PAT Tuesday 26 October 2010 Your Cartoon Filter

It's all too human to make something harder than necessary when you're first starting out with it.  I used to get a brain cramp trying to think of cartoon ideas.  Even though I always got plenty of ideas, I tried too hard to think of something funny for a particular caption.  I think that's a waste of time. It works much better for me to tell my subconscious that I'd like to see the world as full of cartoon ideas, processed through the filter of my main idea.  Of course, with Rock Garden, that main idea is oldness.  I have Rose and her family, the mummies and zombies, the geezers, and the catchall Rocculture category. 

Not every cartoon I draw has to be about oldness.  It can be enough if an old person says something funny that anyone else could say.  Often, it turns out to have a special twist that goes with oldness, which I didn't see in the beginning. 

Years ago I wanted to draw a few cartoons for my gay friends.  So, I asked several of them what they thought was funny.  Most of them definitely liked adult themes for their cartoons.  One of them gave me this advice:  "Don't try to draw cartoons about gayness.  Just draw funny cartoons with gay people in them".  I really took this to heart and have tried to put it to use in all my cartoons.  However, following his advice, there are many cartoons where the gayness of someone would go completely unnoticed.  Wish the real world could be that way!  But it does feel less limiting to know that I can use all ideas in a wide variety of ways.  Thyat makes it fun to choose the best way.

For example, I have one cartoon that I've drawn three ways, so far.  The first version showed an old straight couple sitting on a loveseat.  The man says, "Happy, darling?", and the woman replies "No, but you're welcome to keep trying".  I think that's very funny, and I later drew two more versions featuring two men and two women.  Using that process is something that I try to keep in the back of my mnd, because I think it's the best way to approach thia subject.

Using the filter of oldness works well for me because I draw single panel comics.  I don't know how much benefit a cartoonist could make of it who draws science fiction or superhero comics.  Seeing the world through your chosen filter keeps the dialogue open with your imagination and subconscious.  Your mind wants to do what you ask it to do, if you get it pointed in the right direction.