reminisce on the year that was and think optimistically about the year to come. And, you know, one drink leads to another and before you know it you find yourself in a series of rounds. But, what if you’re the person who starts the round? And then what if you find yourself wondering: well I’ve made the start, will they think that they have to get the next round, or that it’s a gift?
It’s an age-old question, isn’t it?
A little artist’s note: Sometimes things come together quickly, largely because they have to.
This week I have found myself very time poor and it’s been a challenge to slot in drawing, and especially to slot in quality drawing. So this cartoon had to come together quickly. However, it’s simplicity is in-part by necessity, and in-part by design. Because, while the background is very basic, there was a time when it had all the features of a pub behind that bar. What I found, though, was that those additions just felt like too much. Like they distracted from the core confrontation.
They were also a heck of a lot of work to take from a sketch to a proper drawing, and I just did not have that sort of time.
Thanks for reading MiddleSquiggle!
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