On the third day

Three hens arrived dressed in costume similar to that of French onion sellers.

Must haves this Christmas

The shops seem to be bustling, with people spending (particularly Bankers) and there is talk of a better Christmas this year in terms of high street and on line retailing. As always there are the Christmas must haves and it seems that anything prefixed with and i is on everyones list....Look here at 10 must haves this Christmas

1.   i Phone
2.   i Pod
3.   i Mac
4.   i Pod touch
5.   i Tunes
6.   i want this
7.   i want that
8.   i need an overdraft
9.   i still have the receipt
10. i need a drink

On the second day

I was surprised to discover I now have Two Turtle Doves billing and cooing right before my very eyes. Still not sure of why they are named after a reptile, I guess it must be something to do with the evolutionary cycle.

Why Robins at Christmas

We associate robins with Christmas, the bird that always appears on Christmas cards. Why a Robin?
I beleive it is because the Robin is most visible at Christmas, when its bright red breast is easily seen against the stark white snow.
It sings all year round and so provides a welcome cheery sound in the depths of winter. It is however a fiercely territorial bird and if any other birds make the mistake of tresspassing onto his territory even if it is do the birdy equivalent of carol signing then it will get short shrift from the fiery little character.

Here is my version, sadly not as cute as it ought to be.

A favourite film of mine

'Nightmare before Christmas' . I like everything about this film, the story, the atmosphere, the excellent stop motion and best of all my favourite character 'Oogie Boogie'

If you don't have a copy of the film or you have yet to see it, may I politely suggest you revise your Christmas list to include this gem

On the first day

A Pear tree complete with it's own Partridge was duly delivered

Christmas Films

Ten films that will probably make an appearance over the festive period.

Wizard of Oz
Miracle on 34th Street
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Home Alone
Greatest Story ever told
Duck Soup
A Muppet Christmas Carol
The Snowman
A Nightmare before Christmas
The Sound of Music

Christmas Pullover

It happens every year, somebody somewhere will get a pullover knitted for them and it will be "just what they always wanted".........it's not going to be you is it?

T & J at Christmas

I have always been a big fan of Tom and Jerry, so I thought it only right that I put a shout out for one of the early Tom and Jerry cartoons titled ‘The Night before Christmas’. A frightening amount of drawings must have gone into these early cartoons, plus the backgrounds were also such great pieces of work too.

Follow the link to watch the cartoon on You tube, if you don’t have a copy of the episode yourself (shame on you!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3deR0MteV1s

Christmas Bird

Goose, Turkey, Chicken, Rooster, Cockrel, Swan, Pheasant, Partridge, Crow, Blackbird, Snipe, Woodcock, Duck, Wood Pigeon, Magpie and Rook are all birds that apparently have been eaten at Christmas depending on personal taste and financial circumstances. Turkey always seem to end up on the table in our house and it seems to do the job.
Thought it might be good to draw up a bird just for Christmas.....species unkown.

Swans

Took this picture earlier this year on a visit to Cambridge...What has it to do with Christmas, unfortunately as tenuous as it may be there are 'seven swans a swimming'

Christmas Goose

The good old Goose used to be traditional Christmas Fayre. Things have changed as now millions of Turkeys are gobbled up by households across the land all in the name of Christmas. Geese are still eaten in abundance so here is a one looking distinctly unimpressed at the prospect of ending up on a table complete with all the trimmings.

The things we say at Christmas

In the run up to and during Christmas it is almost guaranteed that you will either hear or say one or all of the following…..In no particular order

• “Got it all done then?”
• “We’d better get some, just in case”
• “Ssssshhh, it’s the Queens speech”
• “I fancy a change from Turkey this year.”
• “In my day we used to get a Balloon and an Orange”
• “Anyone for Turkey sandwiches”
• “ The Sale starts Boxing Day”
• “I’m stuffed”
• “Christmas is too commercial these days”
• “Ready for Christmas then?
• “We thought about going away this Christmas but it wouldn’t be the same”
• “We haven’t got enough chairs”

 

Last non Christmas post

With the imminent onslaught of all things Christmas related about to hit us all..I will leave a little drawing totally unrelated to crimbo.... 3 dogs

December looms

Yes Christmas is looming so I have decided that from 1st December I am going all festive here on the Blog...Every post will be related in someway to Christmas, pictures, anecdotes, rantings, and all the other stuff. That means I now have to get busy and get some stuff together. So in true Inkydoodles tradition I leave a doodle of a small hairy bird.

Christmas is coming!

A quick trip around the shops confirms that Christmas is just around the corner...Love it or hate it will be here on the 25th of next Month..."Ladeeeezz and Genalmennn" please start your credit cards and prepare for a bumby ride.

Here is a little doodle of a cat and christmas pud...

A couple of crows and 2 Dogs

Desert Island drawing Books

I like many other cartoonist types tend be collectors of books that have cartoons or illustrations in them. We all collect for any number of reasons, some will collect anything and everything regardless of the artist. While others like me tend to collect them to look specifically at the work of the artist and are therefore more selective in choice.
I often visit bookshops to trawl the shelves of the ‘Humour’ section looking for books to add to the collection. Though I look through a lot of books, the decision to buy is often based on the style of the artist.
I have number of books at home, enough for me to be able to select 10 books as my desert island ‘drawing’ books, so in true diplomatic reality TV show style….. “In no particular order” here are the 10 books chosen for the desert island.

Book: The Square Egg
Artist: Ronald Searle
Reason: A brilliant and varied collection of drawings with a unique and enviable style

Book: Life of Birds
Artist: Quentin Blake
Reason: Fantastic pencil and wash anthropomorphic drawings of birds

Book: The Drawings of Heinrich Kley
Artist: Heinrich Kley
Reason: Incredible draughtsmanship, extraordinary linework

Book: Icon
Artist: Frank Frazetta
Reason: I don’t think anybody else can or ever will do Fantasy art like Frazetta.

Book: Birds of Feather
Artist: Harry Hargreaves
Reason: Wordless cartoons executed with great skill in a very appealing style

Book: Action Speaks
Artist: Sergio Aragones
Reason: Wicked sense of humour, the master of the silent cartoon

Book: Drawing Blood
Artist: Gerald Scarfe
Reason: I have always admired the work of Gerald Scarfe, the linework is bold and confident and the occasional unintentional splats of ink add to the spontaneity.

Book: Crazy world of Jogging
Artist: Bill Stott
Reason: A subject close to my heart and if you want see energy in linework then look at work of Mr Bill Stott.

Book: Cartoon of Ed McLachlan
Artst: Ed McLachlan
Reason: The sense of humour strikes a chord with me as does the trademark style

Book: Mad book of Horrifying clichés
Artist: Paul Coker Jr
Reason: Clever drawings that guarantee a smile no matter how many times you look at them.

Well some would say an unusual mix and I would add that it is an honest mix of what I like. The truth is I could have chosen more but then I wouldn’t have room for any food on my desert island.

Master of the silent cartoon

Silent comedy when done well is brilliant.

Just look at movies by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
Silent comedy in cartoon form is a favourite of mine. There are a plenty of cartoonists who do wordless gags but one of my favourites is Sergio Aragones one of the long standing contributing artists to Mad Magazine.
His cartoons are lively and carry his wonderful sense of humour effortlessly to the reader or should I say observer. His cartoons are silent and always funny, the expressions get the message across as do the situations, and general story telling.
Here is an example that I found particularly funny, just look at the expressions in panels 4 & 5 for me this where the story is nailed, the realization on the faces that say “hey maybe we are onto to something here”
Pick up any Mad Magazine and Sergio’s drawing are scattered throughout the margins and he always does a main feature. He is reputed to draw constantly and there is probably not enough time left on earth for most of us to look at all the drawings he has ever done. But a least you can make a start here at his website http://www.sergioaragones.com/

Addition to book stack

I just added this book to my collection. A selection of good cartoons by various artists over the last 17 years from the Oldie publication.....and no you don't have to be Old to enjoy it